Abstract: An atherectomy device having the ability to create variably sized lumens in a vessel. An ablation burr rotated by a drive shaft is routed through a control shaft having a bend in its distal end. The control shaft is in turn routed through a surrounding guide catheter. By extending or retracting the bend of the control shaft into the distal end of the guide catheter, the lateral displacement of the ablation burr is varied. A lumen in a vessel is created by rotating the control shaft within the surrounding guide catheter. In addition, the atherectomy device may include an integrated imaging sensor contained within a separate lumen of the catheter surrounding the drive shaft. The imaging sensor provides images of the interior of the vessel wall to determine if an occlusion has been removed by operation of the ablation burr. The catheter may include a self-expanding stent at its distal end to force the ablation burr against a vessel wall in order to create various sized lumens in a patient's vasculature.

Abstract: A gas burning imitation log assembly (18) including an imitation log (20) carried by a supply conduit (24) is disclosed. Supply conduit (24) receives gas from a gas source (26). The gas contained in supply conduit (24) escapes through aligned slots (34) passing through supply conduit (24) and log (20). In one embodiment of the invention, supply conduit (24) includes an outer sleeve (48) and an inner sleeve (46) which define a gas region (32). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, supply conduit (24) is not used. Gas is conveyed into log (20) which contains a diffusing layer (52) that overlays slots (34) to uniformly diffuse the gas through log (20).