Abstract: An intravascular balloon catheter includes a tubular catheter body having a balloon structure removably mounted over the catheter body. The catheter body has a guidewire lumen, and the catheter body may be left in place within a patient's vasculature while the balloon structure is withdrawn and optionally a second balloon structure introduced over the catheter body. The catheter and methods of the present invention are particularly suitable for performing angioplasty and subsequent procedures, such as stent placement, which are best performed using successive interventional balloon structures.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices and methods for minimizing and/or inhibiting restenosis and hyperplasia after intravascular intervention. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for programmed and controlled mizoribine delivery with increased efficacy to selected locations within a patient's vasculature to inhibit restenosis. An intraluminal delivery prosthesis may comprise an expansible structure and means on or within the structure for releasing mizoribine into the body lumen to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Abstract: An intravascular balloon catheter comprises a tubular catheter body having a balloon structure removably mounted over the catheter body. The catheter body has a guidewire lumen, and the catheter body may be left in place within a patient's vasculature while the balloon structure is withdrawn and optionally a second balloon structure introduced over the catheter body. The catheter and methods of the present invention are particularly suitable for performing angioplasty and subsequent procedures, such as stent placement, which are best performed using successive interventional balloon structures.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for an implantable medical device which is degradable over a clinically relevant period of time. The medical devices may have the form of implants, graft implants, vascular implants, non vascular implants, wound closure implants, sutures, drug delivery implants, biologic delivery implants, urinary tract implants, inter-uterine implants, organ implants, bone implants including bone plates, bone screws, dental implants, spinal disks, or the like. In preferred embodiments, the implantable medical device comprises an implantable luminal prosthesis, such as vascular and non-vascular stents and stents grafts.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal environments. In particular, the present invention provides for therapeutic capable agent eluting stents with minimized undesirable loss of the therapeutic capable agent during expansion of the stent.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal environments. In particular, the present invention provides for therapeutic capable agent eluting stents with minimized undesirable loss of the therapeutic capable agent during expansion of the stent.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal enviroments. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for a programmed and controlled substance delivery protocols for a variety of purposes. The prostheses comprise a scaffold which is implantable within a body lumen and a substance reservoir present over at least a portion of the scaffold. Usually, a rate-controlling element will be formed over the substance-containing reservoir to provide for a number of different substance release characteristics.

Abstract: Devices and methods for reducing, inhibiting, or treating restenosis and hyperplasia after intravascular intervention are provided. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for controlled release of at least one therapeutic capable agent with increased efficacy to selected locations within a patient's vasculature to reduce restenosis. An intraluminal prosthesis may comprise an expandable structure and a source adjacent the expandable structure for releasing the therapeutic capable agent into a body lumen to reduce smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices and methods for minimizing and/or inhibiting restenosis and hyperplasia after intravascular intervention. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for programmed and controlled methylprednisolone delivery with increased efficacy to selected locations within a patient's vasculature to inhibit restenosis. An intraluminal delivery prosthesis may comprise an expansible structure and means on or within the structure for releasing methylprednisolone into the body lumen to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices and methods for inhibiting restenosis and hyperplasia after intravascular intervention. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for programmed and controlled substance delivery with increased efficacy to selected locations within a patient's vasculature to inhibit restenosis. The luminal delivery prosthesis comprises a scaffold which is implantable within a body lumen and means on the scaffold for releasing a substance from the scaffold. The substance is released over a predetermined time pattern comprising an initial phase wherein the substance delivery rate is below a threshold level and a subsequent phase wherein the substance delivery rate is above a threshold level.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal environments. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for a programmed and controlled substance delivery protocols for a variety of purposes. The prostheses comprise a scaffold which is implantable within a body lumen and a substance reservoir present over at least a portion of the scaffold. Usually, a rate-controlling element will be formed over the substance-containing reservoir to provide for a number of different substance release characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal environments. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for a programmed and controlled substance delivery protocols for a variety of purposes. The prostheses comprise a scaffold which is implantable within a body lumen and a substance reservoir present over at least a portion of the scaffold. Usually, a rate-controlling element will be formed over the substance-containing reservoir to provide for a number of different substance release characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices and methods for minimizing and/or inhibiting restenosis and hyperplasia after intravascular intervention. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for programmed and controlled mycophenolic acid delivery with increased efficacy to selected locations within a patient's vasculature to inhibit restenosis. An intraluminal delivery prosthesis may comprise an expansible structure and means on or within the structure for releasing mycophenolic acid at a rate selected to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for treating vulnerable tissue sites, such as aneurysms in the abdominal area or in the thoracic cavity, and expanded tissues on various organs and body surfaces such as the heart. The apparatus of the present invention, are containment members for at least partially containing the vulnerable tissue site, thus preventing or minimizing the further vulnerability or growth of the site. Additionally, or alternatively, the containment members can apply resistive force to the vulnerable tissue site. The force can be compressive against the exterior surface of the tissue site. The containment members of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with support members, such as stent/grafts, in treating a tissue site. In this embodiment, the support member is disposed within the inner lumen of the vulnerable tissue site with the containment member disposed on the exterior surface of the lumen.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for treating vulnerable tissue sites, such as aneurysms in the abdominal area or in the thoracic cavity, and expanded tissues on various organs and body surfaces such as the heart. The apparatus of the present invention, are containment members for at least partially containing the vulnerable tissue site, thus preventing or minimizing the further vulnerability or growth of the site. Additionally, or alternatively, the containment members can apply resistive force to the vulnerable tissue site. The force can be compressive against the exterior surface of the tissue site. The containment members of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with support members, such as stent/grafts, in treating a tissue site. In this embodiment, the support member is disposed within the inner lumen of the vulnerable tissue site with the containment member disposed on the exterior surface of the lumen.

Abstract: A device and a method using the same, for the treatment of stenosed areas during or prior to dilation, comprising at least one region along an expandable member which is configured to deliver a concentrated force to the diseased tissue site.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal environments. In particular, the present invention provides for therapeutic capable agent eluting stents with minimized undesirable loss of the therapeutic capable agent during expansion of the stent.

Abstract: An intravascular balloon catheter comprises a tubular catheter body having a balloon structure removably mounted over the catheter body. The catheter body has a guidewire lumen , and the catheter body may be left in place within a patient's vasculature while the balloon structure is withdrawn and optionally a second balloon structure introduced over the catheter body. The catheter and methods of the present invention are particularly suitable for performing angioplasty and subsequent procedures, such as stent placement, which are best performed using successive interventional balloon structures.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved stents and other prostheses for delivering substances to vascular and other luminal and intracorporeal enviroments. In particular, the present invention provides luminal prostheses which allow for a programmed and controlled substance delivery protocols for a variety of purposes. The prostheses comprise a scaffold which is implantable within a body lumen and a substance reservoir present over at least a portion of the scaffold. Usually, a rate-controlling element will be formed over the substance-containing reservoir to provide for a number of different substance release characteristics.

Abstract: An intravascular balloon catheter comprising a tubular catheter shaft having an elongate member receiving lumen extending along a substantial length of the catheter shaft and having an access for directing an elongate member to and from the elongate member receiving lumen.