Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Stephen G Schaible

Debashis Dutta

David C Gale

Bin Huang

Jeong Soo Lee

William Earl Webler, Jr

Mina W Chow

Srinivasan Sridharan

Jessica G Chiu

Douglas H Gesswein

Nianjiong Joan Bei

Robert C Esselstein

Gregory Waimong Chan

Hongzhi Bai

Mina W B Chow

Gabriel Asongwe

Timoteo J Tomas

Stephen J Tiernan

Yan Shen

Thomas Ray Hatten

Mark J Bly

Richard E Kaufman

John Guardiano

Jim Kennedy

Suresh Amin

Stents and methods of manufacturing a stents with enhanced fracture toughness are disclosed.

Biodegradable stent with enhanced fracture toughness

Embodiments include an infusion-occlusion system having a delivery catheter, a guide catheter adapted to receive the delivery catheter, and a guidewire with an occlusion device adapted to be received within the guide catheter. The guide catheter of the catheter kit may be provided with an occlusion device at the distal end of the guide catheter. The delivery catheter may have an accessory lumen, coaxial or co-linear lumen, a supporting mandrel, or an occlusion device at its distal end. Moreover, according to some embodiments, occlusion devices may be a single material or a composite balloon having an inner liner and an outer layer of different materials, a high compliance low pressure balloon, or a filter device that restricts particles from passing through but does not restrict fluid, such as blood. An inflation device with a large volume and low volume syringe can be used to inflate the balloon.

Infusion treatment agents, catheters, filter devices, and occlusion devices, and use thereof

Methods and systems for manufacturing an implantable medical device, such as a stent, from a tube with desirable mechanical properties, such as improved circumferential strength and rigidity, are described herein. Improved circumferential strength and rigidity may be obtained by inducing molecular orientation in materials for use in manufacturing an implantable medical device. Methods of inducing circumferential molecular orientation by inducing circumferential flow in a molten polymer are disclosed.

Method of fabricating an implantable medical device with biaxially oriented polymers

An intraluminal catheter having at least a section of the catheter shaft being relatively transparent, and the method of manufacture thereof. In a presently preferred embodiment, the intraluminal catheter is a balloon catheter having a transparent shaft section formed of a polyetheretherketone polymeric material. The substantially transparent shaft section, of the catheter, is amorphous, and is substantially free of water marks and gels that would limit the transparency.

Catheter with a transparent shaft

An apparatus and method for providing a co-extruded, tapered multi-layer shaft. A co-extruded, tapered multi-layer shaft may be fabricated by selecting a first material for the inner layer of the shaft and a second material for the outer layer of the shaft. The first and second materials are then co-extruded by a co-extrusion system including a puller with programmable tapering capabilities. The system forms a hollow tubing having an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the tubing has the desired tapered characteristics. The result is a tapered tubular shaft having an inner layer and an outer layer.

Co-extruded taper shaft

A catheter having an inflatable member formed of a liquid crystal polymeric material. The inflatable member is formed from a blend of a minor amount, preferably less than 10%, of liquid crystal polymer with a major amount of a non-liquid crystal polymer having LCP fibers that are highly oriented in the machine direction. The aspect ratio of the liquid crystal polymeric material fibers is greater than 10, so that the polymer blend has mechanical characteristics similar to a fiber-reinforced composite with improved strength and optimal compliance.

Inflatable member formed of liquid crystal polymeric material blend

A balloon catheter having at least part of the shaft thereof formed of a liquid crystal polymeric material. The liquid crystal polymeric material is preferably blended with a non-liquid crystal polymeric material, to form a polymer blend of at least 50 percent by weight liquid crystal polymeric material and the balance being essentially non-liquid crystal polymeric material. A catheter shaft formed from the polymer blend of the invention has improved strength, stiffness, and kink resistance.

Balloon catheter shaft formed of liquid crystal polymeric material blend

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Anaheim, CA, United States of America

Stephen G Schaible