Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material through a catheter into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack in a patient's vessel. In one embodiment, the dispensing assembly includes a chamber having a spherical carrier onto which filamentary material is wound. Upon injecting driving fluid into the dispensing assembly filamentary material unwinds from the spherical carrier and is pulled through the catheter to be dispensed from the distal end of the catheter. The apparatus includes a pressure sensitive valve disposed at the inlet or the outlet of the receptacle, the pressure sensitive valve being closed when the pressure of driving fluid is below a threshold and open when the pressure of driving fluid is above the threshold. The pressure sensitive valve, when open, allows fluid flow through the chamber and dispensation of filamentary material from the outlet.

Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material through a catheter into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack in a patient's vessel. In one embodiment the assembly includes a conical material carrier which is substantially aligned with the dispensing direction, thereby avoiding the need to have a rotating carrier. Another embodiment has a carrier which is at least partially cylindrical. The carrier provides for efficient dispensation of filamentary material at substantial dispensing speeds.

Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material (24) through a catheter (12) into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack (20) in a patient's vessel (22). In one embodiment the assembly (100) includes a conical material carrier (150) which is substantially aligned with the dispensing direction, thereby avoiding the need to have a rotating carrier. Another embodiment has a carrier (340) which is at least partially cylindrical. The carrier (150, 340) provides for efficient dispensation of filamentary material at substantial dispensing speeds.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering material into a patient includes a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end. Material, preferably of filamentary or thread form, is fed from a material supply into a Y-fitting having a main branch and a side branch. The side branch is connected to a source of driving fluid able to feed drive fluid under pressure into the material carrier so as to pull material forwardly and out of the distal end of the catheter. The assembly includes an inner cannula within which material is passed from the material source. This increases the speed of delivery of material though the device and reduces the amount of drive fluid which is required.

Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material (24) through a catheter (12) into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack (20) in a patient's vessel (22). In one embodiment, the dispensing assembly (30) includes a chamber having a spherical carrier (50) onto which filamentary material (24) is wound. Upon injecting driving fluid into the dispensing assembly (30) filamentary material (24) unwinds from the spherical carrier (50) and is pulled through the catheter (12) to be dispensed from the distal end (18) of the catheter.

Abstract: A clot retrieval system includes a delivery catheter defining a lumen and having proximal and distal ends. An elongate shaft has proximal and distal ends and is configured for receipt within the delivery catheter. An inverted sleeve has a closed end attached to a distal segment of the elongate shaft and an open end. An outer section of the inverted sleeve that includes the open end is folded over onto an inner section of the inverted sleeve that includes the closed end at a rolling fold. An expansion device is supported on the elongate shaft at an axial location proximally spaced from the closed end and aligned with or distally spaced from the open end. The expansion device is configured for radially expanding the open end of the inverted sleeve.

Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material through a catheter into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack in a patient's vessel. In one embodiment, the dispensing assembly includes a chamber having a spherical carrier onto which filamentary material is wound. Upon injecting driving fluid into the dispensing assembly filamentary material unwinds from the spherical carrier and is pulled through the catheter to be dispensed from the distal end of the catheter. The apparatus includes a pressure sensitive valve disposed at the inlet or the outlet of the receptacle, the pressure sensitive valve being closed when the pressure of driving fluid is below a threshold and open when the pressure of driving fluid is above the threshold. The pressure sensitive valve, when open, allows fluid flow through the chamber and dispensation of filamentary material from the outlet.

Abstract: A medical implant delivery device includes an elongate carrier which includes a device holding member at its distal end, attached to a catheter element. The device holding member includes at least one channel extending along its length. A pusher element, in the form of an outer catheter, is disposed over the elongate carrier and provides a pusher shoulder. A medical device can be held on the device holding member. An outer sheath is typically disposed over the implant delivery device, in known manner. The device holding member is made of a resilient material able to compress radially inwardly, particularly by compression of the walls bounding the channel. The compressibility of the device holding member reduces the friction between the medical device and the carrier sheath as well as the force required to retract the outer sheath during the deployment of the medical device.

Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material (24) through a catheter (12) into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack (20) in a patient's vessel (22). In one embodiment, the dispensing assembly (30) includes a chamber having a spherical carrier (50) onto which filamentary material (24) is wound. Upon injecting driving fluid into the dispensing assembly (30) filamentary material (24) unwinds from the spherical carrier (50) and is pulled through the catheter (12) to be dispensed from the distal end (18) of the catheter.

Abstract: There are disclosed various dispensing mechanisms for dispensing filamentary material (24) through a catheter (12) into a treatment site of a patient, for example into an aneurysm sack (20) in a patient's vessel (22). In one embodiment the assembly (100) includes a conical material carrier (150) which is substantially aligned with the dispensing direction, thereby avoiding the need to have a rotating carrier. Another embodiment has a carrier (340) which is at least partially cylindrical. The carrier (150, 340) provides for efficient dispensation of filamentary material at substantial dispensing speeds.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering material into a patient includes a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end. Material, preferably of filamentary or thread form, is fed from a material supply into a Y-fitting having a main branch and a side branch. The side branch is connected to a source of driving fluid able to feed drive fluid under pressure into the material carrier so as to pull material forwardly and out of the distal end of the catheter. The assembly includes an inner cannula within which material is passed from the material source. This increases the speed of delivery of material though the device and reduces the amount of drive fluid which is required.

Abstract: A clot retrieval system includes a delivery catheter defining a lumen and having proximal and distal ends. An elongate shaft has proximal and distal ends and is configured for receipt within the delivery catheter. An inverted sleeve has a closed end attached to a distal segment of the elongate shaft and an open end. An outer section of the inverted sleeve that includes the open end is folded over onto an inner section of the inverted sleeve that includes the closed end at a rolling fold. An expansion device is supported on the elongate shaft at an axial location proximally spaced from the closed end and aligned with or distally spaced from the open end. The expansion device is configured for radially expanding the open end of the inverted sleeve.

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: An introducer assembly (10) includes a proximal sheath segment (12) and a distal sheath segment (14). The distal sheath segment (14) is attached to a dilator tip (18) and is movable with the dilator tip (18). A guide wire catheter (20) is coupled to the dilator tip (18) and thus to the distal sheath segment (14). A carrier catheter (24) is located concentrically on the guide wire catheter (20) and carries a medical device such as a stent (28). The medical device (28) is deployed by moving the distal sheath segment (14) in a proximal direction and such that the medical device (28) is deployed from its distal end (32) first.

Abstract: To prevent a small diameter catheter 10 of soft material from collapsing when being used to aspirate a blood clot 25, the lumen 16 of the catheter contains a longitudinal member 26 having radially-extending fin elements 33. The longitudinal member may itself be a catheter having a lumen 22 through which passes a wire 27 having at its distal end an expandable basket 28 for retrieving the clot.

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: 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.