Innercool Therapies, Inc.

Medtronic, Inc.

Hans W Kramer

John Daniel Dobak, Iii

Steven Anthony Yon

Rebecca S Inderbitzen

Svenn Edvin Borgersen

Show-Mean Wu

Mauricio L Fugoso

Steve A Yon

Stephen R Cooper

Ziyun Chen

The present invention provides an enhanced method and device to inhibit or reduce the rate of restenosis following angioplasty or stent placement. The invention involves placing a balloon tipped catheter in the area treated or opened through balloon angioplasty immediately following angioplasty. The balloon, which can have a dual balloon structure, may be delivered through a guiding catheter and over a guidewire already in place from a balloon angioplasty. A fluid such as a perfluorocarbon may be flowed into the balloon to freeze the tissue adjacent the balloon, this cooling being associated with reduction of restenosis. The catheter may also be used to reduce atrial fibrillation by inserting and inflating the balloon such that an exterior surface of the balloon is in contact with at least a partial circumference of the portion of the pulmonary vein adjacent the left atrium.

Method and device for performing cooling-or cryo-therapies for, e.g., angioplasty with reduced restenosis or pulmonary vein cell necrosis to inhibit atrial fibrillation

Method and device for performing cooling- or cryo-therapies for, e.g., angioplasty with reduced restenosis or pulmonary vein cell necrosis to inhibit atrial fibrillation

An enhanced method and device are provided to treat atrial fibrillation or inhibit or reduce restenosis following angioplasty or stent placement. A balloon-tipped catheter is disposed in the area treated or opened through balloon angioplasty immediately following angioplasty. The balloon, which can have a dual balloon structure, may be delivered through a guiding catheter and over a guidewire already in place. A fluid such as a perfluorocarbon flows into the balloon to freeze the tissue adjacent the balloon, this cooling being associated with reduction of restenosis. A similar catheter may be used to reduce atrial fibrillation by inserting and inflating the balloon such that an exterior surface of the balloon contacts at least a partial circumference of the portion of the pulmonary vein adjacent the left atrium. In another embodiment, blood perfusion is performed simultaneously. In another embodiment, tissue contacted by the cryoablation catheter, undesired to be ablated, is protected against damage by a separate heating step.

Method and device for performing cooling- or cryo-therapies for, e.g., angioplasty with reduced restenosis or pulmonary vein cell necrosis to inhibit atrial fibrillation employing tissue protection

An enhanced method and device are provided to inhibit or reduce restenosis following angioplasty or stent placement. A porous balloon-tipped catheter is disposed in the area treated or opened through balloon angioplasty immediately following angioplasty. The balloon, which can have a dual balloon structure, may be delivered through a guiding catheter and over a guidewire already in place. A fluid such as a perfluorocarbon flows into the balloon to freeze the tissue adjacent the balloon, this cooling being associated with reduction of restenosis. A similar catheter may be used to reduce atrial fibrillation by inserting and inflating the porous balloon such that an exterior surface of the balloon, as well as a portion of the cold working fluid, from the microporosity contacts at least a partial circumference of the portion of the pulmonary vein adjacent the left atrium.

Method and device for performing cooling- or cryo-therapies for, e.g., angioplasty with reduced restenosis or pulmonary vein cell necrosis to inhibit atrial fibrillation employing microporous balloon

Method and device for performing cooling or cryo-therapies, for, e.g., angioplasty with reduced restenosis or pulmonary vein cell necrosis to inhibit atrial fibrillation employing tissue protection

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PERFORMING COOLING- OR CRYO-THERAPIES FOR, E.G., ANGIOPLASTY WITH REDUCED RESTENOSIS OR PULMONARY VEIN CELL NECROSIS TO INHIBIT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION EMPLOYING MICROPOROUS BALLOON

A wire guided fluid catheter assembly having a collapsible guidewire lumen. Pressurization of a fluid lumen in the catheter assembly collapses the guidewire lumen, thereby increasing the fluid flow capacity of the catheter assembly.

Collapsible guidewire lumen

Medical electrical leads for sensing or electrical stimulation of body organs or tissues, particularly implantable cardiac leads for delivering pacing pulses and cardioversion/defibrillation shocks, and/or sensing the cardiac electrogram (EGM) or other physiologic data and their methods of fabrication are disclosed. A lead body sheath is co-extruded in a co-extrusion process using bio-compatible, electrically insulating, materials of differing durometers in differing axial sections thereof, resulting in a unitary lead body sheath having differing stiffness sections including axial segments or webs or lumen encircling rings or other structures in its cross-section. The lead body sheath is co-extruded to have an outer surface adapted to be exposed to the environment or to be enclosed within an outer sheath and to have a plurality of lead conductor lumens for receiving and enclosing a like plurality of lead conductors of the same or differing types. The lead body sheath can be co-extruded of a plurality of sheath segments containing a lead conductor lumen and formed of a first durometer material or of differing durometer materials. A web of a further durometer material can be co-extruded extending between the adjoining boundaries of the axial sheath segments and bonding the adjacent segments together. The lead body sheath can be tailored to exhibit differing bending stiffnesses away from the lead body sheath axis in selected polar directions around the 360&deg; circumference of the sheath body.

Co-extruded, multi-lumen medical lead

Medical electrical leads for sensing or electrical stimulation of body organs or tissues, particularly implantable cardiac leads for delivering pacing pulses and cardioversion/defibrillation shocks, and/or sensing the cardiac electrogram (EGM) or other physiologic data and their methods of fabrication are disclosed. A lead body sheath is co-extruded in a co-extrusion process using bio-compatible, electrically insulating, materials of differing durometers in differing axial sections thereof, resulting in a unitary lead body sheath having differing stiffness sections including axial segments or webs or lumen encircling rings or other structures in its cross-section. The lead body sheath is co-extruded to have an outer surface adapted to be exposed to the environment or to be enclosed within an outer sheath and to have a plurality of lead conductor lumens for receiving and enclosing a like plurality of lead conductors of the same or differing types. The lead body sheath can be co-extruded of a plurality of sheath segments containing a lead conductor lumen and formed of a first durometer material or of differing durometer materials. A web of a further durometer material can be co-extruded extending between the adjoining boundaries of the axial sheath segments and bonding the adjacent segments together. The lead body sheath can be tailored to exhibit differing bending stiffnesses away from the lead body sheath axis in selected polar directions around 360&deg; circumference of the sheath body.

A balloon for use in a catheter, wherein the balloon is formed from an aromatic polyester, preferably a blend of a major component comprising an aromatic polyester, and a minor component comprising a compatible secondary thermoplastic semicrystalline polymer having a crystallinity less than that of the aromatic polyester of the major component.

Growing community of inventors

Temecula, CA, United States of America

Hans W Kramer