IP Library Granted Patent US 11,147,540
Granted Patent B2
US 11,147,540 · App. 15/184,454 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Introducer sheath and puncture tool for the introduction and placement of a catheter in tissue

Inventors: Emily Rolfes Meyering (St. Louis Park, MN); Elizabeth Scheurer (Minneapolis, MN); Aaron McCabe (Edina, MN)
Assignee: Minnetronix, Inc.
A61B10/0045A61B46/10A61B90/40A61M39/10A61M39/223A61B2010/0077A61B2017/3492A61M2039/1033A61M2039/229
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,147,540
App. No.
15/184,454
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include methods and devices for introducing a sheath into a human or animal subject. Some embodiments include a puncture tool that may simultaneously deliver a sheath and a needle to a desired anatomical location. The needle may be removed and the sheath may be used to define a space that may be used to conduct a procedure.

Claims (19)

1. A medical device comprising:

a handle including a proximal end and a distal end, and including a locking mechanism disposed on the distal end of the handle;

a needle having a proximal end releasably secured to the distal end of the handle with the locking mechanism;

a sheath disposed around the needle, a proximal end of the sheath including a fastener, the sheath being releasably secured to the distal end of the handle by the fastener; wherein the needle and the sheath are designed to be maintained in a first configuration in which the needle and the sheath are configured to be simultaneously introduced through a patients skin and into a subarachnoid space, and a second configuration in which the needle is removed from the sheath; and

a barrier comprising a collapsible sleeve disposed around the sheath and the needle, the barrier having a proximal zone and a distal zone connected by a covering, the proximal zone being secured to the distal end of the handle, and the distal zone including an attachment feature configured to releasably attach the distal zone to a skin surface.

2. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a Luer fitting or a 3-way stopcock.

3. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the needle comprises a tip having an angle.

4. The medical device of claim 3 , wherein the angle of the tip is between 5 and 10 degrees.

5. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises a port in fluid connection with an inner lumen of the sheath.

6. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the sheath comprises a braided material.

7. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises a button for operably controlling a locking mechanism to release the needle from connection to the distal end of the handle.

8. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the handle is egg-shaped.

9. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier is longitudinally extendable and collapsible relative to the needle.

10. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier is capable of transitioning from an extended configuration to a collapsed configuration.

11. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier includes a collapsed configuration, and an expanded configuration, wherein when the barrier is in the expanded configuration, the proximal zone is separated from the distal zone by a first distance, and when the barrier is in the collapsed configuration, the proximal zone is separated from the distal zone by a second distance which is less than the first distance.

12. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature comprises an adhesive strip.

13. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier includes pleats or folds.

14. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein a space is defined between an outer surface of the sheath and an inner surface of the barrier.

15. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier includes a distal opening, a proximal opening, and a barrier port defined through the collapsible sleeve.

Assignments (9)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2025
From: MINNETRONIX NEURO, INC.
To: PHARAOH NEURO, INC.
Reel/Frame 073429/0607 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT - REEL/FRAME 069659/0436 Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, AS AGENT
To: MINNETRONIX MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 072987/0925 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT - REEL/FRAME 054795/0607, SUPPLEMENTAL PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT - REAL/FRAME 056240/0147 AND ASSIGNMENT ID: 885388 Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, AS AGENT
To: MINNETRONIX MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 073434/0838 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2025
From: MINNETRONIX, INC.
To: MINNETRONIX NEURO, INC.
Reel/Frame 071588/0980 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT - REEL 054795 FRAME 0607; AND REEL 056240 FRAME 0147 Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MINNETRONIX, INC.; MINNETRONIX NEURO, INC. (F/K/A NEUROFLUIDICS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071588/0015 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL RECORDED ON REEL 054795 FRAME 0607 AND SUPPLEMENTAL PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED ON REEL 056240 FRAME 0147 Recorded Mar 13, 2025
From: FIRST HORIZON BANK
To: TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 073460/0969 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2024
From: MINNETRONIX MEDICAL, INC.
To: TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 069659/0436 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 13, 2021
From: MINNETRONIX MEDICAL, INC.; MINNETRONIX NEURO, INC.
To: FIRST HORIZON BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056240/0147 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: MEYERING, EMILY; SCHEURER, ELIZABETH; MCCABE, AARON
To: MINNETRONIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 038933/0831 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62187460 · Jul 1, 2015
Related Publication 20170000361A1 · Jan 5, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,285,182