Abstract: A medical balloon assembly including an inflatable balloon and at least one cutting element extending from the balloon is disclosed. The inflatable balloon includes an outer wall facing outward and an inner wall facing outward. The cutting element comprises a plurality of openings therein including a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is closed off by a portion of the outer wall. The cutting element further includes a passageway extending from the first opening to the second opening. The passageway is defined by the cutting element and the portion of the outer wall which closes off the passageway. The passageway may contain a therapeutic agent.

Abstract: The invention is a foamed bituminous emulsion comprising a bituminous emulsion and vapor entrained within the bituminous emulsion, such that the foamed bituminous emulsion is a frothy mass of foam. The temperature of the foamed bituminous emulsion may be less than 100° C., less than 75° C., or less than 50° C. The vapor entrained within the bituminous emulsion may have a volume greater than 5%, 25%, or 50% by volume of the volume of the bituminous emulsion. The foamed bituminous emulsion may be combined with paving materials to produce a foamed bituminous emulsion paving mixture. A layer may by produced by forming a bituminous emulsion; foaming the bituminous emulsion to produce a foamed bituminous emulsion, where foaming the bituminous emulsion comprises causing vapor to become entrained within the bituminous emulsion; combining the foamed bituminous emulsion with paving materials to produce a paving mixture; and applying the paving mixture to an existing surface to form a new surface.

Abstract: Methods for making medical devices having porous coatings. Methods may comprise providing a tubing section having inner and outer surfaces and positioning a nozzle proximate to a target surface of the parent tubing section. A powder form of the porous coating may be delivered toward the tubing section, and a laser may be directed at the powder to melt the powder to form a melt pool. The melt pool can solidify to form the porous coating on the target surface. Portions of the parent tubing section may then be cut away to form the support structure of the medical device, such as a stent.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling friction between a mouse and the surface upon which it is placed. Reduction of friction can be accomplished in several ways, including: making the feet of the mouse from various different materials, creating layers of air between the mouse and the surface, creating beveled edges for the feet of mouse, etc. In one embodiment, the feet of the mouse are made of a piezo-electric layer bonded to another layer made of a different material. Exciting the piezo-electric layer at certain frequencies makes the two layers shrink and expand differently, thus creating oscillations of the feet. In yet another embodiment, portions of the mouse feet are made of different materials with different coefficients of friction. These different portions of the feet can be pressed down onto the surface with varying amounts of pressure, thus altering the friction.

Abstract: A medical balloon having an inner surface and an outer surface comprising a first coating composition comprising at least one therapeutic agent, the first coating composition disposed on the balloon outer surface and forming an interface between the balloon outer surface and the first coating composition and a second coating composition comprising a bioadhesive, the second coating composition disposed on the first coating composition so as to not affect the interface between the balloon outer surface and the first coating composition, the bioadhesive selected so as to adhere to body tissue, and methods of making the same.

Abstract: A super-capacitor-powered device is quickly recharged from an energy buffer incorporated in a USB cradle or USB dongle. That USB energy buffer itself is slowly refilled while it is connected to a USB port. The super-capacitor can be in parallel to a battery. In one embodiment, a facilitated battery changer is provided. A battery swap is performed with a recharged battery in a charger having two battery slots.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to implantable medical devices for delivering therapeutic agents to the body tissue of a patient and methods for making such medical devices. In particular, the present invention is directed to implantable medical devices, such as intravascular stents, having a surface that includes a plurality of cavities and a plurality of pores and a composition disposed in the pores and/or cavities, as well as, implantable medical devices, such as intravascular stents, having a surface that has a coating composition disposed on the surface, wherein the coating composition includes a plurality of cavities and a plurality of pores and another coating composition disposed in the pores and/or cavities.

Abstract: A method and device for coating a medical device, such as a stent, including rolling the stent against a ribbon or gravure roll impregnated with coating material. The ribbon and gravure roll may include a recessed pattern matching a strut pattern of the stent. The stent may also be rolled against a plate or cylinder while coating material is forced onto the stent through a pattern of holes or openings in the plate or cylinder matching a strut pattern of the stent.

Abstract: Endoprostheses (e.g., stents) containing adjustable surfaces are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to implantable or insertable medical devices which comprise a substrate and one or more therapeutic-agent-containing regions contain one or more therapeutic agents. In various aspects of the invention, one or more characteristics of such therapeutic-agent-containing regions are controlled. Further aspects of the invention relate to methods of forming such devices and to methods of using such devices.

Abstract: A static gasket and method of construction thereof is provided. The gasket includes a functional layer constructed of one type of metal having an opening bounded by an inner periphery an outer periphery. The gasket further includes a carrier layer constructed of a different metal than the functional layer. The carrier layer has an opening bounded by an inner periphery configured to receive the outer periphery of the functional layer in a line-to-line or loose fit. The functional layer is configured in substantially coplanar relation with the carrier layer with a first portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer being welded to a radially aligned first portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer. A second portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer remains detached from a radially aligned second portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating assembly and methods that employ the coating assembly to control the thickness of therapeutic or other coatings delivered to a medical device during a coating process. In one embodiment the coating assembly may include a coating plate having a coating transfer surface and a shoulder having a first height, a mandrel moveable over the coating transfer surface, and a coating dispenser positioned in fluid communication with the coating transfer surface. The invention also includes a method of coating a medical device. This method may include placing a medical device on a mandrel, dispensing coating onto a coating transfer surface of a coating plate, moving the mandrel and the medical device over the coating transfer surface of the coating plate so that coating resident on the coating transfer surface transfers to an exposed surface of the medical device, and removing the medical device from the mandrel.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention a method is provided which a porous medical article is contacted with a solution that contains a therapeutic agent and a solvent in order to load the pores of the medical article, after which the solvent is sublimated.

Abstract: An implantable stent comprising a first strut having an abluminal surface, and subluminal surface, and at least one side surface; a first depression formed in the abluminal surface; and a first support element at least partially disposed in the first depression; wherein at least a portion of the first support element extends beyond the abluminal surface of the first strut.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing electrostatic discharge protection includes a plurality of conductive circumferential extensions defined by overlapping circular voids between a first conductor surface and a second conductor surface.

Abstract: A safety system, attached to the underside of an access (lid, cover, grill, grate, or hatch) that allows the user to mount and dismount an access ladder below in an ergonomic and safe manner. The system comprises of a locking device and two handrails attached to the underside of the access cover. The handrails are attached in line with the access ladder handrails. When the access cover is in a vertical open position the locking device slides down into a hollow receiver sleeve that is in a fixed position below the surface of the access cover. This secures the access cover in a vertical open position, allowing the user to utilize the handrails on the underside of the access cover as an extension of the ladder handrails that are affixed below the surface of the access cover.

Abstract: A drug-eluting endoprosthesis that includes a bioerodible metal portion and a therapeutic agent. In some aspects, the endoprosthesis includes a plurality of discrete deposits and a plurality of overlying layers each overlying one of the plurality of discrete deposits. Each discrete deposit includes one or more therapeutic agents and each overlying layer includes one or more bioerodible metals. In other aspects, the bioerodible metal portion includes at least two bioerodible metal regions having different electronegativities. The at least two bioerodible metal regions being in electrical contact with each other. The bioerodible metal erodes in a physiological environment to release the therapeutic agent.

Abstract: Various techniques for a method for generating location information for a digital media file. In one implementation, the method may include receiving a first digital media file with location information and a second digital media file without location information, receiving a location hierarchy of the first digital media file, wherein the location hierarchy is determined using a reverse-geocoding algorithm and using the location hierarchy of the first digital media file to determine a location hierarchy of the second digital media file.

Abstract: In one aspect, a medical device has a first configuration and a second configuration, a reservoir containing a therapeutic agent, and a barrier layer disposed over the reservoir, wherein the barrier layer comprises an inorganic material. In another aspect, a medical device has a reservoir containing a therapeutic agent, a barrier layer disposed over the reservoir, wherein the barrier layer comprises an inorganic material, and a swellable material disposed between the barrier layer and a surface of the medical device, wherein the swellable material is a material that swells upon exposure to an aqueous environment. In yet another aspect, a medical device has a multi-layered coating having alternating reservoir layers and barrier layers, and a plurality of excavated regions penetrating through at least a partial thickness of the multi-layered coating.