| abstract |
(57) Abstract: A medical device includes a handle, a sheath, and an object engaging unit. The distal end of the sheath is strong enough not to be deformed by the object engaging unit, but another part of the sheath is flexible enough to bend. A sheath extends from the handle and includes a lumen, a distal end, a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a middle portion. The middle portion is more flexible than the proximal and distal portions, the middle portion includes a plurality of sections, and at least one of the sections includes a different number of layers than the other sections. The object engaging unit and the sheath are configured such that the object engaging unit assumes a collapsed state within the lumen at the distal portion of the sheath and another state wherein the object engaging unit extends from the distal end of the sheath. It is movable with respect to each other. |