Other

Cardiovascular Imaging Systems, Inc.

Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

University of California

Devices for Vascular Intervention, Inc.

Cardiovasular Imaging Systems, Inc.

Cardiovascular Imaging System, Inc.

Paul G Yock

Yue-Teh Jang

Stephen M Salmon

Michael J Horzewski

James W Arenson

Peter S Brown

Alan R Selfridge

A catheter is provided for insertion in the he blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

Method and apparatus for intravascular two-dimensional ultrasonography

Apparatus for introduction into the vessel of a patient comprising a guiding catheter adapted to be inserted into the vessel of the patient and a device adapted to be inserted into the guiding catheter. The device includes a flexible elongate member and a sleeve carried by the flexible elongate member near the distal extremity thereof and extending from a region near the distal extremity to a region spaced from the distal extremity of the flexible elongate element. The device also includes a guide wire adapted to extend through the sleeve so that the guide wire extends rearwardly of the sleeve extending alongside of and exteriorally of the flexible elongate element into a region near the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate element.

Angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges and method

The invention provides a nested tubing cannula which comprises outer and inner elongate tubular members, both having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween. The inner tubular member is sealed at its distal end and is nested substantially coaxially within the lumen of the outer tubular member, so that the gap between the inner and the outer tubular member defines a second lumen whereas the first lumen is the lumen of the inner tubular member. A tubular sleeve is disposed coaxially between the inner and outer tubular members. A balloon is mounted on a distal region of the outer tubular member and is in communication with the first lumen. The cannula further comprises a port proximal or distal the balloon occluder and is in communication with the second lumen. Methods for making the devices herein are disclosed.

Angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges and methods

Angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges

Apparatus for introduction into the vessel of a patient comprising a guiding catheter adapted to be inserted into the vessel of the patient and a device adapted to be inserted into the guiding catheter. The device includes a flexible elongate member and. a sleeve carried by the flexible elongate member near the distal extremity thereof and extending from a region near the distal extremity to a region spaced from the distal extremity of the flexible elongate element. The device also includes a guide wire adapted to extend through the sleeve so that the guide wire extends rearwardly of the sleeve extending alongside of and exteriorally of the flexible elongate element into a region near the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate element.

A catheter is provided for insertion in the blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

A method and system for recanalizing a totally or near totally occluded body lumen such as an artery which has an elongated catheter shaft with means such as a cutting or ablating element at the distal end of the shaft to remove occluding material and with ultrasonic imaging means preferably located on the shaft proximal to the cutting or ablating element to allow the operator to maintain the radial position of the distal end of the catheter shaft within the body lumen so that no contact is made between the cutting or ablating means and the wall defining the body lumen. The imaging system preferably includes one or more ultrasonic transducers which emit ultrasound in a direction having a substantial radial component, or a substantial axial component or both. Ultrasonic energy reflected from the wall defining the body lumen is received by transducers which generate signals representing the received ultrasonic energy, which in turn are used to form an image of the wall on a video monitor and the radial location of the distal end of the catheter shaft or the means to remove occluding material. The image projected on the video monitor may then be used by the physician to control the position of the distal end of the catheter shaft and/or the means to remove occluding material within the body lumen.

Treating a totally or near totally occluded lumen

A catheter is provided for insertion into the blood vessel of a patient for ultrasonically imaging the vessel wall. The catheter includes a tubular element and an internally housed drive cable for effective a circumferential scan about the catheter of an ultrasonic generating means. Both the tubular element and the drive cable are of a size and flexibility sufficient to permit their introduction into the vessel and subsequent advancement through the vessel to the location of the vessel wall where imaging is desired.

Method and apparatus for intravascular ultrasonography

Apparatus and method are described for introducing an imaging catheter to the coronary vasculature. A guiding catheter is introduced so that the distal end of the guiding catheter engages a coronary os. The distal end of the guiding catheter is shaped so that a mark on the distal end is oriented in a predetermined orientation relative to the coronary vasculature. An imaging catheter is then introduced through the guiding catheter and an image of the mark is produced with the imaging catheter while in the guiding catheter. In this manner, the relative orientation of the produced image and the coronary vasculature is known.

Growing community of inventors

Hillsborough, CA, United States of America

Paul G Yock