Examples of an expandable sheath can be used in conjunction with a catheter assembly to introduce a prosthetic device, such as a heart valve, into a patient. Such examples can minimize trauma to the vessel by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the introducer sheath to accommodate the delivery apparatus, followed by a return to the original diameter once the prosthetic device passes through. Some examples can include a sheath with inner and outer layers, where a folded portion of the inner layer extends through a slit in the outer layer and a portion of the outer layer overlaps the folded portion of the inner layer. Some examples include an elastic outer cover positioned outside the outer layer. Examples of the present expandable sheath can avoid the need for multiple insertions for the dilation of the vessel, thus offering advantages over prior art introducer sheaths.

A catheter having a multilumenal tube surrounded by a slotted hypotube is provided. The catheter has a tube holder that houses the multilumenal tubing and slidably engages the hypotube, and has internal passages configured to receive one of more tubes from the multilumenal tube. The multilumenal tubing separates into one or more tubings, each comprising a lumen, such that the tubings exit the tube holder at different locations. The slotted hypotube slidably engages a key in the tube holder that prevents the multilumenal tubing from rotating relative to the tube holder and the one of more tubings that separate from the multilumenal tubing. Advantages provided by the slotted hypotube/tube holder assembly are described.

The subject guide catheter extension system with a micro-catheter delivery catheter includes an outer sheath, an inner member extending within the sheath, and a mechanism for engagement/disengagement of the inner member to/from the sheath. Several mechanisms of engagement/disengagement between the inner and outer members are provided including a friction mechanism, threaded mechanism, pull away sheath, and engagement/disengagement mechanism for pusher's handles. The sheath and the inner member are modified for different engagement/disengagement mechanisms operation. A micro-catheter delivery system provides for an improved atraumatic crossability to the treatment site in an expedited and simplified fashion. During a procedure, a guidewire along with a guide catheter are advanced to the vicinity of the treatment site within a blood vessel. Subsequent thereto, the subject guide catheter extension system is manipulated to advance the micro-catheter along the guidewire inside the guide catheter towards and beyond the site of interest. Once the micro-catheter is in place, the outer sheath slides along the micro-catheter until reaching the lesion, and then the inner member is removed from the sheath, and the sheath then is ready for passing the treatment catheter (stent/balloon) towards the lesion to be treated.

A smart obturator assembly includes a hub forming a central passage. The hub is configured to couple to a proximal end of a device that forms a lumen such that the central passage is in fluid communication with the lumen. A collar on the hub includes electronic circuitry in signal communication with remote reception circuitry. An obturator is movably positionable within the lumen. The obturator is movable within the lumen between a first position and a second position. The obturator includes a distal end and a sensor at the distal end. The sensor is configured to sense an environmental characteristic within a patient's blood stream, generate a signal representative of the environmental characteristic, and transmit the signal to the electronic circuitry. The electronic circuitry is configured to receive the signal and transmit the signal to the remote reception circuitry.

A catheter system may include a catheter assembly and a catheter delivery device. The catheter assembly may include a catheter adapter, which may include a catheter adapter distal end, a catheter adapter proximal end, and a catheter adapter lumen extending through the catheter adapter distal end and the catheter adapter proximal end. The catheter assembly may include a primary catheter extending from the catheter adapter distal end. The catheter delivery device may include a housing, which may include a housing distal end coupled to the catheter assembly, a housing proximal end, and a housing lumen extending through the housing distal end and the housing proximal end. A secondary catheter may be disposed within the housing. The secondary catheter may be configured to move distally through the catheter assembly in response to a fluid pressure provided by a fluid delivery device coupled to the housing proximal end.

The guide catheter extension system for various intravascular procedures, including the reverse CART procedure, the thrombus removal, etc., has an enhanced ”capturing” capability. It is configured with a plastically expandable scaffold member forming an expandable “funnel-like” distal opening, and, once it has been advanced into the subintimal space, provides an enhanced capability of catching the retrograde wire or a thrombus, as required by the procedure. A balloon delivered to the target location in the blood vessel, by being inflated, opens the scaffold member to enhance the delivery of the retrograde wire or the thrombus into the guide catheter extension. When the guide catheter extension is no longer needed, the flared guide extension can be easily compressed and collapsed as it is drawn in the guiding catheter. For benefits of the thrombus removal, the balloon may be formed from a material loaded with a radiopaque material and prefabricated with micro pores. A thrombolytic agent can be delivered to the thrombus before the thrombus is conveniently captured in the expanded distal opening of the scaffold member and removed from the blood vessel by aspiration. The outer or inner catheter may be configured with a distal curved portion to enhance a rotational capability for displacement between the right and left pulmonary arteries.

A catheter may include a catheter body having a tubular shape, a cuff encircling the catheter body, and a wire mesh attached to and encircling the catheter body. The cuff may be configured for facilitating fibrous tissue growth. The wire mesh may be configured for radially expanding away from the catheter body.

An introducer assembly includes a valve having a first end and an opposite second end; a sheath fixedly secured to and extending axially from one of the first and second ends of the valve; a dilator extending through the valve and sheath; and a lock knob rotatable between locked and unlocked positions to releasably axially lock the tool relative to the sheath without causing corresponding rotation of the tool therewith.

A method of manufacturing a catheter assembly including a proximal catheter assembly portion and a distal catheter assembly portion. The method of manufacturing comprises forming the proximal catheter assembly portion, creating a distal catheter assembly portion, and applying a polymeric coating to at least one of the proximal catheter assembly portion and the distal catheter assembly portion. The proximal catheter assembly portion can include a catheter hub and at least one cannula, the catheter hub including at least one fluid passageway in communication with a lumen of the at least one cannula. The distal catheter assembly portion can include a catheter tube defining at least one lumen designed to receive the at least one cannula. The polymeric coating is configured to provide a seal between the at least one cannula and the catheter tube when the proximal catheter assembly portion and the distal catheter assembly portion are connected.

An obturator assembly includes an obturator positionable within a lumen of a device and movable within the lumen between a first position and a second position. The obturator includes a distal tip portion, wherein, with the obturator in the first position, the distal tip portion limits fluid communication through the lumen and, with the obturator in the second position, the distal tip portion provides fluid communication through the lumen.