Abstract: A catheter system has a balloon angioplasty device disposed about a common lumen near its distal end. The balloon catheter is pre-fitted with a stent which is deployed when the balloon is inflated. The common lumen is in communication with multiple lumens within a proximal region of the catheter body to allow for positioning of the catheter over a movable guide wire and convenient delivery of imaging or interventional devices to a desired region of a body passageway being treated. The procedure for stent deployment optionally includes steps of imaging a lumen by ultrasound before and after stent deployment to identify the site at which a stent is needed, to confirm that the stent is being and has been deployed at a longitudinal position which does not overlap a branched segment of the body passageway, and to ensure that the stent has been radially opened to an optimum diameter.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter system has a balloon angioplasty device disposed about a common lumen near its distal end. The common lumen is in communication with multiple lumens within a proximal region of the catheter body to allow for positioning of the catheter over a movable guide wire and convenient delivery of imaging or interventional devices to a desired region of the blood vessel being treated.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprises a catheter body having a distal region and proximal region. The distal region has a reduced cross-sectional area compared to that of the proximal region, and the proximal region includes at least two lumens therethrough for accommodating a movable guidewire and a rotatable working element, respectively. The catheter body may be inserted over the movable guidewire, with the guidewire passing through a lumen in the distal region and the guidewire lumen in the proximal region. After positioning the catheter body, the guidewire can be retracted from the distal region and into the proximal region, leaving the lumen in the distal region available for the rotatable working element. Such a construction allows over-the-wire imaging of the catheter while minimizing the width of the catheter in the dital region which remains available for placement of the working element.

Abstract: The invention provides a nested tubing cannula which comprises outer and inner elongate tubular members, both having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween. The inner tubular member is sealed at its distal end and is nested substantially coaxially within the lumen of the outer tubular member, so that the gap between the inner and the outer tubular member defines a second lumen whereas the first lumen is the lumen of the inner tubular member. A tubular sleeve is disposed coaxially between the inner and outer tubular members. A balloon is mounted on a distal region of the outer tubular member and is in communication with the first lumen. The cannula further comprises a port proximal or distal the balloon occluder and is in communication with the second lumen. Methods for making the devices herein are disclosed.

Abstract: A longitudinal position translator includes a probe drive module and a linear translation module. The probe drive module is coupled operatively to an ultrasonic imaging probe assembly having a distally located ultrasound transducer subassembly in such a manner that longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly may be effected. The probe drive module is preferably mounted to the linear translation unit so as to be moveable between a condition whereby longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly can be conducted either manually or automatically. When in the automatically-operable condition, the probe drive module will be engaged with a motor-driven screw associated with the linear translation module so as to cause the probe drive module to be longitudinally displaced at a constant motor-driven rate.

Abstract: A catheter is provided for insertion in the he blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

Abstract: A longitudinal position translator includes a probe drive module and a linear translation module. The probe drive module is coupled operatively to an ultrasonic imaging probe assembly having a distally located ultrasound transducer subassembly in such a manner that longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly may be effected. The probe drive module is preferably mounted to the linear translation unit so as to be moveable between a condition whereby longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly can be conducted either manually or automatically. When in the automatically-operable condition, the probe drive module will be engaged with a motor-driven screw associated with the linear translation module so as to cause the probe drive module to be longitudinally displaced at a constant motor-driven rate.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter system has a balloon angioplasty device disposed about a common lumen near its distal end. The common lumen is in communication with multiple lumens within a proximal region of the catheter body to allow for positioning of the catheter over a movable guide wire and convenient delivery of imaging or interventional devices to a desired region of the blood vessel being treated.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprises a catheter body having a distal region and proximal region. The distal region has a reduced cross-sectional area compared to that of the proximal region, and the proximal region includes at least two lumens therethrough for accommodating a movable guidewire and a rotatable working element, respectively. The catheter body may be inserted over the moveable guidewire, with the guidewire passing through a lumen in the distal region and the guidewire lumen in the proximal region. After positioning the catheter body, the guidewire can be retracted from the distal region and into the proximal region, leaving the lumen in the distal region available for the rotatable working element. Such a construction allows over-the-wire imaging of the catheter while minimizing the width of the catheter in the distal region which remains available for placement of the working element.

Abstract: A catheter is provided for insertion in the blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

Abstract: A longitudinal position translator includes a probe drive module and a linear translation module. The probe drive module is coupled operatively to an ultrasonic imaging probe assembly having a distally located ultrasound transducer subassembly in such a manner that longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly may be effected. The probe drive module is preferably mounted to the linear translation unit so as to be moveable between a condition whereby longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly can be conducted either manually or automatically. When in the automatically-operable condition, the probe drive module will be engaged with a motor-driven screw associated with the linear translation module so as to cause the probe drive module to be longitudinally displaced at a constant motor-driven rate.

Abstract: A catheter system has a balloon angioplasty device disposed about a common lumen near its distal end. The balloon catheter is pre-fitted with a stent which is deployed when the balloon is inflated. The common lumen is in communication with multiple lumens within a proximal region of the catheter body to allow for positioning of the catheter over a movable guide wire and convenient delivery of imaging or interventional devices to a desired region of a body passageway being treated. The procedure for stent deployment optionally includes steps of imaging a lumen by ultrasound before and after stent deployment to identify the site at which a stent is needed, to confirm that the stent is being and has been deployed at a longitudinal position which does not overlap a branched segment of the body passageway, and to ensure that the stent has been radially opened to an optimum diameter.

Abstract: A longitudinal position translator includes a probe drive module and a linear translation module. The probe drive module is coupled operatively to an ultrasonic imaging probe assembly having a distally located ultrasound transducer subassembly in such a manner that longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly may be effected. The probe drive module is preferably mounted to the linear translation unit so as to be moveable between a condition whereby longitudinal shifting of the transducer subassembly can be conducted either manually or automatically. When in the automatically-operable condition, the probe drive module will be engaged with a motor-driven screw associated with the linear translation module so as to cause the probe drive module to be longitudinally displaced at a constant motor-driven rate. In this manner, the distally located ultrasound transducer is longitudinally shifted during an ultrasound scan of surrounding intravascular (or other) tissue to thereby allow axially-spaced 360.degree.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprises a catheter body having a distal region and proximal region. The distal region has a reduced cross-sectional area compared to that of the proximal region, and the proximal region includes at least two lumens therethrough for accommodating a movable guidewire and a rotatable working element, respectively. The catheter body may be inserted over the moveable guidewire, with the guidewire passing through a lumen in the distal region and the guidewire lumen in the proximal region. After positioning the catheter body, the guidewire can be retracted from the distal region and into the proximal region, leaving the lumen in the distal region available for the rotatable working element. Such a construction allows over-the-wire imaging of the catheter while minimizing the width of the catheter in the distal region which remains available for placement of the working element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprises a catheter body having a distal region and proximal region. The distal region has a reduced cross-sectional area compared to that of the proximal region, and the proximal region includes at least two lumens therethrough for accommodating a movable guidewire and a rotatable working element, respectively. The catheter body may be inserted over the moveable guidewire, with the guidewire passing through a lumen in the distal region and the guidewire lumen in the proximal region. After positioning the catheter body, the guidewire can be retracted from the distal region and into the proximal region, leaving the lumen in the distal region available for the rotatable working element. Such a construction allows over-the-wire imaging of the catheter while minimizing the width of the catheter in the distal region which remains available for placement of the working element.

Abstract: A guidewire imaging catheter includes a catheter body, housing secured to the distal end of the catheter body, a drive cable extending through a central lumen of the catheter body, and an imaging system disposed within the housing and coupled to the drive cable. A fixed guidewire is secured to the distal tip of the housing, and the catheter body is highly flexible while retaining sufficient torsional stiffness to allow the entire catheter to be used as a guidewire. Thus, the imaging guidewire can be used to first image a desired region within a patient's vascular system and subsequently as a guidewire to allow placement of a desired interventional catheter.

Abstract: A catheter is provided for insertion into the blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective a circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

Abstract: Front-end and side-on intravascular catheters are described that comprise an abrasive head contained substantially within a housing. Aspiration means and flushing means are connected to the region of grinding to remove dislodged debris. A preferred embodiment has the abrasive surface of a rotatable head comprised of diamond powder. Another preferred embodiment has an ultrasonic transducer affixed to the head to permit transluminal imaging of the site of occlusion.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are described for introducing an imaging catheter to the coronary vasculature. A guiding catheter is introduced so that the distal end of the guiding catheter engages a coronary os. The distal end of the guiding catheter is shaped so that a mark on the distal end is oriented in a predetermined orientation relative to the coronary vasculature. An imaging catheter is then introduced through the guiding catheter and an image of the mark is produced with the imaging catheter while in the guiding catheter. In this manner, the relative orientation of the produced image and the coronary vasculature is known.

Abstract: A catheter is provided for insertion into the blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective a circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.