C. R. Bard, Inc.

Dennis Kujawski

Michael F Weiser

Timothy Robinson

John Carey

Clifford J Dwyer

The invention comprises, inter-alia, endoprosthetic implants for treating vascular defects, including abdominal aortic aneurysms. Implants according to the invention have a short main body that can be positioned within a patient's aorta at a position above the renal end of an aortic aneurysm. The short main body includes a proximal, or renal, face that redirects the flow of blood into the openings of channels that can carry blood past the aneurysm. In this way, the flow of blood through the aorta is diverted into the two passageways and through the main body of the implant. Fluid exiting the implant can be carried by leg extensions and delivered to a healthy part of the patient's aorta or the iliac arteries. Accordingly, the implant provides a system for allowing blood traveling through the aorta to be carried by a vascular graft that spans an aortic aneurysm, thereby relieving fluid pressure on the thin wall of aortic aneurysm, and reducing the risk of death caused by a ruptured aneurysm.

Short body endoprosthesis

A graft assembly for securely positioning a graft at a predetermined location across an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The assembly includes a resilient self-expanding anchor that is secured to the graft. The anchor is characterized as being at least as long as the graft, and further as being adapted to be removed or repositioned at any time prior to complete deployment in the patient.

Non-migrating vascular prosthesis and minimally invasive placement

An endoprosthetic implant is formed from a plurality of separate individual components that are inserted sequentially and transluminally into a bifurcated vascular region with each component being deployed in sequence by a sequence of catheter-like deployment devices. The separate components are placed relative to each other to define a bifurcated endoprosthesis. In one embodiment the deployment device includes a tubular sheath for maintaining the radially expandable tubular implant in a contracted configuration and a gripping device including a cup and a gripping member that cooperate to define an annular space by which the trailing end of the implant can be securely held by the deployment device during positioning of the device.

Deployment device for tubular expandable prosthesis

Non-migrating vascular prosthesis and minimally invasive placement system

Apparatus and method for positioning a probe through a catheter wherein a sensing element on the probe is located outside the catheter but is spaced from the luminal surface of the blood vessel to prevent any adverse effect on the sensor measurement. A standard introducer catheter may be used and a support tube is provided around a portion of the probe and is slidably engagable within the catheter lumen for positioning the probe against an anterior wall of the catheter, away from a posterior vessel wall on which the catheter lies. In a second embodiment, a portion of the support tube extends outside the distal end of the catheter to prevent any possible contact between the sensing element and posterior vessel wall.

Apparatus and method for positioning a sensor away from the blood vessel

A probe carrying sensor means at its distal tip is supported centrally within a blood vessel by an introducer catheter. The introducer catheter includes a percutaneously insertable shaft which is configured to engage and be supported by the inner luminal surface of the blood vessel. The distal tip of the catheter shaft is disposed along a central axis of the catheter such that when the catheter is disposed in the blood vessel, the distal tip will be disposed substantially along that axis and substantially in the center of the blood vessel lumen. The probe passed through the catheter thus will emerge from the distal outlet orifice of the catheter into the blood vessel at the central axis of the blood vessel.

System and technique for measuring blood characteristics by centering a

Apparatus for positioning a sensor probe in vivo, including a probe advancement mechanism and a mating interconnection for positioning a distal end of a sensor probe a predetermined distance from the distal end of an indwelling catheter. The advancement mechanism includes a plurality of telescoping elements. The distal tip of the probe is moved from a retracted position within the advancement mechanism where the probe is maintained sterile and protected from breakage, to an advanced position wherein the distal tip of the probe is advanced through the catheter to a predetermined position with respect to the distal tip of the catheter at which the sensor measurement is made. The mating interconnection is provided between the distal end of the advancement mechanism and the proximal end of a catheter of a selected length to ensure use of the advancement mechanism only with catheters of the selected length and diameter whereby the distal tip of a probe may be precisely positioned with respect to the distal tip of the catheter. The mating interconnection is preferably a unique luer-type fitting wherein a unique female luer-type fitting in the catheter hub permits attachment to both the unique male luer-type fitting on the advancement mechanism and to a standard male luer fitting on any other device.

Growing community of inventors

Brookline, NH, United States of America

Dennis Kujawski