Patents by Inventor Fiachra Sweeney

Fiachra Sweeney has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10130269
    Abstract: A catheter is disclosed for providing a pressure measurement at a vascular lesion. The catheter includes a tubular component having dual lumens along at least a segment thereof in which a first lumen acts as a pressure inlet and a second lumen allows the catheter to be tracked over a guidewire. A plurality of openings are located along a distal segment of the tubular component that permit blood flow into the first lumen when disposed in vivo. A pressure sensor is located within a handle component of the catheter or within the tubular component to be in fluid communication with a proximal end of the first lumen. When the catheter is positioned at the vascular lesion, the first lumen fills with blood via the plurality of openings such that the pressure sensor is able to sense a pressure of the blood at a distal end of the catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Fiachra Sweeney, Barry O'Connell, Christopher Murphy
  • Patent number: 9913585
    Abstract: A catheter is disclosed for providing pressure measurements at a vascular lesion. The catheter includes an outer component having a side opening the providing transverse access to a lumen thereof and an inner component slidably disposed within the lumen. The inner component has a guidewire lumen with a proximal side port. When the inner component is longitudinally translated relative to the outer component, the side port of the inner component is accessible through the side opening of the outer component for providing transverse access to a guidewire. A first pressure sensor is disposed proximate of a distal end of the outer component and a second pressure sensor is disposed proximate of a distal end of the inner component, such that relative longitudinal translation between the inner and outer components permits a distance between the first and second pressure sensors to be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Fiachra Sweeney, Barry O'Connell, Christopher Murphy
  • Publication number: 20170056087
    Abstract: Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an elongated shaft having distal portion and a supply lumen along at least a portion of the shaft. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion intravascularly at a treatment site proximate a renal artery or renal ostium. The supply lumen can be configured to receive a liquid refrigerant. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a cooling assembly at the distal portion of the shaft. The cooling assembly can include an applicator in fluid communication with the supply lumen and configured to deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to nerves proximate the target site when the cooling assembly is in a deployed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Naomi Buckley, Benjamin J. Clark, Michael Cummins, Danny Donovan, Mark Gelfand, Luke Hughes, Brian Kelly, Gary Kelly, Grace Kelly, John Kelly, Mark S. Leung, Gwenda McMullin, Barry Mullins, Karun D. Naga, Stephen Nash, Eric Ryba, Fiachra Sweeney, Vicenzo Tilotta, Roman Turovskiy, Lana Woolley, Denise Zarins, Michael Turovskiy
  • Patent number: 9439708
    Abstract: Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an elongated shaft having distal portion and a supply lumen along at least a portion of the shaft. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion intravascularly at a treatment site proximate a renal artery or renal ostium. The supply lumen can be configured to receive a liquid refrigerant. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a cooling assembly at the distal portion of the shaft. The cooling assembly can include an applicator in fluid communication with the supply lumen and configured to deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to nerves proximate the target site when the cooling assembly is in a deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Naomi Buckley, Benjamin J. Clark, Michael Cummins, Danny Donovan, Luke Hughes, Brian Kelly, Gary Kelly, Grace Kelly, John Kelly, Gwenda McMullin, Karun D. Naga, Stephen Nash, Eric Ryba, Fiachra Sweeney, Vincenzo Tilotta, Roman Turovskiy, Lana Woolley, Denise Zarins, Mark Gelfand, Mark S. Leung, Barry Mullins, Michael Turovskiy
  • Publication number: 20160199003
    Abstract: A catheter, such as a fractional flow reserve catheter, includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end optionally coupled to a handle or luer fitting and a distal end having a distal opening. A pressure sensing wire extends to the distal portion of the elongate shaft to be coupled to a pressure sensor mounted on the distal end for measuring a pressure of a fluid within lumen of vessel. The pressure sensor wire is disposed within a pocket formed adjacent to the pressure sensor thereby minimizing the profile of the catheter. Bending or flexing stress or strain experienced by a pressure sensor mounted to a fractional flow reserve catheter when tracking the catheter through the vasculature creates a distortion of the sensor resulting in an incorrect pressure reading or bend error. In order to isolate the sensor from bending or flexing stress and strain, the sensor is mounted so that the sensor is spaced apart from the elongate shaft of the catheter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Christopher Murphy, Fiachra Sweeney, John Kelly
  • Publication number: 20160166158
    Abstract: A processing system received data from a Fractional Flow Reserve device and communicates data to a conventional hemodynamic monitoring system having pressure displays. The processing system receives proximal pressure measurement signal from an aortic pressure measurement device and a distal pressure measurement signal from a distal pressure measurement device. A processor computes an FFR ratio from the proximal pressure measurement signal and the distal pressure measurement signal, and converts FFR ratio to a pressure format such that the FFR ratio reads on the conventional hemodynamic monitoring system as a pressure in units of pressure. The processing system transmits the proximal pressure measurement signal, the distal pressure measurement signal, and the FFR ratio in pressure format to the conventional hemodynamic monitoring system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Fiachra Sweeney, Barry O'Connell, Christopher Murphy
  • Publication number: 20160081564
    Abstract: A catheter, such as a fractional flow reserve catheter, includes an elongate shaft having a pressure sensing wire extending to the distal portion of the elongate shaft. The wire has a pressure sensor mounted on the distal end for measuring a pressure of a fluid within lumen of vessel. The pressure sensor wire is disposed within a pocket formed adjacent to the pressure sensor thereby minimizing the profile of the catheter. Bending stresses experienced by a pressure sensor mounted to a fractional flow reserve catheter when tracking the catheter through the vasculature creates a distortion of the sensor resulting in an incorrect pressure reading or bend error. In order to isolate the sensor from bending stresses, the sensor is spaced apart from the pressure sensor wire to allow the pressure sensor and the pressure sensor wire to move independently from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Christopher Murphy, Sean Ward, Fiachra Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20150359438
    Abstract: Bending stresses experienced by a pressure sensor mounted to a fractional flow reserve catheter when tracking the catheter through the vasculature creates a distortion of the sensor resulting in an incorrect pressure reading or bend error. In order to isolate the sensor from bending stresses, the sensor is mounted with one end coupled to the distal end of the shaft while the other end of the sensor is not coupled to the catheter so that a portion of the sensor is spaced apart from the distal end of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Fiachra Sweeney, Christopher Murphy
  • Publication number: 20150305633
    Abstract: A catheter includes an elongate shaft including a proximal portion and a distal portion extending from the proximal portion to a distal opening at a distal end of the shaft. The proximal portion defines a proximal guidewire lumen and has a first outer diameter. The distal portion defines a distal guidewire lumen in communication with the proximal guidewire lumen and has a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter. A pressure sensor is coupled to the proximal portion such that the pressure sensor faces the proximal guidewire lumen. When the catheter is tracked to a treatment site within the vasculature, the pressure sensor is disposed proximal the treatment site, the distal opening is disposed distal to the treatment site, and the distal guidewire lumen fills with blood such that the pressure sensor senses a pressure of the blood at the distal end of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Medtronic Vascular Galway
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Fiachra Sweeney, Barry O'Connell, Christopher Murphy, Sean Ward
  • Patent number: 9101473
    Abstract: Endovascular prostheses are disclosed that are configured to repair a native venous valve having improper or non-existent valve leaflet coaptation caused by vessel weakness and/or distention. The prostheses are configured to be implanted in the venous system immediately downstream of the malfunctioning valve and act as repair devices to restore proper function to the venous valve by reconfiguring and supporting the valve leaflets and thereby improving their coaptation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Fiachra Sweeney, Michael Cummins, Kent Martin, Stefanie Ahlrichs
  • Publication number: 20150196210
    Abstract: A catheter is disclosed for providing pressure measurements at a vascular lesion. The catheter includes an outer component having a side opening the providing transverse access to a lumen thereof and an inner component slidably disposed within the lumen. The inner component has a guidewire lumen with a proximal side port. When the inner component is longitudinally translated relative to the outer component, the side port of the inner component is accessible through the side opening of the outer component for providing transverse access to a guidewire. A first pressure sensor is disposed proximate of a distal end of the outer component and a second pressure sensor is disposed proximate of a distal end of the inner component, such that relative longitudinal translation between the inner and outer components permits a distance between the first and second pressure sensors to be varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: Medtronic Vascular Galway
    Inventors: Gerry McCaffrey, Fiachra Sweeney, Barry O'Connell, Christopher Murphy
  • Patent number: 9060754
    Abstract: Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes an elongated shaft and a cooling assembly at a distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion intravascularly at a treatment site within or otherwise proximate a renal artery. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a supply lumen configured to carry liquid refrigerant toward the cooling assembly. The cooling assembly can include an applicator in fluid communication with the supply lumen and configured to deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to nerves proximate the target site when in a deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Naomi Buckley, Benjamin J. Clark, Michael Cummins, Danny Donovan, Luke Hughes, Brian Kelly, Gary Kelly, Grace Kelly, John Kelly, Seamus Ledwith, Gwenda McMullin, Karun D. Naga, Stephen Nash, Eric Ryba, Fiachra Sweeney, Vincenzo Tilotta, Roman Turovskiy, Lana Woolley, Denise Zarins, Mark Gelfand, Mark S. Leung, Barry Mullins
  • Patent number: 9060755
    Abstract: Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an elongated shaft having distal portion and a supply lumen along at least a portion of the shaft. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion intravascularly at a treatment site proximate a renal artery or renal ostium. The supply lumen can be configured to receive a liquid refrigerant. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a cooling assembly at the distal portion of the shaft. The cooling assembly can include an applicator in fluid communication with the supply lumen and configured to deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to nerves proximate the target site when the cooling assembly is in a deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Naomi Buckley, Michael Cummins, Danny Donovan, Luke Hughes, Brian Kelly, Gary Kelly, Grace Kelly, John Kelly, Micheal Moriarty, Karun D. Naga, Fiachra Sweeney, Vincenzo Tilotta, Ronan Wood, Lana Woolley, Denise Zarins, Mark S. Leung, Mark Gelfand, Barry Mullins
  • Publication number: 20150148791
    Abstract: Cryotherapeutic systems and cryotherapeutic-system components configured for renal neuromodulation are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include a console having a cartridge housing, a cartridge connector adjacent to the cartridge housing, and a supply passage fluidly connected to the cartridge connector. The console can further include a supply valve along the supply passage and a control assembly including a supply-valve actuator and a user interface. The supply-valve actuator can be operably connected to the supply valve, and the control assembly can be configured to signal the supply-valve actuator to open the supply valve in response to a signal from the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Medtronic Ardian Luxemborug S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Matthew Birdsall, Gabriel Brennan, Anthony Bertrand, Brian Donlon, Kara Harrington, Brian Kelly, Micheal Moriarty, Stephen Nash, Elger Oberwelz, Fiachra Sweeney, Roman Turovskiy
  • Publication number: 20150133800
    Abstract: A catheter is disclosed for providing a pressure measurement at a vascular lesion. The catheter includes a tubular component having dual lumens along at least a segment thereof in which a first lumen acts as a pressure inlet and a second lumen allows the catheter to be tracked over a guidewire. A plurality of openings are located along a distal segment of the tubular component that permit blood flow into the first lumen when disposed in vivo. A pressure sensor is located within a handle component of the catheter or within the tubular component to be in fluid communication with a proximal end of the first lumen. When the catheter is positioned at the vascular lesion, the first lumen fills with blood via the plurality of openings such that the pressure sensor is able to sense a pressure of the blood at a distal end of the catheter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Medtronic Vascular Galway
    Inventors: GERRY MCCAFFREY, FIACHRA SWEENEY, BARRY O'CONNELL, CHRISTOPHER MURPHY
  • Patent number: 8945107
    Abstract: Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an elongated shaft having distal portion and a supply lumen along at least a portion of the shaft. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion intravascularly at a treatment site proximate a renal artery or renal ostium. The supply lumen can be configured to receive a liquid refrigerant. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a cooling assembly at the distal portion of the shaft. The cooling assembly can include an applicator in fluid communication with the supply lumen and configured to deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to nerves proximate the target site when the cooling assembly is in a deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Naomi Buckley, Benjamin J. Clark, Michael Cummins, Danny Donovan, Luke Hughes, Brian Kelly, Gary Kelly, Grace Kelly, John Kelly, Seamus Ledwith, Gwenda McMullin, Karun D. Naga, Stephen Nash, Francesco Piccagli, Eric Ryba, Fiachra Sweeney, Vincenzo Tilotta, Roman Turovskiy, Lana Woolley, Denise Zarins, Mark Gelfand, Mark S. Leung, Barry Mullins
  • Publication number: 20140358136
    Abstract: Embodiments related to cryogenically ablating a vessel wall in a partial circumferential, non-continuous, or helical ablation pattern are disclosed. A catheter is disclosed that includes a cryoballoon for ablation of the vessel wall. A radially expandable insulative element is disposed over the cryoballoon to shield non-targeted tissue of the vessel wall from the cryoballoon and prevent ablation of the non-targeted tissue. Partial circumferential, non-continuous, and helical ablation can be effective for treating a variety of renal, cardio-renal, and other diseases including but not limited to hypertension, heart failure, renal disease, renal failure, contrast nephropathy, arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction. The insulative element may be, for example, a sheath component having opening(s) formed therethrough or may be an outer balloon within which the cryoballoon is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Brian KELLY, Gary Kelly, Barry Mullins, Fiachra Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20140316398
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to selective heating of cryogenic balloons for targeted cryogenic neuromodulation are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion in a vessel. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a cryoballoon extending from the distal portion and a plurality of heating elements arranged about the cryoballoon. The plurality of heating elements can be individually controlled to selectively deliver heat to tissue of a wall of the vessel proximate the outer surface of the cryoballoon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Brian Kelly, Gary Kelly, Barry Mullins, Fiachra Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20140257463
    Abstract: Endovascular prostheses are disclosed that are configured to repair a native venous valve having improper or non-existent valve leaflet coaptation caused by vessel weakness and/or distention. The prostheses are configured to be implanted in the venous system immediately downstream of the malfunctioning valve and act as repair devices to restore proper function to the venous valve by reconfiguring and supporting the valve leaflets and thereby improving their coaptation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
    Inventors: Fiachra Sweeney, Michael Cummins, Kent Martin, Stefanie Ahlrichs
  • Patent number: 8241311
    Abstract: Methods and systems for re-entering the true lumen of a vessel after subintimally bypassing an occlusion in a blood vessel. A guidewire is positionable within a subintimal tract in a wall of the blood vessel with a distal end located beyond the occlusion. A hollow lumen of the guidewire includes a retractable blade slidably exposable adjacent a distal end thereof for rotary cutting or scoring the intima layer of the vessel wall to create a transverse cut or line of weakness in the intima. A balloon catheter is subsequently trackable over the guidewire and once inflated tears or otherwise ruptures the transverse cut, thereby creating or enlarging a passageway into the true lumen of the blood vessel beyond the occlusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Ward, Fiachra Sweeney