Menlo Care, Inc.

Medtronic Vascular, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Medical Gmbh

Ronald C Brown

John H Burton

Ascher Shmulewitz

Robert L Wilcox

Robert Steven Bley

Jack M Walker

Joseph J Chang

Joseph R Thomas

Dennis Bialecki

Roy Singfatt Chin

Apparatus and methods for perfusing ischemic myocardium, and optionally, for reducing the load on a patient's left ventricle, are provided using a inlet conduit having an inlet end configured for insertion into an oxygenated blood source, including without limitation, the left atrium, left ventricle, aorta, pulmonary vein, subclavian artery, brachiocephalic artery, radial artery or femoral artery, coupled to an outlet conduit having an outlet end configured for insertion into the coronary venous vasculature via the coronary ostium. The inlet conduit may include a stylet or elastomeric sleeve that facilitates placement, while the outlet conduit may include a valve for limiting a peak pressure attained in the coronary venous system. A motor-driven or hydraulically-actuated pump optionally may be coupled in the flow path, and control circuitry provided to control the pump with a user selected duty cycle.

Apparatus for providing coronary retroperfusion and methods of use

A process for forming the tips on catheters is described in which the catheter is placed on a mandrel and molded in a mold. The mandrel may then be removed and a second mandrel inserted. The second mandrel having a larger diameter and adapted to contact inner surface of the mold to thereby cut any flash formed at the end of the catheter and separate the flash from the catheter tip. Alternatively, the mandrel and catheter are inserted into the mold to mold the outer surface of the catheter thereafter removed and inserted into a die to punch the flash from the tip of the catheter material. The punch process may be carried out by either the same mandrel or a second mandrel adapted to the purpose of cutting or punching the flash from the catheter.

Catheter beveling and die cut process

Solitaire playing board

A tubular cannula has distal and proximal end portions, a central passageway from the distal end portion of the proximal portion and a transition section connecting the distal and proximal end portions. The proximal end portion has larger inner and outer diamters and has thicker walls than does the distal end portion. The diameter difference and thickness are effectuated in a gradual manner in a transition section. The cannula is constructed of a material that softens on being inserted into a living body and/or contacted with an aqueous medium. The cannula combines kink resistance external of the living body with the advantages of a softening and generally swellable catheter.

Softening catheter

An improvement is set forth in a peripheral IV catheter assembly which comprises a needle hub having proximal and distal ends and a central bore having a flashback chamber, blood in said chamber being observable through said needle hub. A needle extends from the distal end of the bore. A catheter hub fits about the needle and has its proximal end held by the distal end of the needle hub. A cannula fits about the needle with its proximal end engaged with the distal end of the catheter hub. A flashback plug has proximal and distal ends. Its distal end can engage with the proximal end of the needle hub in blocking relation to the needle hub bore. A protector has a proximal end engagable with the distal end of the needle hub with the passage about the catheter hub, the needle and the cannula. The improvement comprises wherein the distal end of the protector is engageable with the proximal end of the needle hub with the central passage in the protector in flow communication with the central bore in the needle hub. The protector is such that blood in the passage is observable through the protector. The flashback plug is adapted intermediate its ends to engage in the passage in the protector. The flashback chamber is extended by connecting it to the central passage in the protector. Also, the flashback plug can be used in the protector to protect against contamination.

Peripheral IV catheter with enlargeable flashback chamber

Growing community of inventors

Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Ronald C Brown