US 11,672,564 B2
Expandable introducer sheath and method
Richard S. Ginn, Gilroy, CA (US); and Michael T. Carley, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by MEDTRONIC, INC., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Aug. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/991,181.
Application 16/991,181 is a continuation of application No. 14/934,767, filed on Nov. 6, 2015, granted, now 11,213,318.
Application 14/934,767 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/276,952, filed on May 13, 2014, granted, now 11,234,845.
Application 14/276,952 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/274,563, filed on May 9, 2014, granted, now 9,545,298, issued on Jan. 17, 2017.
Application 14/274,563 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/673,911, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, granted, now 9,370,438, issued on Jun. 21, 2016.
Application 13/673,911 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/673,898, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, granted, now 10,959,844.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/824,471, filed on May 17, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/822,204, filed on May 10, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/717,575, filed on Oct. 23, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/558,397, filed on Nov. 10, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/558,357, filed on Nov. 10, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2020/0367929 A1, Nov. 26, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 17/34 (2006.01); A61F 2/24 (2006.01); A61F 2/962 (2013.01); A61L 29/14 (2006.01); A61M 39/06 (2006.01); A61M 25/06 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61M 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/3439 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3468 (2013.01); A61B 17/3498 (2013.01); A61F 2/2436 (2013.01); A61L 29/14 (2013.01); A61M 25/0662 (2013.01); A61M 29/00 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0024 (2013.01); A61M 2039/0626 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
12. A method comprising:
deploying an introducer sheath in a blood vessel;
passing a device through a proximal rigid section of the introducer sheath into a distal flex section of the introducer sheath;
passing the device through the distal flex section to a delivery location within the blood vessel, wherein the device causes the distal flex section to locally expand solely at a location where the device is positioned within the distal flex section; and
preventing the distal flex section from inverting during the passing the device through the distal flex section.