Patent ID: 8758231

Claim:
An access sheath for being positioned in a patient's body by an interventionalist, the access sheath comprising: an elongated member having a proximal portion extending to a distal portion and a plurality of lumens formed therethrough including a working lumen and a first additional lumen, the first additional lumen is configured to receive one of an optical system and an irrigation system, the proximal portion having a stiffening section including a first coil and one of a first braiding and a second coil, the first coil and the one of the first braiding and the second coil are disposed about the working lumen in concentric relationship with each other, the distal portion having a tip and a first deflection section and a second deflection section, the first deflection section is proximal to the tip and distal to the second deflection section, the first deflection section is configured to be actuated by the interventionalist to bend at a first angle to position the tip, and the second deflection section is configured to bend at a second angle to reposition the tip, wherein the second deflection section includes an axial series of articulating members disposed about the working lumen, the articulating members being axially movable relative to each other between a compressed position and a relaxed position, each of the articulating members having a in adjacent one axial end of the articulating member and a slot adjacent the other axial end of the articulating member, the pin of one of the articulating members engaging the slot of the adjacent articulating member to form a pivotal connection, wherein at least one of the slots has a relatively narrow portion that tightly engages the pin in the compressed position and restrains a pivotal movement between the pin and the slot, and a relatively wider portion extending from the relatively narrow proximal portion, wherein the pin resides in the relatively wider portion in the relaxed position, which freely allows the pivoting movement between the pin and the slot.