Abstract: An intravascular balloon catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end a distal end, and a balloon carried adjacent the distal end. The catheter body defines an inflation tube which extends along essentially the length of the body proximal to the balloon and which communicates with the interior of the balloon. The catheter body also defines a lumen having an open, distal end and extending at least most of the length of the body. A first tube, aligned with the lumen, extends through the balloon and is open at both ends. A portion of the catheter which defines the lumen is longitudinally slidable relative to the balloon and the first tube between an advanced position and a retracted position. In the advanced position the lumen and first tube are together to allow advancement of a guidewire through both the lumen and the first tube. In the retracted position, the lumen is spaced from the first tube, so that the first tube is open to receive blood flow therethrough.

Abstract: An infusion catheter including an elongated catheter body, and an infusion section at its distal end for delivery of therapeutic fluid to bodily passages. The infusion section includes an outer tube and an inner tube concentric with the outer tube, each tube having a multiplicity of ports therethrough. The inner tube delimits a central, fluid delivery lumen. The inner tube is uniformly spaced apart from the outer tube to provide an annular passageway, the radial depth of the passageway being sufficient to permit fluid flow therewithin. Each of the ports through the outer tube provides fluid communication between the annular passageway and the exterior of the catheter, while each of the ports through the inner tube provides fluid communication between the central lumen and the annular passageway. Thus, therapeutic fluid can flow from the central lumen through the annular passageway to the catheter exterior.

Abstract: A locking connector assembly is provided for use with Y-sites and/or other infusion line fittings. The connector assembly includes a shrouded connector including a cannula. A retention clip having a pair of prongs is provided. When the shrouded connector is installed on a Y-site or other fitting, and the retention clip is in the locking configuration, the prongs of the retention clip extend through a pair of opposing through-slots in the shroud to cooperatively engage a surface irregularity on the Y-site or other fitting thereby preventing disengagement of the shrouded connector from the Y-site or other fitting.

Abstract: The invention involves a system for the deployment of biologically/pharmacologically active materials in a bodily passage, particularly in vascular wall tissue, in the form of a multi-lumen catheter having several serially situated zones. One embodiment has a dispersion zone adapted to address a vascular segment and having a dispersion chamber with a pattern of openings for deploying biologically active materials supplied through an externally connected lumen. An expandable array of conductor elements is provided in the dispersion zone to apply a controlled electrical field to the biologically active material at the surface of deployment. Spaced inflatable balloons define proximal and distal occlusion zones for temporarily occluding normal vascular blood flow in conjunction with a flow bypass lumen that connects proximal and distal infusion port zones flanking the occlusion zones and maintaining blood flow about and beyond the vascular segment.

Abstract: An improved drug delivery catheter, for use in the prevention of restenosis of a dilated vascular region, and/or for use in the delivery of a medication to a preselected vascular site. The catheter comprises an elongate body, an inflation balloon disposed about a catheter body. In a drug delivery embodiment, a perforated drug delivery balloon is disposed concentrically about the inflation balloon. In another embodiment, the two balloons are heat sealed together at the distal and proximal ends of the catheter body. A first lumen extends through the catheter body for communicating with the inflation balloon, and a second lumen extends through the body for communicating with the drug delivery balloon. Methods describing the intraluminal delivery of drugs to a site specific location are also disclosed, including the delivery of a drug to a vascular area before, during or after a conventional PTCA procedure.

Abstract: A wound treating device is disclosed which is adapted to treat wounds, and particularly to enhance clotting of wounds in blood vessels. The wound treating device includes an elongated tube with proximal and distal end portions and comprising at least two lumens extending therebetween. One of the lumens is attached to receive a flow control device partially positioned within the blood vessel for providing local flow control at the wound site. Inflatable means, such as a flexible membrane, is carried generally adjacent to the distal end portion and is movable between inflated and retracted positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for accurately infusing large volumes of fluids into a patient at specific rates over an extended periods of time. The apparatus includes one or more dispensers of a low profile, laminate or layered construction each having a stored energy source in the form of a distendable membrane or an elastomeric cellular mass, which in cooperation with a base, defines a fluid chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The apparatus further includes a support for supporting the dispensers in a coupled relationship with a manifold system which has an outlet to which an administration set can be connected. In one form of the invention, the apparatus also includes a filling vial assembly that can be coupled with the dispensers to fill the fluid chambers thereof with the fluids to be infused.

Abstract: A container device comprises a blood-collecting bag, a platelet conserving bag, and a plasma bag. These bags are connected each other by tubes. Anticoagulant agent is contained in the blood-collecting bag, and the other bags are empty. The blood-collecting bag is formed of flexible polyvinylchloride. The blood-collecting bag is autoclaved after containing anticoagulant. The other bags are formed of polyolefin such as EVA, and radiation- or gas-sterilized in an empty state.

Abstract: A dilation-drug delivery catheter comprises a dilation portion for dilating a stenosis and a drug delivery portion for delivering antithrombolytic, antiproliferative, or any other type of medication, to the dilation site. The drug delivery portion of the catheter is located within the dilation portion, which can be retracted to reveal the drug delivery portion, after dilation. Occlusion balloons are preferably provided on the drug delivery portion to isolate the dilation site during drug delivery.

Abstract: A stent, stent-graft or endolumimal graft introducer includes a hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end and a cup-like end cap for covering the distal end. The cap is coupled to a control member which extends through the hollow tube. The proximal ends of the tube and the control member are coupled to an actuation device for effecting relative movement of the the tube and control member to move the cap relative to the distal end of the tube. The distal end of a stent or stent-graft is inserted into the cup-like cap and the actuation device is manipulated to move the cap and the distal end of the tube together, thereby gripping the distal end of the stent. The introducer is inserted into a sheath and pulls the distal end of the stent into the sheath, thereby stretching it to its reduced diameter. The sheath containing the stent and the introducer is maneuvered to the site for deployment of the stent.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving cardiopulmonary resuscitation involves use of a catheter having both an occlusion balloon and a pumping balloon. The occlusion balloon occludes the aorta such that all pumping action will be restricted to the blood vessels above the balloon occlusion. The pumping balloon is cephalad to the occlusion balloon and is preferably pumped in synchronization with external cardiocirculatory resuscitation. The pumping balloon preferably inflates first at the caudal end and then sequentially to the cephalad end in order to provide unidirectional cephalad pumping. Oxygen-carrying fluid may be infused through the lumen into the aorta cephalad of the pumping balloon during use.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for treating gas prior to its use in a medical procedure comprising a housing that receives gas from an insufflator, a chamber within the housing having a humidification means, a heating means disposed within the humidification means, a filtering means within the humidification means, a means for sensing the temperature of the heated and humidified gas, and a controlling means connected to the sensing means to maintain the temperature of the gas to a predetermined temperature. Additionally provided are methods of providing heated, humidified and filtered gas to a patient at a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for accurately infusing medicinal agents into an ambulatory patient at specific rates over extended periods of time. The apparatus is of a compact, low profile, laminate construction and includes an elastic distendable membrane, which, in cooperation with a thin planar base defines a fluid chamber having a fluid outlet. Disposed within the fluid chamber is a thin fluid permeable member which precisely controls the rate of fluid flow through the fluid outlet.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus are described for applying alternating and/or pulsed, electrical charges to open circuitry incorporated into medical devices intended to be placed into contact with portions of the body. A catheter assembly is described which comprises a catheter tube, an exterior portion of which is circumferentially surrounded by at least two parallel elongated helical conductive elements which may be operably connected to a power source to create a open circuit to induce an antimicrobial effect in the area proximate the exterior conductive elements through oligodynamic activity. In another embodiment, an oligodynamic dressing is described which incorporates open circuitry which is presented to contact a subject wound.

Abstract: A dilatation catheter having a balloon (20) of unique and novel configuration which enhances critical properties of the catheter. In at least one section (26), the balloon (20) has a substantially semi-circular cross section when in an uninflated, unwrapped condition. A groove (28) is formed in the resulting flat surface (30) of the balloon (20) accommodate an elongate guide wire lumen (40) and improves fold memory. The guide wire lumen (40) extends along and beside a distal section (23) of the catheter, and is bonded near its distal end into the groove (28) in the balloon (20). At the distal end of the groove (28), the balloon (20) is configured such that the guide wire lumen (40) passes through the balloon wall, such that the distal end of the lumen is disposed in the interior inflation chamber of the balloon (20). In this way, the guide wire (42) follows an essentially straight path in the region of the balloon (20).

Abstract: A hypodermic injection system (7) with a retractable needle (9) wherein the needle (9) retracts within an interior cavity of a syringe plunger (59), such that the needle (9) is confinedly held within the plunger (59). A cylindrical spring housing assembly (21) has resilient fingers (23) which captures a spring (15) biasly holding a needle holder (11) against the retaining force of resilient fingers (23). The plunger (59) has a frangible end (65), which dissociates when the outwardly tapered shoulders (68) spread the resilient fingers (23), allowing the coiled spring (15) to eject the needle (9) and its holder (11) into the interior cavity (71) of the plunger (59). A body fluid sampling embodiment employs the same functional elements except the plunger (59") is shorter and contains a linking (137) that communicates with a vacuum container (147). The container allows fluid sampling and provides the structure to release the spring (15 ") retracting the needle (9").

Abstract: An IV injection site adapted to receive a blunt cannula. The injection site comprises a housing having a passageway extending inwardly from its outside end, and an elastomeric septum closely received in the passageway of the housing. The septum has a bore extending into the septum from the inside end of the septum but not through the septum, and a slit extending generally in the axial direction into the septum from the outside end of the septum to the bore. When a cannula is introduced through the slit of the septum, the elastomeric material of the septum is displaced into the bore of the septum to sealingly engage the cannula along the bore of the septum.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating an aneurysm in a vessel that isolates a volume around the aneurysm, evacuates that volume and heats the aneurysmal wall. A catheter includes one or more inflatable balloons for defining the isolated volume and occluding and preventing any blood flow through the volume. Suction applied through the catheter to the isolated volume withdraws any blood in the isolated volume and displaces the tissue for contact with a thermal source that heats the aneurysmal wall. When the treatment is completed, the balloons are deflated and the catheter is removed from the vessel.

Abstract: An elastomeric seal for a trocar assembly is disclosed. The seal can be used in a trocar device to seal against loss of gas pressure during a laparoscopic surgical procedure when a surgical instrument is inserted therethrough as well as when no instrument is inserted. The preferred one piece seal is cylindrical and has first and second collapsed sections defining generally a curved slit. The elastomeric seal is preferably composed of a silicone rubber. The seal has the advantages of simplicity of manufacture and assembly and the ability to provide an adequate seal against the surface of any surgical instrument inserted through it. Also, the improved seal will require a small amount of force to insert instruments and will resist eversion when instruments are withdrawn.

Abstract: A improved biliary catheter is disclosed. The catheter comprises a tube constructed from a polyurethane or nylon having a durometer of about 60D and coated with a hydrophilic coating to provide lubricity, kink resistance and suppleness. The tube has substantially cylindrical sidewalls and a proximal end for connection to a source of contrast medium and a distal end for entry into the common biliary duct of a patient. The tube contains a first crescent-shaped lumen channel extending between the proximal and the distal end, the first lumen channel transporting the contrast medium from the source of contrast medium to the biliary duct; and a second circular lumen channel extending between the proximal end and said distal end for facilitating the insertion and threading of a spring wire guide into the dual-lumen biliary catheter.