Abstract: A central venous catheter comprises an ultrasound assembly. In one arrangement, the radiating member is used to remove a blockage from the central venous catheter. In another arrangement, inserting an ultrasound assembly into a central venous catheter. The ultrasound assembly comprises an ultrasound radiating member mounted on an elongate support structure. The method further comprises positioning the ultrasound assembly within the central venous catheter such that the ultrasound radiating member is adjacent to a deposited material formed on a portion of the central venous catheter. The method further comprises supplying an electrical current to the ultrasound radiating member to expose the deposited material to ultrasonic energy. The method further comprises passing a therapeutic compound through the central venous catheter to expose the deposited material to the therapeutic compound simultaneously with ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: A preformed anchoring wire guide (10) for medical procedures such as renal angioplasty. The wire guide (10) is comprised of a superelastic memory alloy mandril (11), such as a nickel-titanium alloy, and includes a preformed bend (14) having an angle (15) with respect to the longitudinal axis (28) that corresponds with the takeoff angle of the renal artery (23) relative to the aorta (33). This preformed bend (14) allows easier access to the ostium (22) of the renal artery (23) and allows the distal portion (27) of the wire guide to anchor within the artery (23) and resist dislodgement and deformation, thereby improving trackability of a balloon angioplasty catheter (21), reducing the need for a guiding catheter, and reducing the likelihood of vessel damage or thrombus shear due to forces that are normally exerted against the wall of the vessel (33) by a standard wire guide.

Abstract: A system for use in delivering a thrombolytic agent to a firm obstruction in a blood vessel by effecting longitudinal extension of the distal infusion segment of an infusion device through the obstruction as the obstruction is dissolved by the delivery of the thrombolytic agent. The infusion device is inserted into the lumen of an introducer to straighten the distal infusion segment and the assembly is advanced through a selected path in a patient's vascular system to the obstructed site. The distal infusion segment is advanced from a distal end opening of the introducer sheath lumen and assumes the pre-biased J-shaped bend configuration when positioned that tends to present the infusion port in a side wall toward the obstruction. A spring loaded assembly is coupled between the proximal ends of the infusion device and the introducer catheter that applies a force axially along the body of the infusion device against the resistance of the obstruction in contact with the distal infusion segment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coil stent constructed from a nitinol alloy having the ends thereof shaped to interact with a placement device specifically designed to hold the stent in a reduced diameter while it is being maniuplated to its desired position in the patient's body. The placement device is a hollow tube which has holes in it surface allowing placement of the ends of the stent therethrough so that they can be held in place inside the interior of the placement device by a mandril which is threaded through the center of the placement device. The combination of the features of the shapes on the end of the stent, the holes in the placement device and the mandril which passes through the placement device and the shapes on the end of the stent allow the interventional radiologist to accurately and rapidly place the stent in its desired position before it changes shape to its final pre-set configuration.