Abstract: The objectives for the designs presented herein can be for a variably flexible and kink-resistant catheter for vascular applications. The designs benefit from good compressive and tensile stiffness. A braided wire support structure can be disposed around an inner liner and an outer layer having a plurality of outer jackets of variable durometer. A metallic reinforcing layer can be cut from a hypotube and be used as the primary structure for catheter stiffness, reducing the reliance on and number of jackets to transition stiffness changes along the length of the catheter. The metallic reinforcing layer can have one or more ribbon cut segments and one or more axial hole patterns laser cut into the hypotube to progressively evolve the stiffness from proximally regions with more column stiffness and distal regions with greater lateral flexibility. The polymer jackets can be reflowed to bond the structure together.

Abstract: A catheter can have a textured outer body surface with protrusions and/or indentations that can reduce friction between the outer body surface and vascular anatomy or an inner lumen of another catheter in contact with the outer body surface. The catheter can include protrusions and/or indentations on an inner lumen surface that can reduce friction between the inner lumen surface and an outer body surface of another catheter within the example catheter. The protrusions can be filled with a lubricant or vasodilating drug, and the protrusions can be configured to break to release the fluid in response to forces on the protrusion during navigation through vascular anatomy and/or an inner lumen of another catheter. The catheter can include a metallic tubular reinforcing layer with openings through which the protrusions and/or indentations extend and/or protrusions and/or indentations shaped into the reinforcing layer.

Abstract: The objectives for the designs presented herein can be for a variably flexible and kink-resistant catheter for vascular applications. The designs benefit from good compressive and tensile stiffness. A braided wire support structure can be disposed around an inner liner and an outer layer having a plurality of outer jackets of variable durometer. A metallic reinforcing layer can be cut from a hypotube and be used as the primary structure for catheter stiffness, reducing the reliance on and number of jackets to transition stiffness changes along the length of the catheter. The metallic reinforcing layer can have one or more ribbon cut segments and one or more axial hole patterns laser cut into the hypotube to progressively evolve the stiffness from proximally regions with more column stiffness and distal regions with greater lateral flexibility. The polymer jackets can be reflowed to bond the structure together.

Abstract: A catheter can have a textured outer body surface with protrusions and/or indentations that can reduce friction between the outer body surface and vascular anatomy or an inner lumen of another catheter in contact with the outer body surface. The catheter can include protrusions and/or indentations on an inner lumen surface that can reduce friction between the inner lumen surface and an outer body surface of another catheter within the example catheter. The protrusions can be filled with a lubricant or vasodilating drug, and the protrusions can be configured to break to release the fluid in response to forces on the protrusion during navigation through vascular anatomy and/or an inner lumen of another catheter. The catheter can include a metallic tubular reinforcing layer with openings through which the protrusions and/or indentations extend and/or protrusions and/or indentations shaped into the reinforcing layer.

Abstract: An implant including an open end and a pinched end can have a predetermined shape. When in the predetermined shape, the tubular braid can include a proximal inversion and two segments, and the braid can be composed of one or more wires. The first segment can extend from the open end of the tubular braid to the proximal inversion. The second segment can be at least partially surrounded by the open end and extend from the proximal inversion to the pinched end. The tubular braid can also include at least one corrugated fold. The one or more corrugated folds can be located within the first segment, second segment, or both. The corrugated folds can be configured to assist in anchoring the example device when in the implanted shape within an aneurysm in a similar manner to stent struts to help the tubular braid hold its shape.

Abstract: An implant including an open end and a pinched end can have a predetermined shape. When in the predetermined shape, the tubular braid can include a proximal inversion and two segments, and the braid can be composed of one or more wires. The first segment can extend from the open end of the tubular braid to the proximal inversion. The second segment can be at least partially surrounded by the open end and extend from the proximal inversion to the pinched end. The tubular braid can also include at least one corrugated fold. The one or more corrugated folds can be located within the first segment, second segment, or both. The corrugated folds can be configured to assist in anchoring the example device when in the implanted shape within an aneurysm in a similar manner to stent struts to help the tubular braid hold its shape.

Abstract: A method of connecting an expansion ring to at least one end of a braided implant, the method including positioning the braided implant about a tube; everting an end portion of the braided implant over a first end of the tube; assembling an expansion ring to the braided implant, the expansion ring being a multi-leaved expansion ring comprising clips terminating with an open-ended coupling opening, wherein the openings are pushed over a set of intersecting wires of the braided implant at respective circumferential locations on or adjacent the first end of the tube; closing the openings over the set of intersecting wire; trimming ends of the braided implant; and reversing eversion of the braided implant thereby positioning the expansion ring internal to the braided implant.

Abstract: A catheter can have a textured outer body surface with protrusions and/or indentations that can reduce friction between the outer body surface and vascular anatomy or an inner lumen of another catheter in contact with the outer body surface. The catheter can include protrusions and/or indentations on an inner lumen surface that can reduce friction between the inner lumen surface and an outer body surface of another catheter within the example catheter. The protrusions can be filled with a lubricant or vasodilating drug, and the protrusions can be configured to break to release the fluid in response to forces on the protrusion during navigation through vascular anatomy and/or an inner lumen of another catheter. The catheter can include a metallic tubular reinforcing layer with openings through which the protrusions and/or indentations extend and/or protrusions and/or indentations shaped into the reinforcing layer.

Abstract: The objectives for the designs presented herein can be for a variably flexible and kink-resistant catheter for vascular applications. The designs benefit from good compressive and tensile stiffness. A braided wire support structure can be disposed around an inner liner and an outer layer having a plurality of outer jackets of variable durometer. A metallic reinforcing layer can be cut from a hypotube and be used as the primary structure for catheter stiffness, reducing the reliance on and number of jackets to transition stiffness changes along the length of the catheter. The metallic reinforcing layer can have one or more ribbon cut segments and one or more axial hole patterns laser cut into the hypotube to progressively evolve the stiffness from proximally regions with more column stiffness and distal regions with greater lateral flexibility. The polymer jackets can be reflowed to bond the structure together.

Abstract: The disclosed technology can include a catheter braid including wire segments with varying cross-section shapes. Wire segments at a proximal portion of the braid can have a substantially rectangular cross-section shape, while wire segments at a distal portion of the braid can have a substantially circular cross-section shape. The cross-section shape can gradually transition from rectangular to circular along the length of the braid. The catheter braid can include wire segments having an outer core and an inner core. The inner core at the proximal section of the braid can have a substantially rectangular cross-section shape, while the inner core at the distal portion of the braid can have a substantially circular cross-section shape. The cross-section shape of the inner core can gradually transition from rectangular to the circular to provide a smooth transition. The composition of the inner core can be varied along the length of the braid.

Abstract: The designs presented can be for a highly flexible and kink-resistant catheter device for vascular applications. The device can have a more flexible distal section so that the catheter is capable of navigating highly tortuous areas of the anatomy and increasingly stiffer sections towards the more proximal region of the catheter. The device can have tubular polymer segments making up the shaft core and can have one or more helical ribbon segments arranged as coils and extending in a spiral around the outer surface of the tubular segments. The variability in how the ribbon segments are cut and the amount of material left in different regions can control the stiffness changes along the axial length of the catheter. By combining various tubular segments of different durometer beneath the helical segments, another design variable can be used to create transitions and force transmission capabilities not previous possible with less materials.

Abstract: A method of connecting an expansion ring to at least one end of a braided implant, the method including positioning the braided implant about a tube; everting an end portion of the braided implant over a first end of the tube; assembling an expansion ring to the braided implant, the expansion ring being a multi-leaved expansion ring comprising clips terminating with an open-ended coupling opening, wherein the openings are pushed over a set of intersecting wires of the braided implant at respective circumferential locations on or adjacent the first end of the tube; closing the openings over the set of intersecting wire; trimming ends of the braided implant; and reversing eversion of the braided implant thereby positioning the expansion ring internal to the braided implant.

Abstract: A method of connecting an expansion ring to at least one end of a braided implant, the method including positioning the braided implant about a tube; everting an end portion of the braided implant over a first end of the tube; assembling an expansion ring to the braided implant, the expansion ring being a multi-leaved expansion ring comprising clips terminating with an open-ended coupling opening, wherein the openings are pushed over a set of intersecting wires of the braided implant at respective circumferential locations on or adjacent the first end of the tube; closing the openings over the set of intersecting wire; trimming ends of the braided implant; and reversing eversion of the braided implant thereby positioning the expansion ring internal to the braided implant.

Abstract: A method for implanting a stent by providing an implantation system including a catheter, an expandable element, and a delivery wire, moving a first portion of the expandable element to exit the catheter, and maintaining a second portion of the expandable element within the catheter to establish a partially implanted configuration. Then moving the delivery wire independent of the expandable element in the partially implanted configuration, and enlarging a circumference of the expandable element in response to the moving the delivery wire.

Abstract: A method, including assembling a plurality of expansion rings to a lumen of the braided stent body, the lumen of the braided stent body being formed by a plurality of braided members, each expansion ring comprising a frame defined by a plurality of interconnected support assemblies comprising a plurality of legs joined at a first intersection and connected to one of the other interconnected support assemblies at a second intersection opposite the first intersection, the legs being twistable about the first and second intersections; and a claw portion disposed opposite the first and second intersections.

Abstract: A method for implanting a stent by providing an implantation system including a catheter, an expandable element, and a delivery wire, moving a first portion of the expandable element to exit the catheter, and maintaining a second portion of the expandable element within the catheter to establish a partially implanted configuration. Then moving the delivery wire independent of the expandable element in the partially implanted configuration, and enlarging a circumference of the expandable element in response to the moving the delivery wire.

Abstract: An implant including an open end and a pinched end can have a predetermined shape. When in the predetermined shape, the tubular braid can include a proximal inversion and two segments, and the braid can be composed of one or more wires. The first segment can extend from the open end of the tubular braid to the proximal inversion. The second segment can be at least partially surrounded by the open end and extend from the proximal inversion to the pinched end. The tubular braid can also include at least one corrugated fold. The one or more corrugated folds can be located within the first segment, second segment, or both. The corrugated folds can be configured to assist in anchoring the example device when in the implanted shape within an aneurysm in a similar manner to stent struts to help the tubular braid hold its shape.

Abstract: A method of connecting an expansion ring to at least one end of a braided implant, the method including positioning the braided implant about a tube; everting an end portion of the braided implant over a first end of the tube; assembling an expansion ring to the braided implant, the expansion ring being a multi-leaved expansion ring comprising clips terminating with an open-ended coupling opening, wherein the openings are pushed over a set of intersecting wires of the braided implant at respective circumferential locations on or adjacent the first end of the tube; closing the openings over the set of intersecting wire; trimming ends of the braided implant; and reversing eversion of the braided implant thereby positioning the expansion ring internal to the braided implant.

Abstract: A method of connecting an expansion ring to at least one end of a braided implant is disclosed. The method can include positioning the braided implant about a tube; everting an end portion of the braided implant over a first end of the tube; assembling an expansion ring to the braided implant, the expansion ring being a multi-leaved expansion ring including clips terminating with an open-ended coupling opening. The openings can be pushed over a set of intersecting wires of the braided implant at respective circumferential locations on or adjacent the first end of the tube. The method can also include closing the openings over the set of intersecting wire; trimming ends of the braided implant; and reversing eversion of the braided implant thereby positioning the expansion ring internal to the braided implant.

Abstract: A braid implant delivery and retraction device having a catheter, an expandable element and a delivery wire with distal, pusher, and recapture bumps. The expandable element having compressed, partially delivered, and implanted configurations. Delivering the braid can include engaging the distal bump till the braid is in the partially delivered configuration. If the user needs to recapture the braid, the recapture bump engages the braid proximally. To fully implant the braid, the distal bump is used until the braid is partially delivered and the distal bump disengages, now the pusher bump completes implanting by proximally pushing the braid completely out of the catheter.