Abstract: A hemodialysis catheter with a plurality of umbrella-like wire members covered with a film which works as a thrombus blocker and can easily and effectively remove the thrombus is disclosed. The hemodialysis catheter has a proximal lumen, the arterial lumen, and a distal lumen, the venous lumen. An elongate member is longitudinally put in either the proximal lumen or the distal lumen, or two elongate members in both lumens. A plurality of umbrella-like wire members are connected to the end of the elongate member. When the hemodialysis catheter is put in the vessel but not in use, the end of the lumen is capped off by the plurality of umbrella-like wire members covered with a film. When it is ready to use, the doctor can pull the elongate member which connects to the plurality of umbrella-like wire members out off the lumen inverting the plurality of umbrella-like wire members and clearing away any thrombus that has formed.

Abstract: A magnetically polarizable, filtering device system and a method of using such a system for capturing embolic material contained within fluid flowing through a body vessel of a patient is provided. The filtering device system generally comprises a source adapted to generate a magnetic field and a filter device adapted to capture embolic material and to unclog itself when necessary or desirable.

Abstract: A balloon catheter is provided with integral tubular extensions for securing dilation elements to the outside of the balloon. The dilation elements are disposed within the tubular extensions along the working diameter of the balloon. The balloon may be manufactured by extruding a parison and blow molding the parison with the dilation elements installed within the tubular extensions.

Abstract: A sheath with improved kink resistance and/or rupture resistance is provided. The sheath includes an inner liner defining a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough. A coil is fitted around at least a part of the inner liner. An outer layer adapted to adhere to the inner liner between the windings of the coil is positioned longitudinally over the coil. Lateral edges can have inwardly curved and outwardly curved portions. Lateral edges can be further structured and arranged to define an asymmetric spacing therebetween. The asymmetric spacing is configured to improve at least one of kink resistance and rupture resistance of the sheath when in a bent configuration. The compressive and tensile strength of the polymer material can be utilized in a manner to inhibit coil segments from sliding along each other or overlapping one another, thereby preventing premature tearing of the material when the sheath is bent.

Abstract: A system and method for vessel catheterization is provided, having an introducer sheath and a catheter. The introducer sheath can include a handle and a sheath body extending from the handle. An access lumen is provided in the introducer sheath, and can include a tapered portion that is sized to receive a tapered outer surface of the catheter. The catheter may be a central venous catheter, such as a peripherally inserted central catheter, including a hub, a catheter body with at least one lumen extending distally from the hub, and at least one tube extending proximally from the hub. The introducer sheath is preferably a splittable sheath. The catheter can be inserted into the access lumen, and translated until confronting surfaces of the tapered outer surface of the catheter body and the tapered portion of the introducer sheath contact one another. This arrangement can inhibit buckling and/or kinking of the catheter during insertion, and improve initial catheter tip positioning.

Abstract: An infusion catheter includes an elongate catheter body having a proximal body component and a distal body component. The distal body component includes a distal body outer surface and a distal body inner surface defining an infusion lumen. The distal body component further includes a skeleton, and a porous infusion control textile contacting the skeleton and extending circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the catheter and defining a fluid emission profile thereof. The porous infusion control textile further includes a fiber network having a higher density space filling configuration at a proximal textile end and a lower density space filling configuration at a distal textile end, and defining a pressure sensitive flow rate property and a pressure insensitive flow distribution property of the fluid emission profile.

Abstract: A medical device for aspirating and injecting fluid into a body cavity for use with first and second syringes is provided. The medical device includes an outer needle having an outer lumen formed therethrough. A distal end of the outer needle is configured to puncture tissue for insertion of the needle into the body cavity. An inner cannula is disposed within the outer lumen and has an inner lumen formed therethrough. A distal end of the inner cannula is disposed within the outer lumen. A hub has a first hub opening for fluidly connecting the first syringe to the outer lumen and a second hub opening for fluidly connecting the second syringe to the inner lumen. The inner cannula extends from at least one of the first and second hub openings to the distal end of the inner cannula. A method for treating a cyst is also provided.

Abstract: A medical device delivery system includes a retention sheath having a proximal portion and a bi-furcated distal portion having first and second sheath branch portions. The proximal ends of the sheath branch portions are joined together at a sheath branch junction. The system also includes an inner catheter disposed within the retention sheath. The inner catheter includes a proximal portion and a bi-furcated distal portion with first and second catheter branch portions. The proximal ends are joined together at a catheter branch junction. When the sheath is in an initial position, the catheter branch junction is displaced proximally from the sheath branch junction by a distance that is greater than or equal to the larger of a length of a first medical device and the length of a second medical device.

Abstract: An occlusion device having a frame including a plurality of radially expandable struts formed from a plurality of cuts through a tubular wall of a tube. The frame includes a first collar at a proximal end and a second collar disposed in between the proximal and distal ends of the device. A bulbous portion extends between the first and second collars. The bulbous portion includes first and second conical portions joined at their respective bases. A third conical portion extends from the second collar to the distal end of the device. The second conical portion adjacent the second collar and the third conical portion are each defined by a set of cuts forming substantially the same pattern. The first conical portion is defined by a set of cuts forming a pattern that is different from that of the second and third conical portions. The bulbous portion and the third conical portion are configured to expand to approximately the same outer diameter.

Abstract: A medical catheter device is disclosed that comprises a tubular shaft member, a soft tip member, and a wire guide lumen extending longitudinally within the tubular shaft member and the soft tip member. The wire guide lumen is offset relative to the centerline within the soft tip member. By offsetting the inner diameter of the soft tip member in such a way as to not change the outward profile of the catheter, the soft tip will have improved tracking across existing stents and eccentric lesions.

Abstract: Described are devices, methods and systems useful for achieving occlusion of vascular vessels. Percutaneous procedures can be used to occlude and obliterate the greater saphenous vein, for example in the treatment of varicose vein condition caused by venous reflux. Certain embodiments encompass the percutaneous delivery of an occlusion device inverted within a cannula, its deployment and filling, so as to occlude or obliterate a portion of a vascular vessel.

Abstract: Described are devices, methods and systems useful for achieving occlusion of vascular vessels. Percutaneous procedures can be used to occlude and obliterate the greater saphenous vein, for example in the treatment of varicose vein condition caused by venous reflux. Certain embodiments encompass the percutaneous delivery of an occlusion device inverted within a cannula, its deployment and filling, so as to occlude or obliterate a portion of a vascular vessel.

Abstract: A method is provided for a ablating dilation beads on a balloon with a laser. The laser removes integral dilation beads from the neck regions and/or the tapered regions of a blow molded balloon. Part of the neck portions of the dilation beads may remain on the body of the balloon after the dilation beads have been removed.

Abstract: A handle for an implant deployment device converts rotational movement into longitudinal movement in order to provide controlled release of one or more trigger wires. The handle also allows the trigger wire to be withdrawn into the device so that it does not need to be separately removed. A preferred handle includes a rotatable portion (120) and a slidable portion (122). Releasable locks (88, 188) ensure that the handle is used to carry out implant deployment steps in a specific order.

Abstract: A balloon catheter is provided with integral channels for securing dilation elements to the outside of the balloon. The dilation elements have an anchor portion and an intermediate portion that are disposed within first and second longitudinal cavities in the channels. The balloon may be manufactured by extruding a parison and blow molding the parison with the dilation elements installed within the channels.

Abstract: An introducer assembly (100) including at its distal end a dilator tip (20) and an inner catheter for supporting an implantable medical device (1) for deployment, is provided with a plurality of strut elements (102, 202) extending from the dilator tip (20) to the proximal end of the medical device (1). The strut elements (102, 202) act to apply both a pulling and a pushing force against the proximal end of the medical device (1), having the effect of assisting in the correct positioning of the proximal end of the medical device in a patient's lumen, particularly where this is curved such as with the aortic arch. The strut elements (102, 202) form part of the introducer assembly and are removed from the patient following the deployment procedure. The device avoids the need for bare stents at the end of a stent graft.

Abstract: The disclosure provides apparatus and methods a flow adapter for use with a medical introducer. The flow adapter comprises a housing, a connector disposed on the distal end of the housing, a valve member disposed within the housing, and a side port disposed on the housing. The housing comprises a first opening in a proximal end of the housing, a second opening in a distal end of the housing, and a passageway extending between the first and second openings. The first and second openings and the passageway are configured for the passage of an elongate medical device there through. The connector is in communication with the second opening and is configured for attachment to the medical introducer. The valve member disposed within the housing is configured to prevent the leakage of blood from the adapter. The side port disposed on the housing is configured to be attached to a source of flushing fluid.

Abstract: A catheter includes an elongate catheter body having an outer surface with a non-uniform contour and including a plurality of maximum surface elevation points and a plurality of minimum surface elevation points defining a non-uniform elevation profile relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The outer surface further includes a fluid transfer interface which includes the plurality of minimum surface elevation points and a plurality of porous surface areas, and a tissue contact interface which includes the plurality of maximum surface elevation points and a plurality of nonporous surface areas. The tissue contact interface inhibits external occlusion of the fluid transfer interface during transferring fluid between a fluid lumen defined by the elongate catheter body, and an intraluminal space such as an intravascular space within a patient.

Abstract: A needle assembly 10 compromising an infusion needle 11 that includes a needle cannula 13 made of a superelastic material such as Nitinol. The needle cannula is cold-worked or heat annealed to produce a preformed bend 16 that can be straightened within passageway 21 of a coaxial outer cannula 12 for introduction into the body of a patient. Upon deployment from the outer cannula, the needle cannula substantially returns to the preformed configuration for the introduction or extraction of materials at areas lateral to the entry path of the needle assembly. The needle assembly can compromise a plurality of needle cannulae than can be variably arranged or configured for attaining a desired infusion pattern.

Abstract: A method and system for cleaning foreign material from a fluid reservoir of an implantable medical device, the fluid reservoir being substantially enclosed in an interior portion of the implantable device and accessible from an environment exterior of the implantable device through a penetrable septum. An elongated member having a first end and a second end is engaged with a source of ultrasonic energy capable of imparting vibrations to the first end. The septum is penetrated by the elongated member in a manner such that the first end extends into the fluid reservoir, and the second end does not extend into the reservoir. The ultrasonic energy source is activated to impart vibrations into the reservoir via the elongated member first end, in an amount sufficient to break up the foreign material into particulates, which can then be removed from the reservoir.