Patent ID: 9216009
Filing Date: 2015-12-22
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A catheter comprising: a sheath configured to be positioned in a body lumen of a living body, the sheath including a window portion permeable to inspection waves; a detection unit which receives inspection waves reflected from tissue of the body lumen and passing through the window portion of the sheath, the window portion possessing an axial extent extending from a distal-most end of the window portion to a proximal-most end of the window portion, the detection unit being axially movably positioned inside the sheath; a drive shaft connected to the detection unit so that axial movement of the drive shaft results in axial movement of the detection unit, the drive shaft being positioned inside the sheath; reinforcement positionable to axially overlap an entirety of the axial extent of the window portion of the sheath and reinforce a portion of the sheath that includes the entirety of the axial extent of window portion, at least a portion of the reinforcement being axially movable relative to the sheath so that the portion of the reinforcement is movable from a position in axial overlapping relation to the window portion of the sheath to a position in non-axial overlapping relation to the window portion of the sheath; a hub connected to the drive shaft so that axial movement of the hub results in axial movement of the drive shaft and the detection unit, the hub possessing a proximal-most end; and the reinforcement possessing a proximal-most end located distally of the proximal-most end of the hub.