Abstract: A filter device is provided having a biodegradable features. The filter device comprises an elongate stent portion and a conical filter portion attached thereto that is preferably balloon expandable. The conical filter portion includes a plurality of struts extending between a holding ring and the stent portion to define the conical shape of the filter portion. The struts can be biodegradable so that they degrade over time. The struts and/or holding ring can be configured so that at least one of the struts remains attached to the holding ring after a predetermined period of time. The struts are biased toward the wall of the body vessel in which the filter device is installed, so that after the predetermined period of time, the struts, and the strut attached to the holding ring, will expand toward the body vessel wall for bioabsorption.

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 The handle also allows the trigger wire to be withdrawn into the device so that it does not need to be separately removed.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: 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: A rapid exchange catheter includes a stiff proximal tube and a relatively flexible tapered distal tube, a guide wire tube being provided in the distal tube, with an aperture for access to the guide wire lumen being provided at the junction between the distal tube and the proximal tube, the tubes being bonded together at their junction.

Abstract: A cutting or scoring balloon (10) of elongate shape and provided at its periphery with a plurality of scoring elements (12) extending longitudinally along the balloon. The scoring elements (12) are formed integrally with the balloon wall (14) and in the preferred embodiment are of the same material. A raw material form (20) for producing the balloon (10) is provided with a series of zones (26, 28) of greater thickness compared to the remainder of the balloon wall (24). These zones (26, 28) are located adjacent respective ribs (22) and extend longitudinally along the balloon wall for substantially the same distance as the ribs (22). The zones (26, 28) ensure that these will expand (stretch) preferentially compared to the remainder of the raw material form (20) and in particular the ribs (22), with the effect that the ribs (22) will not tend to be stretched. Apparatus for forming a balloon (10), includes a chamber (50) for holding the raw material form (20, 30) on fittings (52).

Abstract: An intracranial stent formed from Nitinol has variable flexibility. The stent (10) is formed from a plurality of stent rings (12) connected by tie bars (14). The tie bars (14) in a central soft zone (16) are heat treated so as to confer a higher transition temperature on the Nitinol. As a result, at body temperature, the soft zone (16) has reduced longitudinal stiffness as compared to the stiffer zones (18) found at the ends of the stent (10).

Abstract: A stent graft introducer (1) has a distally opening capsule (5) on a nose cone dilator (3) and a plug device (17; 53) in the capsule. The plug device (17; 53) is movable longitudinally within the capsule (5) to move to a distal end (7) of the capsule (5) to extend from the capsule (5) whereby to provide a smooth transition from the otherwise distal opening (7) of the capsule (5) to enable retraction of the nose cone dilator (3) through a deployed stent graft (35). The capsule (5) includes an in-turned distal end (7) and the plug device (17; 53) has a proximal shoulder (25) whereby to prevent the plug device (17; 53) from being completely as withdrawn from the capsule (5). The plug device (17; 53) has a distal linearly tapered surface (27) or a distally facing bullet shaped surface (57). There can be an arrangement (72; 80) to prevent subsequent retraction of the plug device (53; 17).

Abstract: An introducer assembly (10) includes a balloon catheter (12) for deploying a medical device (19) in a body lumen or for dilating a body lumen at a range of diameters from a minimum deployment diameter to a maximum deployment diameter. The balloon catheter includes an outer balloon (42) and an inner balloon (40) located within the outer balloon (42). The outer balloon (42) has an unstretched diameter equivalent to the minimum deployment diameter and the inner balloon (40) has an unstretched diameter equivalent to the maximum deployment diameter. The outer balloon (42) is made of an elastic material able to stretch from the minimum deployment diameter to the maximum deployment diameter, while the inner balloon (40) is preferably of an non-compliant material.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

Abstract: A catheter assembly is provided with a stress relief collar for relieving stress due to differences in rigidities of a catheter and coupled fitting. The stress relief collar is provided with an integral clip of the same or a similar soft material. The catheter can be coiled and held in the clip, the flexibility of the latter making it easy to fit and remove coils therefrom with little risk of damage to the catheter.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

Abstract: A stent graft (10) is retained on an introducer (38) by retention of an exposed stent (16) of the stent graft to the introducer with trigger wires (44). The introducer has a trigger wire catheter (40) and four trigger wires and each trigger wire extending in a loop from the trigger wire catheter. The stent graft has a tubular body (12) of a graft material and an exposed stent joined to and extending from one end of the tubular body. The exposed stent is a self expanding Z stent with struts (20) and bends (22, 28, 30) between them. A pair of struts and a bend between define an apex a selected distance to the bend away from the tubular body. Adjacent apices of the exposed stent are different distances to the bends from the tubular body so that they stack under the trigger wires in an neat fashion. Distally extending barbs (26) on alternate struts of the exposed stent are spaced selected distances from their respective apices to prevent tangling during deployment.

Abstract: There is disclosed a drug eluting balloon catheter assembly provided with a balloon formed of an inner balloon member of non-compliant material and an outer balloon member of a compliant material and which is provided with holes therein for eluting a drug or other fluid. In use, the outer balloon member is biased by contraction onto the inner balloon member thereby keeping the holes therein normally sealed closed and minimizing dead space in the device.

Abstract: An occlusion device (30) includes at least one self-expanding frame (42, 44) and graft material (46). Occlusion occurs by constricting the graft material (46) at a substantially central point or at an end of the device. The constriction is sized such that a guide wire (34) is able to pass therethrough. A valve mechanism (50) includes a screen (52) made from a resilient material and which includes a closable opening (54). The valve mechanism (50) allows a guide wire to pass through the occlusion device (30) whilst an effective physical barrier is maintained after removal of the guide wire (34).

Abstract: A delivery assembly (10) for an implant (30) includes a release mechanism comprising a locking element (52) and a blocking member (56). The locking element (52) includes a latching pin (14) that engages with an eyelet (54) in the implant (30) to attach the implant (30) to a distal end of an inner catheter (36) of the deployment of the delivery assembly (10). The blocking member (56) prevents premature disengagement of the latching pin (14) from the implant (30). Withdrawal of the blocking member (56) allows disengagement of the latching pin (14) once the implant (30) has been correctly positioned within a patient's vasculature. The locking pin (52) and the blocking member (56) extend along the lumen of the inner catheter (36) from a handle (12) at the proximal end thereof, and are arranged such that a guide wire (34) is also able to extend through the lumen of the inner catheter (36). The locking pin (52) and the blocking member (56) preferably have a crescent-shaped transverse cross section.

Abstract: A stent graft introducer has a nose cone dilator (8) and a distally opening capsule (18) on the nose cone dilator, a balloon guide (2, 30) extending into the capsule and affixed therein. Upon completion of deployment of a stent graft, a balloon catheter (96) including an inflatable balloon (98) thereon can be advanced over the balloon guide at least partially into the nose cone whereby the balloon can be inflated therein to provide a smooth transition from the nose cone to a delivery sheath (10) for retraction of the nose cone dilator through the deployed stent graft. The balloon guide can be a separate wire (30).

Abstract: A stent graft (10) includes a tubular graft element (12) to which there are attached a plurality of stent rings (14). The stent rings (14) are formed of a plurality of stent struts (16) arranged in a zig-zag arrangement with alternating peaks (18) and valleys (20). The end-most stent (22) is located at the proximal end (24) of the graft tube (12). Between adjacent peaks (18) of the end-most stent (22), there is provided a series of bridging elements (28). These are preferably formed of Nitinol wire and to be substantially more flexible than the stent struts (14). The bridging elements (28) extend in the region of graft material between adjacent stent peaks (18) and are attached to the graft material, for example by suturing. The bridging elements (28) are substantially more flexible than the stent ring (22) and therefore impart little opening force on the graft material in comparison to the force produced by the stent ring (22).

Abstract: A stent (10) has wrapped therearound a barb element (12) formed of a length of wire provided with first and second ends (14, 16) forming barb prongs. In intermediate zone (22), the barb element (12) is wrapped or coiled. The two pronged ends (14, 16) extend out of the graft element (26) to provide an anchoring function to the medical device. As well as being wrapped onto a strut of the stent (10), the barb element (12) is sutured to the stent (10) and to the graft material (26) by suture stitching (28). The turns of the coiling or wrapping in section (22) assist in fixing the barb element (12) relative to the suture (28) and thus to the stent graft (24). The barb elements (12) could be made of any suitable material, including Nitinol. This structure of barb elements provides an effective arrangement which is easy to manufacture, which provides strong barbs able to withstand the high processing temperatures required for setting shape memory elements of the device.

Abstract: A multi-port stent graft delivery device (2) has an annular access lumen (26) between a delivery catheter (24) and a main sheath (6), at least one indwelling access sheath (28, 30) within the access lumen, and an indwelling guide wire (36, 38) within the or each access sheath and a stent graft (16) retained in the delivery device. Upon deployment of the stent graft into the vasculature of a patient the indwelling guide wire can be used to facilitate stabilization of the access sheath during cathertization of a side branch and deployment of a side arm covered or uncovered stent therein through the advanced access sheath. A manifold associated (4) with a handle provides a plurality of access ports (41, 43). A docking balloon may also be used.

Abstract: A detachable embolization coil is screw threaded at the proximal end for releasable attachment to a delivery member within a delivery catheter. The coil has a proximal fibred portion and a distal non-fibred portion, the axial length of the non-fibred portion being as great or greater than the axial length of the non-fibred portion. The fibred portion carries a plurality of fibres of thrombogenic fibrous material. In this way, a partially delivered coil may be retracted into a delivery catheter for repositioning, substantially without hindrance from clotting.