Abstract: An expandable balloon, for insertion in a vessel of the human or animal body, is movable between a collapsed condition and an expanded condition. The balloon includes a plaque disrupting formation arranged to be on an outer surface of the balloon when in the expanded condition. When in the expanded condition, the balloon has a centre line which follows a substantially helical path.

Abstract: A method of delivering a rigid intravascular device to a target location in a patient's heart includes positioning a distal tip of an elongated member of the intravascular device delivery system in a right atrium of a heart and moving the distal tip of the elongated member into a left atrium of the heart. The method includes advancing an inner steerable catheter of the elongated member longitudinally distally relative to an outer sleeve of the elongated member a first longitudinal distance; deflecting at least a portion of the inner steerable catheter a first deflection amount; then advancing an inner steerable catheter of the elongated member longitudinally distally relative to an outer sleeve of the elongated member a second longitudinal distance; and then deflecting at least a portion of the inner steerable catheter a second deflection amount.

Abstract: The present invention wants to provide an improved tongue cleanser showing an improved cleaning effect. For this, a tongue cleanser is suggested having an essentially disc-shaped body, which is provided on its use-side front surface with a profiling suitable for superficially scraping impurity adherent to the human tongue and which forms a hose connection, which communicates with the profiling.

Abstract: Technologies are described for an endoscopic duct clearing system. A cannula can be shaped to pass through an endoscope within an esophagus, into a duodenum, and through an incision in a duodenal papilla. A capture basket may be deployed from a distal end of the cannula. A hand control at the proximate end of the cannula may be operable to position the distal end of the cannula from outside the endoscope into proximity of blockage material. A suction line may be coupled from a suction source to the proximate end of the cannula. A suction control may be coupled to the suction source. The suction control may be operable to adjust a level of suction drawn by the suction source through the distal end of the cannula. The suction control may be adjusted to draw the blockage material against or into the cannula for removal from the patient.

Abstract: There is provided a cervical canal dilator device having a hollow shaft having proximal and distal ends. The shaft is covered on an end portion of the distal end by a slidable protective sleeve. There is at least one inflatable dilating balloon formed on the distal end of the shaft. There is at least one tube extending internally along the shaft and connected to the at least one balloon for inflation thereof, the tube having a connection port on the proximal end of the shaft. A camera is situated at the tip of the distal end of the shaft and a plurality of ejection orifices are formed on the shaft, adjacent to the camera, and anywhere else along it.

Abstract: A pusher assembly for a stent delivery device includes a distal end of an elongate member and a stent-engaging member having proximal and distal ends. The proximal end of the stent-engaging member is mechanically coupled to the distal end of the inner member by a connector, or the proximal end of the stent-engaging member is at least partially inside the distal end of the elongate inner member. The stent-engaging member includes a portion that radially outwardly extends towards the distal end of the stent-engaging member, or the stent-engaging member includes a portion that radially outwardly extends towards the distal end of the stent-engaging member. The stent-engaging member is configured to move a stent when distally advanced and configured to not move a stent when proximally retracted. A stent delivery device includes an elongate outer member, an elongate inner member coaxially positioned within the outer member, and the pusher assembly.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and, particularly, ophthalmic surgical instruments are disclosed. Example surgical instruments include forceps for removal of an internal limiting membrane (ILM). The example forceps may include a textured surface formed at a distal end of the forceps jaws. The textured surface may have a plurality of microposts that operate to increase a coefficient of friction between the ILM and the forceps in order to reduce a normal force, applied by the forceps, needed to engage the ILM.

Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus may include a needle configured to define a path through tissue of a patient, tubing configured to slidably receive the needle via a proximal opening, an anchor configured to slidably receive at least a portion of the tubing, and an anchor deployment member comprising a body and an anchor engagement member. Such an apparatus may be used to introduce and anchor an implantable medical device within a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices and methods for assessing the surface of a target cardiac tissue and for delivering a tissue anchor to cardiac tissue at a preselected depth within the myocardium in a beating heart procedure. In one variation, an anchor delivery device comprises an elongate body, a tissue anchor disposed within a first longitudinal lumen of the elongate body, and a tissue depth indicator slidable within a second longitudinal lumen of the elongate body. The tissue depth indicator has a first configuration that indicates the boundary of the surface of the target tissue and a second configuration that indicates when the distal tip of the elongate body has been advanced to a preselected depth into the target tissue. In some variations, a tissue depth indicator may also be configured to resist or limit the penetration of the delivery device into tissue after a preselected depth has been reached.

Abstract: A reentry apparatus has an outer catheter configured to accommodate a first reentry device and an inner catheter configured to fit within the outer catheter. The inner catheter has a series of expanding anchors extending from the outer surface of the inner catheter and a reentry channel configured to accommodate a second reentry device. A retaining wire extends along the upper surface of the expanding anchors. A reentry channel is located in the configured to accommodate a second reentry device.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for flaring a stent deployed within a branch vessel including an ostium communicating with a main vessel, a first end of the stent extending at least partially from the branch. A catheter is provided that includes a first balloon carried on its distal end, and a second balloon that includes a distal section overlying at least a portion of the first balloon and a proximal section. The catheter distal end is introduced into the main vessel and positioned through the ostium and stent into the branch until the first balloon is disposed within the stent. The first balloon is expanded to anchor the stent, and the second balloon is expanded to flare the first end of the stent. Optionally, the first balloon is expanded further, e.g., to expand the stent within the branch body lumen and/or dilate the lesion.

Abstract: Delivery devices, systems, and methods for delivering implantable leadless pacing devices are disclosed. An example delivery device may include a proximal section including a deflection mechanism for deflecting the proximal section, and a distal holding section extending distally of a distal end of the proximal section and defining a cavity therein for receiving an implantable leadless pacing device. The delivery device may include more than one deflection mechanism for deflecting the proximal section at multiple deflection regions. The delivery device may include more than one tubular member that are translatable relative to one another, and the one or more tubular members may include fixed curve portions. The delivery device may include an atraumatic or bumper tip at the distal end of the holding section.

Abstract: A balloon catheter is disclosed, which is capable of improving accuracy of an inspection result of a tube wall of an elongated member constituting a catheter shaft and achieving further improved product quality through the inspection, and a method of manufacturing an elongated member for a balloon catheter, which is used for the balloon catheter. In an outer tube of a balloon catheter, distal from a proximal end of a guide wire lumen is formed of a transparent material. From a distal end toward a proximal end, an inner tube of the balloon catheter has at least a first region and a second region, the second region being a transparent region that is more transparent than the first region.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to extraction bags for use in removing tissue from the body of a patient, in embodiments, as part of a minimally invasive surgical procedure. The extraction bag includes at least an inner, permeable cut resistant layer and an outer impermeable layer. In embodiments, the extraction bag may include additional layers, such as a low friction layer on an inner surface of the inner, permeable cut resistant layer, and/or a metal cut resistant layer located between the inner, permeable cut resistant layer and the outer impermeable layer.

Abstract: A wound closure device includes a shaft, a needle, and a housing. The needle includes a first leg portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft, a curved portion, and a second leg portion including a needled end portion terminating at a needle tip. The housing includes a first channel slidingly engaged with the elongated body of the shaft and a second channel slidingly engageable with the second leg portion of the needle. The second channel terminates at an opening defined within a notched section defined in a proximal portion of the housing. The needle is movable to a covered position in which the needle tip is disposed within the second channel of the housing, an advanced position in which the needle tip is disposed distal to the housing, and a retracted position in which the needle tip is disposed within the notched section of the housing.

Abstract: A vascular device is provided that includes a mesh structure formed of a plurality of spaced members. The structure has (i) a first, collapsed configuration, (ii) a second, expanded configuration, and (iii) a density of the plurality of members. The vascular device further includes an elastic member disposed along a region of the structure, the region having a proximal end and a distal end. The elastic member is configured to increase the density within the region by drawing at least one of the proximal and distal ends of the region toward the other of the proximal and distal ends when the structure is in the second configuration.

Abstract: Various ultrasonic instruments are disclosed. The ultrasonic instruments include structures configured to indicate the cutting length of the instruments, detect when grasped tissue has extended beyond the cutting length of the instrument, and prevent tissue from extending beyond the cutting length. Several techniques for each types of structures are disclosed.

Abstract: A circumcision device is provided by the present invention and includes a body and a glans penis locating and protecting member permanently or releasably associated with the body. The body and glans penis locating member between them support a foreskin crushing assembly that includes a crushing surface that includes an axis extending in the general direction of a penis being circumcised in use, a cooperating crushing member, and a mechanism for operating the foreskin crushing assembly. A cutting assembly is also provided that is rotatable about said axis relative to the crushing surface so as to be capable of severing a foreskin adjacent the foreskin crushing assembly. The cutting assembly includes a cutting blade movable between a withdrawn position and an operative extended condition in which the blade may be rotated about said axis to cooperate with the crushing surface or a foreskin located thereon.

Abstract: Methods for performing certain medical procedures wherein a steerable endoluminal punch is used to not only gain access but to create a channel or punch through tissue, thus facilitating follow-up therapeutic procedures. The distal end of the steerable endoluminal punch is controllably articulated by the operator using a control device at the proximal end.

Abstract: A suture device may include a suture translation assembly configured to be axially translatable within a lumen of a delivery system and a distal assembly configured to be securable to the distal end of the delivery system. The suture translation assembly and the distal assembly may cooperate to enable a user to pass a needle back and forth between the two in order to endoscopically suture a defect.