摘要 |
A catheter ( 1 ) for transvascular deployment of a radially compressible medical device ( 16 ) has a tubular outer body ( 2 ) within which is slidably mounted an inner tubular sheath ( 3 ) which in turn houses a guide wire ( 4 ) which is axially movable through the sheath ( 3 ). The medical device ( 6 ) is mounted on the guide wire ( 4 ) and can be collapsed within the sheath ( 3 ) and body ( 2 ) for deployment. An outer distal end of the sheath ( 3 ) is provided with circumferentially spaced-apart axial slits ( 7 ) extending proximally from the distal end of the sheath ( 3 ) which sub-divide the distal end of the tubular side wall of the sheath ( 3 ) into a number of complementary tube sections ( 8 ) which are movable apart when the sheath ( 3 ) is pushed out of the distal end of the body ( 2 ) to engage or deploy the medical device ( 6 ). |