Vessix Vascular, Inc.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.

Minnow Medical, Inc.

Vessix, Inc.

Arthur Gerald Blanck

Michael F Hoey

Corbett W Stone

Rolfe Tyson Gustus

Raphael Marie Michel

Mike Perry

Bret Herscher

Tom A Steinke

Linas R Kunstmanas

Marlene Kay Truesdale

Len Briggs

Thomas A Steinke

Michael C Bednarek

Meital Mazor

Fermin Armando Lupotti

Sebastian Teodoru

Linas Kunstmanas

A catheter and catheter system can use energy tailored for remodeling and/or removal of target material along a body lumen, often of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient. An elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure may have a plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces to radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector system may measure and/or characterize the atherosclerotic material and its location, optionally using impedance monitoring.

Tuned RF energy and electrical tissue characterization for selective treatment of target tissues

A catheter and catheter system may be used to treat disease tissue by gentle heating in combination with gentle or standard dilation. An elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable balloon having a plurality of electrodes engage tissue including diseased tissue when the structure expands.

System for inducing desirable temperature effects on body tissue

A flexible electronic circuit includes a plurality of leaves having a proximal section, a distal section, and an intermediate section. The plurality of leaves are bonded to each other within the distal section and loose within the intermediate section. The intermediate section also includes conductive connector pads for a wiring harness. A plurality of test connector pads are disposed on the plurality of leaves within the proximal section. The leaves within the proximal section may also be bonded to each other, for example in a ribbon or stepped configuration, in order to facilitate connection to testing apparatus. Once the circuit is tested, the proximal section can be severed from the intermediate section prior to installation of the circuit into a medical device, such as an intracardiac echocardiography catheter.

Flexible electric circuit for ultrasound catheters and related devices and methods

Aspects of the instant disclosure relate to an elongated medical device. In particular, the instant disclosure relates to apparatuses for sensing contact force. In various embodiments, a force sensing element including a tip and a catheter shaft, wherein the tip is configured to move relative to the shaft when an external force is applied to the tip comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a transmitter signal when external force is applied to the tip, a first plurality of sensors and a second plurality of sensors positioned proximate the transmitter, wherein each of the sensors is configured to receive the transmitter signal and the first plurality of sensors is longitudinally offset from the second plurality of sensors.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for contact force sensing

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to an electronic switchbox for automatically switching between receive and transmit functionalities. In one embodiment, an electronic switchbox automatically switches between receiving electrocardiograph signals and transmitting cardioversion impulses.

Electronic switchbox

Methods and systems are disclosed for treating diseased tissue by gentle heating. The method induces vasodilation on tissue disposed about an lumen having both healthy tissue and diseased tissue. The method includes coupling a probe surface to the luminal tissue at a target location and transmitting desired quantities of tissue remodeling energy from the coupled probe into each of a plurality of discrete remodeling zones in the luminal tissue so that the tissue remodeling energy heats the plurality of remodeling zones, the remodeling energy being configured to avoid muscular contraction and inhibit both acute and long-term occlusion of the lumen.

Inducing desirable temperature effects on body tissue

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example method may include a method for heating a body tissue region adjacent to a body lumen. The method may include positioning an energy delivery portion of a catheter within the lumen and engaging the body lumen with the energy delivery portion. Engaging the body lumen may complete a plurality of circuits. The method may also include determining a pulse characteristic in response to a thermal property of a first tissue type and applying controlled pulsed electrical energy with the pulse characteristic from the energy delivery portion through the plurality of circuits.

Selective accumulation of energy with or without knowledge of tissue topography

Methods and systems for heating a body tissue region adjacent a body lumen using selective accumulation of energy without knowledge of tissue topography. Methods include positioning an energy delivery portion of a catheter within the lumen adjacent the body tissue region, determining a pulse characteristic in response to a thermal property of a first tissue type and applying pulsed energy with the characteristic to treat a second tissue type within the region by drawing heat from the first tissue at a rate that inhibits thermal damage to the first tissue while building-up heat in the second tissue. Systems include a catheter body having an energy delivery portion processor configured to control a pulse characteristic of pulsed energy to therapeutically treat the second tissue by drawing heat from the first tissue at a rate that inhibits thermal damage to the first tissue while building-up heat in the second tissue.

Growing community of inventors

Ramona, CA, United States of America

Arthur Gerald Blanck