Abstract: A flexible tube assembly according to the present disclosure includes a multiple tube having at least a first tubular member that has an elongated shape and is hollow and a second tubular member that has an elongated shape and is disposed inside the first tubular member in such a manner as to be capable of advancing and retreating relative to the first tubular member; and a hand operation unit that is provided on a proximal side of the multiple tube and operates at least the first tubular member and the second tubular member.

Abstract: [Object] It is an object of the present invention to provide a catheter for forming a biological tissue holding member by which a body lumen can be maintained in a dilated state even after a procedure of dilating a target part of the body lumen.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an operating member with which curving operation of a catheter distal part can be easily carried out without moving a comparatively-large member. An operating member has a rotational operation part (10) that is fixed to an elongated body (100) for medical use and rotates the elongated body for medical use about the axis, pull wires (20) fixed to the elongated body for medical use, and a pull operation part (30) that is connected to the pull wires and curves at least part of the elongated body for medical use in a direction intersecting the axial direction by pulling the pull wire.

Abstract: A fibrosis-causing agent is highly effective in the fibrosis of tissues. The fibrosis-causing agent contains a fibrosis inducer and a fibrosis promoter. A fibrosis-causing agent dosage form and a method of administering the fibrosis-causing agent is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fibrosis-causing agent in a particulate form which effectively reduces the lung capacity in a noninvasive manner.

Abstract: A method of making a catheter tube includes extruding a first resin having a first predetermined rigidity through a first extruder; extruding a second resin having a second predetermined rigidity through a second extruder; controlling a mixing ratio of the first and second resins extruded from the first and second extruders; and molding the first and second extruded resins to form an integrally molded tube having at least a first region, a second region which possesses a rigidity greater than the first region, and a transition region between the first region and the second region and which possesses a rigidity varying from the same rigidity as the rigidity of the first region to the same rigidity as the rigidity of the second region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for alleviating the condition of spinal canal stenosis, including: transluminally placing a catheter in a lumbar artery, iliolumbar artery or lateral sacral artery at the proximity of a narrowed area of a spinal canal; and injecting a vasodilator into the artery via the catheter.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a balloon catheter involves applying a first application liquid, which contains a hydrophilic coating material, to the outer periphery of a balloon which is disposed on an elongated catheter and is held in an expanded state; folding the balloon; and applying a second application liquid, which contains the hydrophilic coating material, to the balloon with the balloon folded.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a balloon catheter involves applying a first application liquid, which contains a hydrophilic coating material, to the outer periphery of a balloon which is disposed on an elongated catheter and is held in an expanded state; folding the balloon; and applying a second application liquid, which contains the hydrophilic coating material, to the balloon with the balloon folded.

Abstract: A method for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease includes occluding at least one of a bronchial tube and emphysema, and deciding whether or not a bypass has been formed by the occlusion.

Abstract: A stent capable of retarding or preventing occlusion resulting from granulation includes: an outer annular body with a circular cross section in which an outer through-hole penetrating in a direction intersecting the radial direction of the circular cross section is formed and which can expand and contract in the radial direction; and an inner annular body disposed on the inside of the outer through-hole, forms a double annular cross section together with the outer annular body at least at the openings of the outer through-hole, and in which an inner through-hole penetrating in a direction that intersects with the radial direction of said circular cross-section is formed. When placed indwelling in a living body, the outer annular body can expand in the radial direction and can thereby support the living tissue with at least the opening of the inner through-hole of the inner annular body spaced from the living tissue.

Abstract: A biopsy system includes a tomographic image pick-up device which is insertable into a living body to pick-up a tomographic image of a bioptic target part in the living body to be subjected to biopsy, a guide wire configured to puncture the bioptic target part in the condition where the tomographic image obtained by the tomographic image pick-up device is being observed; and a biopsy device which is inserted along the guide wire to the bioptic target part in the living body after withdrawal of the tomographic image pick-up device out of the living body and by which tissue of the bioptic target part is sampled. The guide wire remains in the living body in the state of puncturing the bioptic target part even after the withdrawal of the tomographic image pick-up device.

Abstract: The invention has as its object the provision of a medicine capable of reducing a volume of emphysema-suffering pulmonary alveoli or alveolar sacs by means of a respiratory region volume inhibitor containing a coating film formation as a main component and capable of forming a coating film in a respiratory region, characterized by being used in such a way that the coating film-forming component is administered to an emphysema-suffering pulmonary alveolar parenchyma in a human-respiratory region in an amount of 0.004 to 200 g/application, preferably 0.07 to 20 g/application and more preferably 0.5 to 5 g/application on each occasion.

Abstract: A catheter includes an outer tube, and an inner tube which is disposed inside the outer tube and through which a guide wire is passed via a distal-side opening and a proximal-side opening. The outer tube has, in the axial direction thereof, at least: a first region on the distal side; a second region disposed on the proximal side and higher in rigidity than the first region; and a transition region which is provided between the first region and the second region and of which rigidity varies from the same rigidity as that of the first rigidity to the same rigidity as that of the second rigidity. The outer tube is configured with an opening, to which the proximal-side opening of the inner tube is connected, being provided in the second region.

Abstract: A method for improving the blood flow in the bone head, the method including the steps of extending a long tubular body, which has a cutting tool at its foreend, close to the entrance of the retinaculum artery and performing drilling on the bone head by using the cutting tool. This method makes it possible to improve the blood flow in the bone head with a minimum of burden on the patient.

Abstract: A medical device includes a tubular body having a first lumen so designed as to receive a fluid from an opening at one end of the first lumen and discharge the fluid from an opening at the other end of the first lumen, and an expandable body attached to the tubular body. The first lumen communicates with the space inside the expandable body and the expandable body expands by the internal pressure of the fluid which is injected from the opening at one end and enters the space inside the expandable body through the first lumen.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for dilating between spinous processes wherein a filamentous body provided with an expansion body is percutaneously inserted to locate the expansion body between the spinous processes, a filling material is injected into the expansion body to dilate between the spinous processes, and the expansion body is cut off from the filamentous body to be located between the spinous processes. This method exerts very little burden on the patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for alleviating the condition of spinal canal stenosis, including: transluminally placing a catheter in a lumbar artery, iliolumbar artery or lateral sacral artery at the proximity of a narrowed area of a spinal canal; and injecting a vasodilator into the artery via the catheter.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for treatment of emphysema by reducing the volume of the pulmonary alveoli or alveolar sacs which have been anomalously expanded with destruction by emphysema. The method includes a step (a) of inserting a catheter into a bronchus or bronchiole, a step (b) of injecting through said catheter a film-forming agent into the respiratory region including the pulmonary alveoli or alveolar sacs, thereby forming a film on the inner wall of said respiratory region, and a step (c) of shrinking said pulmonary alveoli or alveolar sacs.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for treatment of emphysema by which it is possible to reduce the volume of pulmonary alveoli or alveolar sacs abnormally enlarged with destruction by emphysema. The method for treatment of emphysema includes: (a) inserting a catheter having a balloon into a bronchus or bronchiole; (b) dilating the balloon to occlude the bronchus or bronchiole; (c) shrinking pulmonary alveoli or alveolar sacs on the downstream side of the bronchus or bronchiole occluded in the step (b); and (d) injecting a hardening agent through the catheter into the respiratory region and hardening the hardening agent.