Boston Scientific Corporation

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Boston Scientific Technology, Inc.

Meditech, Ltd.

Mansfield Scientific, Inc.

Microvasive, Inc.

Prutech Research and Development Partnership Ii

John E Abele

James C Wang

Robert J Crowley

Ronald A Sahatjian

George T Roberts

Kevin R Heath

Brian A Pederson, Sr

Charles D Lennox

Erik C Andersen

Paul D McLaughlin

Lucien A Couvillon, Jr

Sandra G Tartaglino

Mark S Landman

Charles E Lennox

Nikolaus Reifart

Timothy W Wheeler

Thomas O Bales, Jr

Robert Sixto

Christopher A Rowland

Steven M Rowe

Michael G Vergano

Donald E Robinson

Peter M Nicholas

Douglas J Daniels

Susan M Ropiak

Michael W Calhoun

Alice H Pincus

James F Hopkins

George E Strom

Paul C Nardella

Sharad H Joshi

Stephen R Thistle

Robert G Brown

Daniel G Cerundolo

Sandra L Gelinas

Thomas A Jellison

A medical balloon for attachment to a catheter tube, and method of making the balloon. The balloon comprises a plurality of co-extruded and coextensive layers of different polymeric materials (A,B) at least one of which is a base structural layer (B) and the other of which (A) is formed of polyethylene and copolymers thereof or of SELAR. The base structural layer is thicker than the other layer.

Co-extruded medical balloon

A stiffenable balloon catheter assembly capable of being converted from an &ldquo;over-the-wire&rdquo; mode with respect to a guidewire extending therethrough to a &ldquo;rapid-exchange&rdquo; mode with respect to a guidewire extending therethrough, and vice versa. The catheter has a plurality of lumens, one lumen however, having a side opening with an obstructable galp, the orientation of which, determines the utilization &ldquo;mode&rdquo; of the catheter assembly. Stiffening stylets may be adjustably locked into the lumens, depending upon the &ldquo;mode&rdquo;, to control the stiffness of the catheter assembly during its utilization within a patient.

Adjustably stiffenable convertible catheter assembly

An electro-surgical device for performing tissue resection and cauterization includes an elongated body, a pair of arms extending from a distal end of the elongated body, and an electrode in communication with the pair of arms. The elongated body is adapted to be coupled to a source of energy at a proximal end. The electrode has a first region coated with an insulative coating and a second region for focusing energy emission. The coating can be a diamond-like carbon coating or other coating exhibiting resistance to cracking at high temperatures and high voltages. The coating can be deposited on a base section of a loop electrode while the end sections remain free of the coating. Alternatively, the coating can be unevenly deposited on the electrode. In other embodiments, the electrode can comprise a rollerball and the insulative coating can be deposited on selected or random portions of the rollerball. The insulative coating prevents energy loss to fluid and tissue during the operation, thus allowing resection and cauterization to be efficiently performed.

Apparatus and method for electrode-surgical tissue removal having a selectively insulated electrode

A method of forming a balloon for medical purposes comprising co-extruding in a tubular shape a base structural layer of a member selected from the group consisting oft polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters and copolymers thereof and a heat sealable layer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and copolymers thereof. The tubular member is then biaxially oriented by inflating the tube with a gas to a predetermined central diameter greater then the initial diameter of the tube and simultaneously heating the inflated tube to a temperature sufficient to biaxially orient the base structural layer. The member is then cooled the inflated tubular member and then elevated in temperature for a second time to the biaxially orienting temperature. The twice-heated tube is allowed to cool and the gas is withdrawn whereby the tubular member will assume a generally tubular shape and the main structural layer will remain biaxially orientated and the heat sealable layer will not be biaxially orientated.

Method of forming a co-extruded balloon for medical purposes

Wires are used for conducting ultrasound energy. These wires achieve optimum properties by creating a multiple material coaxial construction. For example, in a particular embodiment it is desirable to have an elastic core (nitinol) for conducting axial vibrations (sonic or ultrasonic) and a thin stiff cladding (stainless steel) in order to minimize traverse vibrations which result in loss of energy.

Ultrasonic medical device

A method of forming a balloon for medical purposes including co-extruding in a tubular shape a base structural layer of polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters and copolymers thereof and a heat sealable layer of polyethylene and copolymers thereof. The tubular member is then biaxially oriented by inflating the tube with a gas to a predetermined central diameter greater then the initial diameter of the tube and simultaneously heating the inflated tube to a temperature sufficient to biaxially orient the base structural layer. The member is then cooled the inflated tubular member and then elevated in temperature for a second time to the biaxially orienting temperature. The twice-heated tube is allowed to cool and the gas is withdrawn whereby the tubular member will assume a generally tubular shape and the main structural layer will remain biaxially orientated and the heat sealable layer will not be biaxially orientated.

An expansible balloon catheter has at least a first exterior surface with a given coefficient of friction and a second exterior surface with a greater coefficient of friction. In a compact form only the first exterior surface is exposed to produce one coefficient of friction during transfer of the collapsed or uninflated balloon to and across a lesion. When inflated, the second surface dominates the first surface and produces a second coefficient of friction.

Balloon catheter

An acoustic imaging system for use within a heart has a catheter (6), an ultrasound device (10) incorporated into the catheter (6), and an electrode (300, 304, 334, 394) mounted on the catheter (6). The ultrasound device (10) directs ultrasonic signals toward an internal structure in the heart to create an ultrasonic image, and the electrode (300, 304, 334, 394) is arranged for electrical contact with the internal structure. A chemical ablation device (55, 86, 314, 396) mounted on the catheter (6) ablates at least a portion of the internal structure by delivery of fluid to the internal structure. The ablation device (55) may include a material that vibrates in response to electrical excitation, the ablation being at least assisted by vibration of the material. The ablation device may alternatively be a transducer (414) incorporated into the catheter (6), arranged to convert electrical signals into radiation and to direct the radiation toward the internal structure. The electrode may be a sonolucent structure (304, 334) incorporated into the catheter (6).

Catheters for imaging, sensing electrical potentials, and ablating tissue

An expandable ablation electrode is provided on a catheter constructed to access the heart. When the electrode is introduced to the heart, it is small and suitably flexible to maneuver through the torturous path. However, when the catheter is in place in the heart, the electrode is expansible in diameter to a substantially larger dimension, and is relatively rigid, enabling a large conductive surface to press against the heart tissue with the desired contact pressure. When RF energy is then applied to the electrode it produces a burn lesion of desired large size and depth. This overcomes the limitations to size that have been encountered using conventional rigid electrodes.

Heart ablation catheter with expandable electrode and method of coupling

An expansible balloon catheter with a stent thereon has at least a first exterior surface with a given coefficient of friction and a second exterior surface with a different coefficient of friction. In a compact form only the first exterior surface is exposed to produce one coefficient of friction during transfer of the collapsed or uninflated balloon and stent to and across a lesion. When inflated, the second surface dominates the first surface and produces a second coefficient of friction.

A catheter for insertion into a bodily conduit, especially an artery. The catheter comprises a shaft (26) having at least one lumen (24) for delivery of a fluid inflation media and a double balloon (12) including an array (20) of a plurality of inflatable secondary chambers (22) radially disposed in a cylindrical array around an inflatable primary chamber (16). Each of the secondary chambers (22) shares a common wall (38) with adjacent secondary chambers (22) and a common wall (14) with the primary chamber (16). The secondary chambers (22) are inflated by an array of channels (32) which are separated from each other by webs (40). One or more of the secondary chambers (22) may be in communication with a pressure transducer for measurement of the resistance of, e.g., a stenosis to dilation by the balloon (12). Alternately, a triple balloon (60) has inner secondary chambers (22a) and outer secondary chambers (22b). Also alternately, one or more of the secondary chambers (22) may be adapted to dispense medication. A method for treating a constricted bodily conduit using the catheter is also disclosed.

Dilation catheter and method of treatment therewith

An expansible balloon catheter has at least a first exterior surface with a given coefficient of friction and a second exterior surface with a greater coefficient of friction. In a compact form only the first exterior surface is exposed to produce a low coefficient of friction during transfer of the collapsed or uninflated balloon to and across a lesion. When inflated, the second surface dominates the first surface and produces an increased coefficient of friction overall thereby to stabilize the balloon in the lesion.

Systems and methods for dilation of a body lumen, using an expandable dilatation catheter to simultaneously heat and apply pressure to tissue of the lumen and to expand and dilate the lumen including means constructed to produce and/or detect physiological response of the heated tissue to applied pressure.

Physiologic low stress angioplasty

A calibrated guidewire for use in determining the magnitude of arterial occlusions in the body and a method of using the guidewire. The guidewire includes a flexible sleeve having a distal end and a hemispherical tip having a flat inner surface. A multifilar flexible coil is disposed between the distal end of the sleeve and the tip. The coil has a uniform outer diameter and is formed by two sets of different wires, one of which is radiotransparent and the other of which is radiopaque. The spacings between each of the sets is identical and is defined by the widths of each of the sets to provide regularly spaced radiotransparent areas of indicia that are observable as a fluoroscopic image to enable the user measure of the magnitude of an occlusion in a tubular structure in the body. The multifilar construction extends the entire length of the coil between the sleeve and the tip.

Growing community of inventors

Concord, MA, United States of America

John E Abele