US Patent 10105475 Catheter pump introducer systems and methods

A catheter system for a catheter pump is disclosed. The system can include an elongate catheter body having a distal portion including an expandable cannula having an inlet and an outlet. The expandable cannula can have a delivery profile and an operational profile larger than the delivery profile. An impeller assembly can include an impeller shaft and an impeller body. A sheath can have a cannula retention zone disposed over the expandable cannula and a separation zone. The cannula retention zone can have a first configuration adapted to retain the expandable cannula in the delivery profile. The system can be adapted to separate the separation zone into a first portion and a second portion disposed across a gap. The gap can enable the elongate catheter body to pass between the first and second portion so that the sheath can be removed from the elongate catheter body.