Abstract: A method is disclosed for creating an anchor within the gastrointestinal tract for supporting a barrier device therein. The gastrointestinal tract has a first wall, a second wall and a body lumen. The method comprises advancing an anchoring device through the first wall and the second wall, threading the barrier device over the anchoring device and advancing the barrier device into the body lumen, and forming a closed loop with the anchoring device for supporting the barrier device.

Abstract: The invention provides a medical device having a catheter and one or more expandable constricting/occluding members. The catheter is adapted for use with therapeutic or diagnostic devices, including an angioplasty/stent catheter and an atherectomy catheter. The constrictor/occluder is mounted at the distal end of the catheter. Manometers may be mounted distal to one or more constrictors for measuring pressure distal to the constrictor(s). Methods of using the devices for preventing distal embolization during extracranial or intracranial carotid procedures or vertebral artery procedures by reversing blood flow in an internal carotid artery, an external carotid artery, and/or a common carotid artery toward the subclavian artery are disclosed.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for performing a renal replacement therapy is provided. In one embodiment, two small high flux dialyzers are connected in series. A restriction is placed between the two dialyzers in the dialysate flow path. The restriction is variable and adjustable in one preferred embodiment. The restriction builds a positive pressure in the venous dialyzer, causing a high degree of intentional backfiltration. That backfiltration causes a significant flow of dialysate through the high flux venous membrane directly into the patient's blood. That backfiltered solution is subsequently ultrafiltered from the patient from the arterial dialyzer. The diffusion of dialysate into the venous filter and removal of dialysate from the arterial dialyzer causes a convective transport of toxins from the patient. Additionally, the dialysate that does not diffuse directly into the patient but instead flows across the membranes of both dialyzers provides a diffusive clearance of waste products.

Abstract: An air removal device removes air from blood flowing in a perfusion system. A generally cylindrical chamber has a liquid flow region at a lower end thereof and has a gas collection region at an upper end thereof. An arcuate manifold provides an arcuate flow path outside of the chamber having an upstream end and a downstream end. A slit aperture is provided between the arcuate manifold and the chamber along at least a substantial portion of the arcuate manifold. A mixture of gas and liquid introduced into the arcuate flow path at the upstream end flows through the slit aperture to create a spiral flow within the chamber causing the gas to move toward a central axis of the chamber and into the gas collection region.

Abstract: Arrangement for extracorporeal circulation of blood having a generally uniform flow diameter where the risk for stagnation of blood is avoided or reduced. The arrangement comprises a generally circular cylindrical means for temporary expanding the flow diameter, a means for flow expansion (9). The means for flow expansion (9) is arranged connecting the bloodline (5) and a component (6, 8) for circulation of the blood. The means for flow expansion (9) comprises a first part with a first flow diameter, d1 and a second part downstream the first part with a second flow diameter d2 where d2/d1?1.5. The first part has a length extension L1 and the second part has a length extension L2 where L2/L1?0.5.

Abstract: Endovascular intervention methods entail creating a temporary capillary block in the vasculature of at least a portion of a patient's organ, such as a hemisphere of the patient's brain, the capillary block essentially blocking blood flow through capillaries in the portion of the patient's organ, and performing the endovascular intervention. Distal embolism protection devices include a blood pump and at least one of a centrifuge element, a dialysis element, a cooling element, and a filtration element. The blood pump is generally capable of drawing blood from a patient's vein, circulating the blood through each of the elements so that a characteristic of a blood component may be manipulated therewith, and perfusing the modified blood into a patient's artery. A capillary block is thereby created in the vasculature of at least a portion of a patient's organ with manipulated blood components.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for photolytic oxygenation of whole blood.