Patent ID: 7497844

Claim:
A slittable delivery sheath sized for seating in the coronary sinus or a branch vein thereof, comprising: a slittable hub; and a substantially-straight body defining an inner lumen, the body comprising: a shaft section, a distal section that is distal to the shaft section, and a transition section that is distal to shaft section and proximal to distal section, the transition section being softer than the shaft section and harder than the distal section, the shaft section having a length ranging from approximately 43 to 62 cm and being formed of an extruded polyether block amide tubing having a hardness ranging from approximately 55 D to 72 D (Shore), wherein the shaft section further includes: a proximal shaft segment, the proximal shaft segment being formed of an extruded polyether block amide having a hardness ranging from approximately 70 D to 72 D (Shore); an intermediate shaft segment that is distal to, and softer than, the proximal shaft segment, the intermediate shaft segment being formed of an extruded polyether block amide having a hardness ranging from approximately 63 D to 70 D; and a distal shaft segment that is distal to, and softer than, the intermediate shaft segment, the distal shaft segment being formed of an extruded polyether block amide having a hardness ranging from approximately 55 D to 63 D, the distal section having a length ranging from approximately 1.5 to 3.5 cm and being formed of an extruded polyether block amide having a hardness ranging from approximately 25 D to 35 D (Shore), wherein the distal section further includes: a soft distal segment; an intermediate distal segment distal to, and harder than, the soft distal segment; and a soft tip that is distal to, and softer than, the intermediate distal segment; the transition section having a length of from about 2.25 and 5.5 cm and formed of an extruded polyether block amide tubing having a hardness ranging from approximately 35 D to 40 D (Shore); and a braid extending adjacent to at least a portion of one of the shaft section and the distal section, wherein the braid is formed of stainless steel having an ultimate tensile strength of between approximately 200 and 250 kilo-pounds per square inch (ksi).