Numed, Inc.

Medtronic, Inc.

Cardiovascular Designs, Inc.

Allen J Tower

Timothy G Laske

Timothy R Ryan

Alexander J Hill

Thierry Mesana

Philipp Bonhoeffer

Michael L Martin

James F King

Joseph B Horn

Alexander John Hill

Thierry Georges Mesana

A compressible and expandable stent assembly for implantation in a body lumen such as a mitral valve, the stent assembly including at least one stent barrel that is shaped and sized so that it allows for normal operation of adjacent heart structures. One or more stent barrels can be included in the stent assembly, where one or more of the stent barrels can include a cylinder with a tapered edge.

Stented heart valve devices and methods for atrioventricular valve replacement

A system for percutaneously inserting a prosthesis containing a biological replacement for a defective valve into an implantation site through a body lumen. The system contains a balloon catheter upon which a collapsable stent containing a venous valvular replacement is mounted. A protective shield is slidably mounted upon the catheter that is movable between a closed position over the balloon and an open position wherein the balloon can be inflated to expand the stent. A central lumen runs through the catheter that is formed of stainless steel. The central lumen provides a one to one torque ratio between the proximal end of the catheter and the distal end to enhance the steerability of the catheter. The vein of the replacement is reduced in thickness between 50% and 90% of its original size thereby considerably reducing the size of the replacement package when the stem is collapsed upon the balloon of the catheter.

System and method for implanting a replacement valve

System for implanting a replacement valve

A hollow metallic needle for guiding a balloon catheter into a fetal vessel or cavity. The needle initially contains a removable obturator which is removed after the needle is generally positioned within the fetus and is replaced by a balloon catheter. A plastic sleeve is mounted upon the distal end of the needle and sufficient air is entrapped within pockets formed in the sleeve to provide an enhanced ultrasonic image return so that a more accurate placement of the balloon is obtainable. The plastic sleeve extends beyond the distal end of the needle and serves to guide the balloon when deflated back into the needle and thus protects the balloon from snagging upon the edge of the needle.

Prenatal balloon catheter

A radially expandable stent which is formed from a fine wire bent into a serpentine flat ribbon which is wound around a mandrel into a cylindrical sleeve for mounting on a balloon catheter for transluminal insertion in a vessel. The wire forming the stent comprises an alloy selected from the group consisting of Pt--Ir or Au--Ni, and where the alloy exhibits a tensile strength of about 155,000 to 175,000 PSI.

Expandable stent

A radially expandable stent for implantation in a body blood vessel includes a pair of cylindrically shaped end portions made from a malleable metal and formed in a radially expandable fashion. According to the invention, the end portions are joined by a plurality of individual longitudinal wire members such that upon radial expansion of the stent, such as through use of a balloon catheter, the stent expands radially with a minimum of lateral shrinkage. Preferably, the longitudinal wire members are wrapped to the end portions to form flexible hinging sites upon expansion.

Intravascular stent with limited axial shrinkage

Apparatus for securing a stent upon a balloon catheter. The apparatus has a tubular housing that is open at each end for containing a balloon catheter in a deflated state upon which is mounted a stent. An inflatable cylindrical membrane is mounted inside the housing and sealed at both ends to provide a fluid tight chamber between the membrane and the housing. A pressurized fluid is introduced into the chamber to inflate the membrane into pressure contact with the stent to urge the stent into gripping engagement with the balloon.

Method of securing a stent on a balloon catheter

A device for implanting a radially expandable stent that includes a balloon catheter having a balloon formed of a material having a memory so that when inflated to a first pressure the two end sections of the balloon expand to a first diameter as the waist therebetween expands to a lesser diameter. The stent is mounted over the waist section of the balloon and is thus locked between the two end sections during initial inflation to the first pressure. Once locked in place, the pressure inside the balloon is raised to a second higher level whereby the entire balloon expands to a larger diameter thus radially expanding the stent.

Stent implantation system

There is disclosed a radially expandable stent for intravascular implantation comprising a distensible frame and an impermeable deformable membrane interconnecting portions of the frame to form an impermeable exterior wall. The membrane is formed of a synthetic non-latex, non-vinyl polymer, and the frame comprises a fine wire of annealed platinum. The comprises a plurality of helically aligned circumferential sections including two end sections and a plurality of intermediate sections that define a cylinder having a longitudinal axis, the cylinder being formed of a continuous wire with the circumferential sections being spaced along the axis in abutting contact. Each of the circumferential sections have expandable segments that impart radial expandability to the sections. The expandable segments are tear-drop shaped elements that are alternately inverted about the circumferential sections, each element containing a base and a pair of legs that come together at a common apex when the stent is in an unexpanded condition. One of the end sections has a pigtail that is passed back along the circumferential sections and is joined to the other end section to prevent axial expansion of the expanded during radial expansion.

Impermeable expandable intravascular stent

There is disclosed a balloon catheter wherein the balloon is fabricated of a high pressure, ultra-thin wall modified polyethylene terephthalate copolymer, and has a desired memorized shape. In a preferred embodiment the balloon has a central waist-like configuration suitable for valvuloplasty. The polymer can be heat-shaped and retains or memorizes a desired shape thereafter. The balloon is blow-molded and attached to a catheter for inflation through a lumen thereof. When inflated to a first low pressure it assumes the desired shape, and rounds out after a second inflating pressure is achieved.

Balloon catheter

An improved radially expandable stent formed from a fine wire bent into a serpentine flat ribbon which is wound around a mandrel into a cylindrical sleeve for mounting on a balloon catheter for transluminal insertion in a vessel such as a blood vessel is provided. A very small diameter fine platinum wire is used to form the basic cylindrical sleeve and it is welded to a pigtail of the wire forming the sleeve to provide longitudinal stability.

Intravascular radially expandable stent

A combination valve and clamping device is provided in which a flexible elastic inner lining is secured in a tubular outer shell having a port for introducing a fluid therebetween. A source of pressure such as a hypodermic syringe is used to cause the inner elastic sleeve to collapse and deform internally upon itself to surround and form a seal about a catheter located therein, positioning it within the shell. Alternatively, if nothing is present in the shell, the sleeve is collapsed on itself to prevent leakage of a fluid through the valve mechanism.

Method and apparatus for controlling fluid flow

An improved radially expandable stent formed from a fine wire bent into a serpentine flat ribbon which is wound around a mandrel into a cylindrical sleeve for mounting on a balloon catheter for transluminal insertion in a vessel such as a blood vessel is provided. A very small diameter fine platinum wire is used to form the basic cylindrical sleeve and it is welded to a pigtail of the wire forming the sleeve to provide longitudinal stablility.

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North Lawrence, NY, United States of America

Allen J Tower