Abstract: A stent or other intraluminal medical device may be constructed utilizing a series of split-bridges interposed between a series of fixed bridges to reduce the likelihood of deformation during stent loading and stent deployment without sacrificing overall stent flexibility. The stent comprises a plurality of hoops interconnected by a plurality of fixed bridges. The stent also comprises a plurality of split-bridges, which only make contact when the stent is subjected to compressive axial loading. The stent may also comprise markers formed from housings integral with the stent and marker inserts having a higher radiopacity than the stent. This design provides for more precise placement and post-procedural visualization in a vessel, by increasing the radiopacity of the stent under X-ray fluoroscopy. The housings are formed integral to the stent and the marker inserts are made from a material close in the galvanic series to the stent material and sized to substantially minimize the effect of galvanic corrosion.

Abstract: An abdominal aortic aneurysm device having an anchoring portion with attached bifurcated legs for increasing the column strength thereof. The bifurcated legs comprise staggered stents so that nesting is possible during delivery.

Abstract: A self-expanding stent delivery apparatus having a sheath comprising a hard and lubricious coating for the safe, effective and accurate deployment of self-expanding stents. The sheath comprises an inner layer of pyrolytic carbon or other similar substance which prevents the stent from becoming embedded. The inner layer is also lubricious. This combination of properties allows for easier deployment and reduced profile.

Abstract: Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. Various materials and coating methodologies may be utilized to maintain the drugs, agents or compounds on the medical device until delivered and positioned.

Abstract: A long term oxygen therapy system having an oxygen supply directly linked with a patient's lung or lungs may be utilized to more efficiently treat hypoxia caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The system includes an oxygen source, one or more valves and fluid carrying conduits. The fluid carrying conduits link the oxygen source to diseased sites within the patient's lungs.

Abstract: A stent-graft fabricated from a thin-walled, high strength material provides for a more durable and lower profile endoprosthesis. The stent-graft comprises one or more stent segments covered with a fabric formed by the weaving, knitting or braiding of a biocompatible, high tensile strength, abrasion resistant, highly durable yarn such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The one or more stent segments may be balloon expandable or self-expanding. The fabric may be attached to the stent segments utilizing any number of known materials and techniques.

Abstract: A bubble-actuated valve with latching may be utilized to regulate fluid flow in any number of applications, including the controlled delivery of drugs or other bioactive agents or compounds. The bubble-actuated valve utilizes the bubble to move a solid object that does the actual blocking of the flow channel to regulate the flow of liquid through the valve. The bubble-actuated valve may also include a latching mechanism. One such latching mechanism utilizes the capillary attraction between the solid object and neighboring walls to latch the solid object in place when the valve is not actuated.

Abstract: A releasable and retrievable vascular filter system comprising a filter, a porous filter membrane attached to the filter, and an anti-migration feature for causing the filter to remain substantially stationary in the lumen of the vessel during the clinical procedure. The releasable and retrievable vascular filter system minimizes or substantially eliminates filter movement during the procedure, which may result in damage to the lumen, and/or the release of embolic particulates captured within the filter. The releasable and retrievable vascular filter system also allows for guidewire exchanges, which may be necessary for successful completion of the clinical procedure.

Abstract: The invention provides an attachment member for anchoring a graft system at a desired location in a vessel of a patient's vascular system. The attachment member comprises a cranial zone having a first radial strength, a caudal zone having a second radial strength, and an intermediate zone having multiple joining longitudinal struts located between and connecting the cranial and caudal zones. The intermediate zone has a third radial strength which is less than the first and second radial strengths, and the cranial and caudal zones are formed from a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a first delivery configuration to a second deployed configuration. The invention also provides an endovascular graft system, a method for deploying an aortic attachment member, and a method for repairing an aneurysm in an aorta.

Abstract: A system for loading self-expanding stents into a stent delivery system that comprises a lubricious coating on one or more components to substantially reduce the frictional forces associated with loading stents. The stents may be bare or coated stents. The lubricious coating comprises a solution of Dow Corning® MDX4-4159 Fluid 50% Medical Grade Dispersion.

Abstract: A drug and drug delivery system may be utilized in the treatment of vascular disease. A local delivery system is coated with rapamycin or other suitable drug, agent or compound and delivered intraluminally for the treatment and prevention of neointimal hyperplasia following percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography. The local delivery of the drugs or agents provides for increased effectiveness and lower systemic toxicity.

Abstract: An artificial venous valve which incorporates a stent having one or more of the elements comprising its frame deformed inwardly towards its center and a biocompatible fabric attached to the one or more elements is utilized to replace or supplement incompetent or damaged venous valves. The elements are deformed and the fabric attached in such a way as to form valve flaps, which when there is no pressure differential on opposite sides of the flaps, substantially occludes the lumen of the vessel into which the artificial valve has been deployed. When there is a pressure differential, albeit slight, due to the pumping of the heart, the flaps easily open and allow blood to flow therethrough while substantially preventing backflow.

Abstract: A stent having marker tabs formed from a micro-alloyed combination of materials provides for more precise placement and post-procedural visualization in a vessel, by increasing the radiopacity of the stent under X-ray fluoroscopy. A unique micro-alloying process is utilized to form the tabs, comprising a first alloy and a second alloy, wherein one of these alloys is radiopaque. This substantially eliminates the possibility of galvanic action between the tab and the stent. This process is also applicable to other medical devices.

Abstract: A unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly is utilized to properly align radioactive seeds in a radioactive intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly to control the dose rate profile such that only the proper tissue is irradiated. The source ribbon assembly includes a core comprising one or more sections having a first radiopacity and one or more sections having a second radiopacity.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging receiver system for producing high resolution images of the foot and ankle regions of a human subject. The magnetic resonance imaging receiver comprises an antenna for receiving resonance signals produced by a magnetic resonance imaging, radio frequency excitation magnetic apparatus, a free standing foot cradle assembly for supporting and rigidly holding the foot and ankle of the subject, and a tuning/impedance matching circuit for providing for the maximum transfer of radio frequency energy from the antenna to the receiver unit in the magnetic resonance imaging, radio frequency excitation magnet apparatus. The system utilizes fixed local coils which operate in the receive only mode for receiving electromagnetic signals from resonating nuclei produced by a whole body MRI scanner system or the like to produce high quality images.

Abstract: A segmented variable sweep wing for an aircraft has a plurality of wing segments. A structural device movably affixes the wing segments to the fuselage of the aircraft adjacent each other at their root areas. The structural device moves the segments conjointly to a power position where the segments are perpendicular to the fuselage and spaced from each other. The structural device also moves the segments conjointly to a cruise position wherein the segments are swept back at an angle with the fuselage and in abutment with each other thereby forming a unitary continuous surface airfoil.

Abstract: An acoustic attenuating liner has a non-metallic honeycomb core bonded on a backsheet. A corrosion-insulated perforated sheet is bonded to the honeycomb core by adhesive between the perforated sheet and the core. The mesh is woven to a plurality of different determined weave patterns from material on and affixed to the perforated sheet, whereby the mesh has a plurality of different resistances. The mesh is aligned with the perforated sheet and is bonded to the perforated sheet by additional adhesive between the mesh and the perforated sheet, thereby providing a segmented liner with a plurality of facesheet resistances.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting misalignments in human teeth comprises a rod-like member which has a grip holder for fixing a ligature wire to a brace and to brackets applied to teeth. The grip holder is connected to a rod-like tubular torsion bar arranged in the interior of a hand tube and an end tube. On the outer circumference of the torsion bar are formed threads, which cooperate via a ball cage with the threads formed on the hand tube. A rotary movement is imparted to the torsion bar and thereby the grip holder by an axial movement of the hand tube or the end tube. As a result of this rotary movement, the ends of a ligature wire inserted in the grip holder are twisted for fixing a brace guided in the bracket, and consequently the brace is fixed to the bracket for transferring the force of the brace to the teeth. Therefore fixing is sped up and simplified as compared with other fixing methods.

Abstract: A tool for abrading workpieces having random, convex, concave, planar or curved surfaces has a conically convex end face. When working a workpiece, the tool acquires an inclination transversely to the feed direction, so that the tool with the contact line is located on the workpiece. This leads to the same conditions as exist in the rotary milling of convexly curved surfaces when machining concave surfaces of the workpiece. Finest surface characteristics are obtained on the workpiece by the tool and the method of machining with this tool.

Abstract: A door for a furniture article which is lowerable into a door compartment is fastened to a door-carrying bar which is fixed to a scissors-assembly having two beams anchored on one side wall of the door compartment. To facilitate the adjustment of the scissors-assembly, an upper anchor assembly of one of the beams of the scissors-assembly is located on a fixing member, which is connected via the one side wall to an adjusting member so that, on pivoting the adjusting member about a screw, the fixing member is also moved. The door-carying bar is guided on two opposite rails, which are screwed to bushes which are in turn screwed into the one side wall for adjusting the spacing between the wall and a respective rail. For maintaining the spacing between the door and a second wall, facing the first side wall, the door-carrying bar carries a roller which presses against a plastic plate provided in the vicinity of the leading edge of the first side wall when the door is not lowered.