Abstract: An ophthalmic shunt includes a seal or septum through which multiple injections of the therapeutic agent can be made as needed, thereby avoiding repeated injury to the sclera. The therapeutic agent is temporarily carried in a tube connected to the septum. The therapeutic agent release may be rapid or sustained over a period of time.

Abstract: A method of loading a composition into a structural element of a stent, where the structural element is defined by a lumen and at least one opening to access the lumen. The structural element, or a stent having such a structural element, is immersed in a solution or a composition, and the composition or solution is allowed to fill the lumen. The composition or solution may comprise a therapeutic agent.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. The invention provides for an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by links. The links between adjacent rings provide axial strength when subjected to longitudinal compressive forces.

Abstract: A medical device such as a stent having selected regions with different material properties than other regions is disclosed. Selection and modification of the regions may be based on facilitating a desired mechanical behavior and/or therapeutic prophylactic property of the device.

Abstract: A coating device for coating a medical device with a drug-eluting material uses an in-process drying station between coats to improve a drug release profile. The drying station includes a heat nozzle configured for applying a uniform drying gas. A coating process using the dryer includes a closed-loop control for the gas between drying steps and an improved nozzle for producing more consistent spray patterns.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a polymeric implantable device with improved fracture toughness through annealing are disclosed herein. A polymeric construct is annealed with no or substantially no crystal growth to increase nucleation density. After the annealing, crystallites are grown around the formed nuclei. An implantable medical device, such as a stent, can be fabricated from the polymer construct after the crystallite growth.

Abstract: Medical device includes a tubular member having a proximal end and distal end defining a longitudinal axis therebetween, an expandable member proximate the distal end of the tubular member having at least one axial fold in a deflated condition, a tissue engaging member comprising at least one straight wire extending along at least part of the longitudinal axis of the expandable member, and a therapeutic agent disposed on at least the expandable member or the tissue engaging member. The at least one straight wire of the tissue engaging member is located inside the at least one fold of the expanded member when in the deflated condition. The tissue engaging member is configured for deployment at a select location upon inflation of the expandable member. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent is also provided.

Abstract: Methods to expand polymer tubing with desirable or optimum morphology and mechanical properties for stem manufacture and fabrication of a stent therefrom are disclosed.

Abstract: A drug-eluting stent delivery system for the treatment of edge restenosis in a blood vessel. The drug-eluting stent delivery system has a balloon disposed about at least a portion of a catheter, the balloon having a first end and a second end and a working length therebetween, the first end and the second end each including a tapered portion, each tapered portion being attached to the catheter, the balloon being inflatable from a collapsed configuration to an inflated configuration. A drug-eluting stent contacts a wall of the blood vessel to maintain the patency of the vessel. The drug-eluting stent has a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end each including a tapered portion, wherein the drug-eluting stent is disposed over the balloon such that at least a portion of the first end and the second end of the balloon are covered by the tapered drug-eluting stent. A method for making the same is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A surgical device for suturing body lumen is described, as well as methods for suturing tissue employing the surgical device. The device can include a body having a shaft and a foot for insertion into an opening in a body lumen. The device can include tissue ports between configured to receive tissue surrounding the opening in the body lumen. The foot can include a suture secured to needle capture devices. The device can include needles that can be advanced through tissue and into the needle capture devices. The needle capture devices can then be withdrawn, thereby harvesting the suture, which can then be used to close the opening in the body lumen.

Abstract: An endoprosthesis is made by radially expanding and axially extending a polymer tube. Next, portions of the polymer tube are removed to form an open framework of struts that define a tubular body. The tubular body has an end segment and an intermediate segment adjoining the end segment. The end segment includes a circumferential series of closed cells having a first W-shape closed cell. The intermediate segment includes a circumferential series of closed cells having a second W-shape closed cell. There are linear link struts at opposite ends of the individual first and second W-shape closed cells. The linear link struts of the first W-shape closed cell are longer than linear link struts of the second W-shape closed cell.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved stent design for repairing vasculature, the stent having rings including struts defining first peaks and second peaks, selected second peaks of adjacent rings being connected by links. The stent design incorporates non-linear links with undulating portions extending generally perpendicular to or circumferentially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the stent and adjacent first peaks with different longitudinal lengths such that stent flexibility is increased without sacrificing stent compression for delivery.

Abstract: A catheter having an elongated shaft which has a multilayered distal tip with a first layer formed of a polyimide first material and a second layer formed of a polymeric second material. In one embodiment the multilayered distal tip is a separate member, distal to the distal end of a proximal portion of the shaft. In another embodiment, the shaft has an outer tubular member, and a multilayered inner tubular member with a distal end which forms the multilayered distal tip of the shaft. In a presently preferred embodiment, the polyimide material is a thermoset polyimide. In one embodiment, the polymeric second material is a polyamide material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to implantable medical devices coated with polymer having hemocompatible and/or prohealing moieties appended thereto and to their use in the treatment of vascular diseases.

Abstract: Balloon catheter comprises an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongated shaft including a biaxially oriented nonporous thermoplastic polymer tubular member having a Shore durometer hardness of less than about 75 D with an inflation lumen defined therein. The balloon catheter also comprises a balloon sealing secured proximate the distal end of the shaft and having an interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen.

Abstract: A controlled volume inflation-deflation device to inflate a balloon to occlude a blood vessel by dialing a knob that locks at rotational positions to locate a plunger at equally spaced locations within a syringe of the inflation-deflation device. The inflation-deflation device includes a releasable latch to lock the proximal and distal housings together to hold the plunger forward for occlusion, and to separate and hold the proximal and distal housings to retract the plunger for perfusion. When the inflation-deflation device is returned to the latched position, the balloon is re-inflated to its previous occlusive diameter. Also, an extension tube made of a lower modulus outer material co-extruded over and miscible with a higher modulus inner material may be used to produce a suitably low compliance extension tube for the inflation-deflation device.

Abstract: Polymer stents with break-away links and methods of forming the links for improved stent retention on an expandable member during delivery are disclosed.

Abstract: Balloon catheter comprises an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inflation lumen, and a multilayer balloon on the distal section of the shaft. The multilayer balloon comprises a first layer made of a first polymer material having a first Shore durometer hardness, a second layer made of a second polymer material having a second Shore durometer hardness lower than the first shore durometer hardness, wherein the second layer is an inner layer relative to the first layer, and an outer-most layer made of a third polymer material having a third Shore durometer hardness lower than the second Shore durometer hardness.

Abstract: Balloon catheter comprises an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inflation lumen, and a multilayer balloon on the distal section of the shaft. The multilayer balloon comprises at least a first layer and a second layer having a combined wall thickness and an outer-most layer. The first layer is made of a first polymer material having a first maximum blow-up-ratio. The second layer is made of a second polymer material having a second maximum blow-up-ratio greater than the first maximum blow-up-ratio and the second layer is an inner layer relative to the first layer. The at least first and second layers define a compliance less than that of a single layer balloon made of the first polymer material with a wall thickness equal to the combined wall thickness. The outer-most layer is made of a third polymer material.

Abstract: Method of making a balloon catheter includes melt-extruding a thermoplastic polymeric material into a tube, cooling the extruded tube, placing the extruded tube within a capture member and biaxially orienting the polymeric material of the extruded tube while simultaneously tapering at least a section of the extruded tube by radially expanding the extruded tube with pressurized media in the tube lumen and axially expanding the extruded tube with an external load applied on at least one end of the tube as an external heat supply traverses longitudinally from a first end to a second end of the extruded tube in the capture member, wherein an overall axial load on the tubing is varied as at least a section of the tube is heated. The method includes cooling the expanded tube to form a tapered biaxially oriented nonporous thermoplastic polymer tubular member and sealingly securing a balloon proximate a distal end of the tubular member.