Syntex (u.s.a.) Inc.

Ablative Solutions, Inc.

Biometric Imaging, Inc.

Pharmasonics, Inc.

Behringwerke Aktiengesellschaft

Molecular Devices Corporation

Snytex (u.s.a.) Inc.

Vartan E Ghazarossian

Edwin F Ullman

David R Fischell

Tim A Fischell

Steven Almany

Carl N Skold

Armen B Shanafelt

Michael Sasha John

Axel F Brisken

Nurith Kurn

Bala S Manian

Litai Weng

Mae W Hu

Viola T Kung

John S Pease

Robert F Zuk

Thomas L Tarnowski

Maureen Laney

Chiu C Chang

John W Vorpahl

Paul G Hayter

An intravascular catheter for nerve activity ablation and/or sensing includes one or more needles advanced through supported guide tubes (needle guiding elements) which expand to contact the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the needles to be advanced though the vessel wall into the extra-luminal tissue including the media, adventitia and periadvential space. The catheter also includes structures which provide radial and lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes open uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall. Electrodes near the distal ends of the needles allow sensing of nerve activity before and after attempted renal denervation. In a combination embodiment ablative energy or fluid is delivered from the needles in or near the adventitia to ablate nerves outside of the media while sparing nerves within the media.

Apparatus for effective ablation and nerve sensing associated with denervation

An intravascular catheter for peri-vascular nerve activity sensing or measurement includes multiple needles advanced through supported guide tubes (needle guiding elements) which expand with open ends around a central axis to contact the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the needles to be advanced though the vessel wall into the perivascular space. The system also may include means to limit and/or adjust the depth of penetration of the needles. The catheter also includes structures which provide radial and lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes open uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall. The addition of an injection lumen at the proximal end of the catheter and openings in the needles adds the functionality of ablative fluid injection into the perivascular space for an integrated nerve sending and ablation capability.

Intravascular catheter with peri-vascular nerve activity sensors

A catheter comprises a catheter body having an oscillating driver, an interface surface mechanically coupled to the driver, and an inflatable balloon disposed near the interface surface. The balloon may be an angioplasty balloon, in which case the interface surface will deliver ultrasonic or other vibratory energy into a blood vessel as part of an angioplasty or related procedure. Alternatively, the catheter may comprise a pair of axially spaced-apart isolation balloons, in which case the interface surface can deliver ultrasonic or other vibratory energy into a treatment region defined between said balloons. The energy can thus act to mix or enhance penetration of a treatment held between said balloons in performing a vascular treatment procedure.

Balloon catheters having ultrasonically driven interface surfaces and methods for their use

Balloon catheters having ultrasonically driven interface surfaces and

Analytes can be detected from among closely related substances by reacting the analyte in a test sample with a labeled binding agent which specifically binds to the analyte to form a complex. The labeled binding agent is supplied in excess, and the complex is identified through a time window relative to the detection of the excess unbound agent. The complex and labeled binding agent are isolated on a separation media and identified by the differential rate of migration.

Differential separation assay methods and test kits

Methods are disclosed for conducting assays. One such method comprises providing in combination a first bibulous member zone ('first zone') and a liquid medium containing a component. The first zone has non-diffusively bound thereto a reagent interreactive with the component. Conditions are selected wherein the liquid medium and at least a portion of the component contained therein traverse all of the first zone and migrate by capillary migration into a second bibulous member zone ('second zone'). The second zone is of a different composition than the first zone and is incapable of specifically binding the component except when an analyte is to be detected and the method further includes causing a reagent to become bound to the first bibulous member zone in relation to the amount of analyte present. The distance the component has migrated into the second zone or the difference in the distances the medium and the component have migrated into the second zone is determined, the distance or the difference being related to the amount of the component in the liquid medium or the amount of the reagent.

Device for immunochromatographic analysis

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Vartan E Ghazarossian