Abstract: A permanent magnet in which the magnetization direction varies with location to optimize or restrict a magnetic field property in a selected direction at a selected point. The magnetic field property may be, for example, the transverse magnetic field, axial magnetic field, axial gradient of the transverse magnetic field, transverse gradient of the transverse magnetic field, axis gradient of the axial magnetic field, transverse gradient of the axial magnetic field, the product of the transverse magnetic field and the transverse gradient of the transverse magnetic field, the product of the transverse magnetic field and the axial gradient of the transverse magnetic field, the product of the axial magnetic field and the transverse gradient of the axial magnetic field, or the product of the axial magnetic field and the axial gradient of the axial magnetic field.

Abstract: A method of turning a medical device, having a magnetically responsive element associated with its distal end, at an operating point within an operating region inside a patient's body from an initial direction to a desired final direction, through the movement of at least one external source magnet. The at least one external source magnet is moved in such a way as to change the direction of the distal end of the magnetic medical device from the initial direction to the desired final direction without substantial deviation from the plane containing the initial direction and the desired final direction.

Abstract: A method of making a compound magnet that comprises a plurality of regions at least some of which have different magnetization directions. The method comprises assembling a plurality of sections of magnetizable material having a preferred direction of magnetization into a block, each section corresponding to a region or a part of a region, and the preferred magnetization direction of each section being aligned with the desired magnetization direction of its corresponding region. The sections in the assembled block are magnetized to form the compound magnet.

Abstract: A magnet assembly comprising a magnet mounted for pivoting about a first axis spaced from the magnet, and rotating about a second axis that is perpendicular to and intersects with the first axis. The magnet comprising a plurality of segments each with a magnetization direction such that through a combination of pivoting and rotating the magnet projects a magnetic field in any direction at an operating point spaced from the front of the assembly. The segmented construction with segments of different magnetization directions allows small changes in the orientation of the magnet to substantially change the magnet field direction at a system operating point.

Abstract: A system for magnetically navigating a medical device in an operating region within the body of a patient. The system includes a magnet having a front field projecting from the front of the magnet sufficient to project a magnetic field into the operating region in the patient. The magnet is mounted for movement between a navigation position in which the magnet is located adjacent to the patient with the front of the magnetic generally facing the operating region, and an imaging position in which the magnet is spaced from the patient and the front generally faces away from the operating region.

Abstract: A method of turning a medical device, having a magnetically responsive element associated with its distal end, at an operating point within an operating region inside a patient's body from an initial direction to a desired final direction, through the movement of at least one external source magnet. The at least one external source magnet is moved in such a way as to change the direction of the distal end of the magnetic medical device from the initial direction to the desired final direction without substantial deviation from the plane containing the initial direction and the desired final direction.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for attracting a magnetically responsive substance inserted in a subject's body towards a target area within the body to treat the area. The system generally comprises a medical device having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one magnetic element disposed at the distal end of the medical device for orienting the distal end in a desired direction to place an aperture against the opposite wall of the vessel. The system further includes a voltage that may be applied to a coil that is disposed on the side of the medical device and proximally spaced from the magnetic element. A voltage is applied to the coil to attract the magnetically responsive substances inserted into the body around the coil. A high frequency alternating current voltage is applied to an adjacent transducer to ultrasonically disperse the collected magnetically responsive substances into the surrounding target tissue.

Abstract: A method of operating a remote medical navigation system using ultrasound, employs ultrasound imaging from a medical device to supplement or to replace conventional x-ray imaging of the operating region during navigation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for locating a magnetic implant in a surgical application using the field of a source magnet for the implant guiding field. The source magnet is an electromagnet having a separate calibrated magnetic field component in addition to the guiding field, so that both the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field as a function of position around the magnet are known. A magnetic implant is provided with a sensor, such as a three-axis Hall effect sensor, to provide an indication of the magnitude and orientation of an applied magnetic field when the implant is surgically implanted in a patient. After implantation, the source magnet is energized with a current having a modulated component.

Abstract: A system for imaging and magnetically navigating a medical device within an operating region in a subject's body is provided that comprises a first C-arm and a second C-arm. The system comprises an imaging beam source and an imaging beam receiver mounted on the first C-arm that are positioned to be disposed on opposite sides of the operating region to image the operating region. Some embodiments comprise a pair of magnetic pods, which are movably mounted on either the first or second C-arm. Some embodiments comprise magnetic pods that are movable between an imaging position and a navigating position in which the pods are disposed on opposite sides of the operating region in the same plane as at least one imaging beam source. The magnetic navigation units may apply a navigating magnetic field of at least 0.08 T in any direction to the operating region.

Abstract: A method for ablating tissue is provided that comprises navigating an electrophysiology catheter to the site of the ablation, applying an ablating electrode on the electrophysiology catheter to the tissue to be ablated, applying energy to the electrode to ablate the tissue adjacent the electrode, ultrasonically imaging the site of the ablation, and re-ablating the tissue if the ultrasound imaging does not show a satisfactory ablation. Another embodiment of a method for ablation is provided that comprises forming a line of ablation by applying energy to an electrode to ablate the tissue adjacent the electrode, and ultrasonically imaging the line of ablation to locate points on the line that do not show satisfactory ablation. For points of unsatisfactory ablation, the method provides for navigating an electrophysiology catheter to at least one point on the line that does not show satisfactory ablation, and ablating the tissue at the point.

Abstract: A system for magnetically navigating a medical device in an operating region within the body of a patient. The system includes a magnet having a front field projecting from the front of the magnet sufficient to project a magnetic field into the operating region in the patient. The magnet is mounted for movement between a navigation position in which the magnet is located adjacent to the patient with the front of the magnetic generally facing the operating region, and an imaging position in which the magnet is spaced from the patient and the front generally faces away from the operating region.

Abstract: A magnet assembly comprising a magnet mounted for pivoting about a first axis spaced from the magnet, and rotating about a second axis that is perpendicular to and intersects with the first axis. The magnet comprising a plurality of segments each with a magnetization direction such that through a combination of pivoting and rotating the magnet projects a magnetic field in any direction at an operating point spaced from the front of the assembly. The segmented construction with segments of different magnetization directions allows small changes in the orientation of the magnet to substantially change the magnet field direction at a system operating point.

Abstract: A permanent magnet in which the magnetization direction varies with location to optimize or restrict a magnetic field property in a selected direction at a selected point. The magnetic field property may be, for example, the transverse magnetic field, axial magnetic field, axial gradient of the transverse magnetic field, transverse gradient of the transverse magnetic field, axis gradient of the axial magnetic field, transverse gradient of the axial magnetic field, the product of the transverse magnetic field and the transverse gradient of the transverse magnetic field, the product of the transverse magnetic field and the axial gradient of the transverse magnetic field, the product of the axial magnetic field and the transverse gradient of the axial magnetic field, or the product of the axial magnetic field and the axial gradient of the axial magnetic field.

Abstract: Embolic devices and materials include an expansible polymer, and magnetically responsive material that allow the embolic devices and materials to be guided into, and held within, vascular defects, while the expansible polymer expands. In some embodiments, the expansion of the expansible polymer reduces the density of the magnetic material, so that subsequent magnetic surgery and magnetic imaging procedures can still employed.

Abstract: A system for magnetically navigating a medical device in an operating region within the body of a patient. The system includes a magnet having a front field projecting from the front of the magnet sufficient to project a magnetic field into the operating region in the patient. The magnet is mounted for movement between a navigation position in which the magnet is located adjacent to the patient with the front of the magnetic generally facing the operating region, and an imaging position in which the magnet is spaced from the patient and the front generally faces away from the operating region.

Abstract: A method of turning a medical device, having a magnetically responsive element associated with its distal end, at an operating point within an operating region inside a patients body from an initial direction to a desired final direction, through the movement of at least one external source magnet. The at least one external source magnet is moved in such a way as to change the direction of the distal end of the magnetic medical device from the initial direction to the desired final direction without substantial deviation from the plane containing the initial direction and the desired final direction.