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:
Apr. 16, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1994
Louis Goode, Evans City, PA (US);
Chun K Lui, Monroeville, PA (US);
Cook Pacemaker Corporation, Leechburg, PA (US);
Abstract
A locally flexible dilator sheath (10) for separating encapsulating tissue from an implanted cardiac electrical lead. The dilator sheath includes an elongated tubular member (11) of a rigid stainless steel material, which is sized for placement of the tubular member over a cardiac lead that is implanted in the vascular system of a patient. The distal end (13) of the rigid tubular member is beveled to ease the separation of extremely tough tissue that encapsulates an implanted cardiac lead. To ease insertion around curves in the vascular system of the patient, the elongated tubular member includes a relieved portion (14). The relieved portion includes a relief pattern (15) of apertures (16,17,19,23) in the elongated tubular member. The relief apertures preferably include diametrically opposed slots (24,25) that extend perpendicularly into the tubular member. Adjacent pairs (44,45) of slots are circumferentially offset a 90.degree. angle (26) to add further lateral flexibility to the relieved portion. A polyester shrink tube (41) surrounds the relief apertures to provide integrity to the tubular member should the tubular member fracture when separating encapsulating tissue from the implanted lead.