Abstract: A redundant rail and carriage assembly is disclosed. The assembly may include a primary sub-assembly including a primary rail and a primary carriage. The assembly may include a secondary sub-assembly including a secondary rail and a secondary carriage, the secondary rail being different than the primary rail, the secondary carriage being different than the secondary carriage. The assembly may be configured to couple to an actuatable door configured to actuate between a stowed door position and a deployed door position via at least one intermediate door position using one of the primary sub-assembly or the secondary sub-assembly, the secondary sub-assembly being configured to actuate the actuatable door via the secondary rail and the secondary carriage if one of the primary rail or the primary carriage of the primary sub-assembly fails.

Abstract: A catheter can restore the patency of a body lumen, for example, by removing tissue from a body lumen (e.g., a blood vessel). The catheter can be a rotational catheter having a rotatable drive shaft and a tissue-removing element secured to the drive shaft to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft. The catheter can have an abrasive burr configured to abrade tissue in a body lumen. The catheter can have an expandable tissue-removing element. The catheter can include a balloon and an inflation conduit. The catheter can also be configured to move over a guidewire through a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises an over-the-wire, balloon-expandable, rotational, and abrasive tissue-removing catheter.

Abstract: A method for coating a medical device includes applying a second layer that includes a second drug on a first layer of on the medical device. The first layer includes a first drug, which may be in crystalline form. By selecting an appropriate solvent use in applying the second layer and appropriate process conditions, the second layer may be applied such that the first drug retains one or more therapeutic properties. For example, the second layer may be applied such that the first drug maintains its crystalline form. The first and second layers may be free of polymer.

Abstract: A redundant rail and carriage assembly is disclosed. The assembly may include a primary sub-assembly including a primary rail and a primary carriage. The assembly may include a secondary sub-assembly including a secondary rail and a secondary carriage, the secondary rail being different than the primary rail, the secondary carriage being different than the secondary carriage. The assembly may be configured to couple to an actuatable door configured to actuate between a stowed door position and a deployed door position via at least one intermediate door position using one of the primary sub-assembly or the secondary sub-assembly, the secondary sub-assembly being configured to actuate the actuatable door via the secondary rail and the secondary carriage if one of the primary rail or the primary carriage of the primary sub-assembly fails.

Abstract: A carriage slider and rail assembly is disclosed. The assembly may include a linear rail including one or more surfaces that define a channel. The assembly may include a carriage slider sub-assembly. The sub-assembly may include a slider configured to be axially displaceable within the channel of the linear rail. The sub-assembly may include one or more overload protection lobes including a first overload protection lobe positioned adjacent to a first end of the slider and a second overload protection lobe positioned adjacent to a second end of the slider. The sub-assembly may include one or more friction reducing portions. The overload protection lobes may make contact with the channel of the linear rail when an abuse load is applied to provide overload protection. The overload protection lobes may be configured to not make contact with the channel of the linear rail when an abuse load is not applied.

Abstract: A catheter can restore the patency of a body lumen, for example, by removing tissue from a body lumen (e.g., a blood vessel). The catheter can be a rotational catheter having a rotatable drive shaft and a tissue-removing element secured to the drive shaft to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft. The catheter can have an abrasive burr configured to abrade tissue in a body lumen. The catheter can have an expandable tissue-removing element. The catheter can include a balloon and an inflation conduit. The catheter can also be configured to move over a guidewire through a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises an over-the-wire, balloon-expandable, rotational, and abrasive tissue-removing catheter.

Abstract: A tissue removing catheter includes an apposition mechanism that selectively imparts an axially compressive load on the catheter body to bend the catheter and urge a tissue-removing element toward a blood vessel wall. The apposition mechanism can include one or more adjustment lines and an adjustment mechanism for selectively tensioning one of the adjustment lines to impart the compressive load on the catheter body. Two adjustment lines can have diametrically opposed positions and be wound onto a spool of the adjustment mechanism in opposite directions so that rotation of the spool simultaneously shortens one adjustment line and lengthens the other. The catheter body can have a more flexible bending segment adjacent the tissue-removing element to promote bending near the tissue-removing element operative to urge the tissue-removing element in apposition with the blood vessel.

Abstract: A variety of nanoparticles or microparticles may be used to treat diseases such as restenosis or blood clots. For example, a nanoparticle or microparticle may include a core having a biodegradable polymer, an exterior having hydrophilic moieties. and a therapeutic agent. The nanoparticles may include targeting moieties that target the nanoparticle or microparticle to an arterial lesion. The nanoparticle or microparticle may include an exterior shell around the core to increase stability of the nanoparticle or microparticle. The nanoparticle or microparticle may include a magnetic particle to allow targeted delivery of the nanoparticle or microparticle via a magnetic field. The nanoparticles or microparticles may be coated on a medical device, such as a catheter balloon or a stent, or may be delivered systemically or locally to patients in need thereof.

Abstract: A catheter can restore the patency of a body lumen, for example, by removing tissue from a body lumen (e.g., a blood vessel). The catheter can be a rotational catheter having a rotatable drive shaft and a tissue-removing element secured to the drive shaft to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft. The catheter can have an abrasive burr configured to abrade tissue in a body lumen. The catheter can have an expandable tissue-removing element. The catheter can include a balloon and an inflation conduit. The catheter can also be configured to move over a guidewire through a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises an over-the-wire, balloon-expandable, rotational, and abrasive tissue-removing catheter.

Abstract: A method for coating a medical device includes applying a second layer that includes a second drug on a first layer of on the medical device. The first layer includes a first drug, which may be in crystalline form. By selecting an appropriate solvent use in applying the second layer and appropriate process conditions, the second layer may be applied such that the first drug retains one or more therapeutic properties. For example, the second layer may be applied such that the first drug maintains its crystalline form. The first and second layers may be free of polymer.

Abstract: A catheter can restore the patency of a body lumen, for example, by removing tissue from a body lumen (e.g., a blood vessel). The catheter can be a rotational catheter having a rotatable drive shaft and a tissue-removing element secured to the drive shaft to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft. The catheter can have an abrasive burr configured to abrade tissue in a body lumen. The catheter can have an expandable tissue-removing element. The catheter can include a balloon and an inflation conduit. The catheter can also be configured to move over a guidewire through a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises an over-the-wire, balloon-expandable, rotational, and abrasive tissue-removing catheter.

Abstract: A tissue-removing catheter includes a catheter body and a tissue-removing head. The catheter body has an annular shearing blade at the distal end thereof. The tissue-removing head is at the distal end of the catheter body and is configured to rotate about an head axis relative to the catheter body, and reciprocate along the head axis relative to the catheter body between proximal and distal positions.

Abstract: A tissue removing catheter includes an apposition mechanism that selectively imparts an axially compressive load on the catheter body to bend the catheter and urge a tissue-removing element toward a blood vessel wall. The apposition mechanism can include one or more adjustment lines and an adjustment mechanism for selectively tensioning one of the adjustment lines to impart the compressive load on the catheter body. Two adjustment lines can have diametrically opposed positions and be wound onto a spool of the adjustment mechanism in opposite directions so that rotation of the spool simultaneously shortens one adjustment line and lengthens the other. The catheter body can have a more flexible bending segment adjacent the tissue-removing element to promote bending near the tissue-removing element operative to urge the tissue-removing element in apposition with the blood vessel.

Abstract: A tissue removing catheter includes an apposition mechanism that selectively imparts an axially compressive load on the catheter body to bend the catheter and urge a tissue-removing element toward a blood vessel wall. The apposition mechanism can include one or more adjustment lines and an adjustment mechanism for selectively tensioning one of the adjustment lines to impart the compressive load on the catheter body. Two adjustment lines can have diametrically opposed positions and be wound onto a spool of the adjustment mechanism in opposite directions so that rotation of the spool simultaneously shortens one adjustment line and lengthens the other. The catheter body can have a more flexible bending segment adjacent the tissue-removing element to promote bending near the tissue-removing element operative to urge the tissue-removing element in apposition with the blood vessel.

Abstract: A balloon for a balloon catheter includes a body section and cone sections. At least one of the cone sections defines a plurality of grooves spaced around the circumference of the cone section.

Abstract: A variety of nanoparticles or microparticles may be used to treat diseases such as restenosis or blood clots. For example, a nanoparticle or microparticle may include a core having a biodegradable polymer, an exterior having hydrophilic moieties. and a therapeutic agent. The nanoparticles may include targeting moieties that target the nanoparticle or microparticle to an arterial lesion. The nanoparticle or microparticle may include an exterior shell around the core to increase stability of the nanoparticle or microparticle. The nanoparticle or microparticle may include a magnetic particle to allow targeted delivery of the nanoparticle or microparticle via a magnetic field. The nanoparticles or microparticles may be coated on a medical device, such as a catheter balloon or a stent, or may be delivered systemically or locally to patients in need thereof.

Abstract: A balloon for a balloon catheter includes a body section and cone sections. At least one of the cone sections defines a plurality of grooves spaced around the circumference of the cone section.

Abstract: A tissue-removing catheter generally comprises a drive shaft having opposite proximal and distal ends and configured for rotation about a longitudinal axis, and an abrasive burr operatively connected to the distal end of the drive shaft such that rotation of the drive shaft about the longitudinal axis imparts rotation to the abrasive burr. The abrasive burr includes circumferentially spaced longitudinal struts defining longitudinal slots between adjacent struts, proximal and distal hubs secured to the respective proximal and distal ends of the longitudinal struts, and an abrasive exterior surface covering an abrasive longitudinal portion of each strut extending from adjacent the proximal ends of the longitudinal struts to adjacent the distal ends of the longitudinal struts. Proximal and distal longitudinal end portions of the longitudinal struts adjacent the junctions of the longitudinal struts and the respective proximal and distal hubs are free from the abrasive exterior surface.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for cutting an elongated element. The surgical instrument may have a compact size for use in-situ during a surgical procedure. The surgical instrument is also configured to provide the necessary mechanical advantage to cut the elongated element. The surgical instrument may include first and second arms that are pivotally connected together at a pivot. The arms include blades positioned at or towards distal ends of the arms that act together to cut the elongated element. A force mechanism is positioned between the arms to pivot the arms between an open orientation and a closed cutting orientation. The force mechanism may be positioned directly between the arms to reduce the overall size of the instrument.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for cutting an elongated element. The surgical instrument may have a compact size for use in-situ during a surgical procedure. The surgical instrument is also configured to provide the necessary mechanical advantage to cut the elongated element. The surgical instrument may include first and second arms that are pivotally connected together at a pivot. The arms include blades positioned at or towards distal ends of the arms that act together to cut the elongated element. A force mechanism is positioned between the arms to pivot the arms between an open orientation and a closed cutting orientation. The force mechanism may be positioned directly between the arms to reduce the overall size of the instrument.