Patent ID: 8029473
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A medical device system comprising: an elongate shaft having opposite proximal and distal ends defining a shaft length; a passageway extending through at least a portion of the shaft and generally circumferentially defined by a shaft wall, wherein the shaft comprises a coupling region extending between a distal end passageway opening and a proximal passageway opening; and a flexible tube having a tube lumen, with a distal portion of the flexible tube disposed removably within the passageway laterally through at least a portion of the coupling region and with a proximal portion of the flexible tube accessible from outside the elongate shaft; wherein the flexible tube is disposed through a significant length of the passageway such that it extends at least more than halfway down the shaft length and the tube lumen provides a patent fluid communication passage to a distal portion of the elongate shaft; wherein at least a portion of the shaft wall in the coupling region is configured to be split laterally by a lateral force of the flexible tube or a combination thereof with a wire guide, disposed within the lumen when the flexible tube is pulled laterally out of the elongate shaft directly through the shaft wall along the splittable portion of the coupling region.