Abstract: Phosphine and/or phosphine oxide promoters are effectively separated from propylene oxide reaction solvents through use of a membrane effective to retain the phosphine and/or phosphine oxide.

Abstract: Phenol is formed by reaction of oxidant and benzene over a solid catalyst such as Pd on TS-1, the reaction being carried out in carbon dioxide solvent at conditions effective to provide a dense phase reaction mixture.

Abstract: Propylene oxide is formed by reaction of propylene with molecular oxygen in a high boiling solvent containing slurried solid catalyst, the light components are flashed and the remaining liquid containing slurried catalyst is recycled.

Abstract: Oxidation products are recovered from a mixture of the products in a dense phase or supercritical solvent by a liquid—liquid extraction at dense phase conditions.

Abstract: A balloon catheter and stent delivery system for medical treatment of a patient includes a balloon inflatable to an inflated shape having a cylindrical working portion, and a deflated shape that is temporarily reformed to enhance longitudinal retention of the stent while the catheter system is advanced or withdrawn. The balloon catheter provides for uniform expansion of the stent when the balloon is inflated. In addition, the balloon catheter system can be modified to initiate partial inflation of the proximal and distal ends of the stent, to further resist longitudinal motion of the stent during inflation, and to facilitate more effective tacking of the stent. One possible feature of the catheter system is that the balloon is pleated in a particular pattern when deflated, whereby the central balloon portion carrying the stent has a greater number of pleats than the pillow portions proximal and distal of the stent.

Abstract: A balloon catheter and stent delivery system for medical treatment of a patient includes a balloon inflatable to an inflated shape having a cylindrical working portion, and a deflated shape that is temporarily reformed to enhance longitudinal retention of the stent while the catheter system is advanced or withdrawn, with various additional features.

Abstract: A balloon catheter and stent delivery system for medical treatment of a patient includes a balloon inflatable to an inflated shape having a cylindrical working portion, and a deflated shape that is temporarily reformed to enhance longitudinal retention of the stent while the catheter system is advanced or withdrawn. The balloon catheter provides for uniform expansion of the stent when the balloon is inflated. In addition, the balloon catheter system can be modified to initiate partial inflation of the proximal and distal ends of the stent, to further resist longitudinal motion of the stent during inflation, and to facilitate more effective tacking of the stent. One possible feature of the catheter system is that the balloon is pleated in a particular pattern when deflated, whereby the central balloon portion carrying the stent has a greater number of pleats than the shoulder portions proximal and distal of the stent.

Abstract: A balloon catheter and stent delivery system for medical treatment of a patient includes a balloon inflatable to an inflated shape having a cylindrical working portion, and a deflated shape that is temporarily reformed to enhance longitudinal retention of the stent while the catheter system is advanced or withdrawn. The balloon catheter provides for uniform expansion of the stent when the balloon is inflated. In addition, the balloon catheter system can be modified to initiate partial inflation of the proximal and distal ends of the stent, to further resist longitudinal motion of the stent during inflation, and to facilitate more effective tacking of the stent. One possible feature of the catheter system is that the balloon is pleated in a particular pattern when deflated, whereby the central balloon portion carrying the stent has a greater number of pleats than the pillow portions proximal and distal of the stent.

Abstract: A balloon catheter defines a balloon having a cylindrical outer surface of a diameter essentially no greater than the diameter of the tubular shaft. Additionally, a method is disclosed in which one inserts a catheter into the arterial system of a patient, and increasingly pressurizes a balloon made of work-hardenable material to elastically expand the balloon to such a first pressure that sufficient work-hardening takes place in the expanding balloon to cause the diameter of the balloon to substantially cease its expansion in response to a pressure range increasing from the first pressure. One then terminates the increase of the pressure at that point to cause the catheter to assume a first, predetermined maximum diameter. Catheter balloons can each be expanded to two different, known, work-hardened diameters by this invention.

Abstract: A balloon catheter defines a balloon having a cylindrical outer surface of a diameter essentially no greater than the diameter of the tubular shaft. Additionally, a method is disclosed in which one inserts a catheter into the arterial system of a patient, and increasingly pressurizes a balloon made of work-hardenable material to elastically expand the balloon to such a first pressure that sufficient work-hardening takes place in the expanding balloon to cause the diameter of the balloon to substantially cease its expansion in response to a pressure range increasing from the first pressure. One then terminates the increase of the pressure at that point to cause the catheter to assume a first, predetermined maximum diameter. Catheter balloons can each be expanded to two different, known, work-hardened diameters by this invention.

Abstract: A balloon catheter defines a balloon having a cylindrical outer surface of a diameter essentially no greater than the diameter of the tubular shaft. Additionally, a method is disclosed in which one inserts a catheter into the arterial system of a patient, and increasingly pressurizes a balloon made of work-hardenable material to elastically expand the balloon to such a first pressure that sufficient work-hardening takes place in the expanding balloon to cause the diameter of the balloon to substantially cease its expansion in response to a pressure range increasing from the first pressure. One then terminates the increase of the pressure at that point to cause the catheter to assume a first, predetermined maximum diameter. Catheter balloons can each be expanded to two different, known, work-hardened diameters by this invention.

Abstract: An angioplasty system including a guiding catheter for inserting into and traversing a human blood vessel. The guiding catheter receives and guides a balloon catheter and/or a PTCA guidewire into an area to be treated in a blood vessel. The catheter has an elongate body with a proximal end and a distal end and is made out of a flexible and dimensionally stable material to afford an expandable lumen and spring properties at the distal end. The distal end has a longitudinal slot for enabling one side wall portion of the catheter wall to slide under the other side wall portion for achieving partially overlapping catheter wall portions and for creating a spiral fold tip. The spiral fold tip is tapered to facilitate movement of the tip through a blood vessel.

Abstract: A balloon catheter comprises a catheter shaft, an inflation lumen defined in the catheter shaft, an inner balloon attached to the catheter shaft, with the interior of the inner balloon communicating with the inflation lumen, and an outer balloon surrounding the inner balloon. The inner balloon can be expanded by applying pressurized fluid through the inflation lumen for expansion of the inner and outer balloons, with the outer balloon being driven to expansion by the inner balloon. The inner balloon has a maximum inflation diameter which cannot be exceeded without bursting, while the outer balloon is capable of inflation to a diameter which is at least about 10 percent greater than the maximum inflation diameter of the inner balloon. Thus, upon further inflation, the inner balloon breaks at a predetermined diameter, permitting the outer balloon to be further expanded by further addition of inflation fluid through the lumen. Thus two balloons are controlled by a single inflation lumen.