Abstract: A conduit is provided to provide a bypass around a blockage in the coronary artery. The conduit is adapted to be positioned in the myocardium or heart wall to provide a passage for blood to flow between a chamber of the heart such as the left ventricle and the coronary artery, distal to the blockage. The stent is self-expanding or uses a balloon to expand the stent in the heart wall. Various attachment means are provided to anchor the stent and prevent its migration.

Abstract: Described herein are various methods and apparatuses for delivering stents and other devices into the myocardium of a patient. One preferred stent delivery system provides access to the insertion site in the myocardium by advancing a delivery catheter through a blockage in a coronary artery, or around the blockage through a coronary vein or through a channel or tunnel formed around the blockage. In one embodiment, once the distal end of the delivery catheter is adjacent the myocardium, an angled bend is created in the catheter by actuating expandable steering guides mounted to the catheter which cooperate with the walls of the blood vessel to cause the catheter to turn. Then, a guidewire is advanced through the delivery catheter and into the myocardium. In another embodiment, a tip-deflecting pull wire extends from the distal end of the delivery catheter which may be actuated to turn towards and then inserted into the myocardium.

Abstract: Described herein are various methods and apparatuses for delivering stents or conduits and other devices into the myocardium of a patient. One preferred stent delivery system provides access to the insertion site in the myocardium by advancing a delivery catheter through a blockage in a coronary artery, or around the blockage through a coronary vein or through a channel or tunnel formed around the blockage. In one embodiment, once the distal end of the delivery catheter is adjacent the myocardium, an angled bend is created in the catheter by actuating expandable steering guides mounted to the catheter which cooperate with the walls of the blood vessel to cause the catheter to turn. Then, a guidewire is advanced through the delivery catheter and into the myocardium. In another embodiment, a tip-deflecting pull wire extends from the distal end of the delivery catheter which may be actuated to turn towards and then inserted into the myocardium.

Abstract: A conduit is provided to provide a bypass around a blockage in the coronary artery. The conduit is adapted to be positioned in the myocardium or heart wall to provide a passage for blood to flow between a chamber of the heart such as the left ventricle and the coronary artery, distal to the blockage. The stent is self-expanding or uses a balloon to expand the stent in the heart wall. Various attachment means are provided to anchor the stent and prevent its migration.

Abstract: Described herein are various methods and apparatuses for delivering stents or conduits and other devices into the myocardium of a patient. One preferred stent delivery system provides access to the insertion site in the myocardium by advancing a delivery catheter through a blockage in a coronary artery, or around the blockage through a coronary vein or through a channel or tunnel formed around the blockage. In one embodiment, once the distal end of the delivery catheter is adjacent the myocardium, an angled bend is created in the catheter by actuating expandable steering guides mounted to the catheter which cooperate with the walls of the blood vessel to cause the catheter to turn. Then, a guidewire is advanced through the delivery catheter and into the myocardium. In another embodiment, a tip-deflecting pull wire extends from the distal end of the delivery catheter which may be actuated to turn towards and then inserted into the myocardium.

Abstract: Described herein are various methods and apparatuses for delivering stents and other devices into the myocardium of a patient. One preferred stent delivery system provides access to the insertion site in the myocardium by advancing a delivery catheter through a blockage in a coronary artery, or around the blockage through a coronary vein or through a channel or tunnel formed around the blockage. In one embodiment, once the distal end of the delivery catheter is adjacent the myocardium, an angled bend is created in the catheter by actuating expandable steering guides mounted to the catheter which cooperate with the walls of the blood vessel to cause the catheter to turn. Then, a guidewire is advanced through the delivery catheter and into the myocardium. In another embodiment, a tip-deflecting pull wire extends from the distal end of the delivery catheter which may be actuated to turn towards and then inserted into the myocardium.

Abstract: A percutaneous release mechanism (57) for use with an intravascular treatment device (11) in an intravascular treatment system (10). The release mechanism includes an inner member (17) having a connection mechanism (18) positioned about the distal end (14) thereof for interconnection with another connection mechanism (12) positioned on an intravascular treatment device. The release mechanism also includes an outer member tube (13) of which the inner member is positioned therein. The first and second connection mechanisms are interconnectable and positionable in the passage (16) of the tube for delivering the treatment device in a delivery state to the treatment site.

Abstract: A joint and a laminate including a nickel-titanium alloy such as Nitinol and a method for preparing the surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member for bonding solder material and, electively, another similar or dissimilar member thereto. The method includes applying a halogen containing flux to the titanium oxide coated surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member and heating the flux to its activation temperature. The flux removes and suspends the titanium oxide therein and deposits a metal from the halogen containing flux on the oxidation free surface. The activated flux also coats the member surface for protection from further oxidation. A bonding material such as a tin-silver solder is flowed onto the tinned surface to displace the activated flux. Electively, another member is applied to the molten solder to form a joint between the two members. The residual flux is cleaned from the joint to prevent further deterioration of the base metal.

Abstract: A helical surgical snare (10) for engaging and capturing a foreign body for example in the vascular system of a human or animal body. The helical surgical snare includes an elongated tubular member (11) with the distal portion (34) of a filament wire (17) wrapped around the exterior surface (15) of the distal portion of the tube. The filament wire is positioned within the passage (14) of the tubular member and exits about the distal portion (25) thereof via inclined side ports. The distal end (18) of the filament wire is attached in the passage to the distal end (13) of the tubular member. A helical snare loop (19) is formed externally around the tubular member between the two side ports (16, 20). A handle (30) positioned at the proximal end of the tubular member pushes and pulls the distal portion of the filament wire to operate the snare loop between various open and collapsed positions.

Abstract: A small diameter wire guide for medical procedures. The wire guide includes a mandrel of metallic superelastic material, such as nitinol, having a diameter less than 0.020 inches and which completes its transformation to austenite at a temperature of about 14.degree. C. The mandrel has a constant diameter over a majority of its length and includes a number of tapered portions and reduced-diameter portions in its distal region. A flexible radiopaque platinum coil is attached at the distal region of the mandrel and coaxially surrounds a portion of the distal region. A smoothly rounded tip is attached to the distal tip of the mandrel and coil and serves to shield the distal end of the coil during the insertion procedure into the patient.

Abstract: A joint and a laminate including a nickel-titanium alloy such as nitinol and a method for preparing the surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member for bonding solder material and, electively, another similar or dissimilar member thereto. The method includes applying an aluminum paste flux to the titanium oxide coated surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member and heating the flux to its activation temperature. The flux removes and suspends the titanium oxide therein along with leaching titanium from the base alloy member surface to form a nickel-rich interface surface. The activated flux also coats the nickel-rich interface layer for protection from further oxidation. A bonding material such as a tin-silver solder is flowed onto the nickel-rich interface surface to displace the activated flux. Electively, another member is applied to the molten solder to form a joint between the two members. The residual flux is cleaned from the joint to prevent further deterioration of the base metal.

Abstract: A wire guide having a generally increasing flexible tip that is resistant to fracture. The flexible tip wire guide comprises a cylindrical wire member having a substantially uniform outer diameter main portion and a distal portion with a tapered outer surface region for gradually increasing the flexibility of the tip and a proximal concave outer surface region that extends tangentially and proximally from the tapered outer surface for increasing the fracture resistance of the decreasing outer diameter distal portion. A flexible wire coil is inserted over the distal wire portion and secured to the proximal end of the distal wire portion and the distal end of the main portion using silver solder with a uniform outer diameter for minimizing potential trauma to vessel walls. The outer diameter of the flexible wire coil is substantially equivalent to the outer diameter of the main portion of the wire guide to likewise minimize trauma to vessel walls.

Abstract: A medical device for localizing a nonpalpable breast lesion. The device includes a tubular introducer needle and a wire guide positioned therein for inserting into a breast to the site of the lesion. The wire guide includes a distal portion having a preformed, resilient helical coil configuration for locking into position about the lesion. The distal portion includes a superelastic metallic alloy for maintaining the helical coil configuration after repeated extensions from and retractions into the needle passageway. The needle is inserted with the wire guide positioned therein into the breast to the site of the lesion and from the distal portion of the needle. The distal end of the needle includes a plurality of indentations for enhancing the ultrasound visualization thereof. As the distal portion of the wire guide emerges from the needle, the acuate distal end of the wire guide cuts into and scribes a helical path about the tissue distal to the lesion.