Abstract: A viewing trocar assembly is provided including a tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end, and an opening provided at the distal end, and at least one imaging device positioned on an outer wall of the distal end of the tubular body, wherein the at least one imaging device is adjacent to the outer wall of the distal end of the tubular body when in an inactivated position, and wherein the at least one imaging device is extended further away from the outer wall of the distal end of the tubular body when in an activated position than when in the inactivated position.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system is provided including at least one robotic unit that is mechanically self-contained such that the robotic unit is movable on a bodily surface inside a patient's body independently of any structure positioned outside of the patient's body, and a control device positioned remotely from the at least one robotic unit, wherein said control device transmits commands that manipulate the at least one robotic unit inside the patient's body. A method of performing a robotically assisted medical procedure is also provided, including positioning at least one robotic unit inside a patient's body, moving the robotic unit on a bodily surface inside the patient's body by transmitting commands thereto via a control device that is positioned remotely from the at least one robotic unit, and actuating at least one medical tool positioned on the robotic unit via the control device.

Abstract: A method of extravasated delivery of a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to tissue is provided including inserting a catheter with a first balloon, a second balloon and a third balloon into a bodily cavity, inflating the first and second balloons by supplying fluid thereto to create a chamber, delivering the agent to the chamber, and increasing fluid pressure within the chamber by inflating the third balloon to facilitate extravasation of the agent into tissue. A multi-balloon catheter system is also provided including a catheter having a first balloon, a second balloon and a third balloon, and a fluid source that inflates the first and second balloons by supplying fluid thereto to create a chamber, wherein the catheter includes a fluid pathway for delivering the agent, and the fluid source increases fluid pressure within the chamber by supplying fluid to the third balloon such that the agent is extravasated into tissue.

Abstract: A balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to tissue is described including an outer balloon having a wall with an opening therethrough and an inner surface, an inner balloon disposed in the outer balloon, enclosing an inflation chamber and having an outer surface defining a space between the outer surface of the inner balloon and the inner surface of the outer balloon, a catheter having a first lumen in fluid communication with the space between the inner balloon and the outer balloon for supplying the agent thereto, and a second lumen through which fluid is supplied to the inflation chamber for inflating the inner balloon to urge the agent out of the opening in the outer balloon, wherein the outer balloon and/or the inner balloon comprise at least one protrusion for directing the agent formed by an inner balloon wall and/or the outer balloon wall.

Abstract: An anchored working channel includes an elongated shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, and at least one inflatable balloon positioned at the distal end of the elongated shaft and having an outer wall having an outer surface for contacting surrounding tissue, wherein the elongated shaft has a first lumen through which fluid is supplied to inflate the at least one inflatable balloon such that the balloon anchors the shaft to surrounding tissue, wherein the elongated shaft has a second lumen that accommodates at least one medical instrument and/or device inserted therein, and wherein the outer surface of the at least one inflatable balloon comprises a textured surface for preventing slippage of the outer surface on surrounding tissue.

Abstract: A resector balloon system is disclosed generally comprising a catheter with at least one balloon having an outer wall with a resecting, non-slip surface for resecting unwanted biological material, such as tissues or tumors, and a pump that supplies fluid thereto in pulsed fashion to repeatedly deflate and inflate said balloon. In certain embodiments, the pump includes a processor that controls the pulsed supply of fluid based on an established frequency or change in volume. In some embodiments, the system includes a keyed connector with which the pump identifies the balloon type, and in some cases, the system calculates intra-lumen diameters and densities. In some embodiments, the balloon portion of the catheter includes multiple balloon segments, which in some cases, are inflatable separately from one another.

Abstract: A balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to tissue is described including an outer balloon having a wall with an opening therethrough and an inner surface, an inner balloon disposed in the outer balloon, enclosing an inflation chamber and having an outer surface defining a space between the outer surface of the inner balloon and the inner surface of the outer balloon, a catheter having a first lumen in fluid communication with the space between the inner balloon and the outer balloon for supplying the agent thereto, and a second lumen through which fluid is supplied to the inflation chamber for inflating the inner balloon to urge the agent out of the opening in the outer balloon, wherein the outer balloon and/or the inner balloon comprise at least one protrusion for directing the agent.

Abstract: A resector balloon includes an outer wall having a resecting surface that resects biological material. The balloon also includes a woven sleeve including at least one woven thread disposed on at least a portion of the outer wall. The woven sleeve forms at least a portion of the resecting surface. In certain embodiments, the woven sleeve includes weft knit threads including crossover points where the threads overlap. In some embodiments, the woven sleeve includes electrically conductive threads.

Abstract: A balloon resection method is disclosed generally comprising inserting a catheter with at least one balloon having an outer wall with a resecting, non-slip surface for resecting unwanted biological material, such as tissues or tumors, and supplying fluid thereto in pulsed fashion to repeatedly deflate and inflate the balloon. In certain embodiments, a pump controls the pulsed supply of fluid based on an established frequency or change in volume. In some embodiments, the a keyed connector is used to identify the balloon type, and in some cases, intra-lumen diameters and densities are calculated. In some embodiments, the balloon portion of the catheter includes multiple balloon segments, which in some cases, are inflatable separately from one another.

Abstract: A balloon catheter for providing a 3-dimensional rendering of the interior of a cavity, the catheter system including a controller, a catheter connected to the controller and a balloon positioned on the catheter. The balloon includes a mesh having members extending longitudinally and circumferentially about the balloon where each member of the mesh has an electrical characteristic that changes as the member is deformed. The controller uses a measurement of the variable electrical characteristic to generate a three-dimensional rendering of an interior surface of the cavity, which can be rotating to different viewing angles.

Abstract: A method of dilating a paranasal sinus ostium of a patient, which includes inserting a catheter having at least one balloon into a sinus ostium having an ostial wall, inflating the balloon by supplying fluid thereto such that the balloon exerts a force on the ostial wall, determining at least one parameter of the balloon, establishing an amount the balloon can be inflated without fracturing the sinus ostium based at least in part on the determined parameter of the balloon, and dilating the sinus ostium by inflating the balloon to an amount that does not exceed the established amount.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treatment of hypoxic tumors are provided, including the steps of positioning a delivery device in a bodily cavity adjacent to tumor tissue, delivering an oxygenating agent to the tumor tissue via the delivery device and radiating the tumor tissue with radiation. Methods and systems of treatment of tumors are also provided, including the steps of positioning a delivery device in a bodily cavity adjacent to tumor tissue, delivering a photosensitizing agent to the tumor tissue via the delivery device, and radiating the tumor tissue with light.

Abstract: A balloon catheter with delivery probe and method of use for delivering a therapeutic agent and/or diagnostic agent to tissue is provided. The catheter has a balloon, a first lumen and a probe movably disposed in the first lumen of said catheter. The probe has a lumen for delivering a diagnostic and/or therapeutic agent to tissue. The catheter has a third lumen through which fluid is supplied to the balloon. The catheter with delivery probe may be inserted into a bodily cavity such that the distal end of the probe extends out of an opening in the catheter. When the balloon is inflated the probe is captured between an outer wall of the balloon and the tissue so that therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent may be delivered to the tissue through the probe lumen via the distal end of the probe.

Abstract: An adjustable balloon catheter for extravasated drug delivery is disclosed generally including an outer catheter with a first balloon and an inner catheter with a second balloon. The inner catheter is moveably disposed in a lumen of the outer catheter such that the inner catheter moves relative to the outer catheter, changing the distance between the balloons. A fluid source supplies air to the catheters via lumens therein to inflate the balloons to create a chamber between them, and at least one of the catheters has a lumen for delivering a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to the chamber. The inner catheter is then moved relative to the outer catheter to decrease the size of the chamber between the balloons and decrease the fluid pressure therein such that the therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent is extravasated into the surrounding tissue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to tissue within a bodily cavity is provided herein. The apparatus may include a catheter assembly including a catheter and a delivery balloon having an expandable material disposed thereon, wherein the expandable material may be an absorbent at least partially charged with a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent. The method may include the step of delivering a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to tissue by inflating the delivery balloon by supplying fluid thereto until the expandable material adopts an expanded state in which the expandable material contacts the tissue and is implanted in a bodily cavity.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treatment of hypoxic tumors are provided, including the steps of positioning a delivery device in a bodily cavity adjacent to tumor tissue, delivering an oxygenating agent to the tumor tissue via the delivery device and radiating the tumor tissue with radiation. Methods and systems of treatment of tumors are also provided, including the steps of positioning a delivery device in a bodily cavity adjacent to tumor tissue, delivering a photosensitizing agent to the tumor tissue via the delivery device, and radiating the tumor tissue with light.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a mesh affixed thereto. The mesh is formed having members extending longitudinally and circumferentially about the balloon into columns and rows respectively. Each member of the mesh has a resistance or impedance that changes as the member is deformed such that, when the member comprises a length (L) a measured resistance or impedance will be different than when the member comprise a length (L1) where L1 is greater than L.

Abstract: An imaging catheter device includes a catheter body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen; a cleaning member disposed at the distal end; and an imaging device movably disposed in the lumen and through the cleaning member; wherein the cleaning member includes a conduit through which the imaging device moves and a flexible material at least partially occluding the conduit such that the imaging device displaces at least some of the flexible material when moved through the conduit. A method of cleaning an imaging catheter device includes disposing a cleaning member including a conduit and a flexible material at least partially occluding the conduit at a distal end of a catheter lumen; positioning an imaging device in the catheter lumen; and cleaning the imaging device by moving it through the conduit such that it displaces at least some of the flexible material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a steerable catheter device and method of using the same comprising a catheter body having a distal section. The distal section of the catheter body has an inner lumen, and one or more steering lumen radially offset from the inner lumen. The steering lumen comprise a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. A fluid source is in fluid communication with the steering lumen for supplying fluid thereto to radially distend the first end of the steering lumen such that the catheter body bends away from the steering lumen. In some cases, a vacuum is supplied to an opposite lumen to further assist bending of the catheter body. The inner lumen may include a porous material that is utilized to clean an instrument, such as an imaging device, movably disposed in the inner lumen.

Abstract: A balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to tissue is described including an outer balloon having a wall with an opening therethrough and an inner surface, an inner balloon disposed in the outer balloon, enclosing an inflation chamber and having an outer surface defining a space between the outer surface of the inner balloon and the inner surface of the outer balloon, a catheter having a first lumen in fluid communication with the space between the inner balloon and the outer balloon for supplying the agent thereto, and a second lumen through which fluid is supplied to the inflation chamber for inflating the inner balloon to urge the agent out of the opening in the outer balloon, wherein the outer balloon and/or the inner balloon comprise at least one protrusion for directing the agent.