Abstract: A biocompatible material may be configured into any number of implantable medical devices including intraluminal stents. The biocompatible material may comprise metallic and non-metallic materials. These materials may be designed with a microstructure that facilitates or enables the design of devices with a wide range of geometries adaptable to various loading conditions.

Abstract: A biocompatible solid-solution alloy may be formed into any number of implantable medical devices. The solid-solution alloy comprises a combination of elements in specific ratios that improve its fatigue resistance while retaining the characteristics required for implantable medical devices. The biocompatible solid-solution alloy is a quaternary cobalt-nickel-chromium-molydenum alloy having substantially reduced titanium content.

Abstract: A solid-solution alloy may be formed into any number of implantable medical devices such as intraluminal scaffolds. The biocompatible, solid-solution alloy comprises a combination of elements in specific ratios that improve its fatigue resistance while retaining the characteristics required for intraluminal scaffolds. The biocompatible, solid-solution alloy is an essentially carbon free cobalt-chromium-molydenum metallic material.

Abstract: A biocompatible material may be configured into any number of implantable medical devices including intraluminal stents. The biocompatible material may comprise metallic and non-metallic materials. These materials may be designed with a microstructure that facilitates or enables the design of devices with a wide range of geometries adaptable to various loading conditions.

Abstract: If however, the angiography with the contrast medium indicates that an edge dissection has occurred, then the fixed guidewire stent delivery catheter would be left in place with its balloon deflated. The Luer fitting at the proximal end of the stent delivery catheter would then be cut off and a rescue in the form of a rescue catheter would be advanced over the stent delivery catheter. The rescue catheter would then be advanced until its distal end extended distally beyond the site of the edge dissection. The fixed wire stent delivery catheter would then be pulled out of the body through the rescue catheter and a conventional guidewire would be inserted through the rescue catheter. The rescue catheter would then be removed leaving the guidewire in place. A conventional stent delivery catheter would then be used to deliver a second stent to the site of the intimal dissection at the edge of the first implanted stent, thus repairing the dissection.

Abstract: A biocompatible metallic material may be configured into any number of implantable medical devices including intraluminal stents. The biocompatible metallic material comprises a unique composition and designed-in properties that enable the fabrication of intraluminal stents that are able to withstand a broader range of loading conditions than currently available stents. More particularly, the microstructure designed into the biocompatible metallic material facilitates the design of stents with a wide range of geometries that are adaptable to various loading conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to expandable intraluminal medical devices for use within a body passageway or duct, and more particularly to an optimized stent having asymmetrical strut and loop members, wherein at least one pair adjacent radial strut members have unequal axial lengths.

Abstract: A biocompatible metallic material may be configured into any number of implantable medical devices including intraluminal stents. The intraluminal stents may be specifically configured to optimize the number of discrete equiaxed grains that comprise the wall dimension so as to provide the intended user with a high strength, controlled recoil device as a function of expanded inside diameter. One biocompatible metallic material may comprise a Cobalt-Chromium alloy having substantially reduced Iron and/or Silicon content.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to expandable intraluminal medical devices for use within a body passageway or duct, and more particularly to an optimized stent having asymmetrical strut and loop members and the method for designing and optimizing said strut and loop members in a continuously variable fashion. In one embodiment of the invention the resulting stent includes one or more members each having at least one component. The component has non-uniform cross-sections to achieve near-uniform stress distribution along the component when the component undergoes deformation.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to expandable intraluminal medical devices for use within a body passageway or duct, and more particularly to an optimized stent having asymmetrical strut and loop members. In one embodiment of the invention the stent includes one or more members each having at least one component. The component has non-uniform cross-sections to achieve near-uniform stress distribution along the component when the component undergoes deformation.

Abstract: A biocompatible solid-solution alloy may be formed into any number of implantable medical devices. The solid-solution alloy comprises a combination of elements in specific ratios that make it magnetic resonance imaging compatible while retaining the characteristics required for implantable medical devices. The biocompatible solid-solution alloy is a cobalt-chromium alloy having substantially reduced iron, silicon, phosphorus and sulfur content.

Abstract: A stent includes a lattice defining a substantially cylindrical configuration having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and a middle portion between the proximal end and the distal end. The lattice being moveable from a crimped state to an expanded state, and a plurality of adjacent hoops. Each hoop has a plurality of adjacent loops. Additionally, the stent further includes a plurality of bridges connecting adjacent hoops and a plurality of extensions on the lattice. Each of the hoops and bridges define a cell. The proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the lattice have at least one cell respectively and the middle portion of the lattice has at least one cell. The plurality of extensions are on the middle portion of the lattice. The plurality of extensions are cantilevered projections from the bridges and/or hoops of the lattice.

Abstract: A biocompatible solid-solution alloy may be formed into any number of implantable medical devices. The solid-solution alloy comprises a combination of elements in specific ratios that make it magnetic resonance imaging compatible while retaining the characteristics required for implantable medical devices. The biocompatible solid-solution alloy is a cobalt-chromium alloy having substantially reduced iron and/or Silicon content.

Abstract: A steerable balloon catheter including a balloon catheter supported by a steerable guidewire having a deflectable distal tip. The guidewire comprises a longitudinal hypotube and a spring coil attached to the distal end of the hypotube and includes a longitudinally movable deflection member which is attached to the distal end of the spring coil and a tip retaining member which extends from the distal end of the hypotube to the distal end of the spring coil for providing very precise deflection of the distal tip of the balloon catheter.

Abstract: A stent provides a folded strut section that provides both structural rigidity and reduction in foreshortening of the stent mechanism. A flexible section provides flexibility for delivery of the stent mechanism. In a second embodiment, flexible section columns are angled with respect to each other, and to the longitudinal axis of the stent. These relatively flexible sections are oppositely phased in order to negate any torsion along their length. In yet another embodiment, the flexible connector can take on an undulating shape (like an “N”), but such that the longitudinal axis of the connector is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the stent. Finally, a new method is disclosed for making stents.

Abstract: The present invention is a stent delivery system that uses short section of guidewire fixedly attached to the distal section of a balloon angioplasty catheter onto which a stent is co-axially mounted. By not having a guidewire that slides through the balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter, the deflated balloon on which the stent is mounted can have a reduced diameter. Therefore, the outer diameter of the pre-deployed stent mounted onto that balloon is also minimized. This provides a smaller profile, i.e., a smaller outer diameter, for the stent. The time to perform a stent delivery procedure is reduced; a separate guidewire does not have to be placed prior to using the stent delivery system to place the stent at the site of a stenosis. Another embodiment of the present invention has a core wire that extends for nearly the entire length of the stent delivery system, the guidewire having different levels of stiffness for different portions of the core wire's length.

Abstract: A stent provides a folded strut section that provides both structural rigidity and reduction in foreshortening of the stent mechanism. A flexible section provides flexibility for delivery of the stent mechanism. In a second embodiment, flexible section columns are angled with respect to each other, and to the longitudinal axis of the stent. These relatively flexible sections are oppositely phased in order to negate any torsion along their length. In yet another embodiment, the flexible connector can take on an undulating shape (like an “N”), but such that the longitudinal axis of the connector is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the stent. Finally, a new method is disclosed for making stents.

Abstract: A method for treating a bifurcated vessel, wherein the bifurcated vessel has a main vessel and a side branch vessel extending from the main vessel. The method includes the steps of: identifying a site in the main vessel and placing a stent at the site in the main vessel. The stent includes a lattice defining a substantially cylindrical configuration having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and a middle portion between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion. The lattice is movable from a crimped state to an expanded state. The lattice has a plurality of adjacent hoops. Each hoop has a plurality of adjacent loops, a plurality of bridges connecting adjacent hoops, and a plurality of extensions on at least some portions of the lattice. Each of the hoops and bridges define a cell. The proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the lattice have at least one cell respectively and the middle portion of the lattice has at least one cell.

Abstract: The method for use of the present invention stent and stent delivery system is to insert a first guidewire into the branch vessel and advance the stent delivery system until the marker at the distal end of the split proximal end is aligned with the downstream edge of the sidebranch ostium. The balloon is then inflated to deliver the stent into the sidebranch. If the two zone balloon is being used as a stent delivery system, the initial inflation will cause the split proximal end to flare apart. If the stent is delivered on a standard balloon angioplasty catheter, then a second balloon of larger diameter would be used to post-dilate the proximal end of the split end stent. A stent is then advanced into the main branch and deployed, further spreading the split proximal and of the split end sidebranch stent outward against the wall of the main branch. A guidewire is then placed through the main branch stent and the opening into the sidebranch is enlarged using balloon inflation.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of a stent provides a folded strut section that provides both structural rigidity and reduction in foreshortening of the stent mechanism. A flexible section provides flexibility for delivery of the stent mechanism. In a second embodiment, flexible section columns are angled with respect to each other, and to the longitudinal axis of the stent. These relatively flexible sections are oppositely phased in order to negate any torsion along their length. In yet another embodiment, the flexible connector can take on an undulating shape (like an “N”), but such that the longitudinal axis of the connector is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the stent. Finally, a new method is disclosed for making stents. The method consists of performing a standard photochemical machining process of cutting, cleaning and coating the tube with a photoresist.