Abstract: A stent (scaffold) or other luminal prosthesis comprising circumferential structural elements which provide high strength after deployment and allows for scaffold to uncage, and/or allow for scaffold or luminal expansion thereafter. The circumferential scaffold is typically formed from non-degradable material and will be modified to expand and/or uncage after deployment.

Abstract: A method for treating a prostate comprising the steps of using a needle-syringe coupled to a dose delivery device. The dose delivery device comprises a housing, a holder configured to receive a first portion of the needle-syringe, and an arm at least partially extending from the housing. The arm includes a surface configured to engage a second portion of the needle-syringe. The dose delivery device further includes an actuation member movable with respect to the housing, a worm coupled to the actuation member, a worm gear engaged with the worm, and a pinion gear fixed to the worm gear and engaged with the arm. The arm moves along a translation axis in response to user actuation of the actuation member about a rotational axis.

Abstract: An aspiration catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an aspiration lumen therebetween. A distal segment comprising an expandable distal tip of the aspiration catheter comprises a membrane and an expandable supporting structure, such as a scaffold, configured to radially expand the expandable distal tip. The expandable supporting structure may include supporting elements and other features which increase resistance to collapse of the expandable membrane under vacuum or negative pressure applied to aspirate clot through the aspiration lumen in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: An implant and system for reshaping a valve annulus includes an elongate template having one or more anchors which couple directly to a body of the implant or may be indirectly couple through a separate anchor array support. When implanted, the template foreshortens and/or reshapes a peripheral length of the valve annulus can be to improve coaption of native valve leaflets and/or to eliminate or decrease regurgitation of a valve. The template may have one or more skirts augmenting or replacing a defective native valve leaflet function. The template in another example may be coupled to a chordae which is attached to a ventricular wall to improve the heart hemodynamic function. The template may be configured to prevent displacement of an anchor.

Abstract: Balloon catheters, sleeves, cages, cylindrical structures and endoluminal prostheses are provided with stress-applying and spacing features coupled to expandable surfaces thereof. At least one or at least some stress-applying features are immobilized onto the surface or into pre-formed indentations formed in the expandable surface. The stress-applying and spacing features may have blunt and/or rounded contact regions which contact tissue or calcified regions in the vasculature. The contact regions dent or fracture occlusive material on the wall of a vascular lumen and/or patient valve leaflets when expanded. The spacing of features can permit blood, drug, and contrast perfusion past structures expanded in the vasculature, particularly balloon catheters.

Abstract: A stent (scaffold) or other luminal prosthesis comprising circumferential structural elements which provide high strength after deployment and allows for scaffold to uncage, and/or allow for scaffold or luminal expansion thereafter. The circumferential scaffold is typically formed from non-degradable material and will be modified to expand and/or uncage after deployment.

Abstract: Balloon catheters, sleeves, cages, and endoluminal prostheses are provided with stress-applying and spacing features coupled to expandable surfaces thereof. The stress-applying features may have blunt and/or rounded contact regions which contact tissue or calcified regions in the vasculature. The contact regions dent or fracture occlusive material on the wall of a vascular lumen and/or patient valve leaflets when expanded. The spacing features permit blood, drug, and contrast perfusion past structures expanded in the vasculature, particularly balloon catheters.

Abstract: An aspiration catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an aspiration lumen therebetween. A distal segment comprising an expandable distal tip of the aspiration catheter comprises a membrane and an expandable supporting structure, such as a scaffold, configured to radially expand the expandable distal tip. The expandable supporting structure may include supporting elements and other features which increase resistance to collapse of the expandable membrane under vacuum or negative pressure applied to aspirate clot through the aspiration lumen in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: An aspiration catheter for removing clot from a blood vessel includes a catheter body having a scaffold extending distally from a distal end of the body. An aspiration lumen runs from the distal end to a proximal end of the body, and a central clot-receiving passage in the scaffold is contiguous with the aspiration lumen of the catheter body. A vacuum-resistant membrane covers the scaffold and establishes a clot aspiration path from a distal end of the scaffold to a proximal end of the aspiration lumen, in the catheter body so that applying a vacuum to the proximal end of the aspiration lumen can draw clot into the central clot-receiving passage. The scaffold may have a comical configuration, a cylindrical configuration, or a combination thereof, and at least a distal portion of the scaffold is radially expandable from a delivery configuration to an extraction configuration.

Abstract: Balloon catheters, sleeves, cages, and endoluminal prostheses are provided with stress-applying and spacing features coupled to expandable surfaces thereof. The stress-applying features may have blunt and/or rounded contact regions which contact tissue or calcified regions in the vasculature. The contact regions dent or fracture occlusive material on the wall of a vascular lumen and/or patient valve leaflets when expanded. The spacing features permit blood, drug, and contrast perfusion past structures expanded in the vasculature, particularly balloon catheters.

Abstract: A stent (scaffold) or other luminal prosthesis comprising circumferential structural elements which provide high strength after deployment and allows for scaffold to uncage, and/or allow for scaffold or luminal expansion thereafter. The circumferential scaffold is typically formed from non-degradable material and will be modified to expand and/or uncage after deployment.

Abstract: An aspiration catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an aspiration lumen therebetween. A distal segment comprising an expandable distal tip of the aspiration catheter comprises a membrane and an expandable supporting structure, such as a scaffold, configured to radially expand the expandable distal tip. The expandable supporting structure may include supporting elements and other features which increase resistance to collapse of the expandable membrane under vacuum or negative pressure applied to aspirate clot through the aspiration lumen in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: A stent (scaffold) or other luminal prosthesis comprising circumferential structural elements which provide high strength after deployment and allows for scaffold to uncage, and/or allow for scaffold or luminal expansion thereafter. The circumferential scaffold is typically formed from non-degradable material and will be modified to expand and/or uncage after deployment.

Abstract: A stent (scaffold) or other luminal prosthesis comprising circumferential structural elements which provide high strength after deployment and allows for scaffold to uncage, and/or allow for scaffold or luminal expansion thereafter. The circumferential scaffold is typically formed from non-degradable material and will be modified to expand and/or uncage after deployment.

Abstract: Clot aspiration systems intended for removing clot from a blood vessel include an aspiration assembly which will have two or more of the following components: an aspiration catheter, an inner catheter, an intermediate catheter, and an outer catheter, the latter typically being a guiding or other sheath. A transition structure is coupled to a distal end of the aspiration assembly to cover or fill an open distal end of one or more of the components of the aspiration assembly. The transition structure may be configured to facilitate introduction of the aspiration catheter into the patient's vasculature and/or advancement of the aspiration catheter through the vasculature to a target site, such as a cerebral target site which may be occluded with clot, thrombus, or other occlusive material.

Abstract: A stent (scaffold) or other luminal prosthesis comprising circumferential structural elements which provide high strength after deployment and allows for scaffold to uncage, and/or allow for scaffold or luminal expansion thereafter. The circumferential scaffold is typically formed from non-degradable material and will be modified to expand and/or uncage after deployment.

Abstract: A system for reshaping a valve annulus includes an elongate template having a length along a longitudinal axis and at least one concavity in a generally lateral direction along said length. The pre-shaped template is positioned against at least a region of an inner peripheral wall of the valve annulus, and at least one anchor on the template is advanced into a lateral wall of the valve annulus to reposition at least one segment of the region of the inner peripheral wall of the valve annulus into said concavity. In this way, a peripheral length of the valve annulus can be foreshortened and/or reshaped to improve coaptation of the valve leaflets and/or to eliminate or decrease regurgitation of a valve.

Abstract: Balloon catheters, sleeves, cages, and endoluminal prostheses are provided with stress-applying and spacing features coupled to expandable surfaces thereof. The stress-applying features may have blunt and/or rounded contact regions which contact tissue or calcified regions in the vasculature. The contact regions dent or fracture occlusive material on the wall of a vascular lumen and/or patient valve leaflets when expanded. The spacing features permit blood, drug, and contrast perfusion past structures expanded in the vasculature, particularly balloon catheters.

Abstract: A system for reshaping a valve annulus includes an elongate template having a length along a longitudinal axis and at least one concavity in a generally lateral direction along said length. The pre-shaped template is positioned against at least a region of an inner peripheral wall of the valve annulus, and at least one anchor on the template is advanced into a lateral wall of the valve annulus to reposition at least one segment of the region of the inner peripheral wall of the valve annulus into said concavity. In this way, a peripheral length of the valve annulus can be foreshortened and/or reshaped to improve coaption of the valve leaflets and/or to eliminate or decrease regurgitation of a valve.

Abstract: Bioabsorbable scaffolds having high crush recoverability, high fracture resistance, and reduced or no recoil due to self expanding properties at physiological conditions are disclosed. The scaffolds are made from a random copolymer PLLA and a rubbery polymer such as polycaprolactone.