Abstract: A removable intravascular filter having a filtering configuration for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel and a retrieval configuration for removal from the blood vessel. The filter may be implanted in a patient's vena cava and may be removed from the vena cava through the patient's jugular or femoral vein. A method of removing an intravascular filter from a patient's vena cava through the patient's femoral vein is also provided.

Abstract: Present invention is a stent apparatus wherein a stent covering member holds a stent, which scaffolds a blood vessel from the inside when implanted in the blood vessel, in contracted state. The stent is formed of a biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) as a tubular shape, shape memorized to a size capable of, when implanted in a vessel, scaffolding the blood vessel from the inside. This stent is held by the stent covering member in contracted state and mounted on a balloon of a balloon. The covering member is formed of a biodegradable polymer having elasticity as a cylindrical shape having an inner diameter to keep the stent in contracted state and, when the stent is expanded to the shape memorized shape, plastically deformed to release the holding of the stent. The stent and the stent covering member disappear in a vessel after they are implanted in the vessel.

Abstract: A system to treat a patient comprises a user interface that allows a physician to view an image of tissue to be treated in order to develop a treatment plan to resect tissue with a predefined removal profile. The image may comprise a plurality of images, and the planned treatment is shown on the images. The treatment probe may comprise an anchor, and the image shown on the screen may have a reference image marker shown on the screen corresponding to the anchor. The planned tissue removal profile can be displayed and scaled to the image of the target tissue of an organ such as the prostate, and the physician can adjust the treatment profile based on the scaled images to provide a treatment profile in three dimensions. The images shown on the display may comprise segmented images of the patient with treatment plan overlaid on the images.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and aspirating tissue from the human body or animal body, particularly for application in vitrectomies, for retinal detachment, etc., having an outer tube (1) and an inner tube (5) which can slide back and forth concentrically in the outer tube (1) with minimal play, wherein the outer tube (1) is closed on the free end (2) thereof, and has a lateral opening (3) near the free end (2), with at least one inner cutting edge (4), wherein the inner tube (5) is open on the free end and has an outer cutting edge (6) at that position, and wherein the cutting edges (4, 6) work together in a cutting manner when the inner tube (5) is displaced, characterized in that the inner tube (5) has at least one lateral opening (7) with at least one further outer cutting edge (8) near the free end.

Abstract: A catheter rotation drive apparatus includes first and second drives that are engageable to an output shaft. When the first drive is engaged to the output shaft and rotated, the output shaft rotates in an output rotation direction, and when the second drive is engaged to the output shaft and rotated, the output shaft rotates in the output rotation direction.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating obesity are provided. More particularly, intragastric devices and methods of fabricating, deploying, inflating, monitoring, and retrieving the same are provided.

Abstract: A handle for delivering a medical device comprises a housing having therein a wheel, a rack, and a catheter member. The wheel comprises a pinion gear that selectively engages gear teeth on the rack. The rack is selectively engaged and disengaged from the pinion gear in order to reduce the force necessary to manually pull the rack.

Abstract: A water jet surgical instrument including a supply line for supplying a cutting fluid and a discharge nozzle for forming and discharging a fluid jet, wherein the fluid jet has a predetermined spread angle and/or a predetermined emergence energy. A jet shaping device is arranged relative to the discharge nozzle such that the fluid jet is able to be adjusted by the jet shaping device with regard to the spread angle and/or emergence energy thereof.

Abstract: A system for treating disease involving branching vessels of a mammal system can include a main graft assembly (i) having a lumen permitting fluid flow therethrough, and (ii) configured to expand within a first vessel of a mammal; and a branch graft assembly including a branch cover (i) having a cover lumen permitting fluid flow therethrough; and (ii) configured to expand within a branch vessel that branches from the first vessel. The branch graft assembly may also include an expandable branch stent extending within the cover lumen. The branch graft assembly may further include a branch sheath (i) extending between the branch stent and the cover lumen, and (ii) constraining radial expansion of the branch stent within the cover lumen.

Abstract: Invasive side-firing electrohydraulic lithotripsy probes that creates a substantially annular shockwave to break up concretions are disclosed. Generally, the side-firing electrohydraulic lithotripsy probe includes a lithotripter tip including a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is positioned at a distal end of the lithotripter tip and the second electrode is positioned in the lithotripter tip such that an end of the second electrode is coaxially aligned with an end of the first electrode. An electric arc between the first and second electrodes causes a shockwave to radiate radially from the lithotripter tip.

Abstract: The invention provides an embolic protection device for removing emboli from a blood vessel in a patient's body. The device comprises an elongate host element, an embolic protection element having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and a flexible tether connected to a distal end of the host element and to a proximal portion of the embolic protection element. The tether allows the host element to move axially and laterally relative to the embolic protection element over a limited range of motion when the embolic protection element is in an expanded configuration. The embolic protection device has a landing zone of 4 cm or less.

Abstract: The self-expanding stent of the present invention provides for a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone, comprising a plurality of n-sided polygons where the surface area of the adjacent polygons in the transition zone is unequal. In one embodiment, the surface area of the polygons in the transition zone increases circumferentially across the transition zone in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. The polygons are formed from two pairs of undulations which are connected by segments. The bending moment of the undulations is equal within each polygon and constant across the transition zone.

Abstract: A grasping treatment device includes a first sheath section, a second sheath section including a bending cylindrical section, and a rotating transmitting portion configured to rotate to allow a grasping section and the first sheath section to rotate in one of periaxial directions of a longitudinal axis with respect to the second sheath section. The grasping treatment device includes an opening/closing transmitting portion configured to move a movable portion of the first sheath section toward a proximal direction with respect to a probe fixed portion by being pulled toward the proximal direction, and an acting force transmitting portion configured to transmit an acting force from the probe fixed portion to the bending cylindrical section, the acting force being configured to act on the probe fixed portion from the movable portion toward the proximal direction.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the amplitude of accommodation and/or changing the refractive power of lens material of a natural crystalline lens is provided. Generally, there is provided methods and systems for delivering a laser beam to a lens of an eye in a plurality of patterns results in the increased accommodative amplitude and/or refractive power of the lens. There is further provided a system and method of treating presbyopia by increasing both the flexibility of the human lens and the depth of field of the eye.

Abstract: An endovascular stent graft delivery device has portion to remain outside a patient in use and a proximal portion to be introduced into a patient. The proximal portion has a dilator at the proximal end and a length extending module is fastened to the dilator and extends proximally. The length extending module has a proximal end which in use extends out of the patient. The dilator has a dilator marker and the length extending module has a first and second marker at the distal and proximal ends of the length extending module. The first marker and the second marker are at the same relative circumferential position on the length extending module so that the rotational position of the elongate body within the patient can be determined.

Abstract: A minimally invasive surgical assembly broadly includes an outer hollow needle which has an outer diameter of 3.0 mm or smaller, and a coaxial surgical instrument having a shaft which extends through the outer hollow needle. The coaxial surgical instrument includes end effectors at the end of the shaft which are biased to an open position such that when the end effectors of the surgical instrument extended out of the needle they open, and they are closed by relative movement of the needle over them. The assembly preferably includes a first fixing element which is used to fix the relative location of the surgical instrument and the needle. The assembly also preferably includes a second fixing element which moves relative to the needle and is located on the outside thereof and which is used to fix the relative location of the needle to the patient.

Abstract: A minimally invasive surgical assembly broadly includes an outer tube which has an outer diameter of 3.0 mm or smaller, and a coaxial surgical instrument having a shaft which extends through the outer hollow tube. The coaxial surgical instrument includes end effectors at the end of the shaft. The end effectors include spring arms and wire frame clamp elements defining fenestrations. The spring arms are biased to an open position such that when the end effectors of the surgical instrument extend out of the outer tube they open, and they are closed by relative movement of the outer tube over them. The wire frame clamp elements are biased to an open position such that when they extend out of the outer tube they open and they are closed by relative movement of the outer tube over them.

Abstract: A stent includes a series of helical windings defining an outer circumference of a cylinder. The helical windings include a plurality of struts having straight portions connected by curved portions. The straight portions may be substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the stent when the stent is in a reduced state. A plurality of bridges connect adjacent windings. The bridges may be substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the stent in the reduced state. A plurality of radiopaque members extend from a terminal helical winding. The radiopaque members include an extension portion and an end portion. The extension portion may have a first width and the end portion may have a second width greater than the first width. The end portion may include an extreme end substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the stent.

Abstract: A lancing device comprises a lancet drive to cause a lancet to effect a puncturing movement, a housing that encloses the lancet drive, and a touching element with an opening for applying a part of a body in which a prick wound is to be produced, the touching element being movable relative to the lancet drive for the purpose of adjusting the puncturing depth in a puncturing direction. The touching element is connected rotatably by means of a screw thread to an intermediate piece and is movable in the puncturing direction, while the intermediate piece is rotatable and movable relative to the housing. A guide prevents rotation of the touching element relative to the housing, and the touching element is enclosed by the intermediate piece at least over part of its length.

Abstract: A puncturing system has a carrier tape carrying multiple lancets, a device housing comprising a conveying facility for moving the lancets into a usage position consecutively by moving the carrier tape in a conveying direction, a puncturing drive for accelerating one of the lancets that is positioned in the usage position in a puncturing motion, an opening in the device housing for touching against a body part in which a puncture is to be made by the puncturing motion of one of the lancets, an actuation facility for driving the conveying facility, and an unlockable interlock comprising a stop that blocks further transport of the carrier tape as soon as one of the lancets has reached the usage position.