Collapsible dilator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11026669-B2
Application number	US-201715648512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2017
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

In some examples, an introducer apparatus includes an outer elongated member defining a lumen extending therethrough, the lumen having a lumen dimension in cross-section, and a dilator configured to be received within the lumen of the outer elongated member, the dilator may comprise a proximal section, a distal section comprising a distal end of the dilator, and an intermediate section disposed between the proximal section and the tapered distal section. In some examples, the intermediate section may define a through-opening that configures the intermediate section to be collapsible from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration. In the collapsed configuration, the intermediate section may have a first dilator dimension in cross-section that is less than a second dilator dimension in cross-section when the intermediate section is in the expanded configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
an outer elongated member defining a lumen and a first sloping wall; and
a dilator configured to be received within the lumen of the outer elongated member, the dilator comprising:
a distal section;
a proximal section;
an intermediate section integrally formed with the distal section and the proximal section between the distal section and the proximal section, the intermediate section defining a second sloping wall; wherein, in an assembled configuration of the outer elongated member and the dilator, the second sloping wall is seated against the first sloping wall; and
a guidewire lumen extending from the proximal section to the distal section, through the proximal, intermediate and distal sections;
wherein the intermediate section defines a through-opening that configures the intermediate section to be collapsible from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration; wherein, the dilator is configured such that as the intermediate section transitions from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, only the intermediate section of the dilator expands in diameter; further wherein the guidewire lumen is bifurcated by the through-opening.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the distal section includes a distal end of the dilator, the intermediate section being disposed between the proximal section and the distal section; wherein the distal section of the dilator is tapered toward the distal end of the dilator.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein in the collapsed configuration, the intermediate section has a first dilator dimension measured in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the dilator, and in the expanded configuration, the intermediate section has a second dilator dimension measured in the direction, the second dilator dimension being greater than the first dilator dimension.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the through-opening extends along about 5% to about 50% of a perimeter of a cross-section of the dilator taken orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the dilator.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the through-opening comprises two or more through-openings.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein at least two of the two or more through-openings are positioned on opposite sides of a central longitudinal axis of the dilator.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the two or more through-openings are longitudinally spaced from one another relative to a longitudinal axis of the dilator.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the through-opening is centered along a central longitudinal axis of the dilator.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the through-opening is off-center relative from a central longitudinal axis of the dilator.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the through-opening bisects the dilator lumen into a first portion and a second portion, the device further comprising an inner elongated member extending between the first and second portions of the dilator lumen.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the inner elongated member is exposed by the through-opening.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the dilator is overmolded around the inner elongated member.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the through-opening defined by an outer wall of the dilator has a proximal end and a distal end;
wherein a curvature of the perimeter at the proximal end differs from a curvature of the perimeter at the distal end.

14. The device of claim 13 , the perimeter at the distal end has a greater curvature as compared to the perimeter at the proximal end.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the dilator defines proximal and distal wall portions of the through-opening, wherein the proximal and distal wall portions each define sloping surfaces.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the expanded configuration at least a portion of the intermediate section has a diameter greater than a greatest outer diameter of both of the distal section and the proximal section.

17. An apparatus comprising:
an outer elongated member defining a lumen extending therethrough, the lumen having a lumen dimension in cross-section; and
a dilator configured to be received within the lumen of the outer elongated member, the dilator comprising:
a proximal section;
a distal section;
an intermediate section integrally formed with the distal section and the proximal section between the distal section and the proximal section; and
a guidewire lumen extending from the proximal section to the distal section, through the proximal, intermediate and distal sections; and
wherein the intermediate section defines a through-opening that configures the intermediate section to be collapsible from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration, wherein in the collapsed configuration, the intermediate section has a dilator dimension in cross-section that is less than or equal to the lumen dimension; wherein, the dilator is configured such that as the intermediate section transitions from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, only the intermediate section of the dilator expands in diameter;
further wherein the guidewire lumen is bifurcated by the through-opening; wherein, in an assembled configuration of the outer elongated member and the dilator, the outer elongated member and dilator abut to collectively define a substantially continuous outer diameter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the distal section includes a distal end of the dilator, the intermediate section being disposed between the proximal section and the distal section, wherein the distal section of the dilator is tapered toward a distal end of the dilator; wherein when the proximal section of the dilator is positioned in the lumen of the outer elongated member and the intermediate section is in the expanded configuration, the intermediate section and the distal section extend distally past a distal end of the outer elongated member.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the through-opening bisects the guidewire lumen into a first portion and a second portion, the apparatus further comprising an inner elongated member extending between the first and second portions of the guidewire lumen.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein when the proximal section of the dilator is positioned in the lumen of the outer elongated member and the intermediate section is in the expanded configuration and extends distally past a distal end of the outer elongated member, the outer elongated member and the intermediate section have substantially same outer dimensions.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the dilator dimension is substantially equal to the lumen dimension.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the dilator dimension is a first dilator dimension, and wherein in the expanded configuration, the intermediate section has a second dilator dimension in cross-section, the second dilator dimension being substantially equal to the lumen dimension.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the dilator dimension is a first dilator dimension, and wherein in the expanded configuration, the intermediate section has a second dilator dimension in cross-section, the second dilator dimension being greater than the lumen dimension.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the dilator dimension is a first dilator dimension, and wherein in the expanded configuration, the intermediate section has a second dilator dimensio

Assignees

• Medtronic Vascular Inc

Inventors

• Castelli Brian
• Krivoruchko Michael

Classifications

• A61B17/22 Primary

  Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; for invasive removal or destruction of calculus using mechanical vibrations; for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B17/34

  Trocars; Puncturing needles · CPC title

• A61B17/3417

  Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating (syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00) · CPC title

• A61M25/0662

  Guide tubes · CPC title

• A61M29/00

  Dilators with or without means for introducing media, e.g. remedies · CPC title