Tricardia, LLC

Atritech, Inc.

Acist Medical Systems, Inc.

Transvascular, Inc.

Medivas, LLC

Robert A VanTassel

David R Holmes, Iii

Gregg Stuart Sutton

Jeffrey M Welch

Robert G Hauser

David Holmes

Thomas E Borillo

Robert Schwartz

Robert S Schwartz

David A Berry

Apparatus for permanent placement across an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient, which includes a filtering membrane configured to extend across the ostium of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane has a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough. The apparatus also includes a support structure attached to the filtering membrane which retains the filtering membrane in position across the ostium of the left atrial appendage by permanently engaging a portion of the interior wall of the left atrial appendage. The support structure may be radially expandable from a first configuration to a second configuration which engages the ostium or the interior wall of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane may define an opening therethrough that is configured to expand from a first size which inhibits the passage of thrombus therethrough to a second size which allows an interventional device, e.g., an expansion balloon, to pass therethrough, and wherein the opening is resiliently biased towards the first size.

Filter apparatus for ostium of left atrial appendage

Apparatus for permanent placement across an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient, which includes a filtering membrane configured to extend across the ostium of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane has a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough. The apparatus also includes a support structure comprising a plurality of fingers which are radially outwardly expandable with respect to a longitudinal axis to permanently engage the interior wall of the left atrial appendage, wherein the filtering membrane is attached to the support structure extending across the ostium of the left atrial appendage.

The invention provides surgical needles with a porous distal portion from which a liquid injectate will weep or ooze multidirectionally under injection pressure while the porous distal portion of the needle is inserted into a body surface. The porous distal portion of the needle can be fabricated from a porous carbon, metal, ceramic or polymer and preferably has a decreasing gradient of impedance to fluid flowing to the point of the needle to compensate for the falling off of injection pressure as fluid moves towards the point, thereby ensuring uniform weeping of the injectate along the injection course. The needle is adapted for attachment to a catheter or syringe. In another embodiment, a surgical assemblage is provided wherein a porous distal portion having similar fluid flow characteristics is located along the distal end of a catheter, and a needle point is attached to the distal end of the catheter (e.g., a steerable catheter) for piercing tissue. A guidance catheter can be used to direct the invention devices to a remote internal injection site. The invention devices and methods can be used to inject fluids (including those containing nucleic acids for gene therapy) into interior body walls or tissue, such as a beating heart, without substantial loss of fluid and without substantial damage to tissue caused by injectate.

Apparatus with weeping tip and method of use

A membrane applied to the ostium of an atrial appendage is disclosed. The membrane prevents blood clots in the atrial appendage from escaping therefrom and entering the blood stream which can result in a blocked blood vessel, leading to strokes and heart attacks. The membrane may be permeable or impermeable with respect to blood flow. The membrane is configured to extend over the ostium of the left atrial appendage. The membrane has an outer periphery with a dimension larger than a corresponding dimension of the ostium. Securement means is provided to secure the outer periphery of the membrane in direct engagement with the atrial wall surrounding the ostium. The securement means may located between the membrane and the atrial wall, or the securement means may extend distally from the membrane through the ostium.

Barrier device for covering the ostium of left atrial appendage

A medical monitoring apparatus designed to be implanted in the vascular system is capable of sensing and transmitting via a telemetry link to an external monitor both pressure and temperature information. An internally or externally powered microcircuit component is supported on a stent-like structure and adapted to be placed in the vascular system. Placement in the ventricular septum permits measurement of pressure and temperature in the left ventricle without introducing thrombus generating materials in the left ventricle.

Pressure/temperature/flow monitor device for vascular implantation

A catheter for injecting medicants into the endocardium, myocardium or other portions of the cardiovascular system is presented where the catheter has apertures therein for ejection and retraction of a needle. The catheter is designed for the apertures in the catheter to press against the tissue to be injected in the heart while the heart is beating. A needle for inserting a prescribed dose of a medicant is ejected through the aperture and a plunger, pump, or diaphragm is moved to deliver a dose of the medicant to tissue adjacent the aperture. By use of the catheter gene therapy, wherein a small does of a gene are injected into the endocardium of the right or left ventricle, can be used to grow new blood vessels in the injected area of a damaged heart. The apertures in the catheter can be spaced at a prescribed distance for the dosage of medicant to form a precise pattern of injections in the area to be treated. The catheters may be used for any treatments of a human or animal patient where injections are required in the heart, veins or arteries of the cardiovascular system.

Catheter for drug injection in cardiovascular system

Catheter apparatus with weeping tip and method of use

Pressure/temperature/monitor device for heart implantation

An intravascular catheter having a flow diffusing distal tip includes a plurality of cuts formed through the tubular wall thereof so as to define a plurality of generally U-shaped flaps, the flaps being disposed in at least one and preferably two axially displaced bands. When contrast fluid or the like is injected under pressure into the proximal end of the catheter, the flow of the liquid exits the openings in which the plurality of flaps are hinged, causing the flaps to vibrate and effectively eliminate any tendency for the contrast media to be expelled as a jet from the open distal end of the catheter. Having an open distal end allows the catheter to be passed over a guidewire.

Growing community of inventors

Excelsior, MN, United States of America

Robert A VanTassel