Introducer sheath for catheters

1. A method of positioning a hemodialysis catheter within a blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

forming an opening within the blood vessel;

inserting an introducer sheath into the opening, the introducer sheath comprising a tubular body including a distal region including a penetrating portion having a first configuration which is tapered towards a distal opening of the introducer sheath, a distal portion of the introducer sheath being separable and fully removable from a proximal tubular portion of the introducer sheath via perforations;

dilating the opening in the blood vessel with the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath;

passing the hemodialysis catheter into the introducer sheath; and

expanding the penetrating portion to a second configuration to accommodate the passage of the hemodialysis catheter therethrough.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of threading a guidewire through the distal opening of the introducer sheath prior to dilating the opening in the blood vessel.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing at least the proximal portion of the introducer sheath from about the hemodialysis catheter after passing a distal end portion of the hemodialysis catheter through the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the penetrating portion further comprises perforations along at least a portion of the tubular body to facilitate removal of the introducer sheath from about the hemodialysis catheter.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of expanding the penetrating portion comprises breaking perforations in the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath by advancing the hemodialysis catheter distally through the penetrating portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the penetrating portion further comprises a shape memory material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein expanding the penetrating portion comprises applying energy to the penetrating portion to expand the penetrating portion prior to passing a distal end portion of the hemodialysis catheter through the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of expanding the penetrating portion comprises heating the shape memory material above room temperature.

9. A method of positioning a catheter within body tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

forming an opening within the body tissue;

inserting a guidewire into the opening;

inserting an introducer sheath into the opening over the guidewire, the introducer sheath comprising a tubular body including a distal region including a penetrating portion having a first configuration which is tapered towards a distal opening of the introducer sheath, a distal portion of the introducer sheath being separable and fully removable from a proximal tubular portion of the introducer sheath via perforations;

dilating the opening in the body tissue with the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath;

passing the catheter into the introducer sheath; and

expanding the penetrating portion to a second configuration to accommodate the passage of the catheter therethrough.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the steps of removing at least the proximal portion of the introducer sheath from about the catheter after passing a distal end portion of the catheter through the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of expanding the penetrating portion comprises breaking perforations in the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath by advancing the catheter distally through the penetrating portion.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the penetrating portion further comprises a shape memory material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein expanding the penetrating portion comprises applying energy to the penetrating portion to expand the penetrating portion prior to passing a distal end portion of the catheter through the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of expanding the penetrating portion comprises heating the shape memory material above room temperature.

15. A method comprising:

forming an opening within a blood vessel;

inserting an introducer sheath into the opening, the introducer sheath comprising a tubular body including a distal region including a penetrating portion having a first configuration which is tapered towards a distal opening of the introducer sheath, a distal portion of the introducer sheath being separable from a proximal tubular portion of the introducer sheath;

dilating the opening in the blood vessel with the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath;

passing a catheter into the introducer sheath;

expanding the penetrating portion to a second configuration to accommodate the passage of the catheter therethrough; and

removing the proximal portion of the introducer sheath from about the catheter and completely separating the proximal portion of the introducer sheath from the distal portion of the introducer sheath after passing a distal end portion of the catheter through the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath, and maintaining the distal portion of the introducer sheath on the catheter.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising threading a guidewire through the distal opening of the introducer sheath prior to dilating the opening in the blood vessel.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the penetrating portion further comprises perforations along at least a portion of the tubular body to facilitate removal of the sheath from about the catheter.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein expanding the penetrating portion comprises breaking perforations in the penetrating portion of the introducer sheath by advancing the catheter distally through the penetrating portion.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the penetrating portion further comprises a shape memory material.