Abstract: An apparatus for targeting a desired target site on a body tissue comprising a wall of a first body cavity of a patient includes a target catheter. A framing member has a collapsed condition and an expanded condition. The framing member has a framing member body which includes a bulbous portion defining a maximum body footprint having proximal and distal body ends which are both longitudinally spaced from the maximum body footprint. The framing member is comprised of a plurality of framing member beams. At least three framing member beam arrays of framing member beams are arranged in non-overlapping longitudinal sequence to form at least a portion of the framing member. The framing member beams that make up the framing member substantially each have a width-to-thickness fractional ratio in the range of 0.6-3.0.

Abstract: An apparatus for targeting a desired target site on a body tissue comprising a wall of a first body cavity of a patient includes a target catheter. The framing member, when deployed into an expanded condition, has a framing member body which includes a three-dimensionally bulbous portion defining a maximum body footprint in a lateral dimension and has longitudinally spaced proximal and distal body ends which are both longitudinally spaced from the maximum body footprint. The proximal body end is attached to the target catheter. A protrusion has a diameter which is smaller than the maximum body footprint diameter. At least one target point is carried by the framing member and is adapted for placement adjacent the desired target site. At least one target pathway is attached to at least one target point. At least a portion of the target pathway is substantially spaced apart from the framing member body.

Abstract: An apparatus for targeting a desired target site on a body tissue comprising a wall of a first body cavity of a patient includes a target catheter. The framing member has a longitudinal framing member core defining a central framing member axis. At least one target point is carried by the framing member and is adapted for placement adjacent the desired target site. The framing member comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending multi-segment framing strands.

Abstract: There is herein described a catheter for measuring a pressure in a cardiovascular system. The catheter comprises: a guiding tube adapted for insertion into the cardiovascular system. The guiding tube defines a lumen for sliding a guidewire therethrough. The catheter further comprises a tip pressure sensor eccentrically mounted relative to the guiding tube and a signal communication means extending therefrom. The tip pressure sensor is for sensing a pressure in the cardiovascular system and the signal communicating means is for transmitting a signal indicative of the pressure to a processing device in order to obtain a pressure measurement reading.

Abstract: Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filter first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region.

Abstract: Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports.

Abstract: Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filter first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region.

Abstract: There is herein described a catheter for measuring a pressure in a cardiovascular system. The catheter comprises: a guiding tube adapted for insertion into the cardiovascular system. The guiding tube defines a lumen for sliding a guidewire therethrough. The catheter further comprises a tip pressure sensor eccentrically mounted relative to the guiding tube and a signal communication means extending therefrom. The tip pressure sensor is for sensing a pressure in the cardiovascular system and the signal communicating means is for transmitting a signal indicative of the pressure to a processing device in order to obtain a pressure measurement reading.

Abstract: There is herein described a catheter for measuring a pressure in a cardiovascular system. The catheter comprises: a guiding tube adapted for insertion into the cardiovascular system. The guiding tube defines a lumen for sliding a guidewire therethrough. The catheter further comprises a tip pressure sensor eccentrically mounted relative to the guiding tube and a signal communication means extending therefrom. The tip pressure sensor is for sensing a pressure in the cardiovascular system and the signal communicating means is for transmitting a signal indicative of the pressure to a processing device in order to obtain a pressure measurement reading.

Abstract: Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports. The distal sidewall port can be dimensioned to accept passage of a filter body through the port. The distal end port can be dimensioned to accept only a guide wire to provide a smooth transition from the guide wire to the small profile distal end.

Abstract: Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filter first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region.

Abstract: Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filter first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region.

Abstract: Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports. The distal sidewall port can be dimensioned to accept passage of a filter body through the port. The distal end port can be dimensioned to accept only a guide wire to provide a smooth transition from the guide wire to the small profile distal end.

Abstract: Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports. The distal sidewall port can be dimensioned to accept passage of a filter body through the port. The distal end port can be dimensioned to accept only a guide wire to provide a smooth transition from the guide wire to the small profile distal end.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a lumen defined by the walls of a vessel in a patient's body comprising a filter element. The filter is expandable from a collapsed configuration when the filter element is restrained to an expanded configuration when the filter element is unrestrained, and the filter element comprises a self-expanding material having pores. When the filter element is in the expanded configuration, the average pore size is from 30 to 300 microns and the standard deviation of the pore size is less than 20 percent of the average pore size.

Abstract: Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filter first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region.

Abstract: Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports. The distal sidewall port can be dimensioned to accept passage of a filter body through the port. The distal end port can be dimensioned to accept only a guide wire to provide a smooth transition from the guide wire to the small profile distal end.

Abstract: Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filler first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region.