Target Therapeutics, Inc.

Cardima, Inc.

Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Other

Stryker Corporation

Stryker Nv Operations Limited

Cardiogenesis Corporation

Gene L Samson

Erik T Engelson

Kim D Nguyen

Ruey Sung

Harold F Carrison

U Hiram Chee

Michael Aita

Uriel Hiram Chee

Laszlo Littmann

Gabriel Vegh

Ivan Sepetka

Edward J Snyder

Robert F Kotmel

Henry Nita

Thomas J Palermo

Lex Philip Jansen

Michael J Mariant

Duane Dickens

Nga Thi Van

Bruce H Wand

Gregory E Mirigian

Hanh Doan

Peter K Park

Bobbie H Hsi

Son M Gia

Hong Doan

Pete Phong Pham

Christopher G Ken

Jeffrey A Sarge

Hiram Chee

Alan H Rappe

Christopher Gm Ken

Gabriel B Vegh

Herbert G Rettke

Virgil B Graves

Rose Y Wong

Steve P Bernath

Robert E Woodard

This is a surgical device usually delivered through an intravascular catheter. It may be used in several ways. It may, for instance, be used to open a clear passageway adjacent thrombus to allow both blood and medication to bypass the clot. It may be used to pierce and to remove thrombus. These thrombus are often found in tortuous vasculature. The device includes several sections. The device has a core element, typically a core wire. Placed around the distal end of the core element is a collapsible but preferably self expanding proximal cage assembly and a distal filter, preferably a self-expanding cage assembly or other filter component. The various portions of those components are preferably radio-opaque. The proximal end of the proximal cage is typically is affixed to an actuator in such a way as to allow expansion of the cage after deployment. The proximal cage assembly may be used for collecting emboli or for displacing them to allow blood flow to resume, either with or without concurrent clot-dissolving drug treatment. The distal sector, whether a self-expanding cage or fan, is placed distally of the thrombus to collect portions of the thrombus which may loosen during the treatment or removal procedure.

Mechanical clot treatment device with distal filter

An embolism treatment device includes an elongated core wire having a coil tip coupled to the distal end of the core wire and a cage assembly substantially coaxial to the core wire, having a first deployment shape and a second expanded shape. The core wire is freely moveable axially through the cage assembly. The device additionally includes an inner coil surrounding the core wire within the cage assembly and an actuator element, having a first position and a second position, located proximally to the cage assembly, wherein when the actuator element is in the first position, the cage assembly is in the first deployment shape and when the actuator element is in the second position, the cage assembly is in the second expanded shape.

Mechanical clot treatment device

This is a catheter assembly and a section of that catheter assembly. That catheter assembly may be used in accessing a tissue target within the body, typically a target which is accessible through the vascular system. Central to the invention is the use of a braided metallic reinforcing member, typically of super-elastic alloy ribbon, situated within the catheter body in such a way to create a catheter having an exceptionally thin wall, controlled stiffness, high resistance to kinking, and complete recovery in vivo from kinking situations. The braid may have a single pitch or may vary in pitch along the axis of the catheter or catheter section. The braided ribbon reinforcing member typically is placed between a flexible outer tubing member and an inner tubing member to produce a catheter section which is very flexible but highly kink resistant. The catheter sections made according to this invention may be used alone or in conjunction with other catheter sections either made using the concepts shown herein or made in other ways. The more proximal sections of the catheter assembly are often substantially stiffer than the more distal sections due to the presence of stiff polymeric tubing or metallic tubing or composited materials in the stiffer section.

High performance braided catheter

A surgical device for opening a passageway adjacent a thrombus to allow both blood and medication to bypass a clot. The surgical device may also be used to pierce and remove a thrombus. The device includes a core element or wire having an expanding proximal cage assembly and a distal filter or expanding cage assembly placed around the core wire. Components of the device are preferably radio-opaque. The proximal end of the proximal cage may be affixed to an actuator to allow expansion of the cage after deployment. The proximal cage assembly may be used for collecting emboli or for displacing emboli to allow blood flow to resume, either with or without concurrent clot-dissolving drug treatment. The distal section is placed distally of the thrombus to collect portions of the thrombus which may loosen during the treatment or removal procedure.

This is a balloon catheter having braided layer which extends generally from the proximal end of the catheter to a location distal of the balloon. In particular, it is desirable that the shaft of the catheter proximal of the balloon be stiffest at the proximal section and least stiff just proximal of the balloon. Although the catheter may be a single lumen catheter using some type of a core wire to act as a valve for inflation and deflation of the balloon, it is within the scope of the invention to include either a separate inflation/deflation lumen or one incorporated into the various concentric polymeric layers used to make up the proximal shaft. Particularly preferred is the use of an elastic, compliant balloon.

Braided body balloon catheter

This invention is a surgical device. In particular, it is a catheter suitable for treating a tissue target within the body, which target is accessible through the vascular system. Central to the invention is the use of stiffener ribbons, typically metallic, wound within the catheter body in such a way as to create a catheter having controllable stiffness.

Kink-free spiral-wound catheter

An implantable vaso-occlusive device, constructed of a helically wound coil having a central section along its longitudinal axis which is somewhat stiffer than at least one of its end regions.

Variable stiffness coils

Kink-resistant braided catheter with distal side holes

This is a surgical device particularly a perfusion catheter having an inflatable membrane or balloon located at the distal end of the catheter shaft. The catheter shaft is comprised of an outer tubing assembly and an inner tubing assembly separated by an open annulus for inflating and deflating the inflatable membrane. The assembly may additionally comprise an inflatable membrane which is detachable. The outer tubing assembly is made up of at least one polymeric layer and a braid which may be polymeric or metallic, perhaps of a super-elastic alloy. At least a portion of the inner tubing assembly is made up of at least one polymeric layer and preferably a super-elastic metallic braid. The inner tubing assembly includes a lumen through which a guidewire may pass. It is further desirable that the inner tubing assembly include a coil member which generally is coextensive with the balloon along its axis. That lumen is preferably lined with a lubricious polymer. The outer tubing assembly allows the profile of the catheter to be minimized and yet provides significant kink-resistance to the inner tubing assembly. The structure of the inner tubing assembly provides resistance to premature inflation during introduction of infusate through the inner lumen.

Braid reinforced infusion catheter with inflatable membrane

This invention is a surgical device. In particular, it is an implant which may be used to occlude vascular lumens, arteries, veins, aneurysms, vascular malformations, arteriovenous fistulas, or other cavities and lumens within a mammalian body. It is typically a substrate coil or braid to which a number of fibers have been secured using heat.

Vaso-occlusive devices with heat secured polymer fiber

This is a catheter suitable for accessing a tissue target within the body, typically a target which is accessible through the vascular system. Central to the concept of the catheter is the use of a reinforcing member wound within the catheter body in such a way to create a catheter having an exceptionally thin wall, excellent kink-resistance, and controlled stiffness. The catheter assembly desirably is constructed of: (a) an inner, polymeric, lubricious liner, (b) a first, helically wound coil over at least the more distal portions of the inner liner, (c) a second, helically wound coil exterior to the first coil located at least on the more proximal portion of the assembly, and (d) one or more outer polymeric coverings exterior to the second coil. Further polymeric layers may also be placed between the outer polymeric covering and the helically wound coils. The outer polymeric covering may be composed of a series of different polymeric compositions to provide suitably differing flexibilities to the assembly. The catheter assembly is quite easy to produce. The helically wound coils are desirably bound to the assembly via the use of radio-opaque bands or coils and preferably are continuously wound from a single member. The distal-most portion of the catheter assembly is very flexible but highly kink resistant.

Optimized high performance spiral-wound vascular catheter

Method for making an occlusive device

A system for detecting electrical activity within a patient's heart comprising an elongated intravascular device, such as a catheter or guidewire, having at least one bipolar electrode pair on a distal section of the elongated device to intravascularly detect electrical activity within the patient's heart. The catheter or guidewire preferably has a tubular shaft formed of braided strands which include a plurality of insulated conductors which are electrically connected to the bipolar electrodes.

Intravascular sensing device

The invention is directed to an intravascular device for occluding a patient's blood vessel by coagulating blood in a desired location within the blood vessel to form occluding thrombus therein by means of RF electrical energy which preferably has a frequency of about 0.3 to about 1.5 megahertz. The intravascular device is particularly useful in terminating arrhythmia in a patient's heart by occluding a coronary artery to terminate the flow of oxygenated blood to a region of the patient's heart where aberrant signals causing the arrhythmia either originate or through which they are conducted. The device may also be used to occlude other blood vessels such as in the treatment of intracranial berry aneurysms.

Intravascular RF occlusion catheter

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Gene L Samson