Abstract: Disclosed is an intraluminal catheter that includes a flexible elongate shaft configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, and an intraluminal sensor disposed at the distal portion of the shaft that is configured to sense a characteristic within the body lumen. The shaft further comprises a plurality of wires disposed around a lumen, wherein the wires are helically twisted. The wires can be helically twisted in a single direction to form a cylindrical shape. This helical structure is configured to stiffen the flexible elongate shaft for movement into an obstruction within the body lumen without kinking.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with increased flexibility and radiopaque measurement visibility. The radiopaque measurement bands are formed of a continuous coil of radiopaque material defined by areas of tightly packed coils spaced by areas of loosely wound coils. Systems and methods of utilizing the measurement structure are also provided.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with increased flexibility and radiopaque measurement visibility. The radiopaque measurement bands are formed of a continuous coil of radiopaque material defined by areas of tightly packed coils spaced by areas of loosely wound coils. Systems and methods of utilizing the measurement structure are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an intraluminal catheter that includes a flexible elongate shaft configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, and an intraluminal sensor disposed at the distal portion of the shaft that is configured to sense a characteristic within the body lumen. The shaft further comprises a plurality of wires disposed around a lumen, wherein the wires are helically twisted. The wires can be helically twisted in a single direction to form a cylindrical shape. This helical structure is configured to stiffen the flexible elongate shaft for movement into an obstruction within the body lumen without kinking.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with increased flexibility and radiopaque measurement visibility. The radiopaque measurement bands are formed of a continuous coil of radiopaque material defined by areas of tightly packed coils spaced by areas of loosely wound coils. Systems and methods of utilizing the measurement structure are also provided.

Abstract: An intravascular measurement system is provided. The system includes a catheter having a plurality of visible markers on a proximal portion that are proportional to a plurality of radiopaque markers on a distal portion. In at least one aspect, the system includes an imaging device adjacent the distal end.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with increased flexibility and radiopaque measurement visibility. The radiopaque measurement bands are formed of a continuous coil of radiopaque material defined by areas of tightly packed coils spaced by areas of loosely wound coils. Systems and methods of utilizing the measurement structure are also provided.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with increased flexibility and radiopaque measurement visibility. The radiopaque measurement bands are formed of a continuous coil of radiopaque material defined by areas of tightly packed coils spaced by areas of loosely wound coils. Systems and methods of utilizing the measurement structure are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides various embodiments of products for a tapered catheter tip and methods of forming a tapered distal tip for a catheter. An exemplary tapered catheter tip of the invention includes a proximal segment, a distal segment, and a midsection there between. The midsection includes at least two tip materials in an overlapping configuration and the distal segment includes one of the at least two tip materials.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with increased flexibility and radiopaque measurement visibility. The radiopaque measurement bands are formed of a continuous coil of radiopaque material defined by areas of tightly packed coils spaced by areas of loosely wound coils. Systems and methods of utilizing the measurement structure are also provided.

Abstract: An intravascular measurement system is provided. The system includes a catheter having a plurality of visible markers on a proximal portion that are proportional to a plurality of radiopaque markers on a distal portion. In at least one aspect, the system includes an imaging device adjacent the distal end.

Abstract: The invention tissue injection catheters are designed to facilitate injection of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to an interior body cavity, especially the myocardium or epicardium of the heart with precisely controlled depth penetration. The invention injection catheters, which include mechanisms for precisely controlling the length of needle tip exposed for tissue penetration, are designed to be used in an assemblage with a sterile container and delivery actuator for reinjection of autologous cell-containing fluids, such as autologous bone marrow aspirate. In preferred embodiments, the assemblage is designed to be hand-held. When used in such an assemblage, the invention catheters are particularly useful as a gene delivery device to effect angiogenesis of ischemic areas of the heart.

Abstract: The invention provides systems containing a sterile container for aspiration, filtering, treating and reinjection into a subject of a bodily fluid in a sterile environment. The systems are particularly designed to facilitate transfection of cells within the sterile container by gene therapy molecules and reinjection of the transfected cells into the donor at controlled depth in precisely controlled volumes such as is useful for revascularization of ischemic cardiac tissue. For injection, a pressure actuator, preferably hand-held, applies force to liquids held within the sterile container in precisely controlled increments, thereby expressing liquids through a hollow needle or injection catheter in precisely controlled microvolumes. The invention systems include a hand-held injection device with audible cues that correspond to an operator-selected injection volume and/or audible cues that correspond to needle penetration depth selected by the operator.

Abstract: A flexible stabilizer arm assembly is provided that can be positioned in a desired three-dimensional attitude and then fixed in place to forceably hold an object against an undulating surface. In one embodiment, the invention assembly comprises a mounting base for attachment of the arm to a stationary fixture, a flexible arm of multiple articulated elongate links rotatably joined to adjacent links, a freely rotatable turret joint at the distal end of the arm that is adapted to attach an appendage in freely rotatable fashion to the distal end of the arm. Once positioned, a tightening mechanism is actuated to fix the attitude of the arm with respect to the mounting base. Optionally, the appendage is a two-tined foot adapted for holding a surgical instrument, such as a suction body, against a beating heart. The flexible arm, which ranges up to 12 inches in length, can withstand an undulating force exerted against the distal end of up to 20 pounds while remaining in the fixed position.

Abstract: The invention provides systems containing a sterile container for aspiration, filtering, treating and reinjection into a subject of a bodily fluid in a sterile environment. The systems are particularly designed to facilitate transfection of cells within the sterile container by gene therapy molecules and reinjection of the transfected cells into the donor at controlled depth in precisely controlled volumes such as is useful for revascularization of ischemic cardiac tissue. For injection, a pressure actuator, preferably hand-held, applies force to liquids held within the sterile container in precisely controlled increments, thereby expressing liquids through a hollow needle or injection catheter in precisely controlled microvolumes. The invention systems include a hand-held injection device with audible cues that correspond to an operator-selected injection volume and/or audible cues that correspond to needle penetration depth selected by the operator.

Abstract: The invention tissue injection catheters are designed to facilitate injection of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to an interior body cavity, especially the myocardium or epicardium of the heart with precisely controlled depth penetration. The invention injection catheters, which include mechanisms for precisely controlling the length of needle tip exposed for tissue penetration, are designed to be used in an assemblage with a sterile container and delivery actuator for reinjection of autologous cell-containing fluids, such as autologous bone marrow aspirate. In preferred embodiments, the assemblage is designed to be hand-held. When used in such an assemblage, the invention catheters are particularly useful as a gene delivery device to effect angiogenesis of ischemic areas of the heart.

Abstract: A flexible stabilizer arm assembly is provided that can be positioned in a desired three-dimensional attitude and then fixed in place to forceably hold an object against an undulating surface. In one embodiment, the invention assembly comprises a mounting base for attachment of the arm to a stationary fixture, a flexible arm of multiple articulated elongate links rotatably joined to adjacent links, a freely rotatable turret joint at the distal end of the arm that is adapted to attach an appendage in freely rotatable fashion to the distal end of the arm. Once positioned, a tightening mechanism is actuated to fix the attitude of the arm with respect to the mounting base. Optionally, the appendage is a two-tined foot adapted for holding a surgical instrument, such as a suction body, against a beating heart. The flexible arm, which ranges up to 12 inches in length, can withstand an undulating force exerted against the distal end of up to 20 pounds while remaining in the fixed position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a guide wire extension docking system for angioplasty including a guide wire and an extension wire to facilitate exchanging a balloon dilatation catheter comprising a guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end, an extension wire having a proximal end and a distal end, a hypotube having a proximal end, a distal end, an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the outer diameter of the hypotube being equal to the diameter of the extension wire, the proximal end of the hypotube being permanently affixed to the distal end of the extension wire, the distal end of the hypotube having a tongue extending distally and a spring coil with a proximal end, a distal end, an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the outer diameter of the spring coil being equal to the outer diameter of the hypotube, the spring coil having a length approximately twice the length of the tongue, the outer diameter of the spring coil being permanently affixed to the tongue such that the proximal end of the spring

Abstract: A mounting and transfer device and method for installing a stent on a delivery device that inserts the stent into a body lumen. The device includes a generally cylindrical mandrel for receiving and frictionally holding a stent, a handle at a first end of the mandrel and a guide rod extending axially from the second of the mandrel. The second end of the mandrel has a conical recess surrounding the guide rod exit. In use, a stent is placed on the mandrel, the distal end of the guide rod is fully inserted into a guide wire lumen at an end a delivery system such as a catheter and the stent is slid from the mandrel onto the balloon and crimped in place. A tube of heat shrinkable material may be placed over the stent on the mandrel and heat shrunk to lightly press against the stent. The tube and stent are transferred to the balloon and crimped.

Abstract: An elastomeric compression unit forming a balloon protector for a catheter and a catheter system having the balloon protector are disclosed. The balloon protector is formed of an elastomeric tube, preferably silicone, lined with lubricious material. The lubricious lining may be a coating such as silicone or may be a Teflon.TM. tube. The Teflon.TM. tube is split longitudinally, so that the compressive forces of the protector are transmitted through it to the balloon. In the preferred embodiment, the split is made tangential to the inner surface of the Teflon.TM. tube. In the catheter system, the inner lumen is preferably non-compressible, or a stylet is inserted within it to preclude its compression.