Patent ID: 8480628

Claim:
An apparatus for providing percutaneous access to a vessel of a patient over a wire guide, comprising: an outer sleeve having proximal and distal open ends, and having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; an inner sleeve having proximal and distal open ends, and having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, said inner sleeve having said proximal and distal open ends being receivable within the lumen of said outer sleeve and selectively removable therefrom, said inner sleeve having a main body portion and having a distal portion that tapers toward the inner sleeve distal open end, said tapered distal portion extending distal to the distal open end of said outer sleeve when said inner sleeve is received in said outer sleeve lumen to provide a generally smooth diametrical transition between said outer sleeve and said wire guide; and a stiffening cannula having proximal and distal open ends, and having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the lumen of said stiffening cannula sized to receive said wire guide therethrough, said stiffening cannula being sized to be received within the lumen of said inner sleeve and extending along the main body portion of the inner sleeve to a terminal point, said terminal point being proximal to the inner sleeve distal end, said stiffening cannula and said inner sleeve being engaged such that relative axial movement between said inner sleeve and said stiffening cannula is substantially inhibited, wherein said inner sleeve distal portion shields said stiffening cannula distal end when said apparatus is percutaneously introduced into said vessel.