Abstract: A tissue illumination system and a method for harvesting a section of a blood vessel from a patient's body for further use. The tissue illumination system includes a light catheter inserted into a lumen of the blood vessel section to illuminate the vessel section and vessel side branches with an intensity which is visible to the physician from an exterior of the vessel section and also includes a viewing element insertable into the lumen and capable of viewing the illuminated vessel section. The tissue illumination system also includes at least one tool insertable into the lumen and used to harvest the vessel section.

Abstract: A catheter comprising a housing portion defining an interior cavity and the housing portion comprising a housing member having an interior space dimensioned for housing an indwelling medical device. The elongated member comprises a lumen extending at least from an exit port to a distal port, the housing member is disposed within the lumen, and the lumen is dimensioned in the housing portion to receive a guidewire outside of the interior space of the housing member. A medical device for filtering emboli from blood flowing in a blood vessel of patient comprising an elongate support member and an elongate side branch member connected to the elongate support member. The filter element is attached to the elongate side branch member by a proximal filter element slider, and the elongate side branch member is adapted to maintain the filter element centered in the vessel.

Abstract: A guide wire comprising an elongate, flexible core having a proximal region, a proximal end, a distal region, and a distal end, and the distal region having a tapered portion; a plurality of wire strands wrapped helically parallel to one another and disposed on at least a portion of the tapered distal region of the core; a polymer tie layer disposed on at least a portion of the plurality of wire strands; and a lubricious polymer layer disposed on the polymer tie layer.

Abstract: Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.

Abstract: A stent has surface sculpturing, preferably on its outer surface only, having, for example, microspheres, having the function of increasing the actual geometric surface area of the stent, of creating undercuts and roughness to encourage the application of coatings of active or activatable agents, as well as of improving the attachment of the stent to the blood vessel wall.

Abstract: A block wall or fence and methods for constructing a block wall or fence with a footing framework encased in concrete to form a footing support structure wherein the blocks of the wall or fence may be laid without first constructing the footing support framework or first enclosing the footing framework in concrete. Additionally, vertical reinforcing members located in vertical columnar cavities within blocks of the wall and/or horizontal reinforcing members located in horizontal channels within blocks of the wall form a reinforcing framework; wherein some or all of the blocks of the wall or fence may be laid before encasing the reinforcing framework and/or the footing support framework in concrete.

Abstract: Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.

Abstract: A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen generally includes providing a device having a cutting element and an opening, advancing the device through the blood flow lumen to a site where material is to be removed, forcing the opening toward a wall of the site where material is to be removed, and moving the cutting element and the opening so that material in the blood flow lumen is cut by the cutting element and directed into the opening for removal as the cutting element and opening are moved through the blood flow lumen. In some embodiments, the device may be deflected or bent to force the opening toward a wall to remove material. The cutting element may be rotatable and may have an axis that is movable, that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, or both. In some embodiments, the cutting element is movable between retracted and deployed positions for advancing the device to a site for treatment and for removing material, respectively.

Abstract: A device, method, and system of deploying an embolic protection device at a location distal to a treatment site in a vessel of a patient. A delivery catheter is encircled by a sealing member which is expandable from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration. The device creates a seal to prevent the flow of blood during the treatment of vascular disease. A distal protection element is delivered by the delivery catheter and deployed to filter or remove embolic debris.

Abstract: A retaining wall block has parallel top and bottom faces, a front face, a rear face, first and second side wall faces and a vertical plane of symmetry extending between the front and rear faces. The block is formed as a body portion including the front face, a head portion including the rear face and a neck portion connecting the body portion and the head portion. The body, head and neck portions each extend between the top and bottom faces and between the first and second side wall faces. An opening extends through the neck portion from the top face to the bottom face, dividing the neck portion to into first and second neck wall members extending rearwardly from the body portion to the head portion.

Abstract: A cardiac valve prosthesis having a frame and two or more leaflets (preferably three) attached to the frame. The leaflets are attached to the frame between posts, with a free edge which can seal the leaflets together when the valve is closed under back pressure. The leaflets are created in a mathematically defined shape allowing good wash-out of the whole leaflet orifice, including the area close to the frame posts, thereby relieving the problem of thrombus deposition under clinical implant conditions.

Abstract: Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.

Abstract: Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.

Abstract: A distal tip for use with a medical catheter. The tip includes a member having a wall which defines a lumen therewithin. The wall has a portion at a distal end thereof, the portion curving inwardly toward an axis of the lumen. The lumen is provided with a diameter adaptable to accommodate a device to be recovered therewithin.

Abstract: A method of making a wall block and a mold box therefore. The wall block design maximizes the use of the mold box. The method produces wall blocks having a large surface area front face compared to the front face size of prior art blocks. The blocks have about one third more front surface area. This results in faster construction of walls and a faster construction sequence. The method of making the blocks makes efficient use of mold space and material, resulting in higher production yields and/or higher total daily production square footage.

Abstract: A debulking catheter comprising a debulking assembly for debulking a body lumen. The catheters of the present invention can include a flexible proximal portion coupled to a rigid distal portion. A tissue debulking assembly can be disposed within the rigid portion to debulk the body lumen. In exemplary embodiments, the rigid portion is rotatably coupled to the flexible portion such that rotation or deflection of the rigid portion, relative to the flexible portion, can expose the tissue debulking assembly through a window in the catheter to debulk the body lumen.