Abstract: A catheter for treating calcified plaque includes a catheter body and an expandable balloon. A treatment device of the catheter disrupts and/or modifies the calcified plaque. The treatment device may be a thermal shock generator, a nuclear magnetic resonance generator, or a vibration generator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying a user's parking location in a parking facility, wherein the apparatus and method may have minimal financial impact on the users of the parking facility and the parking facility itself. The method may generally include positioning a ticket dispensing apparatus proximate a parking location of a user, and dispensing a parking location ticket from the ticket-dispensing apparatus to the user, wherein the parking location ticket contains a first side with parking location information and a second side with sponsor messages and/or advertisement information. The apparatus may generally include a ticket dispenser positioned in a parking zone of a parking facility, and removable parking location identifying tickets positioned in the ticket dispenser, wherein the parking location identifying tickets have a first side that has parking location information printed thereon and a second side that has sponsor messages and/or advertising information printed thereon.

Abstract: An improved stent coating holder for application of coatings to stents is provided. In a first embodiment, a flexible wire with loops on each end is passed through the center of a stent. The loops are placed over the ends of a stent coating holder, which applies tension to the loops while spreading them radially until they contact their respective stent ends. The holder thus secures the stent from longitudinal or radial movement during coating and minimizes holder-induced uneven distribution of coating material on the stent. In a second embodiment, a center rod is passed through the stent, which is held at its ends by lower and upper crossbars affixed respectively to the center rod and to a center rod guide. A locking pin inserted through the center rod and guide tube fixes the stent between the crossbars, precluding stent movement during coating and minimizing holder shadowing.