Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The triangular cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also to provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The triangular cells provide increased coverage of a vessel wall. The stent can have different portions adapted to optimize radial support or to optimize longitudinal flexibility. The stent can be adapted to prevent flaring of portions of the stent during insertion.

Abstract: A novel method of treating endometriosis is disclosed. The method comprises administering to a female subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of particles comprising an agent capable of inhibiting phagocytic cells of the female subject.

Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portion. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The cells also provide increase coverage of a vessel wall. The stent has a reduced crimped profile due to the differing lengths of adjacent structural members within the cells, resulting in loops which are not aligned around the circumference of the stent. Also, this stent may contain a second type of square cells, which are adapted predominately to minimize flaring of the stent ends and to provide additional stiffness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the non-surgical clipping of aneurysms. The invention also includes methods of use to treat aneurysms, including intracranial aneurysms. The aneurysm is clipped by positioning a wire comprising a shape memory alloy, pre-set to a mutually twisted conformation, on opposite sides of the neck of the aneurysm and causing the wires to twist around each other. Thus, the aneurysm neck is substantially closed. The resulting thrombosis in the aneurysm further excludes the aneurysm from blood flow and pressure.

Abstract: A protected resonating sensor may include at least one resonating sensor unit. Each sensor unit has one or more vibratable members. The protected sensor includes a compliant member that forms part of one or more chambers. A first side of the compliant member may be exposed to a medium in a measurement environment. The sensor unit may be any resonating sensor unit having a resonance frequency that depends on the value of a physical variable in a measurement environment. The protected sensor includes a substantially non-compressible medium disposed within the chamber(s). The substantially non-compressible medium may be a liquid or a gel. When the medium is a liquid, the chamber is sealed. When the medium is a gel, the chamber may be sealed or non-sealed. The medium is in contact the vibratable member(s) and with a second side of the compliant member. The medium may have a low vapor pressure.

Abstract: A therapeutic device and therapeutic method for delivering electrical energy or a medicament to a body tissue or organ utilizing ultrasonic vibration to cause a device implanted in the body tissue or organ to be treated to discharge an electrical current or medicament to the target area.

Abstract: Embodiments of a stent system include a catheter is made with only one lumen leading to a balloon. An arrangement is provided to easily lock a short wire in place at the distal end of the balloon. Multiple wires of different properties can be included in a package containing the stent and the delivery catheter, such that the physician will be able to choose the right wire tip according to the lesion and vessel treated and attach it at the distal tip of the balloon before beginning the stenting procedure.

Abstract: An improved string for a musical instrument comprising amorphous metal is disclosed. The string may be a single wire of amorphous metal or comprise a core wire and covering wire, wherein the core wire and/or covering wire comprises amorphous metal. Such a string has greater sustain of sound and higher volume of sound over a longer period of use than previously available metal strings. Musical instruments comprising such strings are also disclosed.

Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions or ostial regions. The stent can include an end region which is fabricated to have a greater radial strength than the remaining axial length of the stent. Such a stent is particularly suited for use in ostial regions, which require greater support near the end of the stent. The stent alternatively can include sections adjacent the end of the stent with greater bending flexibility than the remaining axial length of the stent. Such a stent is particularly suited for use in curved arteries. The stent can also be constructed with an end that has greater radial strength and sections adjacent the end with greater bending flexibility. Such a stent prevents flaring of the stent end during insertion.

Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions or ostial regions. The stent can include an end region which is fabricated to have a greater radial strength than the remaining axial length of the stent. Such a stent is particularly suited for use in ostial regions, which require greater support near the end of the stent. The stent alternatively can include sections adjacent the end of the stent with greater bending flexibility than the remaining axial length of the stent. Such a stent is particularly suited for use in curved arteries. The stent can also be constructed with an end that has greater radial strength and sections adjacent the end with greater bending flexibility. Such a stent prevents flaring of the stent end during insertion.

Abstract: A drug-coated stent and a method for fabricating the stent are disclosed. The stent has an originally flat pattern and connection points where the sides of the flat pattern are joined. The method includes the steps of a) cutting a stent pattern into a flat piece of metal thereby to produce a metal pattern, b) spraying the flat metal stent pattern with a polymer and a drug, c) deforming the metal pattern so as to cause two opposing sides to meet, and d) joining the two opposing sides at least at one point. Substantially no portion of the stent projects into the lumen of the stent when the stent is expanded against the internal wall of a blood vessel.

Abstract: This invention provides a new class of medical devices and implants comprising amorphous metal alloys. The medical devices and implants may be temporary or permanent and may comprise other materials as well, such as polymers, ceramics, and conventional crystalline or polycrystalline metal alloys. Specifically, this invention provides implantable surgical fabrics comprising amorphous metal alloys. The presence of amorphous metal alloys in these fabrics can serve a variety of purposes, including structurally reinforcing the surgical fabric and/or imparting to the fabric the ability to shield against harmful radiation. The fabric may be used inside or outside the body during medical procedures. Further, the implantable surgical fabrics may be woven or non-woven fabrics.

Abstract: A method is provided for quantifying a plasma membrane protein present by using a stable-isotope labeled peptide as a probe by mass spectrometry in a simple, quick and accurate manner. A plasma membrane protein is fragmented to prepare an oligopeptide fragment, identified by LC/MS/MS. A subject peptide for quantification is selected if the peptide is obtained by fragmenting with a protease, the peptide is specific to a target molecule, and if the peptide has a high total score value based on selective criteria for hydrophobic amino acids content, sequence conditions, number of amino acid residues, specific amino acid sequence conditions, etc. According to these criteria, a subject peptide fragment that can be ionized by ESI method is selected. By using the subject peptide for and a stable-isotope labeled peptide, the plasma membrane protein is quantified accurately by mass spectrometry.

Abstract: This invention provides a new class of medical devices and implants comprising amorphous metal alloys. The medical devices and implants may be temporary or permanent and may comprise other materials as well, such as polymers, ceramics, and conventional crystalline or polycrystalline metal alloys. Specifically, this invention provides an artificial heart component, such as an artificial heart valve or a pacemaker, wherein the artificial heart component includes an amorphous metal alloy component. The artificial heart valve may be a ball valve comprising an amorphous metal alloy cage. Alternatively, the artificial heart valve can include leaves made of amorphous metal alloy. The amorphous metal alloy component may also be a sheath or a strut. The pacemaker containing the amorphous metal alloy may house an energy source which is shielded from the body by the amorphous metal alloy.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering and assembling a bifurcated stent in a bifurcated vessel having a first lumen and a second lumen. The system and method includes the use of three balloon catheters wherein at least one of the catheters is a fixed wire catheter. A first segment of the bifurcated stent having a stem portion, a first leg portion, a longitudinal bore extending therethrough and a branch aperture formed in the side wall is mounted on two of the balloon catheters and delivered to the treatment site where it is implanted into the first lumen. A second segment of the bifurcated stent having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough is mounted on the third balloon catheter and is delivered to the treatment site such that the distal end extends into the second lumen and the proximal end extends into longitudinal bore of the first segment.

Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The triangular cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also to provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The triangular cells provide increased coverage of a vessel wall. The stent can have different portions adapted to optimize radial support or to optimize longitudinal flexibility. Loops in the stent are disposed and adapted to cooperate so that after expansion of said stent within a curved lumen, the stent is curved and cells on the outside of the curve open in length, but narrow in width whereas cells on the inside of the curve shorten in length but thicken in width to maintain a density of stent element area which much more constant than otherwise between the inside and the outside of the curve.

Abstract: A therapeutic device and therapeutic method for delivering electrical energy to a polymer containing a medicament that allows release of the medicament to a body tissue or organ. The device and method utilizes ultrasonic vibrations to cause the device, implanted in the body tissue or organ to be treated, to discharge an electrical current to the polymer containing the medicament. The medicament is controllably released to the target area by changing the charge of the polymer with the electrical current.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stent having struts with reverse direction curvature for providing a reduced compressed profile and an increased expanded profile. The strut configuration comprises a plurality of arcuate sections facing in opposite convex and a concave orientation. The strut width may be gradually decreased from its ends towards the strut's mid-section to redistribute maximal strains away from portions of the stent more susceptible to permanent deformation, such as the loop portions. Varying strut lengths to offset the maximum circumferential widths of adjacent portions of the stent may further reduce the compressed stent profile. The varied stent lengths may also contribute to an increased expanded stent profile. Stents with the reverse direction curvature strut design can obtain an expanded to compressed stent diameter ratio of about 7:1 compared to conventional stents that have a ratio of up to about 5:1. The curved strut can be utilized with any stent design.

Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portion. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The cells also provide increase coverage of a vessel wall. Loops in the stent are disposed and adapted to cooperate, so that after expansion of said stent within a curved lumen, the stent is curved and cells on the outside of the curve open in length, but narrow in width, whereas cells on the inside of the curve shorten in length, but thicken in width to maintain a density of the stent element area which is much more constant than otherwise between the inside and outside of the curve. The stent also minimizes flaring out by eliminating free loops of the radially supporting circumferential bands of loops.

Abstract: An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The triangular cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also to provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The triangular cells provide increased coverage of a vessel wall. The stent can have different portions adapted to optimize radial support or to optimize longitudinal flexibility. The stent can be adapted to prevent flaring of portions of the stent during insertion.