Claims
- 1. A method of moving an ultrasonic medical device along an anatomical passage within a body comprising:
extending an elongated flexible ultrasonic probe of the ultrasonic medical device through a passage of a sleeve; and positioning the sleeve along a portion of a length of the elongated flexible ultrasonic probe to allow the stiffness of the ultrasonic medical device to be varied and maintain sufficient residual flexibility for manipulation within the anatomical passage of the body.
- 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the sleeve having a thin walled tube with a substantially constant outer diameter to minimize an outer diameter of the ultrasonic medical device.
- 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the sleeve along the elongated flexible ultrasonic probe to move a location of maximum flexure of the elongated flexible ultrasonic probe.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the sleeve of a flexible material.
- 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising varying the taper along a portion of the length of the sleeve.
- 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising varying the rigidity along a portion of the length of the sleeve.
- 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the ultrasonic medical device for a single use on a single patient.
- 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the sleeve having an at least one notch on an inner surface of the sleeve corresponding to a location of a node of the elongated flexible ultrasonic probe so the sleeve does not dampen the motion of the elongated flexible ultrasonic probe.
- 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising heat shrinking the sleeve onto the elongated flexible ultrasonic probe.
- 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the sleeve having a first side softer than a second side.
- 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the sleeve of a material having a stiffness to maintain its own column.
- 12. A method of varying a stiffness of an ultrasonic medical device comprising:
extending an ultrasonic probe of the ultrasonic medical device through a passage of a first sleeve; positioning the first sleeve along a length of the ultrasonic probe; extending the ultrasonic probe and the first sleeve through a passage of a second sleeve; and positioning the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve, wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve vary the stiffness of the ultrasonic medical device while maintaining sufficient residual flexibility of the ultrasonic medical device.
- 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising heat shrinking the second sleeve onto the first sleeve.
- 14. The method of claim 12 further comprising forming the first sleeve and the second sleeve of a flexible material.
- 15. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing the first sleeve and the second sleeve each having a thin walled tube having a substantially constant outer diameter to minimize an outer diameter of the ultrasonic medical device.
- 16. The method of claim 12 further comprising adjusting a location of maximum flexure along the ultrasonic probe by moving the first sleeve and the second sleeve along the length of the ultrasonic probe.
- 17. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing the first sleeve and the second sleeve having an at least one notch on an inner surface of the first sleeve and the second sleeve corresponding to a location of a node of the ultrasonic probe so the first sleeve and the second sleeve do not dampen the motion of the ultrasonic probe.
- 18. The method of claim 12 further comprising forming the first sleeve and the second sleeve of a material having a stiffness to maintain their own column.
- 19. The method of claim 12 further comprising forming the first sleeve and the second sleeve of the same material.
- 20. The method of claim 12 further comprising forming the first sleeve and the second sleeve of different materials.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/663,017, filed Sep. 15, 2000, which claims the benefit of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/156,053, filed Sep. 24, 1999, the entirety of all these applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60156053 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09663017 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Child |
10462199 |
Jun 2003 |
US |