Patent ID: 9119742
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A device for delivering and deploying a prosthesis comprising: an elongate sheath having a sheath lumen; a delivery catheter slidably disposed within the sheath lumen; and a deployment assist mechanism comprising a stored energy device having a proximal end coupled to the delivery catheter and a distal end coupled to the sheath and configured to apply a retraction force, independent of a manual force required to retract the sheath, to both the delivery catheter and the sheath; where the sheath is retractable over the delivery catheter over a retraction distance; and where the device has a retraction resistance and the stored energy device applies the retraction force that is at the same time greater than zero and less than or equal to the retraction resistance over a length of the retraction distance, during manual retraction of the sheath, wherein the direction of the retraction force applied by the stored energy device is substantially parallel with the sheath.