Abstract: The invention is directed to a self-expanding stent for implantation into a body lumen, such as an artery. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by a plurality of interconnecting members placed on the stent in a collinear arrangement such as to create at least one continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent. The invention is also directed to a stent delivery system for implantation of a stent in a vessel which includes an outer tubular member having a restraining sheath and an inner tubular member having a distal end which has a compressed stent mounted thereto. The proximal end of the inner tubular member is connected to a housing assembly which prevents the inner tubular member from moving when the outer tubular member is retracted to deploy the stent.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for eluting an agent at a treatment site are disclosed. The devices include an expandable frame and at least one membrane. The membrane may carry an agent to elute at the treatment site. The membrane may allow blood flow at the treatment site during agent delivery.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a self-expanding stent for implantation into a body lumen, such as an artery. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by a plurality of interconnecting members placed on the stent in a collinear arrangement such as to create at least one continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent. The invention is also directed to a stent delivery system for implantation of a stent in a vessel which includes an outer tubular member having a restraining sheath and an inner tubular member having a distal end which has a compressed stent mounted thereto. The proximal end of the inner tubular member is connected to a housing assembly which prevents the inner tubular member from moving when the outer tubular member is retracted to deploy the stent.

Abstract: A medical device for treating a defective heart valve. The medical device comprises a distal anchoring member for disposing in a blood vessel. A proximal anchoring member for disposing in or at an entrance of the blood vessel. A telescoping assembly coupling at a first end to the distal anchoring member and at a second end to the proximal anchoring member. The telescoping assembly is deployable into the blood vessel. The telescoping assembly reduces a distance between the distal anchoring member and the proximal anchoring member, wherein the telescoping assembly comprises of at least two members capable of sliding into each other giving the telescoping assembly adjustable lengths.

Abstract: A lead assembly and method of forming a lead assembly is provided. Devices and methods of forming the lead assembly include a support coil. The support coil provides enhanced support and protection from lead damage and failure. A lead assembly and method of forming a lead assembly is also provided including at least one electrode. Electrodes may be incorporated into the support coil design. The lead assembly and method of forming a lead assembly may be incorporated with other medical devices such as an implantable defibrillator.

Abstract: An expandable stent is implanted in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen for treating an area of vulnerable plaque. The invention provides for an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by straight links. Alternatively, the cylindrical rings of the distal section and the cylindrical rings of the proximal section are connected directly to adjacent cylindrical rings. The stent has adequate vessel wall coverage and radial strength sufficient to hold open an artery or other body lumen. A central section is positioned between distal and proximal sections and is aligned with the area of vulnerable plaque to enhance growth of cells over the fibrous cap of the vulnerable plaque to reinforce the area and reduce the likelihood of rupture.

Abstract: A medical device and method for percutaneously treating a heart valve. In one embodiment, the medical device includes a catheter having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a notch formed near the distal portion. A cutting element may be disposed within the distal portion and is moveable across the notch to slice through a heart chord.

Abstract: An improved stent design and stent delivery catheter assembly for repairing a main vessel and a side branch vessel forming a bifurcation. The stent includes rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and connected by links, where the stent has one or more portals for aligning with and partially expanding into the opening to the side branch vessel. The stent is implanted at a bifurcation so that the main stent section is in the main vessel, and the portal section covers at least a portion of the opening to the side branch vessel. A second stent can be implanted in the side branch vessel and abut the expanded central section to provide full coverage of the bifurcated area in the main vessel and the side branch vessel. Radiopaque markers on the stent and on the tip of the delivery catheter assist in aligning the portal section with the opening to the side branch vessel.

Abstract: An improved stent design and stent delivery catheter assembly for repairing a main vessel and a side branch vessel forming a bifurcation. The stent includes rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and connected by links, where the stent has one or more portals for aligning with and partially expanding into the opening to the side branch vessel. The stent is implanted at a bifurcation so that the main stent section is in the main vessel, and the portal section covers at least a portion of the opening to the side branch vessel. A second stent can be implanted in the side branch vessel and abut the expanded central section to provide full coverage of the bifurcated area in the main vessel and the side branch vessel. Radiopaque markers on the stent and on the tip of the delivery catheter assist in aligning the portal section with the opening to the side branch vessel.

Abstract: An intravascular stent assembly for implantation in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, is designed to treat a lesion with vulnerable plaque by reducing the fibrous cap stresses. The stent includes distal, proximal, and center sections where the center section is configured to treat the vulnerable plaque. The stent consists of radially expandable cylindrical rings generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and either directly connected or interconnected by one or more interconnecting links placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction while providing high degrees of radial strength and vessel scaffolding.

Abstract: A medical device that can be used for treating a defective heart valve. One aspect of the invention pertains to a longitudinally adjustable medical device that comprises a distal portion, a proximal portion, and a cord member. The distal portion comprises a distal anchoring member, a distal telescope, and a distal backbone. The proximal portion comprises a proximal anchoring member, a proximal telescope, and a proximal backbone. The distal backbone and the proximal backbone are configured to provide a structural support to the device while providing flexibility to the device. The cord member is disposed within the device and used to facilitate longitudinal adjustment for the device.

Abstract: A stent for implantation in a body lumen for protecting from rupture a fibrous cap in order to treat vulnerable plaque. One embodiment of the stent achieves staged expansion through stronger and weaker circumferential regions, and includes optional anchors positioned at the circumferential transition between the stronger and weaker regions. During the first stage expansion, the weaker region expands moving the anchors laterally apart. The anchors straddle the fibrous cap and embed into the vessel wall. The second stage expansion of the stent exerts gentler stresses by the weaker region against the fibrous cap while the stronger region exerts greater stresses on the remainder of the vessel wall to open the vessel.

Abstract: A medical device for treating a defective heart valve. The medical device comprises a delivery sheath and an implantable device moveably disposed within the delivery sheath. The implantable device further comprises a distal expandable basket, a proximal expandable basket, and a connecting member coupling at a first end to the distal expandable basket and at a second end to the proximal expandable basket. Each of the distal expandable basket and proximal expandable basket is in a collapsed state during delivery and an expanded state after deployment. An actuator is releasably coupled to the implantable device. When coupled to the implantable device, the actuator can move the implantable device in a way to allow for positioning of the distal and proximal expandable baskets.

Abstract: A radiopaque nitinol medical device such as a stent for use with or implantation in a body lumen is disclosed. The stent is made from a superelastic alloy such as nickel-titanium or nitinol, and includes a ternary element selected from the group of chemical elements consisting of iridium, platinum, gold, rhenium, tungsten, palladium, rhodium, tantalum, silver, ruthenium, or hafnium. The nitinol stent has improved radiopacity yet retains its superelastic and shape memory behavior and further maintains a thin strut/wall thickness for high flexibility. Another embodiment includes a balloon expandable stent made from a radiopaque and MRI compatible alloy such as nitinol and includes a ternary element selected from the group of chemical elements consisting of iridium, platinum, gold, rhenium, tungsten, palladium, rhodium, tantalum, silver, ruthenium, hafnium, osmium, zirconium, niobium, or molybdenum.

Abstract: A medical device for use within a body lumen that is made from a binary nickel-titanium alloy that remains in its austenitic phase throughout its operational range is disclosed. The medical device, such as an intraluminal stent, is made from superelastic nickel-titanium and may optionally be alloyed with a ternary element. By adding the ternary element and/or through heat treatment, it is possible to lower the phase transformation temperature between the austenitic phase and the martensitic phase of the nickel-titanium alloy. By lowering the phase transformation temperature, the martensite deformation temperature is likewise depressed. It is possible then to depress the martensite deformation temperature below body temperature such that when the device is used in a body lumen for medical treatment, the nickel-titanium device remains completely in the austenitic phase without appearance of stress-induced martensite even if the device is placed under stress.

Abstract: An intravascular stent is configured for asymmetrical differential deployment and to align with a fibrous cap to treat vulnerable plaque. The stent is configured so that reduced expansion forces are imparted during deployment to the fibrous cap, thereby reducing the likelihood of cap rupture. The stent includes cylindrical rings connected by links and a cover attached to a portion of the stent to differentially restrict stent expansion when the stent is expanded from a delivery diameter to an implanted diameter thereby creating asymmetrical circumferential deployment. The portion of the stent having the cover imparts lower expansion forces from the stent expansion onto the fibrous cap area than other portions of the stent not having the cover.

Abstract: A self-expanding stent for implantation into a body lumen, such as an artery, includes a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by a plurality of interconnecting members placed on the stent in a collinear arrangement to create at least one continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent. The cylindrical elements are nested when placed in a collapsed position. The cylindrical elements may include a W-shared portion to which the interconnecting members attach.

Abstract: A stent delivery system with an adjustable length balloon. The system includes a stent delivery catheter having an expandable member with an inflated length that can be adjusted according to the length of a stent to be expanded. An exterior sheath having an expandable distal tip is disposed about the expandable member such that the sheath can be longitudinally adjusted so as to expose a desired length of the expandable member. The exposed length of the expandable member provides an effective working length required to expand the stent for deployment. Additionally, where subsequent expansions of the deployed stent may be necessary, post dilitation may be achieved by re-positioning the catheter and re-adjusting the sheath to form an effective working length of the expandable member which corresponds to the length of the stent that needs further expansion.

Abstract: A radiopaque nitinol medical device such as a stent for use with or implantation in a body lumen is disclosed. The stent is made from a superelastic alloy such as nickel-titanium or nitinol, and includes a ternary element selected from the group of chemical elements consisting of iridium, platinum, gold, rhenium, tungsten, palladium, rhodium, tantalum, silver, ruthenium, or hafnium. The added ternary element improves the radiopacity of the nitinol stent comparable to that of a stainless steel stent of the same size and strut pattern coated with a thin layer of gold. The nitinol stent has improved radiopacity yet retains its superelastic and shape memory behavior and further maintains a thin strut/wall thickness for high flexibility.

Abstract: An expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting members placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. The strength of the stent at a center section or at either end can be varied by increasing the mass of the struts forming each cylindrical element in that center section or end section relative to the lower mass struts in the remaining sections of the stent. Increasing the mass of the struts can be accomplished by, for a given strut thickness, increasing the width of the strut, or increasing the length of a cylindrical element.