Inventors:
Christian Scott Eversull - Palo Alto CA, US
Nicholas J. Mourlas - Mountain View CA, US
Stephen Arie Leeflang - Stanford CA, US
Asha Shrinivas Nayak - Menlo Park CA, US
David John Miller - Palo Alto CA, US
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University - Palo Alto CA
International Classification:
A61M 5/00
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods are provided for accessing body lumens and/or for delivering instruments into body lumens, e. g. , vessels within a patient's vasculature. A flexible sheath is provided that is expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen therein. The sheath is lubricious and has a relatively thin wall, thereby providing a collapsible/expandable guide for delivering fluids and/or instruments through tortuous anatomy and/or into relatively narrow passages. The sheath is advanced from an entry site to a body lumen in the contracted condition. Once the sheath reaches a target body lumen, the sheath is expanded to the enlarged condition, thereby defining a lumen within the sheath, and fluids and/or instruments are introduced into the body lumen via the sheath lumen. Upon completing the procedure, the sheath is removed from the body lumen.