Patent ID: 9433766
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: A61F,A61M

Claim Text:
1. A method of performing a surgical procedure in a patient's vascular system, the method comprising: advancing a distal portion of a sheath along an aortic passageway towards an aortic valve in a patient's heart, the distal portion of the sheath comprising a malleable reinforcing structure longitudinally folded into a reduced cross-sectional profile; expanding a distal portion of the sheath within an aortic arch of the patient such that the malleable reinforcing structure is unfolded and the distal portion forms to the curve of the aortic arch; performing therapy or diagnosis through the expanded distal portion of the sheath; and removing the sheath from the vascular system; wherein expanding the distal portion of the sheath comprises expanding the sheath such that a central lumen of the sheath comprises a relatively constant diameter from its distal end to a proximal end of a sheath hub.