Expandable introducer sheath

摘要

An introducer sheath has a radially unexpanded and a radially expanded configuration, where the sheath locally expands from the unexpanded configuration to the expanded configuration when a device is advanced through a lumen thereof, and locally contracts back to the unexpanded configuration after the device advances past that location. Embodiments of the introducer sheath include an outer tubular layer comprising a longitudinal cut therethrough, and an inner tubular layer comprising at least one pleat extending through the longitudinal cut to an outside surface of the outer tubular layer. Embodiments of the inner tubular layer are adhered to an inner surface of the outer tubular layer, with the pleat not adhered to an outer surface of the outer tubular layer.

主权项

1. An introducer sheath comprising:
a radially unexpanded configuration and a radially expanded configuration; an outer tubular layer comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, and a longitudinal cut therethrough, the longitudinal cut defining a gap, the longitudinal cut facilitating conversion of the introducer sheath between the radially unexpanded configuration and the radially expanded configuration, the outer tubular layer comprising high density polyethylene; a substantially circumferentially continuous inner tubular layer comprising at least one longitudinal pleat, the at least one longitudinal pleat extending through the gap to the outer surface of the outer tubular layer in the radially unexpanded configuration, the inner tubular layer comprising PTFE; and a lumen enclosed by the inner tubular layer and the outer tubular layer, wherein portions of the inner tubular layer are adhered to portions of the inner surface of the outer tubular layer, wherein the longitudinal pleat of the inner tubular layer is not adhered to the outer surface of the outer tubular layer, wherein a portion of the introducer sheath surrounding a device passing through the lumen thereof expands from the radially unexpanded configuration to the radially expanded configuration to accommodate a profile of the device, and wherein the expanded portion of the sheath automatically contracts from the radially expanded configuration to the radially unexpanded configuration after the device passes therethrough.