Abstract: An Apparatus for directing a magnetic element in a body (17) of a patient comprises a pair of directing magnet pods (11, 12) movable in relation to each other and attached to opposite ends (10) of an arm (2, 20) which extends in a circumferential direction (4, 22) around a support (5) of the patient and which is movable in a circumferential direction (4, 22) and pivotable around a radial axis (8, 24) with respect to the support of the patient.

Abstract: Embolic devices and materials include an expansible polymer, and magnetically responsive material that allow the embolic devices and materials to be guided into, and held within, vascular defects, while the expansible polymer expands. In some embodiments, the expansion of the expansible polymer reduces the density of the magnetic material, so that subsequent magnetic surgery and magnetic imaging procedures can still employed.

Abstract: A method of turning a medical device, having a magnetically responsive element associated with its distal end, at an operating point within an operating region inside a patients body from an initial direction to a desired final direction, through the movement of at least one external source magnet. The at least one external source magnet is moved in such a way as to change the direction of the distal end of the magnetic medical device from the initial direction to the desired final direction without substantial deviation from the plane containing the initial direction and the desired final direction.