Patent ID: 7615057

Claim:
A device for removing a guide catheter from about a linear object having a diameter positioned within a lumen of the guide catheter, the device comprising: a body with a front edge, a rear edge, an upper edge and a lower edge; a web extending from the lower edge of the body, the web including an upper portion and a lower portion having a web lower edge, the upper portion connected directly to the lower edge of the body; a distal lead management segment having an outer surface and including a resiliently deformable side opening member extending in an arcuate manner from the lower portion of the web to a free edge so as to define a central opening having an inner diameter sized to engage the linear object, the web lower edge and the free edge spaced apart from one another such that they define a longitudinal side opening having a first dimension, the first dimension of the side opening being smaller than the diameter of the linear object and the inner diameter of the central opening, the side opening member configured to deform away from the lower edge of the lead body such that the free edge is moveable relative to the web lower edge so as to enlarge the side opening such that the linear object can be snapped into the central opening through the side opening, the side opening member further configured to retain the linear object within the central opening, the distal lead management segment extending directly from the lower portion of the web opposite the lower edge of the body such that the web extends directly from the lower edge of the body to the distal lead management segment, the distal lead management segment disposed between the front edge and the rear edge of the body and adapted so that the guide catheter may pass about the outer surface of the distal segment with the linear object positioned within the central opening of the distal lead management segment; a blade mounted between the lower edge of the body and the outer surface of the distal segment and supported by the web; the blade including a first cutting portion extending from the lower edge of the body which is angled from the front edge toward the rear edge as the first cutting portion extends toward the distal segment; the blade including a second cutting portion extending from the distal segment toward the lower edge of the body which is angled from the front edge toward the rear edge as the second cutting portion extends toward the lower edge of the body; the first and second cutting portions of the blade forming a notch between the lower edge and the distal segment; and the blade positioned to engage the guide catheter as the guide catheter passes about the outer surface of the distal segment.