Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Robert E Atkinson

Peter Trexler Keith

Thomas V Ressemann

Hans G Mische

Daniel O Adams

Louis G Ellis

David Bryan Robinson

Richard Carlton Mattison

Donald F Palme, Ii

Dale F Schmaltz

Carol Loney

David A VandenEinde

Bradley C Linden

According to the invention, a novelly improved ablation device includes releasably joinable drive and catheter assemblies. The drive assembly includes a tachometer assembly and a regulator for monitoring and controlling ablating burr speed. A bifurcated drive shaft includes a coiled distal portion and a tubular proximal portion for facilitating force transfer from the proximal portion to the distal portion. A dilating member is provided in addition to an ablating burr on the catheter assembly. The catheter tube may have multiple independent lumens having axes of elongation offset parallelly in the tube. Additionally, the ablating burr may be operatively connected to the catheter tube by drive gears or releasable threads. A radiopaque member is included on the distal end of the catheter tube, thereby rendering it visible to an observer. Novel, improved methods of ablating intravascular deposits are also provided.

Ablation devices and methods of use

According to the invention, a novelly improved ablation device includes releasably joinable drive and catheter assemblies. The drive assembly includes a tachometer assembly and a regulator for monitoring and controlling ablating burr speed. A bifurcated drive shaft includes a coiled distal portion and a tubular proximal portion for facilitating force transfer from the proximal portion to the distal portion. A dilating member is provided in addition to an ablating burr con the catheter assembly. The catheter tube may have multiple independent lumens having axes of elongation offset parallelly in the tube. Additionally, the ablating burr may be operatively connected to the catheter tube by drive gears or releasable threads. A radiopaque member is included on the distal end of the catheter tube, thereby rendering it visible to an observer. Novel, improved methods of ablating intravascular deposits are also provided.

A drive assembly for an ablation device. The drive assembly including a housing and a connector for coupling a catheter assembly including a rotatable drive shaft to the housing. The connector including a first coupling rotatably connected to the housing and a second coupling fixably connected to the housing.

Ablation device drive assembly including catheter connector

A drug delivery catheter is provided which includes a catheter comprised of an elongated tubular shaft with an inner lumen and a vessel puncturing element which is housed in the lumen. The puncturing element has a retracted position such that it will not be in contact with the vessel wall as the catheter is guided through the vasculature. The puncturing element also has a puncturing position where it protrudes radially outward of the catheter shaft and engages and punctures the vessel wall. The catheter is first inserted into the vessel to be treated and the puncturing element is positioned at the site in the vessel to be treated. The puncturing element is then moved to its puncturing position and the inner surface of the vessel wall is punctured. A drug is then delivered through the puncture. The drug may be delivered into either the vessel wall itself or to the outside of the vessel wall.

Intra-extravascular drug delivery catheter and method

An intravascular catheter, such as a balloon catheter, and a method for use thereof, the catheter comprising an elongate shaft having an inflation lumen extending therethrough, an implement, such as a dilation balloon, connected to and located at the distal portion of the shaft and communicating with the lumen, a small profile core wire extending through at least the dilation balloon and having a distal portion that extends distally from the dilation balloon through a distal core wire opening located distally of the balloon, and further in which the core wire is movable relative to the elongate shaft to allow withdrawal of the elongate shaft and the balloon while leaving the core wire positioned intravascularly, and a tip member connected to the core wire in a region thereof distal of the location at which the core wire extends distally of the core wire opening, the tip member having a profile larger than the opening. Also, a manifold is provided adapted to both form a fluid seal around a guide wire received in a port and spatially fix the position of the guide wire in the manifold. Also, the manifold automatically closes a fluid port upon disconnection of a source of fluid from the fluid port.

Intravascular catheter and method for use thereof

A non-over-the-wire catheter for use in angioplasty including a core wire which extends distally beyond a distal end of a tubular member. The tubular member defines an interior passage which is in fluid communication with a distal interior passage of a waist tube that extends about the core wire. An inflatable balloon member extends about the core wire and is in fluid communication with the distal interior passage of the waist tube. An axially stiff component is coupled to the balloon member. The axially stiff component permits rotational movement of the core wire relative to the balloon member so that torque applied to the tubular member and conveyed to the core wire is not readily transmitted to the balloon member. A push element associated with the core wire abuts the axially stiff component. The push element prevents longitudinal displacement of the inner sleeve relative to the core wire, which in turn prevents a longitudinal collapse of the balloon member and waist tube when the catheter is advanced through a patient's vascular system.

Balloon dilatation catheter having a free core wire

A sheath for facilitating a guide wire exchange is defined by an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and a single thru lumen. The sheath also has a proximal insertion opening and a distal insertion opening in communication with the thru lumen. The sheath includes a distal guide segment for 'single operator' insertion and a peelable extent for peelably removing the sheath after use. The distal guide segment is formed along a distal portion of the elongated tubular member. The sheath is inserted along a pre-inserted guide wire by inserting a proximal end of the pre-inserted guide wire through a guide lumen of the distal guide segment. The sheath is advanced distally along the pre-inserted guide wire to a desired position and thereafter the pre-inserted guide wire is withdrawn. A re-shaped guide wire or substitute guide wire is inserted through the proximal insertion opening and advanced through the thru lumen of the sheath to a treatment site. The sheath is withdrawn while peelably removing the tubular member from the inserted guide wire.

Sheath and method for intravascular treatment

A novel intravascular device is provided having a distal end including a flexible portion having an axis of elongation. The flexible portion comprises a first twist and a first flat defining a first plane, and a second twist and a second flat defining a second plane. The first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane for providing the distal end of the device with substantially symmetric flexibility about the axis of elongation. A novel method of manufacturing a safety ribbon for an intravascular device is also provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing an intravascular device having a substantially rounded core wire at a distal end of the device; flattening the core wire to form a substantially rectangular configuration; fixing one end of the configuration against rotation; and rotating an opposite end of the configuration with respect to the one end, thereby substantially permanently altering the configuration. Alternatively, the method can comprise the steps of: providing an element having a substantially rounded configuration; flattening the element to form a substantially rectangular configuration; providing a coil for operative attachment to the rectangular configuration; twisting the coil so as to place the coil under torsion; maintaining the coil in a torsioned condition; operatively attaching the coil to the rectangular configuration; and effectively releasing the coil such that the coil relaxes, thereby allowing torsion on the coil to twist the rectangular configuration to permanently alter the rectangular configuration.

Guidewire with safety ribbon with substantially axially symmetric

A balloon catheter system having a guiding wire, a balloon, and a spring tip joined to a distal end of the guiding wire. A strain relief member covers a portion of the guiding wire between a distal end of the balloon and a proximal end of the spring tip. The strain relief member is defined by a portion of the balloon. Alternatively, the strain relief member comprises a separate tubular member.

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St. Anthony, MN, United States of America

Robert E Atkinson