Patent ID: 8876772

Claim:
A medical device comprising: a hypotube comprising a first section and a second section, the first section including a first slot disposed transversely through a longitudinal sidewall of the hypotube, the second section including a second slot disposed transversely through the sidewall of the hypotube; an electroactive polymer disposed within the first slot and within the second slot, which electroactive polymer when subjected to a potential difference applied between two electrodes causes available ions to move into the electroactive polymer to swell the electroactive polymer thereby changing the column strength of the hypotube; an insulating layer disposed about the hypotube; and a conductive pattern including a first conductive section disposed proximate the first hypotube section and a second conductive section disposed proximate the second hypotube section, the conductive pattern disposed about the insulating layer; wherein the hypotube is one of the two electrodes, and the conductive pattern is the other one of the two electrodes.