Abstract: A cutter assembly includes cutting blades spaced equidistant around a motor housing cover. The blades' cutting edges are orthogonal to a plane rotated around a housing centerline axis. Each cutting blade is ninety degrees from its adjacent cutting blades with respect to the housing centerline axis, and forty-five degrees from an axis orthogonal to the housing centerline. An embodiment includes a hinged cylindrical cover blade base locking around the housing for existing motor housings. Each cutting blade provides a forward oriented surface having a convex portion, an aft oriented surface having a convex portion, and a tip end. An embodiment provides a cutting blade tip end angle with respect to a housing centerline axis equal to the motor propeller blade pitch with respect to the same axis.

Abstract: A stent apparatus with at least one side opening which may further comprise an extendable stent portion laterally extending from the side opening and at least partly in registry with the wall of the side opening. Devices constructed in accordance with the invention include, singularly or in combination, a main expandable stent comprising at least one substantially circular side opening located between its proximal and distal end openings, which side opening may further comprise an expandable portion extending radially outward from the edges of the side opening; and a branch stent comprising proximal and distal end openings and which may further comprise a contacting portion at its proximal end, and which may optionally be constructed to form either a perpendicular branch or a non-perpendicular branch when inserted through a side opening of the main stent.

Abstract: The present invention concerns novel stent apparatuses for use in treating lesions at or near the bifurcation point in bifurcated cardiac, coronary, renal, peripheral vascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, urinary and neurovascular vessels and brain vessels. More particularly, the invention concerns a stent apparatus with at least one side opening which may further comprise an extendable stent portion laterally extending from the side opening and at least partly in registry with the wall of the side opening.

Abstract: A stent delivery catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end. A balloon is disposed over the catheter body near the distal end, and a stent is positioned over the balloon. The stent has a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end. A side sheath is coupled to the catheter body and has a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of using Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) polypeptide in conjunction with reperfusion therapy in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction or other ischemic events. This treatment can be used alone or in combination with other well-known methods of treatment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a stent for use in a bifurcated body lumen having a main branch and a side branch. The stent comprises a radially expandable generally tubular stent body having proximal and distal opposing ends with a body wall having a surface extending therebetween. The surface has a geometrical configuration defining a first pattern, and the first pattern has first pattern struts and connectors arranged in a predetermined configuration. The stent also comprises a branch portion comprised of a second pattern, wherein the branch portion is at least partially detachable from the stent body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of using Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) polypeptide in conjunction with reperfusion therapy in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction or other ischemic events. This treatment can be used alone or in combination with other well-known methods of treatment.

Abstract: The present invention concerns novel stent apparatuses for use in treating lesions at or near the bifurcation point in bifurcated cardiac, coronary, renal, peripheral vascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, urinary and neurovascular vessels and brain vessels. More particularly, the invention concerns a stent apparatus with at least one side opening which may further comprise an extendable stent portion laterally extending from the side opening and at least partly in registry with the wall of the side opening.

Abstract: The present invention concerns novel stent apparatuses for use in treating lesions at or near the bifurcation point in bifurcated cardiac, coronary, renal, peripheral vascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, urinary and neurovascular vessels and brain vessels. More particularly, the invention concerns a stent apparatus with at least one side opening which may further comprise an extendable stent portion laterally extending from the side opening and at least partly in registry with the wall of the side opening.

Abstract: An imageable extendable stent apparatus for insertion into a bifurcating vessel or a vessel opening. The stent apparatus comprises a main stent and a flared stent, which may used individually or in combination with each other. The flared stent may be interlocked with the main stent to provide stent coverage over the entire region of a bifurcation. The main stent of the apparatus may be deployed at the bifurcation point of a vessel, allowing unimpeded future access to the side branch of the bifurcated vessel. The flared stent may be employed at vessel openings. Also disclosed and claimed are methods for implanting the extendable stent apparatus into the bifurcation point or the ostium of a subject vessel.

Abstract: A method of positioning a main stent at a vessel bifurcation such that a side opening in the main stent is positioned at the ostium of a branch vessel, comprising: positioning a main guidewire in the main vessel such that a distal end of the main guidewire extends past the bifurcation; advancing a stent delivery system to a position proximate the bifurcation, the stent delivery system comprising a catheter with a flexible side sheath attached thereto, wherein the catheter is received over the main guidewire, and wherein the main stent is positioned over the catheter with the flexible side sheath positioned to pass through the interior of the main stent and out of the side opening in the main stent; advancing a branch guidewire through the flexible side sheath attached to the catheter and into the branch vessel; and subsequently, advancing the catheter over the main guidewire while advancing the flexible side sheath over the branch guidewire while viewing relative movement of a marker positioned on the flexibl

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of using Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) polypeptide in conjunction with reperfusion therapy in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction or other ischemic events. This treatment can be used alone or in combination with other well-known methods of treatment.

Abstract: A method for placing a stent into a main vessel such that the stent side hole aligns with a branch vessel ostium comprises inserting a main vessel guidewire into the main vessel and a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel. A catheter system is positioned over the main vessel guidewire and the branch vessel guidewire. The catheter system is advanced over the guidewires until the catheter body passes beyond the ostium of the branch vessel and the side member extends into the branch vessel. Marker separation is observed to indicate the catheter body passed beyond the ostium and the side member extends into the branch vessel. The balloon is inflated to deploy the stent with the side hole being aligned with the ostium. The balloon is deflated, and the catheter system is withdrawn.

Abstract: A system for treatment of a bifurcation of a body lumen, the bifurcation having a main vessel and a branch vessel, the system includes a catheter having a main catheter shaft and a first balloon associated with the main catheter shaft, a side sheath and a second balloon associated with the side sheath, and a stent including a generally cylindrical body and a branch portion. A method is also described which includes advancing a catheter system through the main vessel, positioning a branch portion of a stent present in the system proximate to a branch vessel, and inflating first and second balloons thereby expanding a main body and branch portion of the stent.

Abstract: The bifurcating double stent apparatus (10) of the present invention comprises a generally cylindrical main stent (12), a generally cylindrical branch stent (15), which are shown as fully dilated in a subject main vessel (8), and a subject branch vessel (7). The main stent (12) is deployed prior to the branch stent (15) which is then aligned with the side opening (16) of the main stent (12), and attached at that location.

Abstract: The present invention concerns novel stent apparatuses for use in treating lesions at or near the bifurcation point in bifurcated cardiac, coronary, renal, peripheral vascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, urinary and neurovascular vessels and brain.vessels. More particularly, the invention concerns a stent apparatus with at least one side opening which may further comprise an extendable stent portion laterally extending from the side opening and at least partly in registry with the wall of the side opening.

Abstract: A method for placing a stent having a side hole into a main vessel such that the side hole is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel comprises inserting a main vessel guidewire into the main vessel and a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel. A catheter system is positioned over the main vessel guidewire and the branch vessel guidewire and comprises a catheter body having a main vessel guidewire lumen and a branch vessel guidewire lumen, and a side member operably coupled to the catheter body. The catheter body further includes a balloon, with the stent being disposed over the balloon. The side member extends into the stent and exits the stent through the side hole. The catheter system is advanced over the guidewires until the catheter body passes beyond the ostium of the branch vessel and the side member extends into the branch vessel.

Abstract: A system and method for performing balloon angioplasty treatment on a patient. The system includes a catheter for insertion into an artery of the patient, a balloon coupled to the catheter with the balloon expandable by fluid passed through the catheter in order to apply pressure to plaque lesions deposited on vascular tissue of the artery. The balloon includes a PVDF piezoelectric transducer for sensing acoustic emission signals generated by deformation of the plaque lesions and the vascular tissue. The acoustic emission signals can be analyzed by frequency analysis, time domain analysis and wavelet analysis followed by neural net correlation evaluation.

Abstract: A flexible arm particularly a robot arm comprising a plurality of elements arranged in a series with adjacent elements in abutting relationship, said elements being interconnected via cables and if desired a power transferring actuating device. The arm has very good rigidity in the bending plane of each element and high torsional resistance together with low manufacturing costs. Each element is designed with opposed single or double-curved segments, or flat surfaces, or combinations thereof with the curved surfaces of each segment engaging the curved or flat surfaces of the adjacent segments, whereby the elements when actuated by the power transferring device have a rolling motion relative to each other.

Abstract: A flexible arm particularly a robot arm comprising a plurality of elements engaging each other and being arranged in a series, said elements being interconnected via cables and if desired a power transferring actuating device. The purpose of the invention is to provide an arm having very good rigidity in the bending plane of the element and a high torsional resistance together with lower manufacturing costs as compared to conventional robot arms. This has been achieved by each element being designed with arched opposed single-or double-curved segments which with the curved surfaces of each segment engaging the surfaces of the adjacent segments, whereby the elements are arranged when actuated by the power generating and/or power transferring device to have a rolling motion relative to each other.