Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a microneedle. The microneedle is positioned in the perivascular space and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally along the blood vessel and in some cases to the adventitia surrounding other blood vessels.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a microneedle. The microneedle is positioned in the perivascular space and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally along the blood vessel and in some cases to the adventitia surrounding other blood vessels.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a microneedle. The microneedle is positioned in the perivascular space and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally along the blood vessel and in some cases to the adventitia surrounding other blood vessels.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a microneedle. The microneedle is positioned in the perivascular space and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally along the blood vessel and in some cases to the adventitia surrounding other blood vessels.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a microneedle. The microneedle is positioned in the perivascular space and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally along the blood vessel and in some cases to the adventitia surrounding other blood vessels.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia and other regions outside the external elastic lamina (EEL) surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a needle. The needle is positioned in up to 5 mm beyond the EEL and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally and radially along the blood vessel. Confirmation that a delivery aperture of the needle lies beyond the EEL may be required before delivering the pharmaceutical agent.

Abstract: Biocompatible metallic medical devices having silanized surfaces coupled to nucleophile residues that release sustained, therapeutic amounts of nitric oxide to specific sites within a mammalian body are provided. Additionally, the biocompatible metallic medical devices can also be provided with anti-thrombogenic, lubricious coatings that release sustained, therapeutic amounts of nitric oxide. Moreover, the silanized metallic devices are surprisingly durable when exposed to harsh chemical methods often needed to bind nitric oxide-releasing functional groups to nucleophile residues. Furthermore, methods are provided for producing stable, silanized, sustained nitric oxide-releasing metallic medical devices.

Abstract: Extremely hydrophobic nitric oxide (NO) releasing polymers are disclosed. The extremely hydrophobic NO-releasing polymers provided are extensively cross-linked polyamine-derivatized divinylbenzene diazeniumdiolates. These polymers can be loaded with extremely high NO levels and designed to release NO in manners than mimic natural biological systems. The NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers provided can maintain a sustained NO release for periods exceeding nine months. Also provided are related medical devices made using these NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers.

Abstract: A method and system for treating a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient is disclosed. The method includes rupturing a fibrous cap of the vulnerable plaque. A portion of liquid contents of the vulnerable plaque are released into a blood vessel lumen as a result of the fibrous cap rupture. The method further includes capturing at least one of any emboli present within the blood vessel as a result of the fibrous cap rupture. The system includes a rupture device that ruptures a fibrous cap of the vulnerable plaque and a capture device that captures at lest one embolus within the blood vessel.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient. A first aspect of the invention includes a substance that is administered to the patient and a device that detects the substance. The substance has affinity for/binds to at least one of a lipid, a clotting factor, or an apoptotic factor associated with the vulnerable plaque. A second aspect includes a particle that is administered to the patient, an emitter that emits infra-red or near infra-red radiation on the particle, and a detector that detects light fluorescence from the particle. A third aspect includes a substance that is administered to the patient. The substance has affinity for/binds to the vulnerable plaque and includes a substance radiopaque characteristic that activates upon association/binding of substance with the vulnerable plaque. A device that detects the substance radiopaque characteristic is also provided.

Abstract: A method and system for treating a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient is disclosed. The method includes rupturing a fibrous cap of the vulnerable plaque. A portion of liquid contents of the vulnerable plaque are released into a blood vessel lumen as a result of the fibrous cap rupture. The method further includes capturing at least one of any emboli present within the blood vessel as a result of the fibrous cap rupture. The system includes a rupture device that ruptures a fibrous cap of the vulnerable plaque and a capture device that captures at lest one embolus within the blood vessel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for regenerating damaged tissue rely on direct injection of selected therapeutic cells into a tissue at or near the site of tissue damage. Direct injection is accomplished using an intravascular catheter having a deployable needle, and injection is usually targeted into the adventitial and peri-adventitial tissues surrounding the blood vessel from which the needle is deployed.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia and other regions outside the external elastic lamina (EEL) surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a needle. The needle is positioned in up to 5 mm beyond the EEL and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally and radially along the blood vessel. Confirmation that a delivery aperture of the needle lies beyond the EEL may be required before delivering the pharmaceutical agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transthoracic drug delivery device that utilizes pressure to determine the precise location of the distal tip of the delivery tube of the device to insure that therapeutic substances are ejected into the myocardium and not dissipated in unintended tissue locations. In one embodiment the drug delivery device comprises a pressure sensing tube mounted in parallel to a drug delivery tube wherein the tubes are staggered so that the pressure tube extends beyond the delivery tube. When the myocardium is penetrated by the tubes, advancement into the heart and penetration into the left ventricle by the pressure sensing tube results in a pressure increase that indicates to the physician that the drug delivery tube, by its placement relative to the pressure sensing tube is still in the myocardium and, thus, prepared to deliver the drug.

Abstract: Extremely hydrophobic nitric oxide (NO) releasing polymers are disclosed. The extremely hydrophobic NO-releasing polymers provided are extensively cross-linked polyamine-derivatized divinylbenzene diazeniumdiolates. These polymers can be loaded with extremely high NO levels and designed to release NO in manners than mimic natural biological systems. The NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers provided can maintain a sustained NO release for periods exceeding nine months. Also provided are related medical devices made using these NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers.

Abstract: Methods and kits for delivering pharmaceutical agents to the adventitia surrounding a blood vessel utilize a catheter having a microneedle. The microneedle is positioned in the perivascular space and delivers an amount of pharmaceutical agent sufficient to circumferentially permeate around the blood vessel and, in many cases, extend longitudinally along the blood vessel and in some cases to the adventitia surrounding other blood vessels.

Abstract: A method and a system for treating vascular in-stent restenosis that combines two disparate drug delivery systems wherein the two drug systems act in a synergistic fashion to produce maximal therapeutic benefit at a targeted site. Controlled delivery of non-toxic, subthreshold doses of a systemic drug is combined with the localized delivery of a second drug via catheter-mediated stent placement to provide therapeutic benefit. Because each drug acts independently via distinct yet related molecular pathways, full therapeutic benefit can be designed as additives and occurs only at the targeted site.

Abstract: Extremely hydrophobic nitric oxide (NO) releasing polymers are disclosed. The extremely hydrophobic NO-releasing polymers provided are extensively cross-linked polyamine-derivatized divinylbenzene diazeniumdiolates. These polymers can be loaded with extremely high NO levels and designed to release NO in manners than mimic natural biological systems. The NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers provided can maintain a sustained NO release for periods exceeding nine months. Also provided are related medical devices made using these NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transthoracic drug delivery device that utilizes pressure to determine the precise location of the distal tip of the delivery tube of the device to insure that therapeutic substances are ejected into the myocardium and not dissipated in unintended tissue locations. In one embodiment the drug delivery device comprises a pressure sensing tube mounted in parallel to a drug delivery tube wherein the tubes are staggered so that the pressure tube extends beyond the delivery tube. When the myocardium is penetrated by the tubes, advancement into the heart and penetration into the left ventricle by the pressure sensing tube results in a pressure increase that indicates to the physician that the drug delivery tube, but its placement relative to the pressure sensing tube is still in the myocardium and, thus, prepared to deliver the drug.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transthoracic drug delivery device that utilizes pressure to determine the precise location of the distal tip of the delivery tube of the device to insure that therapeutic substances are ejected into the myocardium and not dissipated in unintended tissue locations. In one embodiment the drug delivery device comprises a pressure sensing tube mounted in parallel to a drug delivery tube wherein the tubes are staggered so that the pressure tube extends beyond the delivery tube. When the myocardium is penetrated by the tubes, advancement into the heart and penetration into the left ventricle by the pressures sensing tube results in a pressure increase that indicates to the physician that the drug delivery tube, by its placement relative to the pressure sensing tube is still in the myocardium and, thus, prepared to deliver the drug.