Abstract: A catheter includes a wall surrounding a lumen. The wall has an inner portion forming an outer surface of the lumen and an outer portion surrounding at least a portion of an outer surface of the inner portion. A first diffusion rate of materials from the lumen through the inner portion is different from a second diffusion rate through the outer portion. A durometer hardness of the inner portion is lower than a durometer hardness of the outer portion.

Abstract: Bioresorbable medical implants are designed to have different resorption rates over time or over the topography of the implants. The resorption of the medical implants are controlled by including layers having differing resorption rates. The layers resorb sequentially over time through sequential exposure to body fluids. A resorption-controllable medical implant includes a series of two or more layers. The first layer includes a first bioresorbable material. The second layer includes a second bioresorbable material and resorbable particles of a first kind dispersed within the second bioresorbable material. Additional layers of bioresorbable material alone or including resorbable particles may be added to slow or speed resorption and achieve desired control over the resorption of the implant. Resorbable particles can be added in differing amounts or kinds in various segments of the implant to provide topographically differing resorption rates.

Abstract: An entry port cuff for providing antimicrobial properties to a medical device having a portion that is insertable into the body of a patient is disclosed. The cuff, which is charged with an antimicrobial agent, is removably attached to the medical device immediately prior to or immediately after insertion of said medical device into the body. The cuff is attached to the medical device in a manner such that the cuff is located outside of the body and in the proximity of the point of entry of the medical device into the body. Also, the cuff is substantially free of an adhesive for adhering the cuff to the body. Methods for using and making the entry port cuff are also described.

Abstract: A needle biopsy system for marking a sampling site is described.

Abstract: A medical device such as a tube or a balloon including wall structure with multiple layers. The wall structure can distribute stress, resulting in reduced defect propagation and failure.

Abstract: A high performance coil over-core guide wire. The guide wire incorporates a nickel-titanium core with a stainless steel coil to provide a wire with improved kink resistance and good pushability.

Abstract: Block copolymer particles, and related compositions and methods, are disclosed.

Abstract: A therapeutic medical article is provided which comprises a medical article, a precursor compound and an activator compound. The medical article is adapted, upon administration to a patient, to release the precursor compound and the activator compound such that the activator compound interacts with the precursor compound and converts the precursor compound into activated form for local delivery. Specific examples of precursor and activator compound pairs include: (a) a nitrosothiol precursor and a nitric oxide donor, (b) plasminogen and plasminogen activator, and (c) fibrinogen and thrombin.

Abstract: A valve for use in a body lumen, where the valve includes a valve leaflet with delayed leaflet deployment relative an in vivo implant time. The valve includes a valve frame, a valve leaflet coupled to the valve frame. The valve leaflet includes a commissure that can reversibly seal for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the valve, and a biodegradable adhesive between the valve leaflet and the valve frame to hold at least the commissure of the valve leaflet in a static relationship relative the valve frame for a predetermined time once implanted in vivo.

Abstract: An endoprosthesis includes a plurality of struts defining a flow passage. At least one strut includes (a) a body comprising a bioerodible material and having a thickness and (b) a coating overlying the body. The coating includes a plurality of regions that allow physiological fluids to contact a plurality of corresponding areas of the underlying body when the endoprosthesis is implanted in a physiological environment. The plurality of regions are sized and arranged so that the contacted areas of the body erode substantially through the body in the thickness direction while the coating remains on the body when the endoprosthesis is implanted in the physiological environment.

Abstract: A system for coating a medical device comprises a transfer web, a metering web. The webs are each advanced in a downstream direction toward a gap defined by the advancing webs. A coating solution applicator is configured to apply a coating solution at a staging area at a position upstream of the gap. A medical device retaining mechanism is positioned at a coating application area of the transfer web, at a position downstream from the gap.

Abstract: A closure device closes an opening in a body cavity. The closure device includes an elongate delivery member and a closure component which is removably connected to the distal end of the delivery member. The closure component has a collapsible backing movable between a non-collapsed position and a collapsed position. The closure component also includes a plurality of fibrous tissue engaging members disposed on the backing and oriented in a non-engaging orientation when traveling in a distal direction and in an engaging orientation when traveling in a proximal direction. The fibrous tissue engaging members become entangled in the backing when the backing is in the collapsed position.

Abstract: A balloon folding system specifically configured to reduce a side branch balloon of a bifurcated balloon catheter assembly includes a die that defines at least one chamber for receipt of the sidebranch balloon, and at least one pin sized to fit into the chamber and reduce the balloon to a substantially flattened state. The system also may include a housing for the reduction and folding of a primary branch balloon. The system is configurable to fold and reduce both branches simultaneously or separately.

Abstract: An endoprosthesis, such as a stent, includes a chemical tie layer formed of polymer that enhance adherence of a coating, e.g. a drug eluting polymer coating, to a stent surface, e.g. made of ceramic.

Abstract: Methods and devices for retrieving a filter fixed to a guidewire disposed within a blood vessel are disclosed. A catheter for retrieving a filter fixed to a guidewire disposed within a blood vessel in accordance with the present invention includes an elongate shaft and a housing fixed to the elongate shaft proximate a distal end thereof. A tip member is slidingly disposed within a cavity defined by the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the tip member is configured such that the housing is substantially centered about the guidewire. In another preferred embodiment, the tip member is slidingly disposed within the housing, and the tip member may be moved between a first position and a second position.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention relates to a forceps and collection assembly having multiple components and their related methods of use and manufacture. More specifically, an embodiment of the invention relates to a forceps for obtaining and collecting multiple samples in a collection assembly, such as a pouch. The forceps has multiple components including an insert cutting edge, a molded biopsy jaw, and an insert molded pouch.

Abstract: The invention provides, in one embodiment, a sling assembly including an implantable supportive sling and a biocompatible dissolvable protective treatment on at least a portion of the sling.

Abstract: Composite fiber reinforced balloons for medical devices are prepared by applying a web of fibers to the exterior of a preformed underlayer balloon which has been pressurized and expanded to a predetermined pressure or above ambient size, encasing the web with a matrix material to form an assembly with the fiber web bonded to the underlayer balloon. The assembly may have an outer layer formed by inserting the assembly into a preformed outer layer balloon. The overlayer balloon can be bonded to the assembly during a heat set step.

Abstract: A tubular insert for a vessel comprises an inner stent and an outer stent. At least a portion of the inner stent is disposed within the outer stent. The outer stent has a longitudinal axis and is constructed to be free of any closed loops which are electrically conductive and which are disposed about the longitudinal axis such that the longitudinal axis passes through the closed loop. The inner stent has a longitudinal axis and is constructed so as to be free of any closed loops which are electrically conductive and which are disposed about the longitudinal axis such that the longitudinal axis passes through the closed loop. There is a substantially electrically non-conductive connection between the inner and outer stents. Desirably, a wall surface is defined by the outer and inner stents, and there are no closed, electrically conductive loops in the wall surface of the tubular insert.

Abstract: The invention comprises: An introducer for delivering into the vasculature a straight or bifurcated stent or prosthesis; a method for delivering into the vasculature a straight or bifurcated stent or prosthesis; a method of treating and angeological disease using a bifurcated stent; an endoluminal stent having perpendicular hoop members, each hoop member formed of wire in a sinuous configuration, at least some of juxtaposed apices in neighboring hoops being secured to one another, such stents also forming axially aligned segments in straight stents, and segments of bifurcated stents in particular embodiments. Certain embodiments of such stents also include barbs, fabric covering and radiopaque markers.