Abstract: A linear reciprocating actuator for mixing, agitating, separation, continuous sampling and/or harvesting or filtration, gas mixing, and various other applications. The actuator may have a housing closed on one end, and attached to a vessel in a hermetically-sealed manner such that it is part of the fluidic envelope of the vessel. An agitation device may be attached to a shaft which is partially surrounded by the housing, or the agitation device may surround the housing where the housing protrudes into the vessel. The actuator enables agitation of the contents of a hermetically-sealed vessel without mechanical coupling from outside the fluidic envelope of the process. The agitation device is solely acted upon by a magnetic field, is contained entirely within the fluidic envelope of the process, and is not attached to the vessel in any way. The magnetic flux which drives the agitation device passes through the housing.

Abstract: A vessel-occluding medical device for the use in diagnosis and/or treatment of cardiovascular disease in the human body includes an outer tube, an inner tube slidably housed within the outer tube, and a tubular sleeve comprising a generally U-shaped, direction reversing region, which moves along the length of the tubular sleeve, to assume radially contracted and radially expanded state as the inner and outer tubes move between the first and second positions. When the tubular sleeve is in the radially expanded state, the inner portion of the tubular sleeve has a funnel-shaped surface and a longitudinally-extending opening to permit material to pass therethrough for receipt of material into the inner tube.

Abstract: A vessel-occluding medical device for the use in diagnosis and/or treatment of cardiovascular disease in the human body includes an outer tube, an inner tube slidably housed within the outer tube, and a tubular sleeve comprising a generally U-shaped, direction reversing region, which moves along the length of the tubular sleeve, to assume radially contracted and radially expanded state as the inner and outer tubes move between the first and second positions. When the tubular sleeve is in the radially expanded state, the inner portion of the tubular sleeve has a funnel-shaped surface and a longitudinally-extending opening to permit material to pass therethrough for receipt of material into the inner tube.

Abstract: An occlusion may be removed from a graft or other body passageway using occlusion removing apparatus, comprising a catheter having a lumen through which an elongated occlusion engaging element can pass and a blocking mechanism at the open distal end thereof. The catheter is inserted into the body passageway with the blocking mechanism radially compressed during insertion. The blocking mechanism is radially expanded to near to the wall of the body passageway after insertion. After radially expanding the blocking mechanism, the occlusion engaging element is advanced into the occlusion. The expanded state of the blocking mechanism is used for blocking proximal passage of occlusion material around the outside of the catheter. Occlusion material may be moved proximally through the open end and into the lumen. The distal end of the occlusion engaging element may have an engagement mechanism, such as a balloon.

Abstract: Medical devices include a catheter, a catheter/dilator assembly, an occluder, a rapid exchange dilator assembly, a funnel catheter, an anastomotic medical device, and associated methods.

Abstract: A medical device includes a radially expandable and contractible tubular element, having proximal and distal ends, sized to pass through the nostril and into the user's upper airway when in the radially contracted condition. The support element may create an air passageway therethrough when in a radially expanded condition. The tubular element may comprise a porous filter section for filtering air passing through the air passageway. The tubular element may comprise a body material and an agent releasable from the body material for delivery to tissue of the user when the tubular element is radially expanded.

Abstract: An occluder, for use in a body passageway, includes a catheter and a blood flow blocking/tissue capturing element comprising structural members which define openings therebetween. The blocking/capturing element is positioned near the distal end of the catheter. The blocking/capturing element has a radially compressed insertion state and a radially expanded blocking state. The occluder also includes an actuator associated with said catheter to move said blood flow blocking element from said compressed state to said expanded state. The blood flow blocking element may have a generally funnel surface extending out from said distal end of said catheter when the blood flow blocking element is in said radially expanded blocking state. A proximal surface may be provided on the capture element, the proximal surface extending out from the distal end of the elongate tubular member wherein the tissue is captured along the proximal surface.

Abstract: A medical device comprises a catheter having proximal and distal catheter ends and a lumen. The medical device may comprise an expandable and contractible, annular-space-blocking element, carried by the catheter at or near the distal catheter end, having, when in an expanded state, a funnel-shaped surface for receipt of material. The medical device may also comprise first and second expandable and contractible elements. The first element may be a vessel-occluding element positioned distal of the distal catheter end. The second element may be an annular-space-blocking element positioned between the first element and the proximal catheter end. At least one of the elements may comprise spaced apart structural members and a membrane associated therewith. One of the elements, when in an expanded state, may have a funnel-shaped surface and a longitudinally-extending opening for receipt of material.

Abstract: A device for the removal of a blockage in a passageway such as a dialysis graft or in a body passageway includes a catheter for reception and aspiration of the blockage and an occlusion engaging element distal of the distal end of the catheter which occlusion engaging element is supported on a wire that extends through the catheter. At the distal end of the catheter, there is a device such as a multi-wing malecot expansion device that is expanded after the catheter is placed in position so as to block the occlusion from passing around the outside of the catheter. The support wire can be a movable core guide wire which has a braided device on its distal end. When the core is as distal as possible of the distal end of the shell, the braid is in a collapsed minimum diameter state for insertion through the catheter and through the occlusion. Proximal movement of the core causes the braid to expand to the wall of the graft.