Abstract: A side branch stent graft (1) suitable for the iliac arteries has a main tubular body (3) of a biocompatible graft material and a tubular side branch (5). The tubular side branch is affixed into the main tubular body so that a side branch lumen is in fluid communication with a main lumen. There is at least one external zig-zag stent (13) on the main tubular body proximal of the tubular side branch, one central external stent (14) which also encompasses the side arm, at least one external zig-zag stent (16) on the main tubular body distal of the tubular side branch and one internal zig-zag stent (15) at the distal end of the main tubular body. A reinforcing ring (9) is around the proximal end of the main tubular body and stitched thereto.

Abstract: A thrombus retrieval device has one or more thrombus engaging elements that are movable between a retracted configuration in which they are stowed within the device and a deployed configuration in which they project from the device to snare an adjacent thrombus for removal from a blood vessel.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling the brain comprises a pernasal intubation tube for insertion through one of the nostrils of a patient requiring brain cooling; an inflatable occluder provided the tube for inflation to occlude the nasopharynx of the patient behind the soft palate of the patient thereby to prevent passage of liquid between the nasal cavities and the mouth of the patient; a nostril closure arranged to cooperate with the pernasal intubation tube; an orifice for introduction of a liquid coolant into the nasal cavities; and a liquid vent for insertion in the other nostril of the patient for controlling venting of liquid coolant from the nasal cavities. Also described herein is a method of cooling the brain of a patient in danger of suffering brain damage comprising occluding the air passage leading from the nasal cavities to the mouth cavity of the patient behind the soft palate of the patient and irrigating the nasal cavities of the patient with a coolant liquid.

Abstract: A stent graft 30 has a bare end stent 31 which partially overlaps the next stent 32 with the end 36 of the graft material 34 being shaped to follow the distal peaks 35 of the end stent and the proximal peaks 47 of the next stent. The proximal peaks 37 of the end stent have a greater radius of curvature than the distal peaks 35 of the end stent.

Abstract: A catheter for use in an endoluminal delivery assembly includes a device holding region or element on which there is provided a plurality of flexible fingers extending outwardly therefrom. The fingers act to maintain a device to be deployed in the correct position on the catheter and act to resist deformation of the device during deployment.

Abstract: An introducer assembly (10) includes a guide wire catheter (12), a pusher element (16), an external manipulation unit (28) and an external sheath (30). The distal end (18) of the pusher element (16) is bonded, with adhesive or other bonding agent (32), to the guide wire catheter (12) so as to fix these components together at the distal end (18) of the pusher element (16). This reduces twisting of the pusher element (16) relative to the guide wire catheter (12) and thus twisting of any implantable medical device carried on the introducer assembly (10). This can reduce incorrect deployment of the implantable medical device and reduce instances of an abortive medical procedure. In addition, such bonding increases the torque resistance of the guide wire catheter (12) and pusher element (16) to reduce overall twisting at the distal end of the introducer assembly (10).

Abstract: A dilator element 30 of a stent introducer apparatus 10 comprises a distal part 36 of soft, flexible material and a proximal part 38 of relatively hard and/or stiff material with a proximal end portion 35 which is tapered.

Abstract: A modular stent assembly (20) is provided with stent sections (22-26) which are coupled together by a coupling arrangement formed of first (30) and second (32) coupling elements. The first and second coupling elements (30, 32) provide a strong coupling between adjacent stent sections (22-26) which behaves in a manner substantially identical to the conventional unitary tie bar. The modular nature of the stent assembly (20) reduces manufacturing costs, can provide for replacement of only a defective part of the assembly 20 and can facilitate the assembly of a stent having differing characteristics along its length optimised for a particular medical application.

Abstract: An introducer for deploying an implantable medical device such as a stent (60), stent graft (80) or other similar device is provided with an outer sheath (132,232) which is provided with a series of internally longitudinally extending channels (136. 236) and interdigitating protrusions (134, 234) extending therein. At least on stent ring (0) of the medical device is provided with one or more barbs (104) which point radially outwardly of the device, including when this is compressed onto the introducer. The barbs (104) lie within the channels (136, 236) which the remainder of the medical device is retained in its compressed form by the elongate protrusions (134, 234). The channels (136, 236) allow for the provision of relatively stiff barbs (104). The barbs (104) can be better suited to ensuring the correct placement of the medical device than flexible barb arrangements.

Abstract: A guide wire (10) for a catheter carrying an implant includes alternating radio-opaque zones (16) and radio-transparent zones (18) formed from a granular material at a portion of the guide wire (10) just proximal to a flexible tip (12). The granular material is compressed within a sheath formed by the guide wire (10) and held in place by a bung (11). By regularly spacing the radio-opaque zones (16), the guide wire (10) enables in situ measurements to be taken within a patient's vasculature. The use of granular material to form the radio-opaque zones (16) and the radio-transparent zones (18) provides rigidity to the portion of the guide wire (10) proximal to the tip (12).

Abstract: A stent (10) is provided with a plurality of stent rings (12) formed of a plurality of interconnected struts (14). Adjacent stent rings (12) are coupled to one another by a plurality of tie bars (16). Within each tie bar (16) there is provided a hinge (36) which facilitates the curving of the stent (10) in its longitudinal direction and minimises the generation of returning force to a non-curved configuration by the stent (10). The hinge could, for example, be formed by heat treating a portion of the tie bar (16). This arrangement is particularly suitable for stents or other medical devices intended to be placed in delicate vessels, such as cerebral vessels.

Abstract: A stent or other implantable medical device is provided with one or more gripping shoulders which are able, when the stent is compressed onto a delivery cannula to frictionally mechanically engage the outer surface of the catheter so as to grip thereon and maintatin the position of the stent relative to the cannula during withdrawal of the covering sheath.

Abstract: A medical grasping device (10) for vascular use, having an outer sheath (12), an elongate control member (50) extending within an outer sheath (12) to a distal tip section (54), and a proximal control assembly (22) including an actuation section (24) joined to the elongate control member (50). Adjacent to the distal tip section (54) is a grasping portion (70, 70?) that is extendable from the outer sheath (12) to create loops (74, 74?) for grasping a target object (T) for repositioning within the vascular system, or for removal from the patient, with loops being retractable into the outer sheath to hold the target object against the device (10) during movement of the device. Elongate control member (50) is preferably a cannula or tube having a lumen (58) extending completely therethrough for placement over a guide wire (28) already in the patient.

Abstract: A medical grasping device (1) has an elongate control member (9) with a grasping member (17) proximal to its distal tip. An outer sheath (3) with a passageway therethrough surrounds the elongate control member and is relatively movable with respect to the control member. A control assembly (2) disposed at a proximal end of said outer sheath has a fixed handle (5) and a sliding handle (7) and the proximal end of the elongate control member is fixed to the sliding handle to move the control member. The grasping member (17) has a plurality of pre-formed wire loops (50, 52, 54, 56) which self-deploy transversely upon emerging from said distal end of said outer sheath. Each wire loop is fastened to substantially opposite sides of the elongate control member so that each of said wire loops is substantially semi-circular upon full deployment and the respective ends (27, 29) of each wire loop extend substantially in opposite directions from the elongate control member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of capturing thrombi in a blood vessel, which includes delivering a removable filter in a collapsed state within the blood vessel and deploying the filter to an expanded state within the blood vessel. The filter includes a plurality of primary struts and a plurality of secondary struts emanating from a hub and extending arcuately along a longitudinal axis and linearly radially. Each primary strut has an arcuate segment including first and second curved portions. Each secondary strut includes first and second arcs. The primary struts terminate with an anchoring hook. Each primary strut crosses another primary strut along the longitudinal axis in the collapsed state such that the arcuate segments occupy a first diameter and the anchoring hooks occupy a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter for filter retrieval or delivery.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a stent graft prosthesis (1) onto a deployment device (2) with a retention arrangement (3) which includes retention at a number of points of the circumference of the proximal end of the stent graft prosthesis (1). The arrangement provides a greater circumferential distance (13) between two adjacent retention points (9) then other of the points. When the deployment device is deployed in a curved lumen such as the thoracic arch it is oriented so that the greater circumferential distance (13) is on the inner side of the curve.

Abstract: A guide wire (1) to assist percutaneous endovascular deployment which has zones of varying stiffness. An elongate central zone (3) of high stiffness, a proximal zone (4) of transition from high stiffness to semi-stiffness and a distal zone (5) of transition from high stiffness to being relatively flexible. The distal zone (5) has three zones, a semi stiff zone (11) adjacent the central zone, a transition zone (13) being of flexibility of from semi-stiff extending to flexible and a tip zone (15) being of high flexibility. The distal tip has a small J curve (16) to ensure that it is atraumatic in vessels and to prevent damage to the aortic heart valve. The distal zone (5) can also have a large curve to assist with anchoring the guide wire into the aortic arch.

Abstract: A rotationally-symmetric stent graft for deploying in a curved vessel has identical spaced stents along its length, with the stents being further apart in the region of the greatest curvature. The ends of the stents are parallel to each other and to the ends of the graft. The inter-stent spacing may vary along the entire length of the graft or only adjacent one end.

Abstract: A stent graft (18) for deployment in a curved lumen such as the aortic or thoracic arch (130) comprises a constraining mechanism at its proximal end. A stent (4?) provided at the proximal end of the stent graft (18) includes loops of material (11) that co-operate with restraining wires (42) that extend between a central guide wire carrier (24) and a restraining wire cannula (8). The constraining mechanism acts to maintain the proximal stent (4?) constrained at three points around its circumference at both the proximal and distal ends of the proximal stent (4?). The proximal stent (4?) is thus allowed to expand after expansion of the remainder of the stent graft (18) during deployment. In an embodiment, the constraining mechanism acts to constrain two adjacent struts of the proximal stent (4?) at three points radially therearound, at the proximal end of the stent (4?) and at the distal end of the stent (4?).

Abstract: An introducer (10) includes release wires (42?) that constrain at least one stent (4?) whilst the remainder of a stent graft (18) is expanded during deployment. By allowing the constrained stent (4?) to expand after an adjacent stent (4), the constrained stent (4?) overlaps with the interior of the adjacent stent (4) where the stent graft (18) is deployed within a curved body lumen (70).