St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC

Annex Medical, Inc.

Loran J Paprocki

Andrew T Forsberg

Stuart J Lind

The present invention is an access sheath comprising a tube or sheath with a passageway primarily for endoscopic procedures accessing the ureter through the bladder. The sheath has a bend limiting feature to limit the bend angle or bend radius. The sheath exhibits flexibility up to this limit at which point it becomes rigid. Excessive force is required to bend the sheath beyond the bend limit and would result in the kinking of the tubular frame.

Bend limiting access sheath

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for sealing a subcutaneous tissue puncture. The method and apparatus increases the reliability of device function by creating a multi-level anchor nest in a carrier tube of a tissue puncture closure device. The multi-level nest allows an insertion sheath or other deployment member to slide between the carrier tube and the anchor to rotate and deploy the anchor within an artery or other lumen.

Vascular puncture seal anchor nest

A sealing device incorporating a block and tackle for assisting in sealing an internal tissue puncture with an internal and external component. The block and tackle provides a mechanical advantage multiplying an initial force to facilitate compression of the internal and external component together across the internal tissue puncture. The internal and external components may be an anchor and collagen sponge, respectively. The internal tissue puncture is generally an arteriotomy intentionally created in order to perform a vascular procedure. The ability to exert a greater compression force across the arteriotomy eliminates a tamping tube common to prior internal tissue puncture closure devices, and also eliminates additional steps heretofore common to sealing internal tissue punctures. The steps eliminated by application of the principles described herein include tamping the collagen sponge, attaching a tamping spring between a tamping tube and a filament connecting the anchor to the collagen sponge, and later removing the tamping spring.

Method and apparatus for sealing an internal tissue puncture incorporating a block and tackle

The present invention provides a vascular insertion sheath with collapsible penetration locators. The collapsible penetration locators provide the insertion sheath with a small outer diameter and the added functionality of precise location indicator. The collapsible penetration locators comprise thin membranes that collapse upon insertion of a sealing device or vascular instrument into the insertion sheath. The insertion sheath includes a reinforced wall according to some embodiments, with a coiled or braided filament for reinforcement.

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St. Louis Park, MN, United States of America

Loran J Paprocki