Patents by Inventor Martin R. Willard

Martin R. Willard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9089350
    Abstract: A catheter includes a flexible braided shaft having a length sufficient to access a target vessel of the body, such as a renal artery. An electrode at the catheter's distal tip is configured to ablate extravascular target tissue, such as perivascular renal nerve tissue. An electrical conductor coupled to the electrode extends along a first lumen of the shaft. A second lumen of the shaft terminates at a port arrangement on an outer surface of the shaft near the electrode. The second lumen transports a contrast media from the catheter's proximal end and through the port arrangement. The catheter may include a steering arrangement and a lubricious coating on an outer surface of the shaft, allowing a clinician to navigate the catheter through vasculature and into the target vessel without use of a separate delivery sheath or guiding catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventor: Martin R. Willard
  • Publication number: 20150196354
    Abstract: Medical devices for sympathetic nerve modulation are disclosed. An example medical device for sympathetic nerve modulation may include a catheter shaft having a distal region. An expandable member may be coupled to the distal region. A flexible circuit assembly may be attached to the expandable member. The flexible circuit assembly may include a first electrode strip, a second electrode strip, and a sensor strip disposed between the first electrode strip and the second electrode strip. The first electrode strip may include a first electrode. The second electrode strip may include a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode may define a pair of bipolar electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, MARTIN R. WILLARD, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER, JOEL N. GROFF, JEFFREY S. LINDQUIST, ROBERT N. SQUIRE
  • Publication number: 20150190194
    Abstract: Medical devices for sympathetic nerve modulation are disclosed. An example medical device for sympathetic nerve modulation may include a catheter shaft having a distal region. A compliant balloon may be coupled to the distal region. A flexible circuit assembly may be coupled to the compliant balloon. The flexible circuit assembly may include one or more electrodes. An expansion-limiting member may be coupled to the compliant balloon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: JAN WEBER, MARTIN R. WILLARD, JEFFREY S. LINDQUIST
  • Publication number: 20150190195
    Abstract: A medical device for sympathetic nerve ablation may include a catheter shaft, an expandable member disposed on or coupled to the catheter shaft, and a plurality of elongate electrode assemblies each constructed as a flexible circuit having a plurality of layers. The expandable member may be configured to shift between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The plurality of electrode assemblies may be disposed on an outer surface of the expandable member. Each of the plurality of electrode assemblies may include enhanced tear resistance properties such as through the inclusion of a reinforcement structure with one or more of the layers of the electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: CASS A. HANSON, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER, TIMOTHY A. OSTROOT, ROBERT N. SQUIRE, JAMES M. ANDERSON, MARTIN R. WILLARD, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, JAN WEBER, JEFFREY S. LINDQUIST, DANIEL J. HORN
  • Publication number: 20150148797
    Abstract: A catheter including an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, where the catheter includes a thermal element at the distal end thereof. The thermal element may be used in an ablation procedure or other procedure to heat a tissue adjacent a vessel. In some instances, the thermal element may be positioned in a first vessel and may operate to heat tissue adjacent a second vessel or adjacent an ostium between the first vessel and the second vessel. Further, the catheter may include an expandable portion on which the thermal element may be connected or positioned. The expandable portion(s) may comprise a basket or cage, a balloon, a memory shape and formable portion, and/or other mechanical expanders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventor: MARTIN R. WILLARD
  • Publication number: 20150112328
    Abstract: A medical device and related methods of use or manufacture are disclosed. The medical device may include an intravascular catheter for nerve modulation. The medical device includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end region, a distal end region, and a lumen extending therebetween. An expandable member is coupled to the distal end region of the elongate shaft. One or more electrical conductors extend from the proximal end region of the elongate shaft to the expandable member. The one or more electrical conductors may have a distal end region secured directly to an outer surface the expandable member. One or more energy delivery regions are positioned on the expandable member and coupled to the one or more electrical conductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: MARTIN R. WILLARD, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER, KENNETH R. LARSON, TIMOTHY A. OSTROOT, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST
  • Publication number: 20150105774
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter shaft. An expandable member may be coupled to the catheter shaft. The expandable member may be capable of shifting between a folded configuration and an expanded configuration. A plurality of flexible elements may be attached to the expandable member, with a plurality of electrode assemblies disposed on the flexible elements. The flexible elements may have a grooved substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: JEFFREY S. LINDQUIST, CASS A. HANSON, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, DANIEL J. HORN, MARTIN R. WILLARD, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER
  • Publication number: 20150105772
    Abstract: Systems for nerve and tissue modulation are disclosed. An illustrative system may include an intravascular nerve modulation system including a catheter shaft, an expandable basket and one or more energy delivery regions. The one or more energy delivery regions may be defined by regions of the basket free from an insulating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: JASON P. HILL, MARTIN R. WILLARD, JOEL N. GROFF, MARK L. JENSON, SUSAN M. SHOEMAKER, JOSEPH M. THIELEN
  • Publication number: 20150080883
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter shaft. An expandable balloon may be coupled to the catheter shaft. The balloon may be capable of shifting between a folded configuration and an expanded configuration. A plurality of elongate electrode assemblies may be disposed on the balloon. A cover layer may be deposited on the electrode assemblies. Portions of the electrode assemblies may be free of the cover layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, MARY M. BYRON, CASS A. HANSON, MARTIN R. WILLARD, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER, ROBERT N. SQUIRE, BRIAN K. JABLONSKI
  • Publication number: 20150057657
    Abstract: A medical balloon comprising a balloon wall formed from a polymeric material, the balloon wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the balloon wall comprising patterned recesses in the outer surface thereof and flexible circuits disposed within the patterned recesses, the flexible circuits are defined by an outer perimeter, and devices and methods for making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Robert N. Squire, Jeffrey S. Lindquist, Derek C. Sutermeister, Patrick A. Haverkost, Timothy A. Ostroot, Martin R. Willard, Daniel J. Horn, Adam J. Royer, Ken Fredrikson
  • Patent number: 8951251
    Abstract: A catheter including an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, where the catheter includes a thermal element at the distal end thereof. The thermal element may be used in an ablation procedure or other procedure to heat a tissue adjacent a vessel. In some instances, the thermal element may be positioned in a first vessel and may operate to heat tissue adjacent a second vessel or adjacent an ostium between the first vessel and the second vessel. Further, the catheter may include an expandable portion on which the thermal element may be connected or positioned. The expandable portion(s) may comprise a basket or cage, a balloon, a memory shape and formable portion, and/or other mechanical expanders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin R. Willard
  • Publication number: 20150025525
    Abstract: A renal nerve ablation device may include an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable member may be coupled to the distal region. One or more active electrodes may be coupled to the expandable member. One or more ground electrodes may be coupled to the expandable member. The one or more active electrodes and/or the one or more ground electrodes may be oriented helically about the length of the expandable member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: MARTIN R. WILLARD, HENRY H. LEE, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER
  • Publication number: 20150025532
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example medical device may include a medical device for tissue ablation. The medical device may include an elongated shaft having a distal region. An inflatable balloon may be mounted to the distal region. The inflatable balloon may include a body region, a proximal waist, a distal waist, a proximal cone region, and a distal cone region. A skirt may be attached to the inflatable balloon and may extend proximally from the body region. An electrode assembly may be applied directly to an outer surface of the body region of the inflatable balloon. The electrode assembly may include a first conductive member applied directly to the outer surface of the body region of the inflatable balloon and extending proximally therefrom along an outer surface of the skirt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: CASS A. HANSON, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER, DANIEL T. QUILLIN, HONG CAO, JEFFREY S. LINDQUIST, ADAM J. ROYER, TIMOTHY A. OSTROOT, JAMES M. ANDERSON, JAN WEBER, ROBERT N. SQUIRE, MARTIN R. WILLARD, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, DANIEL J. HORN
  • Publication number: 20150025533
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter shaft. An expandable balloon may be coupled to the catheter shaft. The balloon may be capable of shifting between a folded configuration and an expanded configuration. A support structure may be coupled to the balloon. The support structure may be capable of shifting the balloon toward the folded configuration. A plurality of elongate flexible electrode assemblies may be disposed on the balloon. The elongate flexible electrode assemblies may be oriented at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the balloon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: JOEL N. GROFF, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, MARTIN R. WILLARD, HONG CAO, DANIEL J. HORN, KENNETH R. LARSON, JOHN JIANHUA CHEN
  • Publication number: 20150018818
    Abstract: Systems for nerve and tissue modulation are disclosed. An illustrative system may include an intravascular nerve modulation system including a catheter shaft, an expandable basket and one or more electrode assemblies affixed to the expandable basket. The one or more electrode assemblies may be affixed to the expandable basket using one or more covers or coatings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: MARTIN R. WILLARD, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST
  • Publication number: 20150018817
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a medical device for modulating nerves. The medical device may include an elongate shaft having a distal region. A balloon may be coupled to the distal region. An electrode may be disposed within the balloon. A virtual electrode may be defined along the balloon. The virtual electrode may include a region having a first non-conductive layer and a second conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: MARTIN R. WILLARD
  • Publication number: 20140378967
    Abstract: A medical device for renal denervation may include a catheter shaft including an outer shaft having a lumen formed therein and an inner shaft extending within the lumen of the outer shaft. The catheter may further include an expandable member having a proximal region coupled to a distal region of the outer shaft, and a distal region of the expandable member may be coupled to a distal region of the inner shaft. In some embodiments, one or more active electrodes may be disposed on an exterior surface of the expandable member and capable of providing the renal denervation treatment. In some embodiments, the inner shaft may be rotatable in relation to the outer shaft and/or the outer shaft may be rotatable in relation to the inner shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: MARTIN R. WILLARD, PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, GARY J. PEDERSON, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140378968
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example medical device may include a medical device for ablation procedures. The medical device may include an elongate shaft having a distal region. An expandable member may be coupled to the distal region. One or more active electrode assemblies may be coupled to the expandable member. The one or more of the active electrode assemblies may include a resistive element adjacent the expandable member. The electrode assembly may include or may be used with microheaters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Derek C. Sutermeister, Martin R. Willard, Timothy A. Ostroot, Joel R. Munsinger, Kenneth R. Larson, Prabodh Mathur
  • Publication number: 20140378966
    Abstract: A renal nerve ablation device may include an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable member may be coupled to the distal region. An electrode support may be coupled to the distal region of the elongate tubular member and extend over a body of the expandable member. The electrode support may be free of connection to the body of the expandable member. One or more electrodes may be coupled to the electrode support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: PATRICK A. HAVERKOST, JOEL N. GROFF, MARTIN R. WILLARD, TIMOTHY A. OSTROOT, DEREK C. SUTERMEISTER, CASS A. HANSON, DANIEL T. QUILLIN, JOEL R. MUNSINGER
  • Publication number: 20140222128
    Abstract: A system/assembly for delivery and deployment of an inflation expandable stent within a vessel, comprising a catheter having proximal and distal ends; a stent, inflation expandable from a delivery diameter to a deployment diameter, such that the delivery diameter is reduced from the deployment diameter for conforming the stent to the catheter, such that the stent, in its delivery diameter, is coaxially mounted on the catheter near the catheter distal end; an expandable inflation means coaxially mounted on the catheter axially within the stent, for expansion of the stent from the delivery diameter to the deployment diameter upon application of fluid deployment pressure to the inflation means; and a securement component coaxially mounted on the catheter, axially within the expandable inflation means, the securement component designed and adapted to provide a securement pressure to the stent in the delivery diameter to maintain the stent in position on the catheter during delivery to the deployment site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: ANDREW J. DUSBABEK, LOUIS G. ELLIS, CHRISTOPHER R. LARSON, TERRY V. BROWN, CHARLES L. EUTENEUER, STEVEN P. MERTENS, RICHARD C. MATTISON, DAVID J. BLAESER, LINDA R. LORENTZEN CORNELIUS, MARTIN R. WILLARD, FERNANDO DICAPRIO, STANLEY A. NORDIN