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:
Aug. 28, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2010
Stephen A. Leeflang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Christine P. Ventura, San Jose, CA (US);
Christian S. Eversull, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Nicholas J. Mourlas, Mountain View, CA (US);
Christopher Loew, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Stephen A. Leeflang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Christine P. Ventura, San Jose, CA (US);
Christian S. Eversull, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Nicholas J. Mourlas, Mountain View, CA (US);
Christopher Loew, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for providing access to a body lumen includes a tubular proximal portion and an expandable distal portion, which extends distally from a distal end of the proximal portion. The expandable distal portion includes an expandable sheath and a stiffening member. The proximal portion has a first lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, and the expandable sheath defines a second lumen that is in fluid communication with the first lumen and extends distally from the proximal portion to a distal terminal opening of the second lumen. The stiffening member is attached directly to the expandable sheath so as to extend alongside the second lumen, and the distal terminal opening of the second lumen is defined by a portion of a perimeter of a distal terminal end of the expandable sheath that becomes spaced apart from the stiffening member when the sheath is expanded.