Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

St. Jude Medical, Inc.

Steven S Hackett

Thomas V Ressemann

Peter Trexler Keith

Paul H Burmeister

Paul C Slaikeu

Richard E Cappetta

Anthony Ciro Vrba

Dennis W Wahr

Chad John Kugler

Andrew Joseph Dusbabek

Scott A Olson

Hans Alois Mische

Joel D Phillips

Roger Noel Hastings

Mark R Christianson

David J Blaeser

Jerome Kent Grudem, Jr

Arnold W Thornton

Darlene A Thometz

Kenneth R Larson

John R Drontle

Thomas F Janecek

Steven Nicholas Willard

Scott P Thome

John W Humphrey

Peter J Ness

Kyle Thunstrom

Eric Stainbrook

Chad W Trembath

A permeable plug may be temporarily deployed in a patient to protect blood vessels from blockage by various debris. The plug includes a body formed from a filtering material. The body is collapsible for delivery to a location in a blood vessel and expandable to a filtering configuration in which the body occupies a cross-section of the blood vessel and is held in place by its own expansive force. At least one stud is connected to the body for use in deployment of the plug within the blood vessel and retrieval of the plug from the blood vessel.

Protecting against cerebral embolism

A steerable guide wire includes a core wire having a proximal end and a distal end. A braided filament is affixed to the distal end of the core wire. An outer coil surrounds at least a portion of the core wire and the braided filament. A proximal end of the braided filament is secured to a distal end of the coil. By locating the braided filament in the distal tip portion of the guide wire, a guide wire is provided that is highly flexible, has a high degree of tensile integrity, and is highly steerable, even in tortuous vasculature. Filter and balloon catheters having braided filaments at the distal end are also described.

Steerable guide wire with torsionally stable tip

An evacuation sheath assembly and method of reducing or removing a blockage within a vessel without permitting embolization of particulate matter is provided. The evacuation sheath assembly includes a first elongate tubular member, having proximal and distal ends and a main lumen configured to be placed in fluid communication with a blood vessel. An expandable member is provided on a distal portion of the tubular member and is configured to form a seal with the blood vessel. The evacuation assembly further includes a second elongate tubular member having proximal and distal ends and an inflation lumen configured to be placed in fluid communication with the expandable member and a gas inflator. The gas inflator includes a high pressure gas source and a mechanism for regulating the pressure of the gas delivered by the gas inflator. The gas inflator is configured to be placed in fluid communication with the proximal end of the inflation lumen in order to provide a regulated pressure gas source for inflating the expandable member. A method of treatment of a blood vessel using the evacuation sheath assembly includes advancing the evacuation sheath assembly into the blood vessel through a guide catheter. The expandable member is inflated to provide form a seal between the blood vessel and the guide catheter and a vacuum is applied to the main lumen of the first elongate tubular member to cause retrograde blood flow and carry fluid into the main lumen of the evacuation sheath assembly.

Embolic protection device and methods of use

Devices and methods for sealing a passageway formed by a patent foramen ovale (PFO track) in the heart are provided. One method includes providing an abrading device to the PFO track and abrading the tissue within the PFO track. The abraded tissue forming the PFO track is then held together under pressure, either via lowering right atrial pressure or via applying suction to the septum primum to pull it into apposition against the septum secundum. After a sufficient period of time, the pressure is released and the abraded tissue heals to form a robust seal over the PFO track. Additionally, several devices are provided which can be placed into the PFO track to apply adhesive to the walls of the PFO track. The devices may or may not be left within the PFO track. If the devices are not left within the PFO track, the walls of the PFO track, covered with adhesive, are brought into apposition with one another and adhered together. If the device is left within the PFO track, the device is flattened from an expanded configuration to a flattened configuration, and the walls of the PFO track, adhering to the outer surface of the device, are pulled toward each other as the device flattens. The device may also include interior structure to hold the device in a flattened configuration.

PFO closure devices and related methods of use

An evacuation sheath assembly and method of treating occluded vessels which reduces the risk of distal embolization during vascular interventions is provided. The evacuation sheath assembly includes an elongated tube defining an evacuation lumen having proximal and distal ends. A proximal sealing surface is provided on a proximal portion of the tube and is configured to form a seal with a lumen of a guided catheter. A distal sealing surface is provided on a distal portion of the tube and is configured to form a seal with a blood vessel. Obturator assemblies and infusion catheter assemblies are provided to be used with the evacuation sheath assembly. A method of treatment of a blood vessel using the evacuation sheath assembly includes advancing the evacuation sheath assembly into the blood vessel through a guide catheter. Normal antegrade blood flow in the blood vessel proximate to the stenosis is stopped and the stenosis is treated. Retrograde blood flow is induced within the blood vessel to carry embolic material dislodged during treating into the evacuation sheath assembly. If necessary to increase retrograde flow, the coronary sinus may be at least partially occluded. Alternatively, antegrade flow may be permitted while flow is occluded at the treatment site.

Emboli protection devices and related methods of use

A guide wire, and a method for the manufacture thereof, having a core and a plastic jacket enclosing the core. The plastic jacket comprises a proximal portion formed of a first plastic material and a distal jacket portion formed of a second plastic material. The distal end of the proximal jacket portion and the proximal end of the distal jacket portion substantially abut each other and are of substantially equal outer diameters so as to form a smooth transition between the proximal and the distal jacket portions.

Intravascular guide wire and method for manufacture thereof

A guide wire, and a method for the manufacture thereof, having a core and a plastic jacket enclosing at least a portion of the core. In some embodiments, the plastic jacket comprises a proximal portion formed of a first plastic material and a distal jacket portion formed of a second plastic material. In some embodiments, the core member has a proximal portion and a distal portion, and a first plastic jacket is disposed about the proximal portion and a second jacket formed of a fluoroelastomer is disposed about the distal portion.

A guide wire, and a method for the manufacture thereof, having a core and a plastic jacket enclosing at least a portion of the core. In some embodiments, the guidewire also includes a radiopaque coil disposed about a first portion of the core wire. The polymer jacket includes a first portion disposed about the radiopaque coil, and a second portion adjacent the first portion and overlaying and in contact with a second portion of the core wire. In some embodiments, the plastic jacket comprises a proximal portion formed of a first plastic material and a distal jacket portion formed of a second plastic material.

A medical device, such as a catheter, having an alternative design distal tip, and method of using and making the same. In some embodiments, the distal tip includes a flared portion that extends away from the longitudinal axis of the medical device, and in some cases can be folded back so as to be atraumatic to tissues when advancing through a body orifice.

Medical device with atraumatic tip

A guide wire, and a method for the manufacture thereof, having a core and a plastic jacket enclosing the core. The plastic jacket comprises a proximal portion formed of a first plastic material and a distal jacket portion formed of a second plastic material. The distal end of the proximal jacket portion and the proximal end of the distal jacket portion substantially abut each other and are of substantially equal outer diameters so as to form a smooth transition between the proximal and the distal jacket portions. According to another aspect, there is provided a guide wire with a selectively formable metallic core and a plastic jacket encasing the formable core. The plastic jacket has a distal portion with a hydrophilic coating and a proximal portion without a hydrophilic coating. According to another aspect, there is provided a guide wire having a formable metallic core and a plastic jacket encasing the formable core. The plastic jacket has a distal portion that is more radiopaque than a proximal portion.

A catheter for use in angioplasty includes a shaft formed from an elongated metallic tube and has an inflatable balloon at its distal end. A plastic tube connects a distal end of the metallic tube to a proximal end of the balloon. The metallic and plastic tubes thus define a lumen for providing inflation pressure to the balloon. A metallic core member is attached to the metallic tube and extends distally therefrom through the plastic tube and balloon. The distal end of the balloon is sealably secured to the core member. A tip body is connected to the core member distally of the balloon, with a short guide wire lumen being defined on the tip body. The guide wire lumen is adapted to slidably receive a guide wire which then extends along the catheter exteriorly of the balloon.

Intravascular catheter with distal tip guide wire lumen

An improved expandable removal element (16) for an atherectomy device wherein the expandable removal element (16) is movable between an expanded position and a contracted position. In one embodiment of the present invention, a single drive shaft (92) is operatively connected to the distal end of the expandable material removal element (16) for rotating the removal element (16). A catheter (178) may surround a portion of the drive shaft (92). The catheter (178) is shiftable with respect to the drive shaft (92) for moving the material removal element between the expanded position and the contracted position. In another embodiment of the present invention, dual coaxial drive shafts are employed. The inner drive shaft (312) and the outer drive (314) are shiftable with respect to one another for moving the removal element (252) between the expanded position and the contracted position. The present invention also describes several embodiments for an improved removal element (252).

Expandable intravascular occlusion material removal devices and methods

An improved expandable removal element (16) for an atherectomy device wherein the expandable removal element (16) is movable between an expanded position and a contracted position. In one embodiment of the present invention, a single drive shaft (92) is operatively connected to the distal end of the expandable material removal element (16) for rotating the removal element (16). A catheter (178) may surround a portion of the drive shaft (92). The catheter (178) is shiftable with respect to the drive shaft (92) for moving the material removal element between the expanded position and the contracted position. In another embodiment of the present invention, dual coaxial drive shafts are employed. The inner drive shaft (312) and the outer drive (314) are shiftable with respect to one another for moving the removal element (252) between the expanded position and the contracted position. The present invention also describes several embodiments for an improved removal element (252). One embodiment of the removal element of the present invention comprised a plurality of braided wires having an abrasive disposed thereon. Another embodiment of a removal element is to provide a plurality of individual wires within each 'braid' to increase the abrasive surface area of the removal element. In this 'multi-ended' configuration, a plurality of wires are bundled together to form a single multi-ended strand (330). These single multi-ended strands are then braided together and an abrasive is disposed thereon to form the removal element (252). In another embodiment or the present invention is to provide a braid pattern wherein each single primary braid wire within the braid pattern is individually radially wrapped with a second 'wrapping' wire (342). The 'wrapping' wire (342), which may be coated with an abrasive (344), primarily performs the removal function. Finally, a number of novel methods for removing vascular occlusion material are provided.

Growing community of inventors

Maple Grove, MN, United States of America

Steven S Hackett