US Patent 7747335 Implantable medical device having pre-implant exoskeleton

Methods and apparatus for implanting a medical device within a living body. The apparatus includes an elongate sleeve positionable with a living body, such as within a blood vessel, and a medical device insertable into the sleeve. During use, the sleeve is retained within the body, and the medical device is sealed within the sleeve. The sleeve substantially avoids biological growth onto the medical device, and thus permits removal of the medical device independently of the sleeve.