Volcano Corporation

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Other

University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Abela Laser Systems, Inc.

Cormedica Corporation

Viatar LLC

Onco Filtration, Inc.

Sunnybrook Health Science Centre

Novelis Investments

Russell W Bowden

Paul A Magnin

John W Goodnow

Edward I McNamara

Rodney J Solomon

Gary S Falwell

Charles A Gibson

George S Abela

Stephen S Keaney

Ilan K Reich

Debbie E Stevens-Wright

Richard B Stevens

Katherine J Soojian

Graham Arnold Wright

Stephan E Friedl

Eric D Mathews

Perry Radau

Hasmukh Shah

Anthony Mauriello

John J Graham

Alexander J Dick

A crossflow filter includes a rigid cylindrical inner wall and a rigid cylindrical outer wall with an inelastic filter membrane positioned therebetween defining a retentate channel inside the filter membrane and a permeate channel outside the filter membrane. Further, the filter includes transition channels shaped and connected to the inner and outer walls to deliver a flow of fluid from an inlet port to the retentate channel and to capture flow flowing longitudinally along the cylindrical inner and outer walls from both the retentate and permeate channels to respective outlet ports.

Systems, methods, and devices for removing circulating tumor cells from blood

Filtering systems, methods, and devices, particularly adapted for apheresis of cellular bodies and more specifically for apheresis of circulating tumor cell bodies (CTCs) employs a cross-flow channel. Systems and methods as well as devices for such a system are described. Embodiments include a cylindrical filter that employs a thin micro-machined porous filter membrane with a regular array of pores and reliably pass blood while trapping CTCs.

A method and system for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating an area of interest in a patient's body is provided. More particularly, a manually steered 'rapid exchange' type catheter for a system for imaging, diagnosing, and/or an area of interest in a patient's body is provided. The catheter comprises a catheter body configured to be introduced to an area of interest in a patient's body, a device for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating the area of interest contained within the catheter body, and a manual steering device attached to the imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating device to allow an operator to manually steer the imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating device, wherein the catheter is configured to be mounted on a commercially available guidewire.

Method and system for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating an area of interest in a patient's body

A method and system for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating an area of interest in a patient's body is provided. More particularly, a manually steered 'rapid exchange' type catheter for a system for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating an area of interest in a patient's body is provided. The catheter comprises a catheter body configured to be introduced to an area of interest in a patient's body, a device for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating the area of interest contained within the catheter body, and a manual steering device attached to the imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating device to allow an operator to manually steer the imaging, diagnosing, and/or treating device, wherein the catheter is configured to be mounted on a commercially available guidewire.

An intravascular ultrasound catheter system is provided and enables a simplified, economical technique for ultrasound visualization of a blood vessel. The catheter may include a park ablation system for crossing chronic total occlusions and severe stenoses. The catheter is advanceable and is oriented entirely under manual control of the clinician and the application of radiofrequency energy for spark erosion of the stenosis also is controlled manually by the clinician. The system enables the clinician to observe an ultrasound image sufficiently to determine where to orient the ablation electrode so as to reduce the risk of dissection or perforation of the blood vessel. The ultrasound image is generated in response to manual rotation of the catheter and the ablation spark is generated only when the physician is satisfied as to the orientation of the electrode within the vessel.

Apparatus and methods for low-cost intravascular ultrasound imaging and for crossing severe vascular occlusions

Apparatus and methods for intravascular ultrasound imaging and for crossing severe vascular occlusions

An intravascular ultrasound catheter system is provided and enables a simplified, economical technique for ultrasound visualization of a blood vessel. The catheter may include a spark ablation system for crossing chronic total occlusions and severe stenoses. The catheter is advanceable and is oriented entirely under manual control of the clinician and the application of radiofrequency energy for spark erosion of the stenosis also is controlled manually by the clinician. The system enables the clinician to observe an ultrasound image sufficiently to determine where to orient the ablation electrode so as to reduce the risk of dissection or perforation of the blood vessel. The ultrasound image is generated in response to manual rotation of the catheter and the ablation spark is generated only when the physician is satisfied as to the orientation of the electrode within the vessel.

An apparatus and method for rendering for display forward-looking image data. The apparatus includes rendering for display image data from a forward-looking conical section of tissue collected by an image data collection device, comprising a data input unit configured to receive the image data; and an image data processing unit configured to rasterize the image data onto a projected three-dimensional geometric model to produce a rasterized image, thereby giving the appearance of three-dimensions when displayed. The method includes a method of rendering for display image data from a forward-looking conical section of tissue collected by an image data collecting device, comprising receiving the image data; and rasterizing the image data onto a projected three-dimensional geometric model to produce a rasterized image, thereby giving the appearance of three dimensions when displayed.

Apparatus and method for rendering for display forward-looking image data

A steerable catheter includes control handle having a generally tubular housing with a longitudinal slot therein in which an axially or longitudinally movable two-part slideblock resides, and a generally cylindrical, rotatably mounted thumbwheel surrounding a distal portion of the tubular housing, for controlling the axial translation of the slideblock. The pullwire passes into the distal end of the control handle and is only secured to the proximal part of the two-part slideblock so as to prevent the user from placing the pullwire under compression. A tip radius adjusting wire is attached to and extends distally from a slide actuator in the control handle into and through the main catheter shaft portion. The free distal end of the tip radius adjusting wire is selectably locatable at different positions. The radius of curvature of the tip portion, when deflected, depends upon how far distally into the deflectable tip portion the radius adjusting wire has been advanced by the user. The electrode catheter thus has a deflectable tip whose radius of curvature is adjustable over a relatively wide range.

Steerable electrode catheter

A catheter uses a steerable outer catheter with an inner catheter rotatable and extendable with respect to the outer catheter. The outer catheter may be positioned within a patient's heart and a portion of the outer catheter may provide movement like that of a windshield wiper by manipulation of a spring. By combining the windshield wiper type movement with the extension and rotation of the inner catheter relative to the outer catheter, a large area within a patient's heart may be readily mapped for conduction tissue and be subjected to laser ablation if appropriate. Various configurations provide flexibility in relatively positioning of windows used to apply laser energy and ring electrodes used to sense conduction tissue. Various anchoring techniques are described.

Cardiac catheter anchoring

A system and method for percutaneous myocardial revascularization uses laser energy emitted from the distal end of a catheter. A technique for controlling beam direction allows the creation of channels in a patient's heart tissue with the channels having different orientations relative to the distal end. An arrangement provides for the creation of a plurality of channels at one time by simultaneous application of a plurality of beams of laser energy. A navigation arrangement uses two non-coplanar magnetic sensing coils in the distal end of the catheter cooperating with three sets of three magnetic field generating external coils (i.e., external to the patient). Each of the three sets is sequentially energized and the sensing coils in the distal end sense the magnetic fields established. A computer compares the sensed fields with the known sequence of energizing the external coils and thereby determines the position of the distal end. A pressure sensor in the catheter senses ventricular pressure in the patient's heart during and immediately after revascularization.

Percutaneous endomyocardial revascularization

A steerable catheter includes control handle having a generally tubular housing with a longitudinal slot therein in which an axially or longitudinally movable two-part slideblock resides, and a generally cylindrical, rotatably mounted thumbwheel surrounding a distal portion of the tubular housing, for controlling the axial translation of the slideblock. The pullwire passes into the distal end of the control handle and is only secured to the proximal part of the two-part slideblock so as to prevent the user from placing the pullwire under compression. A tip radius adjusting wire is attached to and extends distally from a slide actuator in the control handle into and through the main catheter shaft portion. The free distal end of the tip radius adjusting wire is selectably Iocatable at different positions. The radius of curvature of the tip portion, when deflected, depends upon how far distally into the deflectable tip portion the radius adjusting wire has been advanced by the user. The electrode catheter thus has a deflectable tip whose radius of curvature is adjustable over a relatively wide range.

A reusable injection catheter for use with a medication delivery system comprises a flexible conduit having a fluid path therethrough, a first cannula at the distal end of the conduit for insertion into the patient, a connector housing at the proximal end of the conduit having a passageway therethrough, and a second cannula extending from the housing and in fluid communication therewith. An embodiment of the present invention includes a resilient sleeve covering the second cannula to prevent fluid passage therethrough. This sleeve is adapted to be pierced by the second cannula upon the application of force to the sleeve, thus allowing fluid flow through the second cannula, and further adapted to return to its initial position upon termination of the force.

Growing community of inventors

Tyngsboro, MA, United States of America

Russell W Bowden