Abstract: The present invention uses several innovative means in order to effectively puncture the intimal wall of blood vessels reliably and controllably. The total penetration of the needle is controlled by the height of the needle projecting from its base and the degree of penetration is controlled by the use of “cam” or similar means or mechanisms that moves the base containing the needles.

Abstract: The method of vascular treatment for restenosis or vulnerable plaque after an invasive procedure, such as for example angioplasty, stenting with or without drug coating, or drug delivery, comprises: inserting a catheter or hollow guide wire to the treatment location; delivering light through the catheter in the wavelength range of about 700–2500 nm; and moving the light to treat the affected region.

Abstract: The present invention uses several innovative means in order to effectively puncture the intimal wall of blood vessels reliably and controllably. The total penetration of the needle is controlled by the height of the needle projecting from its base and the degree of penetration is controlled by the use of “cam” or similar means or mechanisms that moves the base containing the needles.

Abstract: A flexible stent is disclosed which reduced openings between rings by two alternative techniques. In the first instance, adjacent sinusoidally bending rings are nested to compact them closer together to reduce the opening sizes therebetween. In another embodiment, adjacent sinusoidal rings overlap each other to achieve the same effect. The assembly can be covered with a graft as a support therefor.

Abstract: A flexible stent is disclosed which reduced openings between rings by two alternative techniques. In the first instance, adjacent sinusoidally bending rings are nested to compact them closer together to reduce the opening sizes therebetween. In another embodiment, adjacent sinusoidal rings overlap each other to achieve the same effect. The nested design can be fabricated from a long continuous sinusoidal band having alternating high and low peaks wrapped spirally around the mandrel and welded at crossties. The assembly can be covered with a graft as a support therefor.

Abstract: A stent is disclosed which comprises generally of ring having, in the preferred embodiment, crossties that have flexibility by having at least one bend. The rings themselves have predetermined stress-relieving points to predispose, by stress relief, particular segments of each ring to bend upon application of an expansion force such as by a balloon or by other means. In the preferred embodiment, the individual rings have notches, reducing the cross-sectional areas at particular locations adjacent reversing bends such that upon radial expansion, bending occurs at these reduced cross-sectional areas to prevent stress from accumulating at the reversing bends.

Abstract: A flexible stent is provided that has features to minimize recoil and facilitate anchoring of the stent in a vascular passage. The design features sharp angulated bends. Other features include a rounded cross-section in the wire or stent components. Another feature is the bending of the angulated bends in a transverse plane to provide additional rigidity and an anchoring mechanism. Ties are provided in alignment or in staggered fashion, either semi-rigid or flexible, to allow the structure, which can be made of joined rings or a helical arrangement, to be more flexible to accommodate bends in the vascular system. The ties are also disclosed with a locking system involving bending the wire as it is formed into a helix in combination with crossties with loops which lock the stent in an expanded position.

Abstract: A balloon is disclosed that has two differing rates of distensibility. It can be used to perform angioplasty by taking advantage of its high strength and relatively low distensibility up to a predetermined range of pressure and still be used to set a stent by operating a pressure range where there is a higher distensibility. the balloon can be of a single material that is oriented less than fully or a blend of materials similarly oriented. In another embodiment, strands of a more crystalline material run longitudinally through a matrix of a less crystalline material, with the resulting balloon, when not fully biaxially oriented, exhibiting high burst strength and two different rates of distension at different applied inflation pressures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of delivery of a drug (or substance) is disclosed which involves (1) injecting a drug into the tissue of the blood vessel; (2) maintaining the delivery system as symmetrical as possible in tortuous blood vessels, and (3) providing a preferably constant flow of blood during the drug treatment.

Abstract: A flexible stent is disclosed that can be constructed in a variety of ways. It can be made from a continuous wire formed into discrete rings of undulating bends where the end rings are closed up on themselves, and the continuous wire which forms the rings between the end rings defines longitudinal gaps in each of the internal rings, which gaps are in turn straddled by crossties which, in the preferred embodiment, extend in a perpendicular plane to the longitudinal axis of the stent, while being disposed in alignment with the cylindrical surface defined by the stent. The crossties act to keep the opening in the inner rings constrained during expansion of the stent. The presence of the longitudinal openings in the internal rings adds to the flexibility of the stent to ease delivery to the desired location. Alternatively, the flexible stent can be etched from a tube. In this preferred embodiment, alternating rings of an undulating wire-type element, etched from a tube, are presented.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low-profile balloon catheter which is extremely maneuverable and capable of dilating an occluded artery with minimal risk of angina. The catheter is highly maneuverable because its distal section has substantially coaxial inner and outer tubes which are in relatively tight mechanical communication at their proximal end and their distal ends are mechanically connected only via the balloon. As a result, the inner distal tube is relatively independent of the outer distal tube. The proximal section of the catheter is relatively stiff and preferably has two lumens therethrough. One lumen, which is substantially larger, is used to actively perfuse oxygenated blood, drugs, or dyes distal to the tip of the catheter at flowrates up to about 100 cc/min. Preferably, the inner surface of this first perfusion lumen has a shape at its inner surface that permits the second, smaller lumen to "nest" adjacent to and substantially within said inner surface of said first perfusion lumen.

Abstract: The invention discloses a stent which has a locking feature to prevent recoil. The stent is composed of a plurality of rings which are joined by crossties of various construction. The locking feature of each ring can be in alignment or staggered. The crossties may be straight or angled or they may have curvature to them to further promote longitudinal flexibility. The locking mechanism includes features which minimize sharp ends exposed to the vascular wall.

Abstract: A tubular stent is disclosed that is made of a series of bands having a generally tubular shape with an open end. Each band has an open rectangular form made of an elongated material. The bands have the open ends (or interruptions) in an offset manner and each band has crosstie or ties which are either rigid or flexible. Ties, even if they are straight, can be disposed close to each other, or further away from each other, and can vary in number in order to adjust the relative stiffness of the stent. Each of the bands are preferably a generally rectangular shape and can be made from a wire of a variety of different cross-sections, or can be cut from a flat sheet, or burned out of a cylindrical shape.

Abstract: A stent delivery apparatus is disclosed comprising a movable inner tube and a fixed outer tube having corrugations or undulations at its distal end. The undulations or corrugations are stretched by movement of the inner tube, whereupon the stent is placed over the relatively flattened undulations or corrugations. A solid structure or an open structure such as a coil can be used for this purpose. One large proximal undulation is provided for preventing the stent from sliding from the predetermined location during the setting. Upon relative movement between the inner and outer tubes, which can be a single longitudinal or twisting movement or a combination of such movements, the undulations under the stent are outwardly relaxed, forcing the stent to expand toward the vascular wall. The relative movement is then reversed to retract the undulations and the delivery device withdrawn.

Abstract: A catheter assembly for the delivery of a vascular stent into human arteries and veins is disclosed. The system disclosed in the present invention is an apparatus capable of deploying a vascular stent mounted on a catheter, either on a balloon catheter or on the distal portion of a catheter tube. In the case of a stent mounted on the balloon of a balloon catheter, the spring sheath is withdrawn and the balloon is inflated to deploy the stent to the inner wall of the vasculature. In the case of a self-expanding stent, the spring sheath is withdrawn, causing the stent to expand to the vessel wall. The apparatus is withdrawn after the stent has been deployed.

Abstract: An antiglare tip for the sheath of an endoscope to prevent glare in an image viewer is disclosed. The antiglare tip includes an interfitting region with the endoscope to ensure that all light entering the image viewer is reflected from objects external to the endoscope. An opaque projection extends from the endoscope insertion tube between the light source and the image viewer. Opaque recesses in the tip are positioned to mate with the opaque projections extending from the endoscope end. Having mating projections and recesses aligned ensures that no light may pass directly from the light source to the image viewer via the tip. Glare resulting from internal reflections in the tip, or from an inside surface of the tip, is prevented.

Abstract: A low-profile angioplasty catheter is disclosed which is insertable through a guiding catheter. The angioplasty catheter has two balloons. The distal balloon dilates the stenosis. The proximal balloon is separately inflatable and selectively closes the annular passage between the angioplasty catheter and the guiding catheter. The angioplasty catheter has a central lumen with a series of openings allowing fluid communication from the central lumen into the annular passage proximally of the balloon which seals the annular passage. While the first balloon is inflated to dilate the stenosis, blood can be withdrawn from an arterial source through a lumen (or plurality thereof) in the guiding catheter and pumped into the annular passage between the angioplasty catheter and the guiding catheter.

Abstract: The invention is a disposable, positive-displacement piston pump, having a polycarbonate body, a piston, an inlet valve, and an outlet valve. The outlet valve is connected to an exit chamber, which is separated from the exit valve by an elastomeric membrane. The elastomeric membrane encloses an accumulation chamber which is filled with a fluid such as air under atmospheric pressure. Pulsations in outlet pressure caused by stroking of the piston are dampened by the flexing action of the elastomeric membrane, compressing the fluid within the accumulator chamber. The throw out of the pump is pressure-dampened and is of sufficient pressure to flow through very low-profile angioplasty catheters having perfusion lumens extending therethrough. The combination of the pump with a very low-profile balloon angioplasty catheter allows access of the catheter to a constricted passage with the ability to pump a sufficient volume of blood through such a low-profile catheter during balloon inflations.

Abstract: An angioplasty catheter has an elongated body with at least one lumen extending therethrough. A tip, constructed of materials softer than the elongated body is attached to the distal end of the body. The tip segment has at least one lumen passing therethrough which is in alignment withthe lumen in the elongated body. A guide is adapted to pass through the aligned lumens. A balloon is connected to the distal segment of the elongated body over its outer periphery, thereby creating a balloon cavity therebetween. At least one additional lumen is provided in the elongated body in flow communication with the balloon cavity, for selective inflation and deflation thereof, with a contrast fluid.

Abstract: A very low profile balloon catheter is disclosed that allows for an independently movable, steerable and removable guidewire. After removal of the guidewire, the balloon catheter retains adequately angiographic and hemodynamic characteristics. Such catheter construction allows for exchange of guidewires. A tracking mechanical device is included and provides excellent and easy advancement of the balloon catheter through severe obstructions.