Abstract: The disclosure relates to an a catheter sheath introducer that is capable of being expanded from first diameter to second diameter in order to accommodate differently sized medical devices to be introduced by the sheath introducer. The device is structured such that it does not foreshorten when expanded.

Abstract: A stent includes a lattice defining a substantially cylindrical configuration having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and a middle portion between the proximal end and the distal end. The lattice being moveable from a crimped state to an expanded state, and a plurality of adjacent hoops. Each hoop has a plurality of adjacent loops. Additionally, the stent further includes a plurality of bridges connecting adjacent hoops and a plurality of extensions on the lattice. Each of the hoops and bridges define a cell. The proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the lattice have at least one cell respectively and the middle portion of the lattice has at least one cell. The plurality of extensions are on the middle portion of the lattice. The plurality of extensions are cantilevered projections from the bridges and/or hoops of the lattice.

Abstract: A biocompatible material may be configured into any number of implantable medical devices including intraluminal stents. Polymeric materials may be utilized to fabricate any of these devices, including stents. The stents may be balloon expandable or self-expanding. By preferential mechanical deformation of the polymer, the polymer chains may be oriented to achieve certain desirable performance characteristics.

Abstract: Methods and devices for at least reducing the mass of, if not dissolving, renal calculi in situ are provided. In the subject methods, a renal calculus is contacted, e.g. flushed, with an acidic dissolution solution in situ, where the acidic dissolution solution is a solution of a strong, inorganic acid, e.g. hydrochloric acid. In many embodiments, the renal calculus is first enclosed in an isolated local environment of a device prior contact with the dissolution solution. Also provided are novel devices and kits for practicing the subject invention.

Abstract: A balloon catheter may be used to access side branch arteries such as the iliac artery. The catheter includes a guidewire configured to carry a balloon and deploy directly in a branch leg without traversing acute bends.

Abstract: A balloon catheter or stent delivery system for medical treatment of a patient has a proximal hub, a balloon, and an improved shaft design. The catheter shaft has a rapid-exchange configuration, and a tubular outer body that includes a hypotube extending from the catheter proximal end to a position at or near a proximal leg of the balloon. An inner tubular body defines a guidewire lumen extending from a distal guidewire port at the catheter distal end to a proximal port located at a position between the balloon and the hub. A distal leg of the balloon is directly or indirectly affixed to the inner body, and a proximal leg of the balloon is affixed to the distal end of the outer body. The hypotube has an aperture for accepting the inner body proximal end, and a circumferential cut pattern. The cut pattern adds flexibility, and may extend from the hypotube distal end to a position proximal of the proximal guidewire port.

Abstract: Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the formation of blood clots. Also, the devices may be modified to promote endothelialization. Various materials and coating methodologies may be utilized to maintain the drugs, agents or compounds on the medical device until delivered and positioned.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to an expandable intraluminal medical device for use within a body passageway or duct, and more particularly to a stent having a plurality of hoop sections. Each hoop section comprises a tubular configuration of structural elements having proximal and distal open end, and defining a longitudinal axis extending there between. A set of flex connectors connects each adjacent hoop section. Each set of flex connectors comprises one or more flex connector members arranged in the same geometric orientation. Adjacent sets of flex connectors comprise one or more flex connector members arranged in an opposite geometric orientation.

Abstract: A guidewire navigable through body vessels of a human subject for delivery of a catheter or the like is provided. The guidewire has a tube which receives a corewire that protrudes beyond a distal portion of the tube. The protruding portion of the corewire is surrounded by a spring and shapeable into a curve or arc. The cross-sectional shape of the spring may be varied in order to promote bending flexibility and curvature or to favor curvature of a chosen type. The corewire is axially movable with respect to the tube, which compresses or stretches the spring to change the stiffness of the spring. The tube has a proximal portion comprised of a relatively rigid material, such as stainless steel, while a distal portion is comprised of a more flexible material, such as a nitinol.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a stent graft for insertion into a body vessel of a patient, the stent graft includes a hollow substantially cylindrical radially expandable stent having a body, two open ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween. The body of the stent is made from a plurality of interconnected struts. The stent graft further includes a graft member attached to the body of the stent, wherein the graft member having a plurality of substantially longitudinally directed pleats disposed thereon. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the graft further includes a plurality of radially oriented pleat interruptions disposed thereon.

Abstract: A biodegradable intralumenal device that is capable of drug delivery. The device has circular hoops connected by one or more flexible links defining a substantially cylindrical configuration capable of having a closed configuration and an open configuration. Each hoop mateably connects with or interlocks with an adjacent hoop in the open configuration in order to retain this configuration subsequent to delivery of the device.

Abstract: Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the formation of blood clots. Therapeutic agents may also be delivered to the region of a disease site. In regional delivery, liquid formulations may be desirable to increase the efficacy and deliverability of the particular drug. Also, the devices may be modified to promote endothelialization.

Abstract: A stent with axial flexibility, in a preferred embodiment, has a longitudinal axis and comprises a plurality of longitudinally disposed bands, wherein each band defines a generally continuous wave along a line segment parallel to the longitudinal axis. A plurality of links maintains the bands in a tubular structure. In a further embodiment of the invention, each longitudinally disposed band of the stent is connected, at a plurality of periodic locations, by a short circumferential link to an adjacent band. Further, a pair of bifurcated stents is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drug-containing polymeric composition comprising at least one therapeutic agent encapsulated in at least one biocompatible polymer, wherein at least a portion of the therapeutic agent in this polymeric composition is crystalline. The at least one biocompatible polymer may form a substantially continuous polymeric matrix with the at least one therapeutic agent encapsulated therein. Alternatively, the at least one biocompatible polymer may form polymeric particles with the at least one therapeutic agent encapsulated therein.

Abstract: An expandable medical device includes a plurality of elongated struts, forming a substantially cylindrical device which is expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter. A plurality of different beneficial agents may be loaded into different openings within the struts for delivery to the tissue. For treatment of conditions such as restenosis, different agents are loaded into different openings in the device to address different biological processes involved in restenosis and are delivered at different release kinetics matched to the biological process treated. The different agents may also be used to address different diseases from the same drug delivery device. In addition, anti-thrombotic agents may be affixed to at least a portion of the surfaces of the medical device for the prevention of sub-acute thrombosis. To ensure that the different agents remain affixed to the device as well as to each other, primer layers may be utilized.

Abstract: A drug and drug delivery system may be utilized in the treatment of vascular disease. A local delivery system is coated with rapamycin or other suitable drug, agent or compound and delivered intraluminally for the treatment and prevention of neointimal hyperplasia following percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography. The local delivery of the drugs or agents provides for increased effectiveness and lower systemic toxicity.

Abstract: A rapid-exchange balloon catheter or stent delivery system, for medically treating a patient, has a proximal hub, a balloon, and an improved shaft design. The catheter shaft has a tubular outer body that includes a hypotube extending from the catheter proximal end to a position at or near the proximal leg of the balloon. An inner tubular body defines a guidewire lumen and extends from a distal guidewire port at the catheter distal end to proximal guidewire port located between the balloon and the proximal hub. The hypotube has an aperture for accepting the inner body proximal end and a circumferential cut pattern. The cut pattern adds flexibility and may have any desired shape, including a spiral, a helical undulating path, or an overlapping serpentine path with inflection points, for example. The proximal guidewire port may be positioned on or in between the individual portions of the cut pattern.

Abstract: Fluid delivery devices having a porous applicator, as well as methods for using the same in the highly localized delivery of fluid to a target site, are provided. The subject devices have a porous applicator through which fluid must flow in order to contact the target delivery site. The subject devices find use in a variety of fluid delivery applications in which the localized delivery of a fluid to a target site is desired. Also provided are systems and kits that include the subject fluid delivery devices.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a tri-branched copolymer comprising a hydrophobic domain, a hydrophilic domain, a biologically active moiety, and an alkyl core of 2 to 10 carbon atoms. The hydrophobic domain, the hydrophilic domain, and the biologically active moiety are separately linked to the alkyl core of 2 to 10 carbon atoms through three functional groups, wherein said three functional groups are independently the same or different. Preferably, the tri-branched copolymer is prepared through reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization and conjugation reactions. The present invention also discloses a coating composition for applying on at least a portion of one surface of an article. The coating composition comprises the inventive tri-branched copolymer. In another aspect, the present invention discloses an article having the inventive coating composition thereon. Preferably, the article is a medical device or a component of a medical device.

Abstract: Medical devices, and in particular implantable structures, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the formation of blood clots. Also, the devices may be modified to promote endothelialization.