Abstract: The present invention is an accessory for use with an over the wire catheter with short wire capability having an elongated shaft, a guide wire lumen and a guide member associated with the elongated shaft for providing transverse access to the guide wire lumen through a passageway. The accessory includes a first member for securing the accessory to the guide member and a second member having a passageway that aligns with the guide member passageway. The accessory may be used for front-loading a guide wire through the guide member. Alternatively, the accessory may be used to attach a syringe to assist in flushing the guide wire lumen through the guide member.

Abstract: The present invention protects a distal portion of a catheter during shipment and storage. The device holds the distal portion suspended such that it does not contact the device. The suspended portion is protected from damage resulting from abrasion. When the suspended portion includes a therapeutic coating, the coating is protected from the risk of impaired performance resulting from a therapeutic agent migrating out of the coating and into the packaging material or components of the packaging material migrating into the therapeutic coating, both of which can occur if a therapeutic coating remains in contact with another material for an extended period of time.

Abstract: The present invention protects a catheter during shipment and storage. The device holds a portion of the catheter suspended such that the portion does not contact the device. When the suspended portion includes a stent treated with a therapeutic coating, the coating is protected from physical damage and from the risk that extended contact of the coating with packaging materials may result in the therapeutic agent migrating out of the coating and into the packaging materials or components of the packaging materials migrating into the therapeutic coating, both of which can occur if a therapeutic coating remains in contact with another material for an extended period of time. A catheter bearing an untreated stent, a balloon catheter, and other types of catheter would be similarly protected from physical or chemical damage.

Abstract: An improved medical device for intraluminal endovascular stenting comprises a stent having a hollow cylindrical body fabricated from a plurality of circumferentially extending rings having an undulating series of peak and valleys. Links join the adjacent rings and are shaped to promote flexibility of the stent during its delivery to a treatment site and adequate scaffolding of a vessel following its deployment at the treatment site. Improved access to side-branches off the vessel is achieved by providing enlarged cell size for the stent when expanded, whilst maintaining adequate scaffolding. This is achieved by interrupting the straight sections between adjacent peaks and valleys by an inflection point at which one arm of one link is connected to join adjacent rings together.

Abstract: A catheter and guide wire exchange system including a catheter that has a guide wire lumen with a guide way extending along a length of the proximal shaft. A guide member is slidably disposed about the proximal shaft for directing a guide wire into or out of the guide way and the guide wire lumen. A transition section joins the trilumen proximal shaft to a coaxial distal shaft.

Abstract: A medical device includes a catheter and a stent mounted on the catheter, the stent having a hollow, cylindrical body made with a plurality of rings. The rings each extend circumferentially around the cylindrical body and include an undulating series of peaks and valleys. The rings are joined together by a series of links which are shaped and arranged to promote longitudinal flexibility as the stent is delivered on the catheter and effective scaffolding after deployment. In one aspect of the invention, the rings are provided with inflection points on some portions of the rings which extend in a generally circumferential direction for a short distance. A link is joined at one end at the inflection point on one ring and also joined at a second end at a second inflection point on an adjacent ring. This construction allows the crimped stent to flex longitudinally when it is subjected to bending forces such as those encountered during delivery of the stent and catheter through a tortuous coronary artery.

Abstract: A cycling head support includes a helmet (43) a tower (44) a helmet fastening system (39,40), a pair of leg loops (37), and a system of straps extending along a cyclist's back between the helmet fastening system at one end and the leg loops at the other end. The system of straps includes a neck strap (21A) that detachably connects to the helmet using the helmet fastening system. The neck strap connects at the lower end to a ladder lock buckle (19A). The ladder lock buckle conects to a back strap (17A) which is attached to a triangular O-ring (35) by means of a slider buckle (33). A pair of hip straps (15A) is attached to the triangular O-ring. A leg loop is attached to the lower end of each hip strap.

Abstract: A catheter and guide wire exchange system including a catheter having a guide wire lumen with a guide way extending along the length of a stiffened proximal shaft portion, and a guide member slidably disposed about the proximal shaft for directing a guide wire into or out of the guide way and the guide wire lumen. The proximal shaft may be slid through the guide member so that the guide wire is contained within the guide wire lumen distal to the guide member and with the guide wire and catheter being separated proximal of the guide member.

Abstract: A packaging component for use with storage hoops for catheters made from standard catheter hoop tubing to permit storage of an OTW/SW catheter and guide wire exchange system. The packaging component mounts onto the tubing end of a conventional catheter storage hoop. The packaging component includes a passageway extending therethrough and a cavity for receiving the guide member during storage of the OTW/SW catheter in the catheter storage hoop. Resilient members extend into the passageway to prevent passage of the guide member through the packaging component unless sufficient force is applied.

Abstract: A convertible balloon catheter for use as either an over-the-wire catheter or a rapid exchange catheter, comprising a flexible outer shaft, flexible inner shaft, angioplasty balloon, and bifurcate hub. The inner shaft is comprised of a relatively elastic, deformable material and forms an inflation lumen. The inner inflation shaft is attached to the outer shaft, and has a cross section that is radially collapsible to increase the size of a full-length guide wire lumen formed between an outer surface of the inner shaft and an inner surface of the outer shaft. Formed in the outer shaft is a hatch, which covers a guide wire port. The hatch has a perforated peripheral edge which allows the hatch to be removed. The balloon is simply constructed with essentially four components, which significantly reduces the labor required for assembly.

Abstract: A catheter and guide wire exchange system including a catheter having a guide wire lumen with a guide way extending along the length of a stiffened proximal shaft portion, and a guide member slidably disposed about the proximal shaft for directing a guide wire into or out of the guide way and the guide wire lumen. The guide member may be slid along the proximal shaft portion and the guide wire in zipper-like fashion so that the guide wire is contained within the guide wire lumen distal to the guide member and with the guide wire and catheter being separated proximal of the guide member.

Abstract: A medical device includes a catheter and a stent mounted on the catheter, the stent having a hollow, cylindrical body made with a plurality of rings. The rings each extend circumferentially around the cylindrical body and include an undulating series of peaks and valleys. The rings are joined together by a series of links which are shaped and arranged to promote longitudinal flexibility as the stent is delivered on the catheter and effective scaffolding after deployment. In one aspect of the invention, the rings are provided with inflection points on some portions of the rings which extend in a generally circumferential direction for a short distance. A link is joined at one end at the inflection point on one ring and also joined at a second end at a second inflection point on an adjacent ring. This construction allows the crimped stent to flex longitudinally when it is subjected to bending forces such as those encountered during delivery of the stent and catheter through a tortuous coronary artery.

Abstract: A cutting line for a rotating-line trimmer that simultaneously applies herbicide as vegetation is cut. The herbicidal cutting line comprises a flexible cutting-line core (13) herbicidal coating (15) that covers all or part of the line core and a thin protective shield (17) covering all or part of the herbicidal coating. As vegetation is cut, protective shield (17) ruptures exposing herbicidal coating (15) to vegetation. The cutting line is used with existing line trimmers in applications in which vegetation regrowth is objectionable.

Abstract: A disposable-herbicide wafer (13) with adhesive backing for attachment (15) to vegetation-cutting blades including those of weeding tools, anvil-type pruning shears, lawn mowers, grass whips and other devices that remove brush, weeds and other unwanted vegetation. As vegetation is cut, the herbicide wafer deposits herbicide on the rooted portion of the plant, thereby preventing plant re-growth.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include drug delivery catheters that have dimpled porous balloons mounted onto the distal end of the catheter. In one embodiment, the balloons are adapted for delivering therapeutic agents to the tissue wall of a body lumen, and to this end include a plurality of dimples formed in the exterior surface of the balloon, with each dimple having at least one aperture through which a fluid delivered into the interior of the balloon can extravasate. It is understood that the balloons described herein provide, inter alia, increased coverage of the tissue wall to which the agent is being delivered and less traumatic contact between the agent being delivered and the tissue wall.