Abstract: A medical instrument has an elastic tubular portion formed as a weaving portion, and an actuating element arranged so that by its displacement it acts on the tubular portion so that the tubular portion assumes one position in which it is expanded radially to assume a globe shape, and another position in which it is reduced radially to assume a substantially cylindrical shape with a diameter substantially smaller than a diameter of the globe shape.

Abstract: Described is a closed chest intravascular catheter system for a simultaneous biventricular approach to 1) intravascular cardiopulmonary surgery and 2) acute or prolonged mechanical circulatory support.

Abstract: A dual-lumen blood-treatment catheter has inner and outer lumina open towards the patient end. The catheter has expandable portions in the outer lumen located near the patient end for atraumatically preventing collapse of the blood vessel to ensure free flow of blood into and out of the catheter, In one embodiment, the outer lumen has a plurality of slits around its circumference which form slats therebetween. Withdrawal of the inner lumen relative to the outer lumen causes the slits to open, thereby bowing the slats to expand the outer lumen.

Abstract: An electronic syringe for use in administering anesthetic and the like injections or for aspirating fluids. The electronic syringe is particularly well suited in dental applications where a precise level of hand control is required. The syringe housing is a compact, pen-style arrangement that may be gripped between the middle and index fingers of the practitioner's hand which allowing for thumb-free operation. Motorized, optionally cordless, operation with speed control and data collection is also provided such that an injection can be preformed on a patient in a steady, painless, non-intimidating manner. When connected to a processing device, the data collection feature is capable of updating a patient database with the mount of anesthetic and the like injected for record keeping purposes.

Abstract: A delivery system for delivery and deployment of devices having abrading portions within a patient's lumen. A lumen in a flexible catheter that extends proximally from a distal end of the catheter receives the device in a compact form. At least one impervious segment positioned in the lumen overlies the abrading portions of the device to shield and buffer the surface of the lumen from the abrading portions. The segment is of a relatively short length so that the catheter remains relatively flexible therealong to enable relative ease in the transit of the catheter through the patient's lumen to a delivery site. Additional segments may be disposed in the catheter distally of the segment or the segment may move with the device to the distal end to buffer the walls of the catheter during the deployment of the device. Additional segments mate with the segment so that engaged ones of the segments are relatively radial deflectable.

Abstract: A catheter for use in angioplasty and other medical procedures is disclosed. The catheter features a flexible-wire mesh tip movably attached at a distal end of the catheter, the tip being expandable from a contracted position which it is first in when the catheter is deployed inside the lumen of a vessel, to stretch open the lumen and eliminate a flow obstruction therein, such as is caused by plaque deposits; the tip subsequently being returnable to its contracted position inside the catheter when the catheter is withdrawn from the lumen of the vessel. Radio frequency energy may additionally be used to weld the source of the flow obstruction to the wall of the lumen leaving a conduit of sufficiently expanded diameter to allow resumption of normal flow in the vessel.

Abstract: An instrument is disclosed for dilating the pupil of an eye. The instrument includes a handle and a switch mounted on the handle for alternating between first and second states. A retractable dilator mechanism is attached to the switch and is extendible from the handle. The dilator mechanism selectively alternates between a retracted condition when the switch is in a first state and an expanded condition when the switch is in its second state. The dilator mechanism includes hooks, a nylon ribbon or an inflatable spiral tube for engaging a plurality of points along an inside edge of the pupil and urging the pupil into a dilated condition when the dilator mechanism is expanded.

Abstract: A minimally invasive bioactivated endoprosthesis device for vessel repair. The device comprises a stent which is formed from metal or polymers into a predetermined shape which may include a plurality of holes patterned with a desired size, shape and number. The stent is then coated with a polymer or is formed from a polymer which contains a bioactive substance which achieves an equilibrium with the surrounding body tissues or fluids, with the equilibrium being controlled by charge distribution, concentration and molecular weight of the bioactive substance in relation to the pore size of the polymeric carrier for controlled prolonged release of said bioactive substance.

Abstract: Abdominal wall lift devices and methods are disclosed that extend a lift device through an opening in the abdominal wall in an entry configuration and subsequently transform the device to a deployed configuration within the abdominal cavity. One embodiment includes a plurality of elongated bar members that may be introduced into an abdominal cavity in a separated end-to-end orientation. The bar members are subsequently interconnected into a deployed configuration within the abdominal cavity. Another embodiment includes a device that may be introduced through a small opening in an abdominal wall in a generally L-shaped configuration and subsequently deployed into a generally T-shaped configuration within the abdominal cavity. A further embodiment includes an umbrella-like device that may be introduced in a slender generally cylindrical configuration and subsequently deployed into an open umbrella-type configuration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retaining a catheter tip in a fixed position within a blood flow and preventing it from contacting a blood vessel wall. The apparatus includes a tip retainer at the distal end of the catheter that anchors the tip of the catheter within the blood vessel. The catheter tip is retained within the blood vessel spaced from the wall to ensure that it does not contact the wall of the blood vessel. This reduces damage to the blood vessel caused by chronic movement and contact between the catheter tip and the wall of the blood vessel. In one embodiment, the tip retainer includes a prong that penetrates the wall of the blood vessel, thus preventing the catheter tip from moving longitudinally within the blood vessel. In alternative embodiments, the tip retainer contacts the wall but does not penetrate the wall.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter with an expandable region formed of a tubular material that continues the distal end of the catheter body in a one-piece configuration and is radially expanded and contracted by means of a control wire. The interior of the expandable region is in fluid communication with a lumen in the catheter body to allow the delivery of a fluid to the artery via openings in the surface of the expandable region. The catheter is particularly adapted to hold open an artery after a vascular procedure therein such as a balloon or other type of angioplasty, and if desired to introduce a therapeutic drug or other fluid to the site of the vascular procedure.

Abstract: A device for retrograde hole opening through tissue has a member elongate on an axis with a cross section shaped to insert axially through external tissue. A distal and a proximal end on the member respectively enter the tissue during placement and remain outside the tissue for control. A tip at the distal end has a deployable tissue divider with one or more tissue parting elements and each has a splitter. The tissue parting elements are located within the cross sectional dimensions of the member in a storage position and are movable relative to the tip for placement in an exposed position relative to the tip when shifted from storage so that the splitter thereof splits tissue during retrograde extraction along the axis and contact with tissue. Linkage between the proximal end and the deployable tissue divider retains each of the tissue parting elements with its splitter exposed.

Abstract: The invention involves a system for the deployment of biologically/pharmacologically active materials in a bodily passage, particularly in vascular wall tissue, in the form of a multi-lumen catheter having several serially situated zones. One embodiment has a dispersion zone adapted to address a vascular segment and having a dispersion chamber with a pattern of openings for deploying biologically active materials supplied through an externally connected lumen. An expandable array of conductor elements is provided in the dispersion zone to apply a controlled electrical field to the biologically active material at the surface of deployment. Spaced inflatable balloons define proximal and distal occlusion zones for temporarily occluding normal vascular blood flow in conjunction with a flow bypass lumen that connects proximal and distal infusion port zones flanking the occlusion zones and maintaining blood flow about and beyond the vascular segment.

Abstract: This invention relates to a filter for the partial and at least temporary interruption of a vein, comprising a tube made of polytetrafluoroethylene presenting towards its distal end longitudinal notches distributed symmetrically over its periphery and defining flexible bands, and a conduit made of polytetrafluoroethylene inside the tube; the conduit and the tube are joined for example by thermo-welding by their distal ends. A ring made of a radio-opaque material is preferably included between the distal ends during thermo-welding. The flexible bands open out transversely by the conduit sliding in the tube. They have undergone a treatment of thermo-setting, memorizing in the polymeric structure of the tetrafluoroethylene the opened out form and/or a helical form.

Abstract: An intra-luminal expander assembly for use with a catheter comprises an expandable tubular expander element having openings, for example slots, formed in it, and first and second fixation portions located at or towards its ends. The expander element is disposed around a core element which comprises a shape memory alloy which has been treated so that, when the temperature of the alloy is increased above its A.sub.s temperature, it displays a shape memory effect and the length of the core element decreases. The expander element is attached to the core element through the first fixation portion and oriented so that, as the length of the core element decreases when its temperature increases, the first fixation portion is caused to move relative to the second fixation portion in a direction towards the second fixation portion, and the second fixation portion being restrained against movement with the first fixation portion so that the length of the expander element decreases and its transverse dimension increases.

Abstract: A locking catheter system including a flexible catheter having a restraining portion such as a pigtail, malecot rib or J-curve at its distal end and a flexible filament extending therefrom to attaching means at the other end of the catheter. The attaching means comprise a self-sealing sleeve through which the filament passes and an elastomeric sheath which encapsulates the sleeve to restrain the filament.

Abstract: A catheter with a retractable anchor mechanism for providing drugs and/or electrical stimulation to the human body. The catheter has a flexible tubular casing consisting of a outer member and an inner member which enclose at least one lumen. The retractable anchor mechanism is located near the distal end of the catheter and is moveable from a first extended position to a second retracted position. A capture member is connected to the anchor mechanism. The capture member has a socket portion and a necked down portion for guiding the enlarged tip of a stylet into the socket portion for releasable engagement therewith. The anchor mechanism is moved from the first extended position to the second retracted position by inserting a stylet and applying pressure in the distal direction and is moved from the second retracted position to the first extended position by partially withdrawing the stylet thereby applying pressure in the proximal direction.

Abstract: An instrument for injecting implants through animal hide is comprised of an injector having a tubular body divided into two adjacent segments with a hollow interior bore extending through the segments of the body. The second segment of the body has a generally tapering configuration as it extends to the distal end of the body and is formed as a pair of laterally adjacent tines that extend longitudinally from adjacent the first body segment to the distal end of the body. One of the tines has a larger lateral width than a second of the tines at laterally adjacent cross sections of the tines, and one tine has a terminal end at the distal end of the body for making incisions through animal hide when employing the instrument in injecting implants. A push rod having a longitudinal length at least equal to the longitudinal length of the body is inserted through the interior bore of the body pushing the implant before it.

Abstract: A retractor for use in laparoscopic surgery comprises a substantially rigid tubular outer member and a retractor member at least partially inserted in the tubular member for slidable motion in an axial direction relative thereto. The retractor member is provided with a distal end portion having limited flexibility which enables a bending of the distal end portion upon application of a bending force greater than a predetermined threshold. In addition, the distal end portion has a spring bias tending to return the distal end portion to a linear configuration upon relaxation of bending force below the threshold. A camming surface is provided on the tubular member at the distal end thereof for bending the distal end portion during a distally directed longitudinal stroke of the retractor member relative to the tubular member, whereby at least a terminal part of the distal end portion extends at an angle with respect to the tubular member.

Abstract: A retention device which can be removably retained in a body cavity has branch members which are movably connected to each other such that two relative configurations may be obtained. In one configuration the branch members are nested inside one another for inserting the retention device in a cavity. Once in a cavity an operating member is used to displace the branch members to form the second configuration, in which parts of the branch members are expanded to bear against the walls of the cavity and retain the device.

Abstract: A catheter for thermally treating a hollow body organ includes a first flexible elongate member having a heater element at or near its distal end. A second flexible elongate member may be slidably disposed within a central lumen of the first flexible elongate member and may include an occluding means, such as an inflatable balloon, at its distal end. By first inserting the distal end of the second flexible elongate member within a hollow body organ or connecting region, the heater element on the first flexible elongate member may then be positioned and repositioned by axially translating the first flexible elongate member over the exterior of the second flexible elongate member. A collapsible shield may also be provided about the exposed heater element on the first flexible elongate member. The shield typically comprises a cylinder having a plurality of axial slots near its distal end.

Abstract: A vibratory method for treating female voiding dysfunctions by applying to the inner walls of the urethra radial expansion forces combined with axial friction forces. This improves blood circulation, trains the urethral sphincters, and produces massaging action on the urethral walls. A device for realization of the method comprises a probe (12) formed of two rods (16) and (18) and a drive unit (14). Drive unit (14) have two output elements, which reciprocate simultaneously in mutually opposite directions. Each rod (16, 18) is connected to a respective drive unit. On their inner or mating surfaces the rods have respective cams (32, 34) and curved grooves (36, 38). During reciprocation of the rods, the cams and grooves interact and thus provide radial expansions of probe (12). Massaging action is provided by serrations (40) which are formed on the outer surface of the rods and massage the inner walls of the urethra through application of friction forces.

Abstract: A catheter atherotome and method for its use for performing partial atherectomy in an artery and thereby enlarging the lumen effectively available for blood flow through the artery. An expansible cutter head at the distal end of a catheter includes several elongate flexible members mounted in a parallel array and spaced angularly apart from one another about the associated ends of two concentric members of the catheter in such a way that longitudinal and rotary relative movement of the members of the catheter selectively either bows the flexible members arcuately outwardly into a cutting position or draws them into alignment parallel with the catheter. A sharpened edge of a blade carried on at least one flexible member extends circumferentially and is directed toward the catheter's proximal end when the flexible members are bowed.

Abstract: The invention comprises a surgical retractor having a barrel with a distal end and a handle. A plurality of retractor pods are located at a plurality of angles and positions on the lateral periphery of the barrel. The retractor pods are movable between a retracted position in which the pods are substantially flush with the surface of the barrel and an extended position in which each pod outwardly and laterally projects from the barrel. The handle is operatively connected to the pods to move the pods between the retracted and extended positions.

Abstract: A catheter to be used for the movement of fluids having means for maintaining the position of that catheter within a preselected location in the body. The device comprises an elongated flexible tubular member with a longitudinally extending lumen through it. An axially and radially elastically extensible, foraminous woven tube having two ends is disposed between the end of the tubular member and a tip, the tip being spaced from the tubular member. The foramina of the woven tube allow the free flow of fluids therethrough. The woven tube is translatable between three configurations: relaxed, extended and over-center. In the relaxed configuration the woven tube has predetermined length and a predetermined diameter, the predetermined diameter which is greater than the outer diameter of the tubular member and preferably an ovoid shape.

Abstract: An implant capsule for insertion into a body canal to apply radiation treatment to a selected portion of the body canal. The device includes a body member defining at least one therapeutic treatment material receiving chamber and at least one resilient arm member associated with the body member for removably engaging the body canal when the device is positioned therein.

Abstract: Observation assisting forceps wherein a shaft member is retractably inserted through a hollow sheath, a plurality of linear members given a characteristic of expanding on the tip sides are provided at the front end of this shaft member and spherical parts are provided at the tips of the respective linear members so that the linear members may be projected on the tip sides out of the sheath tip to move aside any organ or the like obstructing the observation with an endoscope.

Abstract: The double mesh balloon catheter device comprises a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, a double tubular mesh assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, being mounted to the distal end of the catheter and having an outer tubular mesh and an inner tubular mesh. An actuating mechanism is coupled to the proximal end of the catheter and extends through the catheter to the double tubular mesh assembly for moving the distal end thereof to effect axial contraction of the double tubular mesh assembly. Another actuating mechanism is coupled to the proximal end of the catheter and extends through the catheter to the double tubular mesh assembly for causing rotation of the inner tubular mesh relative to the outer tubular mesh.

Abstract: Extractor and method for removing stones or other foreign objects from the biliary and urinary systems or from other portions of the body. The extractor includes a self-closing basket at the distal end of a catheter, with a flexible control line for opening the basket from the proximal end of the catheter. Being self-closing, the basket closes automatically about an object captured within the basket when the control line is relaxed. The extractor can be placed in the body with the aid of a guide wire, and fluids can be injected into and removed from the body through the extractor.

Abstract: A mechanically-expandable instrument for treating diseases in the urethra and the neck of the urinary bladder, comprising a driver having two elements which, upon selective activation thereof, will reciprocate in two mutually opposite directions; a probe comprising two rods, each having a semicircular cross-section such that when one of the rods is placed adjacent the other, they will form a substantially complete circle in cross section. The rods are attached to each other at one end thereof to form a tip, their other ends being attached to the respective reciprocating elements, the mating surfaces of the rods having at least one pair of engaging cams, for causing the rods to expand and contract in diameter due to engagement of the cams in response to reciprocations of the rods.

Abstract: An incision opening expansion holder for use surgical operation, especially for inosculation comprising an outer tube being capable of inserting into the lumen of a vein graft, an inner tube slidably inserting into the outer tube and a grip being fixed to one end of the inner tube, the inner tube has a plurality of short wires, the bases of which are fixed to the other end of the inner tube and each wire is to be energized to expand so as to hold the incision opening of the vein graft open when the holder is inserted into the lumen and also when the wires of the inner tube are projected out of the outer tube by handling the grip, so that inosculation operation can be undertaken under good visual field and surgeons can observe easily the piercing point of sewing of the vein graft.