Abstract: An in-situ fenestration device for locating a fenestration site and for forming a fenestration. The in-situ fenestration device includes first and second magnetic locators configured to magnetically mate in a mated position within a vasculature of a patient at the fenestration site. The in-situ fenestration device also includes first and second heating elements configured to heat the first and second magnetic locators to form the fenestration at the fenestration site.

Abstract: An in-situ fenestration device including a fenestration catheter extending along a longitudinal axis and a proximal tip extending from the fenestration catheter. The fenestration catheter includes a first articulating element and a second articulating element. The first articulating element is articulable about the longitudinal axis from a delivery state to a deployment state. The second articulating element articulable about the longitudinal axis from the delivery state to the deployment state. The first articulating element and the second articulating element in the deployment state are configured to form a fenestration in a graft material at a fenestration site of a stent graft.

Abstract: A system for delivering a stent into a body lumen includes an inner tubular member configured to advance through an access site in a wall of a body lumen for delivering a stent into the body lumen and an electrode configured to create the access site in the wall of the body lumen. A tubular sleeve is disposed coaxially over the distal end portion of the inner tubular member and is configured to thermally insulate at least a portion of the inner tubular member.

Abstract: A method for determining a pressure gradient between proximal and distal locations within a vasculature of a patient. The method includes deploying an ancillary device within the vasculature. The ancillary device integrates a proximal sensor at the proximal location and a distal sensor at the distal location. The method further includes deploying, via a stent graft delivery system, a stent graft within the vasculature to obtain a deployed stent graft. The ancillary device is independent from the stent graft delivery system and the stent graft. The method further includes outputting proximal pressure data from the proximal sensor and indicative of pressure at the proximal location and distal pressure data from the distal sensor and indicative of pressure at the distal location. The method also includes determining the pressure gradient using the proximal and distal pressure data.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for stent delivery and positioning for transluminal application. The system may include a stent that is disposed coaxially onto an inner tubular member. In some cases, the system may include an outer sheath disposed coaxially along at least a portion of the inner tubular member. The system may include a distal cutting element coupled with a distal end of the inner tubular member and an anchoring component disposed at a distal portion of the inner tubular member. The anchoring component may be configured to retain a distal portion of the stent in place along the inner tubular member as the outer sheath is retracted proximally to deploy the stent, wherein upon retraction of the outer sheath, the stent releases from the anchoring component and expands into a deployed configuration within the body lumen.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing an intelligent assistance (“IA”) or extended intelligence (“EI”) ecosystem for soft tissue luminal applications. In various embodiments, a computing system analyzes first layer input data (indicating movement, position, and/or relative distance for a person(s) and object(s) in a room) and second layer input data. The second layer input data includes sensor and/or imaging data of a patient. Based on the analysis, the computing system generates one or more recommendations for guiding a medical professional in navigating a surgical device(s) with respect to one or more soft tissue luminal portions of the patient. The recommendation(s) include at least one mapped guide toward, in, and/or around the one or more soft tissue luminal portions. The mapped guide can include data corresponding to at least three dimensions, e.g., a 3D image/video. The computing system can present the recommendation(s) as image-based output, using a user experience device.

Abstract: A stent graft delivery system includes a stent graft and a thermal stent graft cutter for shortening the stent graft to a desired length in vivo. The thermal stent graft cutter is coupled to at least one of a stent graft cover at a distal longitudinal end of a cover body thereof, and the inner lumen tip of an inner lumen. A safety system allows activation of the stent graft cutter only when the stent graft is suitably sandwiched between the inner lumen tip and the distal end of the stent graft cover to inhibit inadvertent activation of the cutter and provide for proper cutting of the stent graft.

Abstract: Embodiments hereof relate to a guidewire formed from an elongated shaft, at least a portion of the shaft having an outer layer, a plurality of channels formed through the outer layer, and an inner core. The outer layer is formed from a material non susceptible to erosion by an erosion agent and the inner core is formed from a radiopaque material susceptible to erosion by the erosion agent. When exposed to the erosion agent, core material adjacent to the channels is removed to form a pattern of integral radiopaque segments or markers with a plurality of voids therebetween. By controlling the location of channels and the rate of erosion of the core material, the pattern of integral radiopaque segments and voids allow for in situ measurement when viewed under fluoroscopy.

Abstract: A method of deploying a stent graft includes radially constraining proximal apexes of a proximal anchor stent ring of the stent-graft in a space between merlons of a castellated sleeve of a tip and a spindle having spindle pins, the proximal apexes extending around the spindle pins. A graft material of the stent-graft is radially constrained in a primary sheath, a proximal end of the graft material being attached to distal apexes of the proximal anchor stent ring. The proximal anchor stent ring further includes struts extending between the proximal apexes and the distal apexes. The primary sheath is retracted to allow the proximal end of the graft material and the distal apexes of the proximal anchor stent ring to pivot out beyond the confines of the sleeve to a large angle as the proximal end radially expands. The struts then extend through embrasures of the castellated sleeve. The tip is advanced to deploy the proximal apexes.

Abstract: A tubular prosthesis comprises a tubular graft; and an undulating stent having a plurality of apexes, a first end defined at least in part by a first group of the apexes, and a second end defined at least in part by a second group of the apexes, the first group of apexes being pivotally attached to the tubular graft so as to form a plurality of circumferentially arranged hinges about which the stent can pivot so that the second group of apexes can move between a position where they are inside the tubular graft and a position where they are outside the tubular graft.

Abstract: An irritant or polymer is dispensed to the inner surface area of an aneurysm to exert a contractile force on the inner surface area of the aneurysm, thereby shrinking the aneurysm. As a result, the artery wall at the aneurysm site is strengthened, the risk of rupture is decreased, and at least a partial cure for the expansion of the arterial wall at the aneurysm site is provided.

Abstract: An irritant or polymer is dispensed to the inner surface area of an aneurysm to exert a contractile force on the inner surface area of the aneurysm, thereby shrinking the aneurysm. As a result, the artery wall at the aneurysm site is strengthened, the risk of rupture is decreased, and at least a partial cure for the expansion of the arterial wall at the aneurysm site is provided.

Abstract: A structure and method for deploying an eyelet in a membrane, where the eyelet includes: a waist section; a first anchor section coupled to and flared from the waist section; and a second anchor section coupled to and flared from the waist section. The eyelet is deployed such that the waist section is located within a membrane opening of the membrane thus keeping the membrane opening open. Further, the membrane is sandwiched between the first and second anchor sections thus anchoring the eyelet to the membrane.

Abstract: An ETV procedure includes forming a burr hole in a human skull; passing an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) probe through the burr hole; fenestrating the floor of the third ventricle with the ETV probe to form an opening in the floor; and measuring a flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with a flow sensor of the ETV probe. The ETV procedure further includes deploying a membrane eyelet into the opening; and measuring a flow of CSF through the opening with a flow sensor of the membrane eyelet.

Abstract: An over-the-wire catheter provides substantially shadow-free delivery of radiation to a body lumen by having a treatment region wherein a guidewire tube and a radiation source tube form a parallel double helix configuration. When a radiation source is inserted into the radiation source tube and a guidewire is present in the guidewire tube, no portion of the treatment site will be obscured from all radiation emitted by the radiation source because, within the treatment region, the guidewire and the radiation source are not in a conventional, axially parallel configuration. Optionally, a balloon may be mounted about or adjacent the treatment region of the catheter, the balloon providing centering and/or dilatation functions.

Abstract: The invention is an intraluminal therapy catheter having a least two treatment members disposed near the distal end of the catheter, the members being independently inflatable to perform angioplasty and/or fluid-sourced brachytherapy. A first treatment member is helically mounted about the shaft of the catheter, and forms a helical perfusion channel when inflated into contact with the vessel being treated. In a first embodiment of the invention, the second treatment member is also helically mounted about the catheter shaft and capable of forming a helical perfusion channel when inflated into contact with the vessel. The first and second treatment members are intertwined to form a double helix configuration wherein each member is capable of being inflated to generally fill the helical perfusion channel created by simultaneous inflation of the other member.

Abstract: An exclusion stent includes a proximal anchor and distal anchor for anchoring the exclusion stent within a parent vessel. A center mesh is connected to and extends between the proximal anchor and the distal anchor. During use, the exclusion stent is deployed such that the center mesh extends across an aneurysm. The center mesh restricts blood flow to the aneurysm. However, the center mesh does not completely block blood flow, thus insuring blood flow to perforators of the parent vessel.

Abstract: A stent delivery catheter includes an extendable shaft portion, a tubular balloon mounted thereon, a stent and a pair of elastic retaining caps. The balloon is mounted onto the catheter at a mounted length that is shorter than the formed length of the balloon to generate excess balloon material which is gathered into circumferential folds. The extendable portion of the catheter shaft elongates in response to tension applied by the balloon as the folds open during inflation. Elongation of the catheter shaft drives the retaining caps apart to uncover the ends of the stent.

Abstract: A stent delivery catheter and method for making the same includes a tubular balloon, an elastic sleeve, and a stent. The balloon is mounted around a catheter shaft, and the stent is crimped onto the balloon. The elastic sleeve is positioned between the balloon and the stent, the sleeve extending beyond the ends of the stent where the ends of the sleeve are fixed to the catheter shaft. Sleeve material is gathered and folded over the ends of the stent to retain the stent snugly against the balloon during delivery.

Abstract: An over-the-wire catheter provides substantially shadow-free delivery of radiation to a body lumen by having a treatment region wherein a guidewire tube and a radiation source tube form a parallel double helix configuration. When a radiation source is inserted into the radiation source tube and a guidewire is present in the guidewire tube, no portion of the treatment site will be obscured from all radiation emitted by the radiation source because, within the treatment region, the guidewire and the radiation source are not in a conventional, axially parallel configuration. Optionally, a balloon may be mounted about or adjacent the treatment region of the catheter, the balloon providing centering and/or dilatation functions.