CPC A61F 2/2436 (2013.01) | 14 Claims |
1. A sheath facilitating retraction of a prosthetic implant,
comprising a tubular body which has opposing distal and proximal ends along its own axial direction, wherein the distal end of the body is connected with an expandable section which has a converged configuration and a relative flared configuration and comprises from a proximal end to a distal end of the expandable section in sequence:
a primary expandable area, comprising a plurality of first expandable pieces arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction of the body; and
a secondary expandable area, comprising a plurality of second expandable pieces arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the body, wherein all the second expandable pieces comprise two alternating groups consisting of a first group and a second group, the second expandable pieces in the first group are formed by further extending the first expandable pieces to the distal end of the expandable section in the axial direction, and each of the second expandable pieces in the second group is wound between and connected to respective junctions at which two adjacent first expandable pieces are connected with respective second expandable pieces in the first group;
wherein in the converged configuration, each of the second expandable pieces in the second group is wound in an Ω shape with an opening, and the opening of the Ω shape faces towards the proximal end of the expandable section; and
wherein in the flared configuration, each of the second expandable pieces in the second group has an outer contour that is differently shaped from that of each of the second expandable pieces in the first group.
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