Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Tricardia, LLC

Syntach Ag

Intervalve, Inc.

Coaptus Medical Corporation

Backbeat Medical, Inc.

Robert S Schwartz

David R Holmes, Iii

Robert A Van Tassel

Robert A VanTassel

David A Berry

Allan R Camrud

E Skott Greenhalgh

Gregory G Brucker

Donald G Ellis

Wesley Robert Pedersen

Cheryl A Conover

Antonio Bayes-Genis

William J Swanson

Darren R Sherman

Yuval Mika

Robert Lawrence Barry

Daniel Burkhoff

Richard G Cornelius

David C Auth

David Holmes

Robert D Simari

Noel M Caplice

David R Holmes

Timothy D Argo

Atoni Bayes-Genis

An apparatus and method of use are disclosed for treating, preventing and terminating arrhythmias. In particular, the apparatus is implantable within or on various tissues and structures and is used to prevent or block conduction of aberrant impulses. A variety of methods of the present invention may be used to attack arrhythmias by short-circuiting impulses, inducing fibrosis, ablating tissue or inducing inflammation. In addition, the device and methods may also be used to treat aneurysms. The device may also be used to treat hypertension, and to function as a blood pressure regulator.

Anti-arrhythmia devices and methods of use

The present invention provides an electrical block implant sized and shaped for securement at the perimeter of the pulmonary ostium of the left atrium. By utilizing various expandable ring designs and optional anchoring mechanisms, the present invention causes even, circular scarring around the perimeter of the pulmonary ostium, achieving reliable blocking of aberrant electrical signals responsible for atrial fibrillation.

Electrical conduction block implant device

Methods, systems, and devices for transseptal access into the left atrium of a heart. In one embodiment an apparatus for transseptal left atrial access comprised of a catheter adapted for insertion into a vessel and one or more RF devices adapted to be extendable from the distal end of said catheter and configured for the penetration or sealing of septal tissue.

Transseptal left atrial access and septal closure

The present invention provides an aortic valvuloplasty catheter which, in one preferred embodiment, has a tapered distal balloon segment that anchors within the left ventricle outflow track of the patient's heart and a rounded proximal segment which conforms to the aortic sinuses forcing the valve leaflets open. In addition, this embodiment of the valvuloplasty catheter includes a fiber-based balloon membrane, a distal pigtail end hole catheter tip, and a catheter sheath.

Valvuloplasty catheter

A catheter delivery system for delivering a treatment substance to an occlusion in a lumen of a tubular vessel includes a tubular catheter and a treatment substance. The tubular catheter includes a central lumen passing between a proximal end and a distal end adjacent to an inflatable balloon. The treatment substance is in a form that is configured to be deliverable through the central lumen of the catheter into the lumen of the tubular vessel and to solidify in the vessel.

Biological revascularization

Use of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A as a marker for inflammatory conditions, and in particular, for acute coronary syndromes is described.

Marker for inflammatory conditions

Valvuloplasty devices and methods

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

An implantable stent having surface features adapted to promote an organized growth pattern of infiltrating cells when implanted in a tubular organ is provided. The surface features comprise depressions, pores, projections, pleats, channels or grooves in the stent body and are designed to increase turbulence or stagnation in the flow of a liquid, such as blood through the stent, and/or to promote the growth of infiltrating cells in an organized pattern. Alternatively, the invention stent can be populated with living cells prior to implant and can be heatable from an external source of energy, thereby inducing production of therapeutic bioactive agents from ingrowing cells. The invention also provides an implantable heatable stent for transcutaneously monitoring the flow of fluid through a lumen into which the stent is implanted by measuring the rate at which the heated stent cools in response to blood flow when the source of heat is removed.

Implantable device for promoting repair of a body lumen

A medical device is provided having a needle or a catheter, insertable into a living body, which defines a plurality of holes in fluid communication with a central lumen. The holes may be of various patterns located and angled to create a desired injectate cloud pattern when an injectate is forced through the central lumen and through the plurality of holes. One embodiment provides various designs including a moveable sheath or stylet used to selectively occlude one or more of the holes while in use, thereby providing an operating physician a way to manipulate the cloud pattern anytime during the introduction of the injectate. A reducer may be used in conjunction with these needles which provides an increased degree of control when injecting very small quantities of fluid.

Syringe system

A deviceand method for replacing or restoring competence to incompetent valves. The deviceis inserted percutaneously or surgically and is preferably constructed of a material capable of promoting cellular ingrowth such that, eventually, native biologic tissue completely covers the deviceinsulating the blood flow therefrom. The material is preferably bioabsorbable over time, allowing the device to harbor the regeneration of a valve structure and to later become absorbed by the body. The device is sized and arranged to mimic the valve it is replacing or repairing.

Venous valvuloplasty device and method

Implantable medical devices that include a non-woven framework are described, as well as methods of using such devices to deliver therapeutic compounds to a patient.

Stent having non-woven framework containing cells

Manual stent manipulation before implantation results in foreign body contamination and increased neointimal hyperplasia. Rinsing commercially available sterile stents with high pressure immediately before implantation eliminates residual surface stent contaminants and reduces inflammation elicited by stent struts. Ex-vivo stent expansion and surface analysis revealed that rinsed stents had fewer surface contaminants than untouched or handled stents. In a porcine stent restenosis model, rinsed stents elicited less inflammation and less neointimal hyperplasia at one month than handled and untouched stents. Pressure-rinsing of coronary stents immediately before implantation reduces inflammation and neointimal hyperplasia.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MN, United States of America

Robert S Schwartz