Patent ID: 8663196

Claim:
An endovascular sheath apparatus comprising: an inner tube that includes an outer surface and an inner lumen, the inner lumen being substantially open between its distal and proximal ends and across its cross section before introducing medical fluids or devices so that they may pass along the inner lumen without interference; an outer tube with an interior surface, the outer surface of the inner tube and the interior surface of the outer tube defining a cavity therebetween; a stiffening component that is at least partially received in and may move in relation to the inner and outer tubes within at least part of the cavity outside the inner tube, the stiffening component having a distal end that is bonded to a distal end of the inner tube, the outer tube, or both, the stiffening component being selected from the group consisting of a braided material, interwoven spirally oriented filaments that form a cylindrical braid, a braided tube and a polymeric mesh; and an actuating mechanism that cooperates with a proximal end of the stiffening component, the stiffening component thus imparting to the inner tube and thus to the outer tube a stiffness characteristic that is influenced by a tensile force applied by the actuating mechanism, the actuating mechanism moving axially, rotationally or helically, the stiffness component thereby moving within the cavity without incursion into the inner lumen in response to axial, rotational, or helical displacement of the actuating mechanism, the actuating mechanism thereby adjusting the stiffness of the endovascular sheath.