The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 01, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 15, 1992
Luis A Querals, Baltimore, MD (US);
Michael J Fine, Coral Springs, FL (US);
Querals & Fine, Inc., Coral Springs, FL (US);
Abstract
A tool for the intraluminal insertion and deployment of a tubular graft within a blood vessel includes a flexible insertion shaft with a tapered distal end, a tubular sheath, a deployment slider and a safety locking tube. The deployment slider and the graft are slideably mounted, end to end, on a cylindrical portion of the shaft. A tubular sheath, which is slideably mounted to cover the graft and a distal portion of the deployment slider, includes a tapered distal end portion with tabs extending into a circumferential groove in the shaft. The graft is deployed, or released, by first removing the safety lock tube and then the tubular sheath is withdrawn over the proximal end of the shaft, exposing the graft from the outside and from the distal end of the tool. Then the shaft is then withdrawn as the deployment slider is held in place to prevent the withdrawal of the graft. Prior to deployment, the safety locking tube is locked on the proximal end of the shaft in an end to end relationship with the tubular sheath, thereby preventing premature deployment by preventing the withdrawal of the tubular sheath. An alternative version of the tool includes an electrical heating element to aid in the softening and dilating of tissues, and a second alternative version of the tool includes an angioplasty balloon at the distal end, so that obstructions can be cleared by angioplasty as the tool is advanced along a blood vessel.