Abstract: Dilators and sheaths for use in minimally invasive vascular therapy are disclosed. In some embodiments, the dilators include a slot that accesses a guidewire lumen within the dilator. These slots facilitate rapid exchange of one dilator for another. In another embodiment, a dilator is sufficiently stiff to facilitate entry, but also designed to facilitate placement of the dilator along a tortuous path.

Abstract: Dilators and sheaths for use in minimally invasive vascular therapy are disclosed. In some embodiments, the dilators include a slot that accesses a guidewire lumen within the dilator. These slots facilitate rapid exchange of one dilator for another. In another embodiment, a dilator is sufficiently stiff to facilitate entry, but also designed to facilitate placement of the dilator along a tortuous path.

Abstract: Dilators and sheaths for use in minimally invasive vascular therapy are disclosed. In some embodiments, the dilators include a slot that accesses a guidewire lumen within the dilator. These slots facilitate rapid exchange of one dilator for another. In another embodiment, a dilator is sufficiently stiff to facilitate entry, but also designed to facilitate placement of the dilator along a tortuous path.

Abstract: A thin-walled introducer sheath is described. In some embodiments, the introducer sheath includes structural support components, such as wires, used in connection with a polymeric inner coating, a polymeric outer coating, or both. Further, in some embodiments, the wire components are annealed to reduce cold-work-related stresses and hardness. Use of annealed components may enable a reduction in the thickness of the polymeric outer coating in some applications.

Abstract: An elongated hollow tube guiding catheter forming a portion of a guiding catheter includes a proximal end, distal end, and distal section. The distal section includes a curved section and a straight section. The curved and straight sections are shaped for facilitating introduction and retention of the catheter into the ostium of a renal artery. The system includes a dilator inserted into the catheter hollow tube with a curved distal section of the dilator opposingly extending opposite the curved distal section of the guiding catheter hollow tube. The guiding catheter includes a side arm positioned near the guiding catheter's proximal end with a multi-way stop cock fixedly attached onto a proximal end of the side arm tube.

Abstract: The present invention is a carotid sheath that has a proximal portion that is stiffer than the distal portion of the sheath as a result of the proximal portion having a higher durometer of the outer plastic coating of the sheath's proximal portion with a lower durometer for the plastic coating on the more flexible distal portion of the sheath. Another means to increase the flexibility of the sheath's distal portion compared to a stiffer proximal portion is by having a slightly smaller outside diameter for the outer plastic coating of the distal portion of the sheath. A more flexible distal portion of the sheath allows easier access for angiography, angioplasty or stenting when the sheath is used to access the tortuous path encountered when entering the carotid arteries.

Abstract: Dilators and sheaths for use in minimally invasive vascular therapy are disclosed. In some embodiments, the dilators include a slot that accesses a guidewire lumen within the dilator. These slots facilitate rapid exchange of one dilator for another. In another embodiment, a dilator is sufficiently stiff to facilitate entry, but also designed to facilitate placement of the dilator along a tortuous path.

Abstract: An introducer sheath for placement into the vascular system of a human subject. The introducer sheath has a tubular shaft, a side arm, and a hemostasis valve with an integrated attachment mechanism for attaching and detaching a proximal end of the introducer sheath to and from the skin of the human subject.

Abstract: An introducer sheath for placement of a tubular shaft into the vascular system of a human subject. The introducer sheath has a tubular shaft, a side arm, and a hemostasis valve placed at a proximal portion of the introducer sheath. The hemostasis valve has an adhesive pad formed integral with the shell of the hemostasis valve. The adhesive pad is designed to attach and detach a proximal section of the introducer sheath to and from the skin of the human subject.