Abstract: An exoskeleton device is capable of being positioned over an expandable instrument, such as a balloon catheter. The exoskeleton device may include an expandable section that receives an expander of the expandable instrument. Expansion of the expander may cause the expandable section of the exoskeleton device to expand and force the expandable section of the exoskeleton device against a surface to be treated. The expandable section may be capable of scoring the surface against which it is forced.

Abstract: A syringe includes a barrel and a rotatable element on the barrel, for example, at a proximal location along the length of the barrel. The rotatable element rotates at least partially around the barrel. When a handle is associated with the rotatable element, the barrel may rotate as the handle is held substantially stationary or the handle may be rotated while the barrel and any peripheral device secured thereto remain substantially stationary. When handles are associated with a rotatable element that may be removed from a barrel, a barrel that is disassembled from the rotatable element may be replaced with another barrel of the same or a different configuration. The barrel and plunger may be configured to cause the barrel to rotate as the plunger moves along the length of the barrel. Methods of using a syringe with a rotatable element on a barrel thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: A biopsy system is discloses that includes a percutaneous biopsy needle and an inner cannula. The percutaneous biopsy needle includes an internal passageway. At a distal end, the percutaneous biopsy needle includes an expandable section. A distal section of the internal passageway of the percutaneous biopsy needle, which corresponds to the expandable section, is tapered to enable the expandable section to expand and collapse as the inner cannula is positioned within and/or moves through the tapered distal section. The inner cannula may be configured to aspirate a sample from a location of interest within a subject's body and, in some embodiments, may cooperate with the distal end of the percutaneous biopsy needle in a manner that facilitates removal of the sample from the subject's body. Biopsy methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A syringe includes a barrel and a rotatable element on the barrel; for example at a proximal location along the length of the barrel. The rotatable element rotates at least partially around the barrel. When a handle is associated with the rotatable element, the barrel may rotate as the handle his held substantially stationary or the handle may be rotated while the barrel and any peripheral device secured thereto remain substantially stationary. When handles are associated with a rotatable element that may be removed from a barrel, a barrel that is disassembled from the rotatable element may be replaced with another barrel of the same or a different configuration. Methods of using a syringe with a rotatable element on a barrel thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cannula-stylet assembly for piercing tissues of a subject's body includes a stylet that is significantly longer than the cannula. The length of the stylet enables introduction of the stylet through the length of both the cannula and a gripping device that has been coupled to a proximal end of the cannula. A medical piercing system may include a cannula-stylet assembly with a long stylet and a gripping device that may remain assembled with the cannula when the stylet is removed from the cannula or a gripping device that remains assembled with a stylet of a conventionally configured cannula-stylet assembly when the stylet is removed from the cannula.

Abstract: A hand-held, hand-operated apparatus for rotating, or spinning, rotatably oscillating and/or inducing back and forth longitudinal movement in a device, such as an elongated medical device. A drive shaft of the hand-held, hand-operated rotational drive apparatus includes a ratcheting mechanism capable of enabling oscillating (repeated forward and reverse) rotation of a device that has been coupled thereto when there is little or no resistance on the rotated device, and of enabling an actuator to return to a position that will enable further forward, or driving, rotation of the drive shaft and the rotated device when resistance on the rotated device prevents the rotated device and the drive shaft from rotating in a reverse direction.

Abstract: A medical device for removing or retrieving objects from the body of a subject (e.g., from a vessel and/or a cavity in the body of the subject. Such a retrieval apparatus includes a handle, a sheath protruding from the handle, and a snare. The snare includes a loop that may extend from a distal end of the sheath, as well as an intermediate portion that resides within a lumen of the snare and one or more ends that are coupled to or are otherwise associated with one or more controls carried by the handle. The controls may enable retraction of the loop into the lumen of the sheath, sizing of the loop, and reciprocation, or back and forth movement, of the snare and its loop. Methods for using such a retrieval apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for introducing a shaped portion of an elongate medical instrument into a body of a subject includes at least partially straightening the shaped portion of the elongate medical instrument. A retention element may be introduced into an interior of the shaped portion of the elongate medical instrument to place and/or maintain the shaped portion in an at least partially straightened configuration. Such straightening may be accomplished without application of external force to an exterior of the shaped portion. With the retention element in place, the shaped portion may be introduced to a desired location within a hollow interior of an internal organ. The retention element may then be removed to enable the shaped portion to return to its desired shape. A straightening apparatus includes a retention element that can place and/or maintain a shaped portion of an elongate medical instrument in an at least partially straightened configuration without assistance of external force.

Abstract: A positioning device is configured to selectively position or otherwise manipulate one or more organs within the body of a subject. The positioning device includes a shaped expandable element that is configured to be selectively transitioned between an unexpanded, or collapsed, state and an expanded state. While in the expanded state, the expandable element repositions or otherwise manipulates an organ. Systems that include positioning devices are also disclosed, as are methods for positioning or otherwise manipulating organs.

Abstract: An apparatus for mechanically manipulating hollow organs within the body of a subject, or an organ manipulation apparatus, includes a manipulation section. The manipulation section may include a substantially two-dimensional element, which may have a width that exceeds a distance across a portion of the interior of a hollow organ within which the manipulation section is to be positioned. The manipulation section is configured to manipulate at least a portion of a hollow organ from within, which may modify at least one of a shape, orientation, or location of at least part of the hollow organ. Methods for manipulating hollow organs are also disclosed, as are operating techniques, such as left atrial ablation, in which the shapes, orientations, and/or locations of hollow organs are manipulated to move the hollow organs away from the site of the medical procedure, reducing the potential for damage to the hollow organs.

Abstract: A method for introducing an elongate medical instrument with a shaped portion into the body of a subject includes at least partially straightening the shaped portion from an exterior of the elongate medical instrument. A retention element may then be introduced into an interior of the shaped portion to maintain the shaped portion in an at least partially straightened configuration as the external force is removed from the shaped portion. With the retention element in place, the shaped portion may be introduced to a desired location within a hollow interior of an internal organ. The retention element may then be removed to enable the shaped portion to return to its desired shape. A straightening apparatus includes the retention element, as well as an external element that at least partially straightens the shaped portion of the elongate medical instrument from the outside. A system includes the elongate medical instrument and the straightening apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for mechanically manipulating hollow organs within the body of a subject, or an organ manipulation apparatus, includes a manipulation section. The manipulation section may include a substantially two-dimensional element, which may have a width that exceeds a distance across a portion of the interior of a hollow organ within which the manipulation section is to be positioned. The manipulation section is configured to manipulate at least a portion of a hollow organ from within, which may modify at least one of a shape, orientation, or location of at least part of the hollow organ. Methods for manipulating hollow organs are also disclosed, as are operating techniques, such as left atrial ablation, in which the shapes, orientations, and/or locations of hollow organs are manipulated to move the hollow organs away from the site of the medical procedure, reducing the potential for damage to the hollow organs.

Abstract: A tissue resector includes an outer cannula with a cutting element disposed therein. The outer cannula includes an opening that is configured to be associated with a cutting element of the cutting element in such a way that when tissue is drawn into the opening of the cannula, a cutting element of the cutting element can be rotated past the opening to engage and cut into and through the tissue. The outer cannula and the cutting element may also be configured to enable aspiration of the tissue. A tissue resector according to this disclosure may be used with a hand-held, hand-operated rooter.

Abstract: A temperature probe for monitoring temperatures of a surface of a tissue or organ within the body of a subject includes a section with a substantially two-dimensional arrangement and a plurality of temperature sensors positioned across an area defined by the substantially two-dimensional arrangement. Such an apparatus may be used in conjunction with procedures in which thermal techniques are used to diagnose a disease state or treat diseased tissue. Specifically, a temperature probe may be used to monitor temperatures across an area of a surface of a tissue or organ located close to the treated tissue to prevent subjection of the monitored tissue or organ to potentially damaging temperatures.

Abstract: An exoskeleton device is capable of being applied to an outer surface of an elongated medical instrument, such as a catheter or a balloon (e.g., an angioplasty balloon, etc.). The exoskeleton device includes a sleeve or another element that is configured to be placed over a distal portion of the elongated medical instrument, one or more features on the sleeve or other element for performing a procedure within the body of a subject, and one or more elements that communicate with the sleeve or other element and/or the features carried thereby to enable performance of the procedure within the body of the subject. Methods of applying exoskeleton devices to elongated medical instruments and methods of using exoskeleton devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: An intraluminal retractor includes a shapable element formed by a series of shaping segments. The shaping segments may be associated with one another in a relaxed configuration that imparts the shapable element with a linear, substantially linear or curvilinear shape to enable its insertion into an interior space within a subject's body. When actuated, the shaping segments may assume a contracted configuration that imparts the shapable element with a desired shape, which may move an organ within which or against which the shapable element is positioned, change a path of the organ and/or alter a shape of the organ. Methods for altering the locations, paths and/or shapes of organs are also disclosed.

Abstract: A guide wire extender includes a coupling element for coupling to a proximal portion of a guide wire. Such a configuration enables the introduction of elongate medical instruments that lack rapid exchange features to be introduced into the body of a subject over short, rapid exchange-length guide wires. Assemblies that include a guide wire extender within an elongate medical device are also disclosed. Such an assembly may include a configuration that enables a single user to effectively lengthen a guide wire and introduce the elongate medical instrument into a subject's body without significant risk of contaminating the elongate medical instrument. Systems that include a guide wire extender and an elongate medical instrument are also disclosed, as are methods of using the guide wire extender to introduce an elongate medical instrument into the body of a subject.