Deployable sleeves and related methods

Abstract

A medical device may include a tubular sleeve configured for implantation in a body lumen, the sleeve having a first configuration with a first rigidity and a second configuration with a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity, the sleeve including: a flexible membrane defining an interior lumen; and a channel extending along the membrane.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A medical device, comprising:
 a sleeve configured to move from a first configuration to a second configuration, the sleeve including:
 a membrane having a length defined between a proximal end and a distal end; and 
 a channel extending between the proximal end and the distal end with a variable diameter such that a rigidity of the membrane varies along the length between the proximal end and the distal end based on the variable diameter of the channel. 
   
     
     
         22 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the channel includes a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter, such that the rigidity of the membrane along a first segment of the membrane coinciding with the first portion of the channel is less than the rigidity of the membrane along a second segment of the membrane coinciding with the second portion. 
     
     
         23 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the channel extends along an exterior of the membrane in a spiral configuration between the proximal end and the distal end of the membrane. 
     
     
         24 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve is configured to receive a fluid through the channel for delivery to a body lumen positioned adjacent to the sleeve. 
     
     
         25 . The medical device of  claim 24 , wherein the sleeve includes one or more perforations fluidly connecting an interior lumen of the channel to an exterior of the membrane for delivering the fluid received in the channel to the body lumen. 
     
     
         26 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the membrane has a first rigidity when in the first configuration, and a second rigidity that is greater than the first rigidity when in the second configuration. 
     
     
         27 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the membrane has a first length when in the first configuration, and a second length that is greater than the first length when in the second configuration. 
     
     
         28 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the membrane has a first diameter when in the first configuration, and a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter when in the second configuration. 
     
     
         29 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the membrane includes an anchor at the proximal end of the membrane that is configured to fix the sleeve to a body lumen, wherein the anchor includes a frame that is covered by a second membrane. 
     
     
         30 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve is configured to move from the first configuration to the second configuration by:
 receiving a fluid through a proximalmost end of the channel that is open; and   retaining the fluid within the channel by a distalmost end of the channel that is closed, thereby axially or radially expanding the membrane.   
     
     
         31 . The medical device of  claim 30 , wherein the sleeve is configured to move from the second configuration to the first configuration by:
 releasing the fluid from within the channel, thereby axially or radially shortening the membrane.   
     
     
         32 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve is configured to move from the first configuration to the second configuration by:
 receiving an element through a proximalmost end of the channel that is open for attachment to a distalmost end of the channel that is closed; and   applying a force to the distalmost end of the channel via the element, thereby axially or radially shortening the membrane.   
     
     
         33 . The medical device of  claim 32 , wherein the sleeve is configured to move from the second configuration to the first configuration by:
 releasing the force applied to the distalmost end of the channel via the element, thereby axially or radially expanding the membrane.   
     
     
         34 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the channel is formed of a shape-memory material that is configured to bias the sleeve to move from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
     
     
         35 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the membrane includes an outer layer and an inner layer, and the channel is disposed between the outer layer and the inner layer. 
     
     
         36 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve includes a second channel extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the membrane. 
     
     
         37 . A medical device, comprising:
 a sleeve configured to move from a first configuration to a second configuration, the sleeve including:
 a membrane having a length defined between a proximal end and a distal end; and 
 a channel extending around an exterior of the membrane between the proximal end and the distal end with a variable pitch such that a rigidity of the membrane varies along the length between the proximal end and the distal end based on the variable pitch of the channel. 
   
     
     
         38 . The medical device of  claim 37 , wherein the channel includes a first portion having a first pitch and a second portion having a second pitch that is greater than the first pitch, such that the rigidity of the membrane along a first segment of the membrane coinciding with the first portion of the channel is less than the rigidity of the membrane along a second segment of the membrane coinciding with the second portion. 
     
     
         39 . A medical device, comprising:
 a sleeve configured to move from a first configuration to a second configuration, the sleeve including:
 a membrane having a length defined between a proximal end and a distal end; and 
 a channel extending around an exterior of the membrane between the proximal end and the distal end with a variable material composition such that a rigidity of the membrane varies along the length between the proximal end and the distal end based on the variable material composition of the channel. 
   
     
     
         40 . The medical device of  claim 39 , wherein the channel includes a first portion having a first material composition and a second portion having a second material composition that is different than the first material composition, such that the rigidity of the membrane along a first segment of the membrane coinciding with the first portion of the channel is different than the rigidity of the membrane along a second segment of the membrane coinciding with the second portion.