Surgical tissue protection sheath

Abstract

A surgical sheath adapted for use in the nasal cavity has an elongated hollow body made of a braided material having interstitial spaces with a dimension of 0.25 mm to 1.50 mm. The interstitial spaces filled with a filling material, such as silicone. The sheath has a low profile configuration during placement into the naris, and may be stretched into an expanded configuration. In methods of placing the sheath in the naris, the sheath is folded and then pulled into the naris using a surgical tool.

1 . A surgical sheath comprising:
 an elongated hollow body comprising a braided material having interstitial spaces filled with a filling material;   the elongated hollow body having at least one end formed into an atraumatic rim adapted to prevent fraying;   the elongated hollow body including a conical section, an angle section joined to the conical section, with the conical section having a central axis AF not parallel to a central axis AN of the angle section, and a body section joined to the angle section, with the body section having a length at least twice the length of the angle section.   
     
     
         2 . The sheath of  claim 1  with the braided material comprising a braided tube that can expand from a low-profile configuration to an expanded configuration equal to at least four times the low-profile configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The sheath of  claim 2  having a maximum diameter of 8 to 12 mm when in the low-profile configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The sheath of  claim 1  with the braided material comprising a tube of braided round monofilament fibers having a diameter of 0.2 to 0.3 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The sheath of  claim 1  wherein the interstitial spaces are square. 
     
     
         6 . A surgical sheath comprising:
 a hollow braided tube having interstitial spaces filled with a silicone material;   the braided tube formed by a first set of fibers interwoven with a second set of fibers, all of the fibers in the first set of fibers extending in a first spiral pattern, uniformly parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other, all of the fibers in the second set of fibers uniformly extending in a second spiral pattern, uniformly parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other, all of the fibers in the first set of fibers perpendicular to all of the fibers in the second set of fibers;   the fibers having a plurality of distinct contact points providing the elongated hollow body with a non-continuous inner contact surface;   the braided tube expandable from a low-profile configuration to an expanded configuration equal to at least four times the low-profile configuration;   the hollow braided tube including a conical section, an angle section joined to the conical section, with the conical section having a central axis AF not parallel to a central axis AN of the angle section; and a body section joined to the angle section, with the body section having a length at least twice the length of the angle section.   
     
     
         7 . A method of using a surgical access sheath, comprising:
 forming a fold in a portion of the sheath, the rest of the sheath remaining unfolded;   grasping the fold with a surgical tool;   using the surgical tool to pull the sheath into a nasal cavity of a patient, with a proximal end of the sheath remaining outside of the nose of the patient;   unfolding the sheath to allow the sheath to conform to the nasal cavity; and removing the surgical tool;   wherein the sheath is non-symmetrical about a horizontal axis and the fold is at a top of the sheath.