Reflow, Inc.

Fox Hollow Technologies, Inc.

Osamu Katoh

Mir A Imran

Theodore C Ormsby

Jeffrey S Frisbie

Kevin H Van Bladel

Carole M Sykes

Scott A McGill

An apparatus for deploying a guidewire across a complex lesion in a vessel formed by a wall and normally having a lumen extending therethrough including an elongate flexible catheter having proximal and distal extremities and having a plurality of separate spaced apart lumens therein extending from the proximal extremity into a location at least adjacent the distal extremity. A handle is mounted on the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate catheter. A flexible elongate sheath is mounted on the catheter and has a proximal portion, a transition portion and a distal portion with the transition portion being in the vicinity of the distal extremity of the catheter. The sheath has a lumen therein extending from the proximal portion through the transition portion and through the distal portion. First and second devices are slidably mounted in the spaced-apart lumens of said catheter. The lumen in the distal portion of said sheath has a size so that it can accommodate only one at a time of the at least two devices.

Apparatus for deploying a guidewire across a complex lesion

Recanalization apparatus for use in crossing a stenosis forming a total occlusion in a vessel formed by a vessel wall, the stenosis having a distal end cap which is convex facing in a proximal direction. The apparatus is comprised of an outer sheath formed of an elongate flexible tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a lumen extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity. An inner sheath is slidably mounted in the lumen of the outer sheath and is formed of a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities. The distal extremity has a sharpened tip. The inner sheath has a length so that when the sharpened tip is disposed distally of the distal extremity of the outer sheath, the proximal extremity extends proximally of the proximal extremity of the outer sheath. An imaging guide wire is slidably mounted in the lumen of the inner sheath and has proximal and distal extremities. A transducer is mounted on the distal extremity of the imaging guide wire. The he imaging guide wire has a length so that the transducer can extend beyond the distal extremity of the inner sheath with the proximal extremity extending proximally of the proximal extremity of the inner sheath.

Recanalization apparatus and devices for use therein and method

Recanalization apparatus for crossing a stenosis forming a total occlusion in a lumen in a vessel formed by a vessel wall. The stenosis has a fibrous cap comprising a guiding sheath comprised of a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities. A lumen extends from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity. A hemostasis valve is mounted on the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member. A needle cannula is slidably mounted in the lumen of the guiding sheath and has proximal and distal extremities and has a lumen extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity. A sharpened tip is mounted on the distal extremity. The needle cannula has a length so that its proximal extremity extends beyond the proximal extremity of the guiding sheath when the sharpened tip is deployed beyond the distal extremity of the guiding sheath.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Osamu Katoh