Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080208311 | MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT NESTED STENT STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR THEIR PREPARATION AND DEPLOYMENT - Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using stent structures comprising a plurality of radially expansible rings where at least some of the rings comprise axially extending elements which interleave with axially extending elements on adjacent unconnected rings. The ring structures may be open cell structures or closed cell structures, and the axially extending elements will typically be formed as part of the open cell or closed cell structure. | 08-28-2008 |
20080208318 | MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT NESTED STENT STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR THEIR PREPARATION AND DEPLOYMENT - Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using stent structures comprising a plurality of radially expansible rings where at least some of the rings comprise axially extending elements which interleave with axially extending elements on adjacent unconnected rings. The ring structures may be open cell structures or closed cell structures, and the axially extending elements will typically be formed as part of the open cell or closed cell structure. | 08-28-2008 |
20080234795 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING EXPANDABLE PROSTHESES DURING DEPLOYMENT - A catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen comprises an elongate flexible member and a sheath slidably disposed thereover. A plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses are carried in axially spaced apart locations along the elongate member, within the sheath. The prostheses may be selectively interlocked with one another and are constrained by the sheath in a radially contracted configuration. The prostheses are separately releasable from the sheath when the sheath is retracted relative to the elongate member. The catheter also has a pusher member slidably disposed along the elongate member within the sheath. The pusher is adapted to move past the prostheses in a first direction without displacing the prostheses, while in a second direction the pusher engages a selected prosthesis so as to move the prosthesis with the pusher to interlock the selected prosthesis with a second prosthesis. | 09-25-2008 |
20080269865 | Custom Length Stent Apparatus - Apparatus and methods for delivering prosthetic segments to a body lumen include an elongated flexible member having both proximal and distal ends along with a plurality of prosthetic segments releasably arranged axially along the elongated flexible member near the distal end. Additionally, the apparatus has a sheath slidably disposed over at least a portion of the prosthetic segments and an outer shaft slidably disposed over at least a portion of the sheath. A separator is disposed on the outer shaft and is biased into engagement with at least one prosthetic segment so that the outer shaft may be retracted to separate a proximal group of prosthetic segments from a distal group of prosthetic segments which are to be deployed into the body lumen. The sheath is positionable between the separator and the prosthetic segments to selectively disengage the separator from the prosthetic segments. | 10-30-2008 |
20090105686 | ADJUSTABLE-LENGTH DRUG DELIVERY BALLOON - A drug or agent coated balloon having a length which is adjustable in vivo is described herein. The balloon is configured to be coated or coatable with one or more drugs where the coating may be applied prior to advancement into a patient body or prior to balloon expansion within the patient body. The length of the expandable portion of the balloon is adjustable to approximate a length of the tissue region to be treated. Moreover, the drug-coated balloon may be used alone or it may be utilized to deploy luminal prostheses having one or more linked or otherwise coupled segments. | 04-23-2009 |
20090187203 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MATERIAL CAPTURE AND REMOVAL - Catheters, kits, and methods are provided for removing material from a body lumen. The catheters and methods may be used in a variety of body lumens, including but not limited to coronary and other arteries. In general, the catheter has a cutting element that cuts material while the material is engaged by a material capture device on the catheter body. Preferably, the material capture device tensions the material during cutting, which reduces the amount of cutting force required. The material capture device typically follows a path that draws material into the catheter body. Preferably, but not necessarily, the material capture device may be arranged on the catheter body to advance along a path outwardly from the catheter body into the material and then inwardly towards the catheter body to tension the material. The cutting element on the catheter body moves between a first position and a second position to cut the material while in tension. | 07-23-2009 |
20100298850 | ATHERECTOMY CATHETER WITH ALIGNED IMAGER - An atherectomy catheter is provided for excising and imaging material in a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises a catheter body, a cutting blade, and an imaging device. The cutting blade is mounted on the catheter body and configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to an aperture or cutting window. When the cutting blade is in the second position, the blade substantially closes the aperture on the catheter body. The imaging device which is mounted on or otherwise coupled to the cutting blade is configured to be in an imaging position when the cutting blade substantially closes the aperture or cutter window. This allows the imaging device to survey material within the cutting zone of the atherectomy catheter. By allowing the imaging device to view materials within this cutting zone, material may be imaged and then removed from the body lumen without having to reposition the catheter between each step. | 11-25-2010 |
20110125248 | CUSTOM LENGTH STENT APPARATUS - Apparatus and methods for delivering prosthetic segments to a body lumen, utilize a device having an elongated flexible member including proximal and distal ends, a plurality of prosthetic segments releasably arranged axially along the elongated flexible member near the distal end and an outer sheath slidably disposed over at least a portion of the prosthetic segments. The apparatus further includes a separator disposed on the outer sheath and adapted to engage the prosthetic segments. The separator is also adapted to be retracted proximally over the prosthetic segments and advanced distally to separate a proximal group of the prosthetic segments from a distal group of the prosthetic segments which are to be deployed in the body lumen. | 05-26-2011 |
20110152996 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF MULTIPLE DISTRIBUTED STENTS - Delivery catheters and systems are adapted for delivering multiple discreet prostheses in body lumens. An exemplary delivery catheter comprises a sheath, a pusher for moving the prostheses relative to the sheath, and a valve member for selectively retaining the prostheses in the sheath. For balloon expandable stents, an elongated shaft and an expandable member are slidably disposed in the sheath, and the prostheses are positionable on the expandable member for deployment in the body lumen. The valve member allows a selected number of prostheses to be deployed from the sheath while retaining other prostheses within the sheath. | 06-23-2011 |
20130211494 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING EXPANDABLE PROSTHESES DURING DEPLOYMENT - Prosthesis delivery devices and methods are provided that enable precise control of prosthesis position during deployment. The catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen typically carries one or more self-expanding tubular prostheses within a sheath. A radially expandable control member is positionable within the prostheses and has an expanded shape which engages an inner surface of the prostheses to urge the prostheses outwardly against the sheath. The radially expandable control member therefore controls axial position of the prostheses during deployment. Thus one or more prostheses may be deployed at a treatment site precisely. When multiple prostheses are deployed, excessive spacing or overlap between adjacent prostheses is minimized. The prostheses of the present invention are often deployed in stenotic lesions in peripheral arteries as well as coronary arteries and other body lumens. | 08-15-2013 |
20140018899 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING EXPANDABLE PROSTHESES DURING DEPLOYMENT - A catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen comprises an elongate flexible member and a sheath slidably disposed thereover. A plurality of sell-expanding tubular prostheses are carried in axially spaced apart locations along the elongate member, within the sheath. The prostheses may be selectively interlocked with one another and are constrained by the sheath in a radially contracted configuration. The prostheses are separately releasable from the sheath when the sheath is retracted relative to the elongate member. The catheter also has a pusher member slidably disposed along the elongate member within the sheath. The pusher is adapted to move past the prostheses in a first direction without displacing the prostheses, while in a second direction the pusher engages a selected prosthesis so as to move the prosthesis with the pusher to interlock the selected prosthesis with a second prosthesis. | 01-16-2014 |
20140222043 | Atherectomy Catheter with Aligned Imager - An atherectomy catheter is provided for excising and imaging material in a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises a catheter body, a cutting blade, and an imaging device. The cutting blade is mounted on the catheter body and configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to an aperture or cutting window. When the cutting blade is in the second position, the blade substantially closes the aperture on the catheter body. The imaging device which is mounted on or otherwise coupled to the cutting blade is configured to be in an imaging position when the cutting blade substantially closes the aperture or cutter window. This allows the imaging device to survey material within the cutting zone of the atherectomy catheter. By allowing the imaging device to view materials within this cutting zone, material may be imaged and then removed from the body lumen without having to reposition the catheter between each step. | 08-07-2014 |