Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Carefusion 303, Inc.

Vincent Bavaro

John Arthur Simpson

Peter J D'Aquanni

Aaron Baldwin

Jeong Soo Lee

Florencia Lim

Kenneth L Wantink

Mark Harris

Carolyn Voyles

Cheryl Stiger

Processing methods are described for improving the physical properties of elastomeric materials including elastomeric tubing. The methods include heating tubing in a post-cured step for a specified time and at a specified temperature. The methods also include irradiating the tubing with a desired dose of radiation. Embodiments can include treatment of silicon-based elastomers and/or non-silicon-based elastomers. The improved elastomers can be utilized in pumps.

Irradiation and post-cure processing of elastomers

High radiopacity is achieved in a polymeric marker by combining a polymeric resin, a powdered radiopaque agent having uniformly shaped particles of a specific particle size distribution and a wetting agent. The method to produce the marker calls for the blending and pelletization of these materials followed by extrusion onto support beading. The resulting supported tubing is subsequently cut to length with the beading still in place. After ejection of the beading remnant the marker is slipped into place on the device to be marked and attached by melt bonding. Marking of a guidewire allows lesions to be measured while the marking of balloon catheters allow the balloon to be properly positioned relative to a lesion.

Polymeric marker with high radiopacity for use in medical devices

A catheter having a distal tip with an inner layer formed of a polymeric material having a coefficient of friction and surface energy which are relatively low, such that the inner layer has a lubricious, non-polar inner surface repulsive to polar liquids. As a result, blood coagulation in the distal tip, and adherence of the distal tip on the guidewire are prevented or minimized.

Balloon catheter having a multilayered distal tip

A resizable inflatable balloon, primarily for use with balloon catheters. The resizable inflatable balloon comprises a first portion and an adjacent second portion. The first portion is inflatable to a working diameter at a first pressure while the second portion does not substantially expand at the first pressure. The second portion does expand to the working diameter at a second pressure greater than the first pressure, so that subsequent inflation at the first pressure inflates the first portion and the second portion to the working diameter. The methods of resizing the inflatable members include placing the inflatable balloon in a mold and supplying inflation fluid to expand the second member to the working diameter. In practice, a catheter having the resizable inflatable balloon is guided through a patient's vasculature until the inflatable balloon is positioned in a desired region. Inflation fluid is supplied at the first pressure to inflate the first portion to the working diameter. The catheter is withdraw and the inflatable balloon is resized as described above. The catheter is reintroduced to the patient's vasculature and inflation fluid is then supplied at the first pressure to inflate both the first and second portions.

Angioplasty catheter system with adjustable balloon length

Growing community of inventors

Temecula, CA, United States of America

Vincent Bavaro