Catheter with removable balloon protector and stent delivery system with removable stent protector
View Patent ↗A protective sleeve for a balloon dilatation catheter includes an elongate tubular member having a neck portion and a slit extending along the entire length of the tubular member from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, wherein a distal portion of the tubular member is flared from the neck portion to the distal end of the tubular member to define an enlarged funnel-like opening.
1. A protective sleeve for a balloon dilatation catheter comprising:
an elongate tubular member having a neck portion and a slit extending along the entire length of the tubular member from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, wherein a distal portion of the tubular member is flared from the neck portion to the distal end of the tubular member to define an enlarged funnel-like opening.
2. A protective sleeve as defined in claim 1 , wherein the slit extends along a plane that includes a longitudinal axis of the tubular member.
3. A protective sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein the slit is helical.
4. A protective sleeve as defined in claim 1 further comprising:
an outer sleeve disposed about those portions of the tubular member proximal of the flared distal portion, the outer sleeve being configured to maintain the slit of the tubular member in a closed configuration.