OPENING SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING CATHETER DELIVERY

摘要

A ball-tipped mandrel, separate or integrated on a device delivery assembly, can be used to ease delivery and/or retrieval of an ancillary device within a body vessel having tortuous anatomy. A ball-tipped mandrel can be moved through a catheter as a part of a preparation procedure prior to insertion into a body vessel of a patient. A ball-tipped mandrel can be moved through a catheter during or after insertion into a body vessel of a patient in preparation for delivery of an ancillary device. A ball-tipped mandrel can be integrated onto the distal portion of a device to produce dilation during device delivery.

主权项

1. A method of treating a catheter, comprising:
moving an enlarging member of an expander longitudinally within a lumen of a catheter, while the catheter is outside a patient, wherein an outer cross-sectional dimension of the enlarging member is (i) between 0.0002″ and 0.0006″ larger than a first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen in an unrestrained condition and/or (ii) between 1% and 3% larger than the first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen.