Bioventrix, Inc.

Volcano Corporation

Ernest Heflin

Lon S Annest

Claudio Argento

Blair D Walker

Norman Hugh Hossack

Timothy K Glynn

Julie Ann Riolo

Kevin H Van Bladel

Gilbert Mata

Lawrence Crainich

Brian LaRose

Stephen Charles Davies

Chak M Leung

Richard Scott Huennekens

Richard Klosinski

Rovil Rae Pascual Arcia

Claudio R Argento

According to one embodiment, a heart anchor tensioning device includes a main body and an elongate shaft. A tension member or tether may be inserted through a lumen of the elongate shaft to allow the shaft to be advanced over the tension member and within a body while the main body is positioned outside of the body. The device also includes an anchor coupling mechanism that is configured to engage a heart anchor and move the heart anchor into engagement with a first wall of the heart. The anchor coupling mechanism is able to lock the heart anchor to inhibit proximal movement of the heart anchor along the tension member. The device further includes a tension indicating mechanism that provides an indication of a force being applied to the heart anchor by the device.

Heart anchor positioning devices, methods, and systems for treatment of congestive heart failure and other conditions

Medical devices, systems, and methods reduce the distance between two points in tissue, often for treatment of congestive heart failure and often in a minimally invasive manner. An anchor is inserted along an insertion path through a first wall of the heart. An arm of the anchor is deployed and rotationally positioned according to a desired alignment. Application of tension to the anchor may draw the first and second walls of the heart into contact along a desired contour so as to effect a desired change in the geometry of the heart. Additional anchors may be inserted and aligned with the first anchor to close off a portion of a ventricle such that the ventricle is geometrically remodeled and disease progression is reversed, halted, and/or slowed.

Treating dysfunctional cardiac tissue

A hand-operated intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter is described for flexed and rotational steering is described for improved catheter operation, control and less trauma on patients. The disclosed catheter assembly includes ultrasound transducers mounted upon a rotatable tip mounted on a distal end of a flexible elongate shaft. A set of steering lines are controlled by a steering actuator to articulate bidirectionally a distal segment of the catheter. Another steering actuator controls rotation of a torque member that, in turn is coupled to the rotatable tip. A user, through the steering actuators, affects repositioning the ultrasonic transducers by repositioning exposed control surfaces of the steering actuators lengthwise along the housing of the handle.

Ultrasound catheter and hand-held device for manipulating a transducer on the catheter's distal end

The present invention provides for pleated bags used with interventional pullback systems, including imaging catheters such as IVUS catheters, as well as for use with other catheters. An exemplary pleated bag of the present invention may be an elongate, sterile bag, having a plurality of pleats near the distal end, and including an orifice proximal to the pleats designed to allow passage of a catheter into the bag. The present invention also provides for a system that includes a pullback device, catheter, and pleated bag. The present invention allows for improved imaging catheter procedures at reduced costs.

Pleated bag for interventional pullback systems

Cardiac anchor structures, methods, and systems for treatment of congestive heart failure and other conditions

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Ernest Heflin