Baronova, Inc.

Light Sciences Oncology Inc.

Purdue Pharmaceutical Products L.p.

Hugh Narciso

Daniel Rogers Burnett

Paul M Paspa

David Wiser

Stephen L Meade

Zihong Guo

Gary Lichttenegger

Steven Ross Daly

David Bartholomew Shine

Phillip Burwell

Nick Yeo

Jennifer Kristine Matson

Jean M Bishop

James C Chen

Stephen L L Meade

Jean Bishop

Paul Papsa

The present invention relates to a device for intermittently obstructing a bodily opening, such as a gastric opening, and includes a proximal member connected to a distal member by a tether. The proximal member includes an apron member surrounding a first occluding member, which is formable from an elongated and narrower configuration to a contracted or expanded but wider configuration. When employed in the stomach, the device of the present invention is arranged transluminally, with the distal member disposed in the duodenum and the proximal member disposed against the pyloric valve, intermittently occluding the pyloric valve and preventing or delaying the flow of gastric contents through the pyloric valve. In certain embodiments, a reservoir may be included for releasing a substance of interest, for example for releasing insulin from a reservoir disposed in the distal member. Sensors, actuators, and data transmission devices may also be included.

Device for intermittently obstructing a gastric opening

Light sources are incorporated into a guidewire for enabling the ability to render light therapy be added to catheters that do not have that capability. In one exemplary embodiment, a solid guidewire includes a conductive core, and light sources are added to compartments formed in a distal end of the guidewire. In another exemplary embodiment, a light source array is included in a distal end of a hollow guidewire. A plurality of openings are formed into the walls of the hollow guidewire surrounding the array, enabling light to pass through the openings. Conductors extend from the array though the hollow center of the guidewire, to a proximal end of the hollow guidewire. The hollow guidewire can be coated with a conductive material, so that the coating on the guidewire serves as a conductor.

Light generating guide wire for intravascular use

Device for intermittently obstructing a gastric opening and method of use

A method of manufacture and medical apparatus that provides an apparatus useful in illuminating at least a portion of a lumen of a body. The apparatus includes an elongated flexible member and a polymer encasement portion encasing a plurality of light emitters. The light emitters may be electrically coupled to one another without the use of wire bonds, and in some embodiments may be coupled without intervening electrical paths or traces. A maximum cross-sectional dimension of the polymer encasement portion may be less than twice a dimension of one of the light emitters. In some embodiments the maximum cross-sectional dimension is less than or equal to the sum of the dimension of one of the light emitters and a marginal dimension by which an outer portion of the polymer encasement portion extends beyond the light emitter. Light emitters may be arranged linearly, helically or in partially overlapping back-to-back relation.

Medical apparatus employing flexible light structures

Light generating devices for illuminating portions of vascular tissue, to render photodynamic therapy. In one embodiment, a light source array preferably including a plurality of light emitting diodes, a focusing lens, and a light diffusing element are included in a distal end of a catheter. A balloon is optionally provided to interrupt blood flow that can block the transmission of light, and to center the apparatus in a blood vessel. Optical fibers optionally direct light from the light source to the diffusing element. The light source array can have a radial or linear configuration and can produce more than one wavelength of light for activating different photoreactive agents. Linear light source elements are particularly useful to treat elongate portions of tissue in a vessel. One embodiment intended for use with a conventional balloon catheter integrates light sources into a guidewire.

Photodynamic therapy apparatus and method for vascular tissue treatment

Light generating device to intravascular use

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Hugh Narciso