Patents by Inventor Francisco S. Villar

Francisco S. Villar has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9107590
    Abstract: A method for treating an occlusion comprises positioning a catheter at a treatment site in a patient's vasculature. A blockage is located at the treatment site. The method further comprises performing a medical treatment at the treatment site. The medical treatment is configured to reduce the blockage. The method further comprises making a plurality of measurements at the treatment site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: EKOS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Douglas R. Hansmann, Robert L. Wilcox, Peter R. Rule, Francisco S. Villar
  • Patent number: 6660020
    Abstract: This is an implantable vaso-occlusive coil which is implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques. It is a complex, helically wound coil made up of a primary helically wound coil which is then wound into a specific secondary shape. The secondary shape is itself a series of helical turns. At least a portion of the turns in the secondary shape form a cylindrical region and adjacent that region on at least one end is a conical region which tapers from a diameter approximating that of the central cylindrical region to a smaller diameter. The device is desirably self-forming upon exit from the distal end of a delivery catheter. Also, the conical tipped vaso-occlusive device may also utilize thrombus-enhancing filamentary material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Wallace, Francisco S. Villar, Nga Thi Van, Nestor Aganon, Delilah Yin Hui
  • Publication number: 20020151926
    Abstract: This is an implantable vaso-occlusive coil which is implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques. It is a complex, helically wound coil made up of a primary helically wound coil which is then wound into a specific secondary shape. The secondary shape is itself a series of helical turns. At least a portion of the turns in the secondary shape form a cylindrical region and adjacent that region on at least one end is a conical region which tapers from a diameter approximating that of the central cylindrical region to a smaller diameter. The device is desirably self-forming upon exit from the distal end of a delivery catheter. Also, the conical tipped vaso-occlusive device may also utilize thrombus-enhancing filamentary material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: MICHAEL P. WALLACE, FRANCISCO S. VILLAR, NGA THI VAN, NESTOR AGANON, DELILAH LI HUI
  • Patent number: 6287318
    Abstract: A device for occluding a space within the body, and particularly,the device usefle as a vaso-occlusive device. In partiular, the device typically comprises a metallic core or core member, and two polymeric conjuncts, often polymeric members, of differing thrombogenicity. Typically, the core member comprises a metallic helically-wound coil; the first polymeric member and second polymeric member are fibrous materials woven into a braid. The device may be placed at the desired site within a mammal to facilitate the formation of an occlusion. The device promotes the formation of scar tissue, healing tissue, or neocapillaries in vascular occlusions made by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco S. Villar, Nestor Aganon
  • Patent number: 6063104
    Abstract: This is a device for bridging the neck of either a wide-necked or narrow-necked aneurysm as may be found in the vasculature. It may be used to stabilize the placement of vaso-occlusive devices such as helically wound coils in the aneurysm or may be used to, at least partially, close the aneurysm neck. The vaso-occlusive devices, commonly helically wound coils, are delivered by a core wire which is linked to the coils by an electrolytically severable joint. The core wire will often be insulated. The retainer assembly itself is also attached to another delivery device, such as a core wire, and desirably is severed from the core or delivery wire by the use of another electrolytically severable joint. The inventive neck bridge typically has a number of array elements which are intended to be resident within the aneurysm after the device is deployed from the distal end of a catheter. Central to this invention is the use of array elements having differing flexibility or constituent members of the array elements, e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco S. Villar, Nestor Aganon, Nga T. Doan, Robert M. Abrams, Clifford Teoh
  • Patent number: 6024765
    Abstract: This is an implantable vaso-occlusive coil which is implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques. It is a complex, helically wound coil made up of a primary helically wound coil which is then wound into a specific secondary shape. The secondary shape is itself a series of helical turns. At least a portion of the turns in the secondary shape form a cylindrical region and adjacent that region on at least one end is a conical region which tapers from a diameter approximating that of the central cylindrical region to a smaller diameter. The device is desirably self-forming upon exit from the distal end of a delivery catheter. Also, the conical tipped vaso-occlusive device may also utilize thrombus-enhancing filamentary material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Wallace, Francisco S. Villar, Nga Thi Van, Nestor Aganon, Delilah Hui
  • Patent number: 5935145
    Abstract: This is a device for occluding a space within the body, and particularly, it is useful as a vaso-occlusive device. In particular, it typically comprises a metallic core or core member, and two polymeric conjuncts, often polymeric members, of differing thrombogenicity. Typically, the core member will comprise a metallic helically-wound coil; the first polymeric member and second polymeric member will be fibrous materials woven into a braid. These devices may be placed at the desired site within a mammal to facilitate the formation of an occlusion. The inventive device has been found to promote the formation of scar tissue, healing tissue, or neocapillaries in vascular occlusions made by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco S. Villar, Nestor Aganon
  • Patent number: 5935148
    Abstract: This is a device for bridging the neck of either a wide-necked or narrow-necked aneurysm as may be found in the vasculature. It may be used to stabilize the placement of vaso-occlusive devices such as helically wound coils in the aneurysm or may be used to, at least partially, close the aneurysm neck. The vaso-occlusive devices, commonly helically wound coils, are delivered by a core wire which is linked to the coils by an electrolytically severable joint. The core wire will often be insulated. The retainer assembly itself is also attached to another delivery device, such as a core wire, and desirably is severed from the core or delivery wire by the use of another electrolytically severable joint. The inventive neck bridge typically has a number of array elements which are intended to be resident within the aneurysm after the device is deployed from the distal end of a catheter. Central to this invention is the use of array elements having differing flexibility or constituent members of the array elements, e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco S. Villar, Nestor Aganon, Nga T. Doan, Robert M. Abrams, Clifford Teoh
  • Patent number: 5733329
    Abstract: This is an implantable vaso-occlusive coil which is implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques. It is a complex, helically wound coil made up of a primary helically wound coil which is then wound into a specific secondary shape. The secondary shape is itself a series of helical turns. At least a portion of the turns in the secondary shape form a cylindrical region and adjacent that region on at least one end is a conical region which tapers from a diameter approximating that of the central cylindrical region to a smaller diameter. The device is desirably self-forming upon exit from the distal end of a delivery catheter. Also, the conical tipped vaso-occlusive device may also utilize thrombus-enhancing filamentary material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Wallace, Francisco S. Villar, Nga Thi Van, Nestor Aganon, Delilah Yin Hui
  • Patent number: 5649949
    Abstract: This is an implantable vasoocclusive device. It is constructed of a primary helically wound coil, which primary coil is further wound into secondary shapes which are at least partially substantially conical. Other portions of the secondary shape may have sections of constant diameter or of other conical shapes. The primary coil may be made in such a way that it has regions of differing flexibility. Fibrous materials may be placed on the coils in tufted, streamer, or woven configurations so to increase the thrombogenicity of the overall assembled device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Target Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Wallace, Francisco S. Villar, Christopher G. M. Ken, David A. Gyorke, Timothy S. Winkle