Abstract: A medical device having at least one composite region thereon formed of composite material comprising a polymer and a fluorinated sol-gel derived ceramic. The composite material is useful as a coating material for imparting a low coefficient of friction to a substrate.

Abstract: A balloon catheter that comprises an inner shaft, a balloon and a sleeve that defines a lumen. A portion of the inner shaft is positioned within the lumen and the balloon is engaged to the sleeve at least two engagement points.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to internal (e.g., implantable, insertable, etc.) drug delivery devices which contain the following: (a) one or more sources of one or more therapeutic agents; (b) one or more first electrodes, (c) one or more second electrodes and (d) one or more power sources for applying voltages across the first and second electrodes. The power sources may be adapted, for example, to promote electrically assisted therapeutic agent delivery within a subject, including electroporation and/or iontophoresis. In one aspect of the invention, the first and second electrodes are adapted to have tissue of a subject positioned between them upon deployment of the medical device within the subject, such that an electric field may be generated, which is directed into the tissue. Furthermore, the therapeutic agent sources are adapted to introduce the therapeutic agents into the electric field.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling an emission control system of a vehicle having a first SCR region upstream of a second SCR region are provided herein. One exemplary method includes, in a first mode: adjusting an amount of reductant injected upstream of a first SCR region based on a condition of the first SCR region. The method may also include, in a second mode: adjusting the amount of reductant injected upstream of the first SCR region based on a condition of the second SCR region.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing drug-coated medical devices having a porous coatings thereon. The pores are created by solid particle additives added to a mixture comprising a solvent, a drug, and a polymer to create a suspension, which is applied to the medical device. The method includes adding a surfactant to the mixture to prevent or decrease flocculation of the solid particle additives. Another method is provided that includes spraying a suspension on a medical device that comprises solid particle additives, a drug, and a polymer and analyzing the distribution of the solid particle additives in the suspension.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to internal (e.g., implantable, insertable, etc.) drug delivery devices which contain the following: (a) one or more sources of one or more therapeutic agents; (b) one or more first electrodes, (c) one or more second electrodes and (d) one or more power sources for applying voltages across the first and second electrodes. The power sources may be adapted, for example, to promote electrically assisted therapeutic agent delivery within a subject, including electroporation and/or iontophoresis. In one aspect of the invention, the first and second electrodes are adapted to have tissue of a subject positioned between them upon deployment of the medical device within the subject, such that an electric field may be generated, which is directed into the tissue. Furthermore, the therapeutic agent sources are adapted to introduce the therapeutic agents into the electric field.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides composite coatings for implantable or insertable medical devices. These composite coatings comprise (a) an inorganic portion and (b) a polymeric portion that comprises a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) block.

Abstract: Medical devices including a proximal tubular member, a distal tubular member, and an intermediate tubular member connecting the proximal tubular member to the distal tubular member, and related methods.

Abstract: The present invention differs from the prior art in that the present invention provides one or a network of passive or active radio frequency identification (RFID) transceivers and antenna elements in different numbers, in various network sizes, in different configurations and on various substrates. The RFID transceiver can be co-located with standard semiconductor devices, for cost-effective circuit design and non-destructive fabrication test and analysis of integrated circuits and printed circuit boards after fabrication, and to locate, track and identify the integrated circuit, printed circuit boards and products in which they are implemented. The RFID transceivers can be coupled to substrates containing matter in gas, liquid, or solid form, such as medical devices like breast implants, for effective monitoring of the substrates to ensure that the substrate is in an unaltered state and the matter is still contained securely within.

Abstract: A medical device including a coating disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the medical device, the coating including at least one polymer material having reversible wettability.

Abstract: A computer-based, cardio-function cafeteria method for gathering, handling, observing and presenting cardio-function data from a selected subject patient, and for utilizing that data to effect constructive and corrective, data-trend-based, cardio-function intervention. The method features (a) gathering cardio-relevant, cardio-functionality data from a patient including, over extended time, selected-category, cardio-functionality trend data, (b) utilizing such trend data in an implemented feedback manner to effect real-time changes in the patient's cardio-functionality as evidenced by that gathered trend data, and (c), while so implementing the mentioned feedback utilization, continuing to gather and observe the same-category trend data so as to achieve, through appropriate, recurrent utilization feedback, and related constructive and corrective intervention, improved cardio-functionality in relation to the associated trend data.

Abstract: A method employable during a tachycardia-tachyarrhythmia condition in a person for detecting, verifying and distinguishing ventricular and supra-ventricular tachyarrhythmias, including ventricular fibrillation, including (a) confirming the presence of a tachyarrhythmia heart rate, (b) on such confirmation, collecting time-frame-simultaneous ECG and heart-sound information, (c) following such collecting, choosing selected ECG time-span, and heart-sound intensity, data, and (d) utilizing the chosen, selected ECG time-span, and heart-sound intensity, data, characterizing the defined condition as resulting from one of (a) supra-ventricular tachyarrhythmia, (b) ventricular tachyarrhythmia, and (c) ventricular fibrillation.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to internal (e.g., implantable, insertable, etc.) drug delivery devices which contain the following: (a) one or more sources of one or more therapeutic agents; (b) one or more first electrodes, (c) one or more second electrodes and (d) one or more power sources for applying voltages across the first and second electrodes. The power sources may be adapted, for example, to promote electrically assisted therapeutic agent delivery within a subject, including electroporation and/or iontophoresis. In one aspect of the invention, the first and second electrodes are adapted to have tissue of a subject positioned between them upon deployment of the medical device within the subject, such that an electric field may be generated, which is directed into the tissue. Furthermore, the therapeutic agent sources are adapted to introduce the therapeutic agents into the electric field.

Abstract: A balloon catheter that comprises an inner shaft, a balloon and a sleeve that defines a lumen. A portion of the inner shaft is positioned within the lumen and the balloon is engaged to the sleeve at least two engagement points.

Abstract: A system for gathering, creating and utilizing signal-processed ECG and acoustic signals for assessing, via presenting a highly intuitive, multi-component, common-time-base, real-time output display of selected (1) timing, (2) relative timing, and (3) other significant heart-behavioral elements relevant to such an assessment, a patient's hemodynamic condition. The system offers an important option and capability for automatic, and/or manual, medical-treatment and/or pacemaker-control feedback, in real time, to improve a patient's hemodynamic status, with such a patient's resulting hemodynamic-behavioral/status changes caused by such feedback being viewable immediately in the invention's produced output display.

Abstract: A method for gathering, creating and utilizing signal-processed ECG and acoustic signals for assessing, via presenting a highly intuitive, multi-component, common-time-base, real-time output display of selected (1) timing, (2) relative timing, and (3) other significant heart-behavioral elements relevant to such an assessment, a pacemaker patient's hemodynamic condition.

Abstract: A shaped medical device article prepared from a polymer melt composition comprising a polymer ester, a transesterification catalyst, and a tri- or tetraalkoxy silane, by forming and solidifying said composition, and after solidification, subjecting the composition to reaction conditions to effect hydrolysis at least some alkoxysilyl groups remaining in the composition to form silanol groups and to effect condensation of said silanol groups to form a ceramic network. The polymer ester may be a vinyl ester homopolymer or copolymer, or a polymer having ester groups in the backbone thereof.

Abstract: Medical devices including a proximal tubular member, a distal tubular member, and an intermediate tubular member connecting the proximal tubular member to the distal tubular member, and related methods.

Abstract: Methods for the application of a polymer-free coating onto a medical device using plasma electrolytic deposition, comprising: (i) optionally applying a metal precoating onto a medical device; (ii) placing the medical device in an electrolyte solution comprising an electrolyte; and (iii) establishing an electric potential under plasma electrolytic deposition conditions between an electrode and the medical device, such that the plasma electrolytic deposition conditions are adequate to sustain deposition from the electrolyte solution onto the surface of the medical device to form the coating. The invention also relates to coating compositions and coated medical devices, such as stents, made according to these methods. If desired, the polymer-free coating can be a drug-eluting coating.

Abstract: The present invention provides a RFID device comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver and antenna element co-located with a semiconductor device, a method for making same and a method of using the RFID device of the present invention to locate, track and identify semiconductor devices and the devices they reside in. One embodiment of the RFID device of the present invention comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver embedded within packaging of a semiconductor device. A second embodiment of the RFID device of the present invention comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver as a separate circuit block within the semiconductor device. A third embodiment of the RFID device of the present invention comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver as a separate independent circuit on top of the semiconductor device, System on Chip (SoC).