US 11,986,605 B2
Elongated medical instruments with flexibility enhancing features
Shawn P. Fojtik, Park City, UT (US)
Assigned to Transit Scientific, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed by Transit Scientific, LLC, South Salt Lake, UT (US)
Filed on Jan. 29, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/261,557.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/623,180, filed on Jan. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0232018 A1, Aug. 1, 2019
Int. Cl. A61M 15/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61L 29/02 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0054 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00071 (2013.01); A61L 29/02 (2013.01); A61M 25/0051 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00309 (2013.01); A61M 25/0013 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0042 (2013.01); A61M 25/0053 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0266 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An elongated medical device, comprising:
an elongated tubular element with a wall defining an outer surface and a lumen extending through a length of the elongated tubular element; and
a flexibility enhancement comprising a series of cuts formed through the wall along at least a portion of a length of the elongated tubular element, each cut of the series of cuts defining an arc around the elongated tubular element of at least 90° but less than 180° and being aligned with another cut, the series of cuts including:
a first set of cuts, an arc of each first cut of the first set of cuts being offset from an arc of a consecutive first cut of the first set of cuts by a first rotational angle of greater than 0° to about 90°; and
a second set of cuts, an arc of each second cut of the second set of cuts being offset from an arc of a consecutive second cut of the second set of cuts by a second rotational angle of greater than 0° to about 90°, the second set of cuts being interleaved with the first set of cuts; and
a final cut at an end of the series of cuts, the final cut having a length that is shorter than a length of every cut of the series of cuts.