Expandable sheath with longitudinally extending reinforcing members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12053597-B2
Application number	US-202318207076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2023
Priority date	Mar 9, 2017
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

An expandable delivery sheath includes an elastic outer tubular layer and an inner tubular layer. The inner tubular layer include a thick wall portion integrally connected to a thin wall portion. The thin wall portion can include longitudinal reinforcing members/rods that facilitate unfolding during the passage of the implant, thus decreasing the push force and increasing the consistency of the push force. The inner tubular layer can have a non-expanded or folded condition wherein the thin wall portion folds onto an outer surface of the thick wall portion under urging of the elastic outer tubular layer. When an implant passes therethrough, the outer tubular layer stretches and the inner tubular layer unfolds into an expanded lumen diameter. Once the implant passes, the outer tubular layer again urges the inner tubular layer into the non-expanded condition with the sheath reassuming its smaller profile.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An expandable sheath comprising:
an elastic outer tubular layer comprising a longitudinal rod, the longitudinal rod comprising a surface that protrudes from the outer tubular layer; and
an inner tubular layer extending through the outer tubular layer and radially movable between an expanded state and a non-expanded state, the inner tubular layer having a thick wall portion, the thick wall portion integrally connected to a thin wall portion that is thinner in a radial direction than the thick wall portion;
wherein the thin wall portion comprises a first reinforcing member extending along a length of the thin wall portion and the thick wall portion comprises a second reinforcing member extending along a length of the thick wall portion;
wherein the thin wall portion extends between first and second longitudinally extending ends of the thick wall portion, and in the expanded state the first and second longitudinally extending ends of the thick wall portion expand apart with the thin wall portion extending therebetween;
wherein in the non-expanded state the first longitudinally extending end is positioned under the second longitudinally extending end and the thin wall portion is sandwiched between two segments of the thick wall portion with the first reinforcing member disposed radially between the two segments of the thick wall portion; and
wherein a surface of each of the first and second reinforcing members protrudes from an inner tubular layer surface.

2. An expandable sheath comprising:
an elastic outer tubular layer comprising a longitudinal rod, the longitudinal rod comprising a surface that protrudes from the outer tubular layer; and
an inner tubular layer extending through the outer tubular layer and radially movable between an expanded state and a non-expanded state, the inner tubular layer having a thick wall portion, the thick wall portion integrally connected to a thin wall portion that is thinner in a radial direction than the thick wall portion;
wherein the inner tubular layer comprises a reinforcing member extending along a length of the inner tubular layer with a surface of the reinforcing member protruding from a surface of the inner tubular layer;
wherein the thin wall portion extends between first and second longitudinally extending ends of the thick wall portion, and in the expanded state the first and second longitudinally extending ends of the thick wall portion expand apart with the thin wall portion extending therebetween;
wherein in the non-expanded state the first longitudinally extending end is positioned under the second longitudinally extending end and the thin wall portion is sandwiched between two segments of the thick wall portion with the reinforcing member disposed radially between the two segments of the thick wall portion.

3. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal rod extends along an entire length of the outer tubular layer.

4. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal rod is embedded in the outer tubular layer.

5. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal rod has a rectilinear shape in cross-section.

6. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal rod has a curvilinear shape in cross-section.

7. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the surface of the longitudinal rod protruding from the outer tubular layer protrudes into a central lumen defined by the outer tubular layer such that the longitudinal rod provides a bearing surface to facilitate relative movement of the inner tubular layer within the outer tubular layer when moving between the expanded and non-expanded state.

8. The expandable sheath of claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal rod is a first longitudinal rod, and wherein the outer tubular layer further comprises a second longitudinal rod spaced circumferentially from the first longitudinal rod, a surface of the second longitudinal rod protruding from an outer surface of the outer tubular layer such that the second longitudinal rod provides a bearing surface to ease longitudinal movement of the outer tubular layer relative to a body lumen or an outer delivery sheath.

9. The expandable sheath of claim 8 , wherein the outer tubular layer comprises a plurality of additional longitudinal rods positioned around a circumference of the outer tubular layer.

10. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein an outer tubular layer distal portion and an inner tubular layer distal portion are adhered to each other in a sealed configuration.

11. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the outer tubular layer is radially movable with the inner tubular layer between the expanded state and the non-expanded state, and wherein the outer tubular layer urges the inner tubular layer towards the non-expanded state.

12. The expandable sheath of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing member of the inner tubular layer is coupled to the thin wall portion of the inner tubular layer.

13. The expandable sheath of claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing member extends along an entire length of the inner tubular layer.

14. The expandable sheath of claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing member is embedded in the thin wall portion.

15. An expandable sheath comprising:
an inner tubular layer radially movable between an expanded state and a non-expanded state, the inner tubular layer having a thick wall portion, the thick wall portion integrally connected to a thin wall portion that is thinner in a radial direction than the thick wall portion;
wherein the thin wall portion comprises a first reinforcing member extending along a length of the thin wall portion and the thick wall portion comprises a second reinforcing member extending along a length of the thick wall portion;
wherein the thin wall portion extends between first and second longitudinally extending ends of the thick wall portion, and in the expanded state the first and second longitudinally extending ends of the thick wall portion expand apart with the thin wall portion extending therebetween;
wherein in the non-expanded state the first longitudinally extending end is positioned under the second longitudinally extending end such that the thin wall portion is sandwiched between two segments of the thick wall portion with the first reinforcing member disposed radially between the two segments of the thick wall portion; and
wherein a surface of each of the first and second reinforcing members protrudes from an inner tubular layer surface.

16. The expandable sheath of claim 15 , wherein the first and second reinforcing members extend along the entire length of the inner tubular layer.

17. The expandable sheath of claim 15 , wherein the first and second reinforcing members are embedded in the inner tubular layer.

18. The expandable sheath of claim 15 , wherein the thin wall portion comprises a plurality of first reinforcing members positioned circumferentially around the thin wall portion, and wherein the thick wall portion comprises a plurality of second reinforcing members positioned circumferentially around the thick wall portion.

19. The expandable sheath of claim 15 , wherein the first or second reinforcing member has a rectilinear shape in cross-section.

20. The expandable sheath of claim 15 , wherein the first or second reinforcing member has a curvilinear shape in cross-section.

Assignees

• Edwards Lifesciences Corp

Inventors

• Zhou Pu
• Bulman Erik
• Bian Baigui

Classifications

• A61F2/2436

  Deployment by retracting a sheath · CPC title

• A61M25/0023

  by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter · CPC title

• A61M2025/0024

  Expandable catheters or sheaths · CPC title

• A61M25/005

  with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids · CPC title

• A61F2/958

  Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts · CPC title