Abstract: The present invention preferably includes a balloon catheter for use with a guidewire. The catheter has a body with a balloon located thereon, preferably at the distal end. A lumen within the catheter body communicates with the interior of the balloon which can be inflated by known methods with saline solution. A series of sleeve members of predetermined lengths and sizes are coupled to and positioned along the length of the catheter body. One or more of the sleeve members can span the length of the balloon. Each sleeve member has a passageway and both an exit and entry port so that the guidewire can pass therethrough. Instead of a balloon, the catheter can include a device member that forms a chamber which can store medicine until discharged at the desired site within the blood vessel. Apertures or pores on the catheter body allow for the perfusion of blood or the delivery of medicine to the site of the blood vessel. A method of operation is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stent is made generally tubular and is initially formed in a collapsed configuration. A fabric cover is provided for the inner stent and is attached outside the stent at one or more desired locations. The fabric cover is much larger in diameter than the diameter of the collapsed stent, however, when the stent is expanded through activation of the balloon catheter therewithin, the stent expands to closely conform to the interior walls of the fabric cover. The attachment of the fabric cover and the stent may be accomplished in several ways. In one embodiment, the fabric cover may be attached outside the inner stent at one linear location parallel to the axis of elongation of the stent. In an alternative embodiment, the fabric cover may be attached concentrically about the inner stent and secured in that configuration by a series of sutures. In a further modification, the fabric cover may be attached around the inner stent non-concentrically through the use of suitable sutures.

Abstract: A coated microporous stent and method of coating are disclosed. The inventive stent consists of a tubular member made from a flat sheet assembled together in a tube with the ends of the sheet assembled together through a technique such as surface fusing. Preferably, the stent is made up of a plurality of spaced rows of slots with spaces between adjacent slots within a row staggered with respect to corresponding spaces on adjacent rows. In a first embodiment of a coated stent, a coating is attached to the stent only at a single area of line contact on the outer surface of the stent with the remainder of the coating being larger than the unexpanded stent, but being made of dimensions designed to snugly receive the outer surfaces of the stent when it is expanded within a blood vessel.

Abstract: A cryotherapy method for reducing tissue injury after balloon angioplasty or stent implantation contemplates use of a well insulated, low profile catheter designed to transport a low temperature medium such as gas, fluid or a mixture thereof at a particular temperature over a guide wire to the site of a lesion. The lesion may or may not have undergone previous procedure for balloon angioplasty or stent implantation. The cryo-medium is introduced from a well insulated storage chamber having a small nozzle to which a conduit may be attached to allow conveyance of the fluid to a point of use. A handheld valve is incorporated into the conduit to allow the surgeon to closely control the flow of the cryo-medium to the point of use. The conduit extends downstream of the valve and is fluidly connected to the catheter that is positioned at the point of the lesion in the body. If desired, antibiotics, anticoagulants, antiproliferative agents, gene materials, etc.

Abstract: A coated microporous stent and method of coating are disclosed. The inventive stent consists of a tubular member made from a flat sheet assembled together in a tube with the ends of the sheet assembled together through a technique such as surface fusing. Preferably, the stent is made up of a plurality of spaced rows of slots with spaces between adjacent slots within a row staggered with respect to corresponding spaces on adjacent rows. In a first embodiment of a coated stent, a coating is attached to the stent only at a single area of line contact on the outer surface of the stent with the remainder of the coating being larger than the unexpanded stent, but being made of dimensions designed to snugly receive the outer surfaces of the stent when it is expanded within a blood vessel.

Abstract: A stent has a generally cylindrical shape having a series of slots or other surface discontinuities facilitating adherence to the inner walls of a blood vessel. In one embodiment, one end of the stent has a terminus that is tapered at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the axis of elongation of the stent. In other embodiments, both ends are angled non-orthogonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stent. The particular angle that each end surface of the stent makes with the longitudinal axis of the stent may be varied, in each case, to accommodate to bifurcated blood vessels of varying sizes, shapes and configurations. Use of stents in accordance with the teachings of the present invention precludes wall portions of a stent from protruding into a passage of a blood vessel in a manner that would cause restricted flow through the blood vessel. The method of making the stent in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: A metallic stent is coated with a synthetic or biological active or inactive agent that only adheres to the metallic surface of the stent and does not cover slots formed in the stent. In the method, a metallic stent is manufactured in a known manner and is then cleaned to remove surface contaminants and carbon deposits formed from cutting operations and electro-polishing procedures. The stent is then dried in a chamber in which nitrogen gas is purged and then placed in a bath containing a suitable surfactant, such as a long chain alkyl quaternary salt, that removes any residual carbon on the surface of the stent. The stent is then placed in a container filled with the coating agent and the container is placed in an ultrasonic bath. When the bath is activated, the stent swirls in the agent, which agent coats the stent but does not cover the slots of the stent. The stent is removed from the container and dried in a controlled atmosphere.

Abstract: A star-shaped stent and replacement valve or replacement graft for use in repairing a damaged cardiac valve includes two to eight star-shaped members interconnected into a "chain". Once this "chain" has been created through interconnection of the star-shaped members, a central opening through all of the interconnected star-shaped members receives a replacement aortic valve tri-cuspid made of any suitable flexible and bio-compatible material. A catheter delivery system is used to deliver the stent with the aortic valve tri-cuspid to the desired site. The star-shaped stents are made by using a laser to cut out a plurality of flat star-shaped members with a plurality of outwardly and inwardly directed points. The outwardly directed points are bent so that they face away from a plane defined by the inwardly directed points and then a series of such stents are fastened together in a chain.

Abstract: Embodiments of multiple interconnected stents each include a stent having a plurality of rows of slots with spaces between the slots being staggered in adjacent rows. In each embodiment, a plurality of stents are interconnected together with a connector. In one embodiment, the connector consists of a single flexible bar. In a second embodiment, the connector consists of a plurality of U-shaped members fused together. In a third embodiment, the connector consists of a plurality of slots orthogonal to the stent slots. In a fourth embodiment, a multiplicity of stents are interconnected together by flexible bars that are vertically staggered with respect to one another. In a fifth embodiment, adjacent stents are interconnected by flexible connectors resembling the letter "H". In a sixth embodiment, adjacent stents are interconnected by a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal bars.

Abstract: A tubular member is formed from a flat sheet having opposed longitudinal edges. Rows of parallel longitudinal slots are cut in the flat sheet and at least three holes are cut along the opposed longitudinal edges. The holes are aligned with the holes on the opposed edge and sutured together to form the tubular member. The tubular member is compressed over a balloon catheter and thereafter permanently positioned within a desired portion of a blood vessel.

Abstract: A coated microporous stent and method of coating are disclosed. The inventive stent consists of a tubular member made from a flat sheet assembled together in a tube with the ends of the sheet assembled together through a technique such as surface fusing. Preferably, the stent is made up of a plurality of spaced rows of slots with spaces between adjacent slots within a row staggered with respect to corresponding spaces on adjacent rows. In a first embodiment of a coated stent, a coating is attached to the stent only at a single area of line contact on the outer surface of the stent with the remainder of the coating being larger than the unexpanded stent, but being made of dimensions designed to snugly receive the outer surfaces of the stent when it is expanded within a blood vessel.

Abstract: The process described herein involves the production of artificial blood vessels starting with a tue knit or woven from polmeric fibers such as polyester, for example, polyethyleneterephthalate, which has been surface cleaned and then coated on the exterior surface of the tube with one or more layers as defined more fully hereinafter of polysiloxane, polyurethane or a block copolymer of polyurethane and polysiloxane to give the desired amount of permeability. A preferred block copolymer is made an hydroxyalkyl-terminated polysiloxane and a polyurethane.