Disclosed is an expandable sheath that can be used in conjunction with a catheter assembly to introduce a prosthetic device, such as a heart valve, into a patient. The disclosed sheaths 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. Also disclosed is a sheath having 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 and where a first polymer is disposed between the outer layer and the folded portion of the inner layer.

A splittable sheath includes a splittable sheath body, a splittable sheath hub, and a valve element. The sheath body comprises a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body defines a longitudinal axis and is splittable into two halves along a pre-determined line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The sheath hub extends from the proximal end of the sheath body and defines a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub form an inner cavity along their respective longitudinal axes. The valve element includes a resilient plate and a sealing element. The resilient plate includes a distal portion extending radially inwardly from a side of the inner cavity. The sealing element includes a sealing surface and is supported by the resilient plate such that the sealing element is biased toward a position against a second sealing surface on at least one of the splittable sheath body and hub to substantially seal the inner cavity.

Intravascular delivery system is designed for a safe and efficient access to secondary and tertiary vascular structures, such as the branches of the coronary sinus, to enhance the delivery and deployment of various catheters, such as, for example, pacemaker electrical leads. The over-the-wire system features a straight, or alternatively shaped, micro-catheter distal tip of an inner catheter that seamlessly cooperates with a peel-away reinforced outer catheter. The inner catheter and the peel-away reinforced outer catheter are advanced in their engaged mode of operation towards (or beyond) the target site. Subsequently, the inner and outer catheters are disengaged, and the inner catheter is removed from the outer catheter. A pacemaker lead may be advanced over the wire inside the outer catheter to the target site for deployment. Subsequently, the outer catheter is easily split and may be rapidly removed from the blood vessel.

Apparatus and methods employing same for loading and inserting an inverting tube apparatus into a body lumen, such as a blood vessel, including introducers for inverting tube apparatuses. Also described herein are stacked tractor regions and methods of using them for removing larger and/or longer materials from the body lumen. Also described herein are methods and apparatuses for assisting in the manual operation the inverting tube apparatuses described herein, including grips.

A medical device may include an introducer sheath, having a distal and a proximal end and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The introducer sheath may also include a tab formed at the distal end and extending distal to the lumen, and a frangible portion extending between the distal end and the proximal end.

Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”), introducers, and insertion devices including combinations and methods thereof are disclosed. For example, a RICC system can include an introducer and a RICC insertion assembly including a RICC assembly disposed in a RICC insertion device. The RICC assembly can include a RICC, an access guidewire, and a splittable casing over a catheter tube of the RICC and the access guidewire forming a longitudinal composite. The RICC insertion device can include a frame and a nose cover forming a split channel that splits away from a through channel of a nose of the frame. The RICC insertion device can be configured for advancing the RICC assembly by rolling the longitudinal composite across roller wheels disposed in the frame. The through channel can be configured for advancing the catheter tube therethrough while the split channel can be configured for both splitting and passing the splittable casing therethrough.

A chest tube insertion device includes a semi-rigid curvilinear sheath body having a distal end and a proximal end, a lumen defined axially through the sheath body from the distal end to the proximal end, the lumen including a distal end opening at the distal end and a proximal end opening at the proximal end, and a tapered pneumostatic tube clamp at the distal end of the sheath body, the tube clamp including one or more clamp tabs angled radially inward toward the distal end opening. The chest tube insertion device is supported during insertion into the chest cavity by a stylet. The chest tube insertion device is also removable from a chest tube when a free end of the chest tube is positioned in the chest cavity of a patient.

Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”), RICC insertion assemblies, and methods are disclosed. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer, and an access guidewire. An introducer needle can include a needle shaft having a longitudinal gap extending from a proximal portion of the needle shaft through a needle tip. An introducer sheath can include a splittable sheath hub coupled to a splittable sheath body. The introducer sheath can be disposed over the introducer needle with the sheath body sealing the needle shaft for drawing a vacuum through the introducer needle. The access guidewire can extend along an entirety of a primary lumen of the RICC, through a splittable valved port of the sheath hub, along a sheath body-covered needle channel of the needle shaft, and to a location in the introducer proximal of the needle tip in a ready-to-operate state of the RICC insertion assembly.

A matter elimination catheter includes a catheter body extending from a catheter proximal portion to a catheter distal portion. The catheter body includes an infusion lumen, an aspiration lumen fluidly isolated from the infusion lumen, and a septum interposed between the infusion and aspiration lumens. A drive shaft is within the infusion lumen and is configured to provide rotation near the catheter distal portion. A guide wire lumen is within the drive shaft, and the infusion lumen, the drive shaft and the guide wire lumen are fluidly separated from the aspiration lumen with the septum. In one example, fluid bearings are formed between one or more of the catheter body and drive shaft or the drive shaft and a guide wire or guide wire liner when supplied with infusion fluid through the infusion lumen.

A matter elimination catheter includes a catheter body extending from a catheter proximal portion to a catheter distal portion. The catheter body includes an infusion lumen, an aspiration lumen fluidly isolated from the infusion lumen, and a septum interposed between the infusion and aspiration lumens. A drive shaft is within the infusion lumen and is configured to provide rotation near the catheter distal portion. A guide wire lumen is within the drive shaft, and the infusion lumen, the drive shaft and the guide wire lumen are fluidly separated from the aspiration lumen with the septum. In one example, fluid bearings are formed between one or more of the catheter body and drive shaft or the drive shaft and a guide wire or guide wire liner when supplied with infusion fluid through the infusion lumen.