Patent ID: 8216293

Claim:
A flexible shaft for inserting and disposing products for medical treatment into a channel of a living body, the shaft comprising: a substantially tubular member having a central axis; and a plurality of abutting cells forming at least part of the tubular member, at least one of the cells defined by a peripheral wall, each cell having at least three concave sections and at least three convex sections; wherein the concave sections alternate circumferentially with the neighboring convex sections and wherein the concave sections and convex sections are arranged to be approximately radially symmetrical about a center point of the cell; wherein each concave section and each convex section is in the form of a cylindrical arc having a consistent radius and wherein the cylindrical arc having a consistent radius extends over an area between 150 to 250 degrees; wherein upon radial expansion of the tubular member about the central axis, the convex sections of the cell extend radially outward from the center point of the cell, and further wherein the tubular member is expandable within the channel of the living body; and wherein the flexible shaft is configured to have a torsion rigidity, which allows the insertion into small and constricted serpentine vessels.