Abstract: A gas removal apparatus and a method for removing gas bubbles from at least a part of a medical device disposed in an interior chamber of a gas removal apparatus. The gas removal apparatus includes an interior chamber, a filling surface, a first opening arranged at an end of the filling surface and that provides a first path into the interior chamber, and a second opening that provides a second path into the interior chamber. When the apparatus is arranged in a liquid receiving position, at least a portion of the at least the part of the medical device is disposed above an uppermost surface of liquid in the interior chamber, and when the apparatus is arranged in another position different from the liquid receiving position, the entirety of the at least the part of the medical device is disposed below an uppermost surface of liquid in the interior chamber.

Abstract: A distal end portion of an elongate shaft member of a catheter may be inserted into a liquid within a vessel. While the distal end portion of the elongate shaft member is inserted in the liquid in the vessel, a manipulable portion of the catheter may be manipulated within the liquid to remove an undesired fluid therefrom. The liquid may be pressurized to cause the liquid to flow into a lumen of the elongate shaft member from a distal end of the elongate shaft member at least toward a proximal end of the elongate shaft member to facilitate flushing of the undesired fluid from the lumen. The distal end portion of the elongate shaft member of the catheter may be inserted into the liquid within the vessel while at least the elongate shaft member is in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A distal end portion of an elongate shaft member of a catheter may be inserted into a liquid within a vessel. While the distal end portion of the elongate shaft member is inserted in the liquid in the vessel, a manipulable portion of the catheter may be manipulated within the liquid to remove an undesired fluid therefrom. The liquid may be pressurized to cause the liquid to flow into a lumen of the elongate shaft member from a distal end of the elongate shaft member at least toward a proximal end of the elongate shaft member to facilitate flushing of the undesired fluid from the lumen. The distal end portion of the elongate shaft member of the catheter may be inserted into the liquid within the vessel while at least the elongate shaft member is in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices allow intravascular or percutaneous mapping, orientation and/or ablation, in bodily cavities or lumens. A device includes elongate members, moveable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded or fanned configuration. The elongate members form a stack in the unexpanded configuration to fit through a catheter sheath. The elongate members follow respective arcuate or curvilinear paths as advanced from the sheath into the bent or coiled stack configuration, adopting volute, scroll or rho shapes, and may be nested. The elongated members are fanned or radially spaced circumferentially with respect to one another into the expanded or fanned configuration. Transducer elements carried by elongate members sense various physiological characteristics of or proximate tissue, and/or may apply energy to or proximate tissue. The elongate members are rotatable in groups or as a group in the expanded configuration. The device is retractable.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices allow intravascular or percutaneous mapping, orientation and/or ablation, in bodily cavities or lumens. A device includes elongate members, moveable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded or fanned configuration. The elongate members form a stack in the unexpanded configuration to fit through a catheter sheath. The elongate members follow respective arcuate or curvilinear paths as advanced from the sheath into the bent or coiled stack configuration, adopting volute, scroll or rho shapes, and may be nested. The elongated members are fanned or radially spaced circumferentially with respect to one another into the expanded or fanned configuration. Transducer elements carried by elongate members sense various physiological characteristics of or proximate tissue, and/or may apply energy to or proximate tissue. The elongate members are rotatable in groups or as a group in the expanded configuration. The device is retractable.

Abstract: Steerable catheters are provided, some of which include an axial member incorporated in an elongate shaft member, where, in some instances, different edge portions of the axial member exhibit different radii of curvature. In some instances, a furthest-apart pair of points on an external boundary of a cross-section of the axial member is closer to an interior edge than an exterior edge of a tubular member of the elongate shaft member.

Abstract: A steerable catheter may include an elongate shaft member and a braided reinforcement structure embedded into a wall of the elongate shaft member. The braided reinforcement structure may include a first braided portion including a first pick count, a second braided portion including a second pick count, and a third braided portion including a third pick count. The third pick count may be greater than each of the first pick count and the second pick count.

Abstract: A catheter sheath device may include an elongate member and a moveable member. The elongate member may include a first lumen, and the moveable member may include a second lumen. The moveable member may be physically coupled to a portion of the elongate member to permit relative movement therebetween. A first relative movement between the moveable member and a portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a first location that permits delivery of at least a portion of a catheter into the second lumen but not into the first lumen from the second lumen. A second relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a second location that permits delivery of the at least the portion of the catheter through both the second lumen and the first lumen.

Abstract: A catheter sheath device may include an elongate member and a moveable member. The elongate member may include a first lumen, and the moveable member may include a second lumen. The moveable member may be physically coupled to a portion of the elongate member to permit relative movement therebetween. A first relative movement between the moveable member and a portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a first location that permits delivery of at least a portion of a catheter into the second lumen but not into the first lumen from the second lumen. A second relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a second location that permits delivery of the at least the portion of the catheter through both the second lumen and the first lumen.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices allow intravascular or percutaneous mapping, orientation and/or ablation, in bodily cavities or lumens. A device includes elongate members, moveable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded or fanned configuration. The elongate members form a stack in the unexpanded configuration to fit through a catheter sheath. The elongate members follow respective arcuate or curvilinear paths as advanced from the sheath into the bent or coiled stack configuration, adopting volute, scroll or rho shapes, and may be nested. The elongated members are fanned or radially spaced circumferentially with respect to one another into the expanded or fanned configuration. Transducer elements carried by elongate members sense various physiological characteristics of or proximate tissue, and/or may apply energy to or proximate tissue. The elongate members are rotatable in groups or as a group in the expanded configuration. The device is retractable.

Abstract: A catheter sheath device may include an elongate member and a moveable member. The elongate member may include a first lumen, and the moveable member may include a second lumen. The moveable member may be physically coupled to a portion of the elongate member to permit relative movement therebetween. A first relative movement between the moveable member and a portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a first location that permits delivery of at least a portion of a catheter into the second lumen but not into the first lumen from the second lumen. A second relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a second location that permits delivery of the at least the portion of the catheter through both the second lumen and the first lumen.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices allow intravascular or percutaneous mapping, orientation and/or ablation, in bodily cavities or lumens. A device includes elongate members, moveable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded or fanned configuration. The elongate members form a stack in the unexpanded configuration to fit through a catheter sheath. The elongate members follow respective arcuate or curvilinear paths as advanced from the sheath into the bent or coiled stack configuration, adopting volute, scroll or rho shapes, and may be nested. The elongated members are fanned or radially spaced circumferentially with respect to one another into the expanded or fanned configuration. Transducer elements carried by elongate members sense various physiological characteristics of or proximate tissue, and/or may apply energy to or proximate tissue. The elongate members are rotatable in groups or as a group in the expanded configuration. The device is retractable.

Abstract: A catheter sheath device may include an elongate member and a moveable member. The elongate member may include a first lumen, and the moveable member may include a second lumen. The moveable member may be physically coupled to a portion of the elongate member to permit relative movement therebetween. A first relative movement between the moveable member and a portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a first location that permits delivery of at least a portion of a catheter into the second lumen but not into the first lumen from the second lumen. A second relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a second location that permits delivery of the at least the portion of the catheter through both the second lumen and the first lumen.

Abstract: A distal end portion of an elongate shaft member of a catheter may be inserted into a liquid within a vessel. While the distal end portion of the elongate shaft member is inserted in the liquid in the vessel, a manipulable portion of the catheter may be manipulated within the liquid to remove an undesired fluid therefrom. The liquid may be pressurized to cause the liquid to flow into a lumen of the elongate shaft member from a distal end of the elongate shaft member at least toward a proximal end of the elongate shaft member to facilitate flushing of the undesired fluid from the lumen. The distal end portion of the elongate shaft member of the catheter may be inserted into the liquid within the vessel while at least the elongate shaft member is in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A distal end portion of an elongate shaft member of a catheter may be inserted into a liquid within a vessel. While the distal end portion of the elongate shaft member is inserted in the liquid in the vessel, a manipulable portion of the catheter may be manipulated within the liquid to remove an undesired fluid therefrom. The liquid may be pressurized to cause the liquid to flow into a lumen of the elongate shaft member from a distal end of the elongate shaft member at least toward a proximal end of the elongate shaft member to facilitate flushing of the undesired fluid from the lumen. The distal end portion of the elongate shaft member of the catheter may be inserted into the liquid within the vessel while at least the elongate shaft member is in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices allow intravascular or percutaneous mapping, orientation and/or ablation, in bodily cavities or lumens. A device includes elongate members, moveable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded or fanned configuration. The elongate members form a stack in the unexpanded configuration to fit through a catheter sheath. The elongate members follow respective arcuate or curvilinear paths as advanced from the sheath into the bent or coiled stack configuration, adopting volute, scroll or rho shapes, and may be nested. The elongated members are fanned or radially spaced circumferentially with respect to one another into the expanded or fanned configuration. Transducer elements carried by elongate members sense various physiological characteristics of or proximate tissue, and/or may apply energy to or proximate tissue. The elongate members are rotatable in groups or as a group in the expanded configuration. The device is retractable.

Abstract: Medical systems are disclosed which may include an elongate shaft member and a plurality of steering lines operable to cause bending of the elongate shaft member via movement of at least one of the steering lines. A respective second end portion of a first proximal steering line may terminate at a first proximal termination portion of the elongate shaft member, and a respective second end portion of the first distal steering line may terminate at a first distal termination portion of the elongate shaft member. The elongate shaft member may be formed of materials of different hardness to provide preferential bending in desired directions.

Abstract: A gas removal apparatus and a method for removing gas bubbles from at least a part of a medical device disposed in an interior chamber of a gas removal apparatus. The gas removal apparatus includes an interior chamber, a filling surface, a first opening arranged at an end of the filling surface and that provides a first path into the interior chamber, and a second opening that provides a second path into the interior chamber. When the apparatus is arranged in a liquid receiving position, at least a portion of the at least the part of the medical device is disposed above an uppermost surface of liquid in the interior chamber, and when the apparatus is arranged in another position different from the liquid receiving position, the entirety of the at least the part of the medical device is disposed below an uppermost surface of liquid in the interior chamber.

Abstract: A catheter sheath device may include an elongate member and a moveable member. The elongate member may include a first lumen, and the moveable member may include a second lumen. The moveable member may be physically coupled to a portion of the elongate member to permit relative movement therebetween. A first relative movement between the moveable member and a portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a first location that permits delivery of at least a portion of a catheter into the second lumen but not into the first lumen from the second lumen. A second relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a second location that permits delivery of the at least the portion of the catheter through both the second lumen and the first lumen.

Abstract: A catheter sheath device may include an elongate member and a moveable member. The elongate member may include a first lumen, and the moveable member may include a second lumen. The moveable member may be physically coupled to a portion of the elongate member to permit relative movement therebetween. A first relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a first location that permits delivery of at least a portion of a catheter into the second lumen but not into the first lumen from the second lumen. A second relative movement between the moveable member and the portion of the elongate member may cause the second lumen to be positioned at a second location that permits delivery of the at least the portion of the catheter through both the second lumen and the first lumen.