Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Urologix, Inc.

Other

Actilife L.l.c.

Scott P Thome

Roger Noel Hastings

Peter Trexler Keith

Daniel O Adams

Mitchell Dann

Thomas J Holman

Eric Norman Rudie

William F Kratoska

Jonathan L Flachman

John W Humphrey

Sew-Wah Tay

Kevin M Klitz

Teruo T Hirose

Thomas Jerome Bachinski

Todd Allen Berg

Kent David Harrison

Steven S Hackett

William H Penny

Arnold W Thornton

Brian J Scovil

Darlene A Thometz

Jonathan R McGrath

Kenneth R Larson

Janet L Jacobsen

Andrew G Richardson

Jim Kauphusman

Kevin Kang

David J Talen

An apparatus and method for exchanging a first intravascular catheter of the over-the-wire type, such as an angioplasty balloon dilation catheter, with a second intravascular catheter of the over-the-wire type while leaving a guide wire in position in a desired vascular site. The apparatus is used in conjunction with a conventional guide catheter, a guide wire, and an interventional catheter that can be positioned intravascularly through a lumen of the guide catheter over the guide wire and past a distal end of the guide catheter to a desired vascular site. The apparatus includes an elongate shaft that can be removably positioned in the lumen of the guide catheter and has an actuation capability therein. A trapping member is located at a distal portion of the elongate shaft for releasably fixing the relative position of the guide wire with respect to the guide catheter. The fixing and releasing of the trapping member is effected by the actuation capability from outside the body of the patient so that a first interventional catheter can be exchanged for a second interventional catheter by trapping the guide wire position relative to the guide catheter while withdrawing the first interventional device and replacing it with another.

Method and apparatus for catheter exchange

A method and apparatus for reducing restenosis of a stenotic region of a blood vessel after performing a dilatation angioplasty treatment is disclosed. The method includes radiating microwave energy from a microwave antenna to kill a medial tissue layer of the blood vessel in the stenotic region. The radiation is applied during or after inflation of dilatation balloon to permanently dilate the stenotic region. When radiation is applied during dilatation of the stenotic region, the dilatation balloon forms a seal against the inner wall surface of the blood vessel to exclude blood in the vessel from contacting the stenotic region. The method preferably further includes cooling the blood circulating in the blood vessel about a shaft of the catheter with cooling fluid circulating within cooling lumens of the catheter and cooling an inner wall surface of the blood vessel in the stenotic region during the application of radiation to the medial cell layer. Finally, the method also preferably includes perfusing blood in the vessel through the catheter across the stenotic region during dilatation of the stenotic region to maintain circulation of blood through the blood vessel during the dilatation of the stenotic region.

Device and method for preventing restenosis

The present invention comprises a method and device for providing an expandable introducer sheath. The method of employing the inventive device comprises inserting an elongate flexible tubular sheath into a vessel (with a proximal end of the sheath extending proximally outward through the skin), to slidably receive intravascular devices. When a larger size introducer sheath is desired, the sheath is manipulated while still in the vessel to expand its inner diameter to a larger size. In one embodiment, the sheath is made of a shape-memory polymer and is manipulated by inserting a heated mandrel (with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the sheath) within the sheath to cause the sheath to expand to an inner diameter at least approximately equal to an outer diameter of the mandrel. The shape-memory polymer material ensures that the sheath will retain its expanded inner diameter. Alternatively, the sheath is formed from a telescoping multi-tubular arrangement of progressively larger tubes. In any case, insertion of the inventive sheath into the skin requires only a single small puncture which is then only expanded as needed while the sheath remains in place.

Expandable introducer sheath

An apparatus used in a method of restricting venous flow in an extremity includes a first flexible, stretchable elongate band and a first flexible, stretchable loop fixed to a first end of the first band. A second loop sized to fit about the extremity is defined by passing a free end of the first band through the first loop. Upon pulling a free end of the first band through the first loop in a direction outward from the extremity, the first band stretches against the first loop, thereby causing the second loop to tighten about the extremity to restrict venous flow therethrough. A combination of frictional engagement and stretching of the first band and of the first loop against each other releasably secures the second loop about the extremity in its tightened position, thereby eliminating the need to hold the apparatus to maintain the tightened position. With venous flow restricted in the extremity, various procedures can be performed such as obtaining a blood sample with a conventional fingerstick puncture of the extremity.

Device and method for restricting venous flow for improved blood sampling

A method of applying microwave energy to cardiac tissue uses a catheter adapted for insertion into a cardiac chamber and which includes a microwave antenna, a cooling lumen structure, and an inflatable cooling balloon. Necrosing levels of microwave energy are delivered from the microwave antenna to diseased cardiac tissue spaced from the catheter. Tissues immediately surrounding the catheter are cooled and microwave energy emitted by the antenna is selectively absorbed by the cooling lumen structure surrounding the antenna. The cooling balloon of the catheter is positioned adjacent the antenna and partially surrounds the cooling lumen structure on one side of the catheter to provide additional cooling capability and additional microwave energy absorption on the side of the catheter opposite the diseased cardiac tissue to prevent unwanted heating of blood within the cardiac chamber.

Microwave thermal therapy of cardiac tissue

An intravascular device having an elongated flexible tube sized for insertion into a coronary vessel beyond a distal end of a guide catheter. In use, the flexible tube has its proximal end within a guide catheter and has its distal end extending to a treatment site in a coronary artery. The device also including a push rod attached to a proximal end of the flexible tube to facilitate placement of the flexible tube within the coronary artery requiring treatment. In certain applications, the intravascular device is used as a drug (or other fluid) delivery device or as an aspiration device. In other applications, the intravascular device is used as a guiding means for placement of an angioplasty device, such as a guide wire or a balloon catheter. Additionally, an attachment tube may be provided which is designed to couple with a proximal end of the flexible tube to provide a continuous conduit for aspiration or fluid delivery to a treatment site in a coronary artery.

Intravascular device for coronary heart treatment

An intraurethral catheter includes an microwave antenna and a cooling lumen structure substantially surrounding the antenna. A cooling balloon partially surrounds the cooling lumens on one side of the catheter adjacent the microwave antenna. The cooling balloon improves wall contact between the catheter and a wall of the urethra to improve cooling of the urethra. The cooling balloon communicates with the cooling lumen structure to permit circulation of cooling fluid through the cooling balloon.

Device for transurethral thermal therapy with cooling balloon

The present invention is a device and method for controlling longitudinal movement of a tube relative to a shaft slidably disposed within the tube, especially in the catheterization of a patient. An operative segment on the shaft cooperates with an ancillary tool to create a coupling force field between the shaft and the tool. The tube can then be moved over the shaft while the coupling force field operates through the tube to restrict the movement of the shaft. In the preferred embodiment, the shaft is a guide wire and the tube is a catheter with a lumen for slidably receiving the guide wire, while the coupling force field is created magnetically. In one embodiment, the operative segment is borne on a short guide wire extension which is selectively securable to a standard guide wire.

Shaft movement control apparatus

An intraurethral catheter includes an elongate shaft and a tip comprising a unitary member including a curved tip portion and an inflatable balloon portion mountable on a proximal end of the catheter shaft. The present invention simplifies manufacture of the catheter by permitting an inflatable retention balloon and a curved insertion tip to be simultaneously secured on a proximal end of the catheter shaft.

Unitary tip and balloon for transurethral catheter

An intraurethral catheter shaft comprises a plurality of lumens extending between a first end and a second end of the shaft. An antenna lumen has a generally circular cross-sectional surface area and is positioned nearer a first outer surface than a second outer surface of the catheter shaft. A first and second pair of cooling lumens substantially surround the antenna lumen and have a generally arc shaped cross-sectional surface area. The cooling lumens are configured to be circumjacent to the antenna lumen about a substantial majority of the antenna lumen. A urinary drainage lumen is positioned between the second pair of cooling lumens adjacent the antenna lumen and has a generally circular cross-sectional surface area. The lumens of the catheter shaft are defined by a unitary wall having a substantially uniform thickness throughout the catheter.

Devices for transurethral thermal therapy

Guide catheter exchange device and method of exchanging a guide catheter. The guide catheter exchange device includes a magnetically responsive segment located on a proximal end for maintaining a previously placed guide wire in position across a stenosis, while performing a guide catheter exchange procedure. The guide catheter exchange device allows a guide catheter exchange procedure to be performed by a solo physician.

Shaft movement control apparatus and method

The present invention is a device and method for controlling longitudinal movement of a tube relative to a shaft slidably disposed within the tube, especially in the catheterization of a patient. An operative segment on the shaft cooperates with an ancillary tool to create a coupling force field between the shaft and the tool. The tube can then be moved over the shaft while the coupling force field operates through the tube to restrict the movement of the shaft. In preferred embodiment, the shaft is a guide wire and the tube is a catheter with a lumen for slidably receiving the guide wire, while the coupling force field is created magnetically. In one embodiment, the operative segment is borne on a short guide wire extension which is selectively securable to a standard guide wire.

A method of molding the main body of a Y-adapter that has a straight passageway extending from one extremity to the other and an arcuate passageway that is generated along the arc of a circle. Core pins for the straight and arcuate passageways are placed in a mold such that they merges together to form a single, smooth lumen in the Y-adapter. The arcuate core pin can be withdrawn from the finished Y-adapter as a result of its circular arc.

Growing community of inventors

Waite Park, MN, United States of America

Scott P Thome