Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Steven M Anderson

Dean A Schaefer

Robert J Garabedian

John A Griego

Earl Bardsley

Cang D Dao

Paul DiCarlo

Janel L Lanphere

David Paulk

John C Spiridigliozzi

Kimbolt Young

Polymer insulators and methods of using polymer insulators are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes separating a first portion of a subject's tissue from a second portion of the subject's tissue so that there is a space between the first and second portions of tissue. Deionized water, a buffered saline solution, liquid polymers, gels, particles, foams, and/or gases are disposed between the first and second portions of tissue, and the first portion of tissue is exposed to energy to treat the first portion of tissue.

Tissue-treatment methods

An intravascular catheter that exhibits the combined features of superior flexibility, softness, radiopacity and oval/kink resistance. The catheter includes an elongate shaft having a proximal region, a distal region and a lumen extending therethrough. The proximal region of the shaft includes an inner lubricious polymer layer, a reinforcement layer and an outer layer. The reinforcement layer comprises a braid having one or more metallic members and a plurality of polymer members wherein each polymer member comprises a plurality of monofilaments, preferably formed of LCP. The polymer members of the braid provide improved flexibility and softness in addition to high burst pressure. The metallic member(s) of the braid provide improved radiopacity and oval/kink resistance. The catheter may also include a longitudinal member extending along the reinforcement layer.

Intravascular catheter with composite reinforcement

A particle with a diameter of at most about 3,000 microns has an internal pressure of at least about 1.1 atmospheres at a temperature of less than about 25&#xb0; C.

Particles

A tissue ablation assembly comprises an elongate probe device, at least one ablation electrode element carried by the probe device for conveying ablation energy, and at least one magnetic element for substantially altering the path of the ablation energy conveyed by the electrode element(s). In one embodiment, the magnetic element substantially urges the ablation energy radially outward. In another embodiment, magnetic element takes the form of a ring magnet that exhibits at least four alternating magnetic poles circumferentially disposed around the probe device axis. A method of treating tissue (e.g., a tumor) is also provided. The method comprises introducing a probe device into the patient, conveying ablation energy from the probe device, and applying a magnetic field adjacent the probe device to substantially alter the path of the ablation energy, e.g., by urging the ablation energy conveyed from the probe device radially outward into the tissue to create a tissue lesion, or by urging the ablation energy longitudinally.

Magnetically augmented radio frequency ablation

An intravascular catheter having a shaft, at least a portion of which includes a braid reinforcement with an axial wire or fiber disposed between the helical members that form the braid. The axial member prevents the elongation of the shaft of the catheter thereby maintaining one-to-one correspondence in axial manipulation of the catheter, even when the shaft is placed in tension. By positioning the axial member between the helical members, the axial member does not create a protrusion and does not become fixed to any adjacent polymer layer. Thus, the axial member limits axial strain of the catheter, without creating the undesirable effects of friction caused by an axial protrusion and without creating the undesirable effects of limited flexure caused by an adjacent polymer layer becoming fixed to the axial member.

Intravascular catheter with axial member

An intravascular catheter having a shaft, at least a portion of which includes a braid reinforcement with a plurality of axial members disposed between the helical members that form the braid. The axial members provide a number of advantages including: maintaining one-to-one correspondence in axial manipulation; maintaining uniform flexibility in several planes of flexure; reducing the likelihood of causing a curling effect; increasing the strength of connections between shaft segments; uniformly increasing stiffness of the catheter; and increasing the burst strength of the catheter. By positioning the axial members between the helical members, the axial members do not create a protrusion and do not become fixed to any adjacent polymer layer. Thus, the benefits of axial members are retained, without creating the undesirable effects of friction caused by an axial protrusion and without creating the undesirable effects of limited flexure caused by an adjacent polymer layer becoming fixed to the axial member.

Growing community of inventors

Shrewsbury, MA, United States of America

Steven M Anderson