Abstract: A multiple-sided valve for implantation within a body vessel comprising a frame comprising a bioabsorbable material is provided. The devices can be pushed from a delivery catheter into the lumen of a duct or vessel and may include one or more barbs for anchoring purposes. A full or partial covering of fabric or other flexible material, or a bioabsorbable material, including a collagen-based material such as small intestinal submucosa (SIS), may be attached to the frame to form an occlusion device, a graft, or an implantable, intraluminal valve such as for correcting incompetent veins in the lower legs and feet.

Abstract: Prosthetic valves for regulating fluid flow through a body vessel are described. The valves include a valve member that includes at least a portion that is capable of moving to selectively permit and substantially prevent fluid flow through the body vessel, either alone or with one or more additional valve members. A cannula is associated with the valve and permits a controlled amount of fluid flow through the valve, such as retrograde flow while the valve member substantially prevents fluid flow through the body vessel.

Abstract: A filter to capture blood clots includes a hub with a passageway through which a wire guide is received. The filter also includes a plurality of primary struts and a plurality of secondary struts that extend from the hub. Each primary strut terminates with a hook to anchor the filter in the blood vessel when the filter is deployed in the blood vessel. The secondary struts center the filter in the blood vessel as the secondary struts engage the interior of the blood vessel during deployment of the filter in the vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in the percutaneous placement of a medical device, such as a tracheostomy tube. An elongated hollow tube has an inflatable dilator balloon mounted thereon. The balloon comprises a distal portion, an intermediate portion and a proximal portion. The medical device is carried on the intermediate portion. At least a segment of the distal portion has an inflated outer diameter that is at least as large as the outer diameter of the medical device. The inflated outer diameter of the intermediate portion is sized relative to an internal diameter of the medical device to hold the medical device thereon. An inflation assembly is provided to enable the balloon to be selectively inflated and deflated. A body opening is dilated with the inflated dilator balloon, and the medical device may be percutaneously placed across the dilated opening. Following placement of the device, the dilator balloon may be deflated and withdrawn from the apparatus through a lumen of the medical device.

Abstract: A removable vena cava filter configured for simplified delivery to and retrieval from the vena cava of a patient is disclosed. The filter includes struts configured to be arranged in consistent orientation together between expanded (opened) and collapsed (closed) configurations, thereby minimizing entanglement of the struts. Each of the struts has a circumferential bend relative to the longitudinal axis of the filter. The circumferential bends allow for consistent orientation of the struts when moved between the expanded and collapsed configurations and when placed in the closed configuration of the filter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wire guide having a wire core and a braided sheath. The wire core includes a proximal end and distal end, wherein the braided sheath is attached to the distal end of the wire core and serves as a flexible pulling section. The braided sheath is woven of a plurality of strands and may be made of various material based on the application, such as stainless steel, a shape memory alloy, or a radiopaque material. The wire guide has a flexible tip at the proximal end opposite the flexible pulling section. A stiff section is provided between the flexible tip and the flexible pulling section to allow manipulation of the wire guide through a body lumen. Proximate the distal end of the wire core a tapered section is provided to increase flexibility of the wire guide toward the distal end. The braided sheath is received over and attached to the wire core. In addition, a shoulder is provided in the wire core providing a smooth transition from the wire core to the braided section.

Abstract: Prosthetic valves for regulating fluid flow are provided. The valves have at least one leaflet that includes a plurality of pores that allow a quantity of retrograde flow to pass through the leaflet when the valve is in a closed configuration.

Abstract: A wire guide includes a mandrel that has a proximal portion and a distal portion. A first coating with a low coefficient of friction is disposed on the proximal portion of the mandrel. A second coating is disposed on the distal portion of the mandrel, where the second coating provides a sub-structure. A third coating is disposed on the second coating, where the third coating comprises a surface that allows for easy maneuverability of the wire guide. The first coating on the proximal portion provides enough lubricity to keep the wire guide from becoming bound or stuck in a catheter or medical device while still allowing a user to have a good grip of the wire guide. The second coating on the distal portion provides lubricity for the wire guide, which allows the user to easily maneuver the wire guide through a vascular anatomy.

Abstract: A bi-directional isolation scheme is described in which digital data, including clock information, may be communicated bi-directionally across a single isolation barrier without requiring a phase locked loop (PLL) based clock recovery procedure. In this way, the lead-time needed by the receiving circuit to recover the data clock signal may be reduced and the polarity (or 180° phase) ambiguities often associated with PLL-based methods may be avoided.

Abstract: A medical device (110) including a catheter shaft (111) and a unitarily and continuously formed portion (108) having a varying durometer, and optionally including an expandable balloon (18, 118). One or both of the unitarily and continuously formed portion (108) and the balloon (18, 118) are made from an irradiation cross-linked or cross-linkable mixture of a polyamide elastomer and at least one additional cross-linking reactant. The polyamide elastomer can be a polyester amide, a polyether ester amide or a polyether amide, and is preferably a nylon block copolymer. The aromatic molecule can be 1,3,5 triethyl benzene; 1,2,4 triethyl benzene; and 1,3,5 triisopropyl benzene. The cross-linking reactant can be: (a) a difunctional material, (b) a trifunctional material, (c) a tetrafunctional material, or (d) an aromatic molecule containing at least two ring substituents, each of the ring substituents having labile hydrogens at a benzylic site therein.

Abstract: The invention is directed to grafts, including graft fabrics, for implanting, transplanting, replacing or repairing a part of a patient. The present invention is also directed to stent grafts and endoluminal prostheses formed of the graft fabric. The problem of treating small and tortuous vessels of a patient with stent grafts is solved by providing a graft fabric comprising a plurality of yarns, the yarns having a low denier, wherein the graft and endoluminal prostheses comprising graft fabric can be packable in a delivery system having an outer diameter of from about 0.06 inches to 0.27 inches.

Abstract: Stents are provided having a circumferential element with first and second ends, a longitudinal axis, and arcuate struts disposed intermediate the ends. End portions of adjacent arcuate struts are joined by strut connections formed at the first and second ends. The struts are spaced arcuately relative to a plane that includes the longitudinal axis, such that they arc convexly or concavely relative to the plane. Another stent has a tubular main body with a longitudinal axis, first and second ends defining a lumen in communication with openings at the first and second ends, and circumferential elements disposed along the tubular main body longitudinal axis, whereby one or more link members join two or more of the circumferential elements. Methods of using a stent having a circumferential element having arcuate struts connected by strut connections are also provided.

Abstract: A multiple-sided medical device comprises a closed frame of a single piece of wire or other resilient material and having a series of bends and interconnecting sides. The device has both a flat configuration and a second, folded configuration that comprises a self-expanding stent. The stent is pushed from a delivery catheter into the lumen of a duct or vessel. One or more barbs are attached to the frame of the device for anchoring or to connect additional frames. A covering of fabric or other flexible material such as DACRON, PTFE, or collagen, is sutured or attached to the frame to form an occlusion device, a stent graft, or an artificial valve such as for correcting incompetent veins in the lower legs and feet. A partial, triangular-shaped covering over the lumen of the device allows the valve to open with normal blood flow and close to retrograde flow.

Abstract: An endoluminal device comprises a stent and a tubular graft supported by the stent. The graft has a proximal and a distal opening and comprises a synthetic material and a bioremodelable material. The bioremodelable material is disposed on an exterior surface in at least one band adjacent at least one of the proximal and distal openings.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable vena cava filter for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel. The filter comprises a plurality of primary struts having first ends attached together along a longitudinal axis. Each primary strut includes an arcuate segment having a first tensile strength. The arcuate segment extends from the first end to an anchoring hook. The anchoring hook is integral with the arcuate segment and having the first thickness and first tensile strength. The filter further comprises a plurality of secondary struts freely spaced between the primary struts and having connected ends attached together along the longitudinal axis. Each secondary strut freely extends from the connected end to a free end avoiding contact with other secondary struts and primary struts. Each secondary strut has a second tensile strength.

Abstract: A removable filter having a collapsed state and an expanded state for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel is disclosed. The filter comprises a plurality of primary struts and a plurality of secondary struts. Each primary strut in the expanded state extends from a primary strut first end to an anchoring hook. Each primary strut extends arcuately along a longitudinal axis and linearly radially. The plurality of primary strut first ends are attached together along the longitudinal axis. Each secondary strut in the expanded state extends from a secondary strut first end to a free end. Each secondary strut extends arcuately along the longitudinal axis and linearly radially. The plurality of secondary struts are attached together along the longitudinal axis. The plurality of secondary struts centralize the filter in the expanded state in the blood vessel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable vena cava filter for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel. The filter comprises a plurality of primary struts having first ends attached together along a longitudinal axis. Each primary strut has an arcuate segment extending from the first end to an anchoring hook. The primary struts are configured to move between an expanded state for engaging the anchoring hooks with the blood vessel and a collapsed state for filter retrieval or delivery. Each primary strut are configured to cross another primary strut along the longitudinal axis in the collapsed state such that the arcuate segments occupy a first diameter greater than a second diameter occupied by the anchoring hooks in the collapsed state for filter retrieval or delivery.

Abstract: The present invention involves a removable filter for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel. The filter comprises a plurality of struts having first ends attached together along a longitudinal axis of the filter. Each strut has a body member extending from the first end along the longitudinal axis to an anchoring hook defining a strut axis. Each strut is configured to move along a strut path relative to the longitudinal axis between an expanded state for engaging with the blood vessel and a collapsed state for filter delivery or retrieval. Each anchoring hook has an angle of up to about 90 degrees relative to the strut axis.

Abstract: A medical device (10) including a tube (11) having a highly uniform and repeatable inner and outer diameter, the tube (11) possessing good trackability, pushability and torquability, and the tube (11) being highly resistant to collapse, necking or kinking during use. The tube (11) first includes a metal coil (14) in a stressed, radially expanded condition, the metal coil (14) preferably being formed as a flat wire. The tube (11) also includes a metal braid (16) extending over at least part of the coil (14). The tube (11) further includes a polymeric bonding layer (18) positioned over and contacting at least the coil (14). The polymeric layer (18) is preferably heat-shrinkable shrinkable tubing made of one or more of nylon or polyurethane. The tube (11) optionally includes an inner liner (20) beneath and in contact with at least part of the coil (14), the liner (20) preferably being composed of PTFE.

Abstract: An intraluminal graft assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises a support frame having first, radially smaller and second, radially larger configurations. A graft is attached to the support frame at one end by connectors and is not connected to the other end. The graft extends along only a fractional length of the support frame when in the first configuration, and substantially along the entire length of the support frame when in the second configuration. A vessel repair system is also provided. In the system, a driving member is positioned to force the support frame from the first configuration to the second configuration.