Abstract: An evacuation sheath assembly and method of treating occluded vessels which reduces the risk of distal embolization during vascular interventions is provided. The evacuation sheath assembly includes an elongated tube defining an evacuation lumen having proximal and distal ends. A proximal sealing surface is provided on a proximal portion of the tube and is configured to form a seal with a lumen of a guided catheter. A distal sealing surface is provided on a distal portion of the tube and is configured to form a seal with a blood vessel. A method of treatment of a blood vessel using the evacuation sheath assembly includes advancing the evacuation sheath assembly into the blood vessel through a guide catheter. Prior to advancing a device across a stenosis to be treated, normal antegrade blood flow in the blood vessel proximate to the stenosis is stopped. While blood flow is stopped, the stenosis is treated.

Abstract: A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

Abstract: A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

Abstract: An angioplasty and stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which or over which there is included on a catheter shaft at least one axially movable or enlargeable body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon.

Abstract: A head suspension including a one-piece load beam and flexure structure wherein the flexure structure includes partially etched connecting bars. The load beam and flexure structure is fabricated from a single piece of spring steel, and the structure comprises a rigid region, a mounting region on a proximal end of the rigid region, and a flexure region. The flexure region has a planar support region and an integral flexure, and the integral flexure includes a slider-receiving region and connecting bars that connect the slider-receiving region to the support region of the integral flexure. A head slider is mounted to the slider-receiving region. The connecting bars of the integral flexure are thinned by partial etching in order to reduce the stiffness of the connecting bars, and thereby allow the head slider to gimbal in response to aerodynamic forces.

Abstract: An angioplasty and stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which or over which there is included on a catheter shaft at least one axially movable or enlargeable body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon.

Abstract: A stent delivery system which has a catheter including an inflatable portion. A stent being disposed about the inflatable portion of the catheter, the stent having a contracted state and an expanded state. A pair of stent retaining sleeves which are partially composed of PTFE, each sleeve having a first end portion overlying a respective end of the stent, each sleeve having a second end portion respectively attached to the catheter, the sleeves retaining the stent to the catheter when the stent is in the contracted state, the stent being freed from the sleeves when the stent is placed in the expanded state. The sleeves being placed on the stent by heat shrinking. The inflatable portion of the balloon optionally having stepped compliant characteristics.

Abstract: A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for delivery and deployment of an expandable stent within a vessel. The apparatus comprises a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a catheter shaft, an expandable stent coaxially mounted on the catheter near the distal end of the catheter and a securement apparatus coaxially mounted on the catheter near its distal end and over the stent. The securement apparatus comprises a securement sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The securement sleeve is constructed and arranged for proximal advancement along the catheter shaft. The present invention also includes a distal cuff having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface.

Abstract: A system/assembly for delivery and deployment of an inflation expandable stent within a vessel, comprising a catheter having proximal and distal ends; a stent, inflation expandable from a delivery diameter to a deployment diameter, such that the delivery diameter is reduced from the deployment diameter for conforming the stent to the catheter, such that the stent, in its delivery diameter, is coaxially mounted on the catheter near the catheter distal end; an expandable inflation means coaxially mounted on the catheter axially within the stent, for expansion of the stent from the delivery diameter to the deployment diameter upon application of fluid deployment pressure to the inflation means; and a securement component coaxially mounted on the catheter, axially within the expandable inflation means, the securement component designed and adapted to provide a securement pressure to the stent in the delivery diameter to maintain the stent in position on the catheter during delivery to the deployment site.

Abstract: A system/assembly for delivery and deployment of an inflation expandable stent within a vessel, comprising a catheter having proximal and distal ends; a stent, inflation expandable from a delivery diameter to a deployment diameter, such that the delivery diameter is reduced from the deployment diameter for conforming the stent to the catheter, such that the stent, in its delivery diameter, is coaxially mounted on the catheter near the catheter distal end; an expandable inflation member coaxially mounted on the catheter axially within the stent, for expansion of the stent from the delivery diameter to the deployment diameter upon application of fluid deployment pressure to the inflation member; and a securement component coaxially mounted on the catheter, axially within the expandable inflation members, the securement component designed and adapted to provide a securement pressure to the stent in the delivery diameter to maintain the stent in position on the catheter during delivery to the deployment site.

Abstract: An inflatable balloon catheter having a guide wire lumen, an inflation lumen, and a one-way valve disposed within the inflation lumen, the one-way valve allowing fluid flow from the guide wire lumen into the inflation lumen and balloon. One method for preparing the catheter for use includes blocking the guide wire lumen proximal port and injecting inflation fluid into the guide wire lumen distal port. The injected fluid flows through the one-way valve into the inflation lumen and exits through the inflation lumen proximal port. One catheter includes a proximal switchable valve having bleed and inflation positions. This catheter provides a small distal profile and allows for bleeding the catheter while inflation equipment is attached to the catheter.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for delivery and deployment of an expandable stent within a vessel. The apparatus comprises a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a catheter shaft, an expandable stent coaxially mounted on the catheter near the distal end of the catheter and a securement apparatus coaxially mounted on the catheter near its distal end and over the stent. The securement apparatus comprises a securement sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The securement sleeve is constructed and arranged for proximal advancement along the catheter shaft. The present invention also includes a distal cuff having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dilatation and stent delivery device which tracks over two guidewires. One guidewire is disposed in each branch vessel of a bifurcation. The present invention provides a dilatation and stent delivery device which enables efficient and accurate stent deployment and dilatation of bifurcation lesions.

Abstract: An angioplasty and stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which or over which there is included on a catheter shaft at least one axially movable or enlargeable body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon.

Abstract: A catheter assembly including a guide wire having a proximal end, a distal end, and a balloon catheter. The balloon catheter includes a tubular member having a balloon proximate the distal end, and a guide wire tube having a lumen therethrough for slidably receiving the guide wire. The guide wire tube extends longitudinally along the exterior surface of the balloon from a point proximate the distal end of the balloon past the proximal end of the balloon. The guide wire tube is elastic and collapses radially when pressed against a vessel wall during inflation of the balloon. In a preferred method of use, the guide wire is placed in a first position across a treatment area followed by threading the balloon catheter over the guide wire so that balloon is also across the treatment area. The guide wire is then pulled in a proximal direction to a second retracted position, wherein the distal end of the guide wire is proximal of the proximal end of the balloon, yet within the guide wire tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for introducing therapeutic and/or diagnostic devices through a balloon dilatation catheter and to an occlusion site, while longitudinally moving the dilatation balloon proximally from the occlusion area. This may enable, for example, an Intra-Vascular Ultra-Sonic (IVUS) device to produce non-distorted images of an occluded site between balloon dilatations of an angioplasty procedure.

Abstract: A system/assembly for delivery and deployment of an inflation expandable stent within a vessel, comprising a catheter having proximal and distal ends; a stent, inflation expandable from a delivery diameter to a deployment diameter, such that the delivery diameter is reduced from the deployment diameter for conforming the stent to the catheter, such that the stent, in its delivery diameter, is coaxially mounted on the catheter near the catheter distal end; an expandable inflation means coaxially mounted on the catheter axially within the stent, for expansion of the stent from the delivery diameter to the deployment diameter upon application of fluid deployment pressure to the inflation means; and a securement component coaxially mounted on the catheter, axially within the expandable inflation means, the securement component designed and adapted to provide a securement pressure to the stent in the delivery diameter to maintain the stent in position on the catheter during delivery to the deployment site.

Abstract: A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

Abstract: A magnetic head suspension for supporting a magnetic head at a fixed distance from a rigid actuator arm has a single one-piece structure with a flexure region and a load beam region. A proximal end of the load beam region is joined to the rigid actuator arm. The flexure region projects distally beyond the load beam region. The flexure region is divided into a head support region, at least a first set of arms, such that at least one set of arms is formed with offsets which position the plane of the head support region recessed from the plane of the load beam region. The head support region is constructed and arranged for receiving a head slider to be bonded thereto. The first set of arms is defined by a first set of slots in a surface of the flexure region, the first set of slots also defining a perimeter of the head support region, each of the first set of arms generally enclosing at least a part of a perimeter of the head support region.