9302results about "Dilators" patented technology

A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable valve support. If desired, one or more anchor may be used. The valve support, which entirely supports the valve annulus, valve leaflets, and valve commissure points, is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is properly positioned. The anchor engages the lumen wall when expanded and prevents substantial migration of the valve assembly when positioned in place. The prosthetic valve assembly is compressible about a catheter, and restrained from expanding by an outer sheath. The catheter may be inserted inside a lumen within the body, such as the femoral artery, and delivered to a desired location, such as the heart. When the outer sheath is retracted, the prosthetic valve assembly expands to an expanded position such that the valve and valve support expand within the deficient native valve, and the anchor engages the lumen wall.

The invention is a transgastric method for the endoscopic partial fundoplication for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The method makes use of an articulated endoscope, which is introduced through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach of the patient. A cutting tool is introduced through the working channel of the endoscope to cut a hole in the wall of the stomach. The endoscope is pushed through the hole and a grabbing tool is introduced through the working channel and used to grab the tissue at a location on the outer surface of the stomach and move the grabbed tissue close to the esophagus. The grabbed tissue is then stapled to the esophagus using a stapling device that is an integral part of the endoscope. If desired, after stapling the endoscope can be rotated one or more times and the procedure repeated. After the selected portions of the stomach wall have been attached to the esophagus, the endoscope is withdrawn from the body of the patient and the hole in the stomach wall is closed, preferably by means of a dedicated endoscopic stapling device especially designed for the task of closing holes in tissue.

A surgical instrument assembly for the treatment of hemorrhoids includes an anoscope and a hemorrhoid occlusion device. The anoscope includes a hollow body closed at a distal end and at least partially open at a proximal end to define a longitudinal channel. The hollow body has a sidewall provided with a window spaced from the distal end and the proximal end. A shutter member is slidably attached to the hollow body for selectively covering the window during an insertion operation and for opening the window to allow hemorrhoidal tissues to protrude through the window into the anoscope. The hemorrhoid occlusion device includes an instrument shaft provided at a distal end with two jaws, at least one of the jaws including a C- or U-shaped clamping member movable alternately away and towards the other of the jaws for clamping and occluding hemorrhoidal tissues protruding through the window into the anoscope.

Implantable devices and methods for delivering drugs and other substances to locations within the body of a human or animal subject to treat or diagnose sinusitis and a variety of other disorders. The invention includes implantable substance delivery devices that comprise reservoirs and barriers that control the rate at which substances pass out of the reservoirs. The delivery devices may be advanced into the body using guidewires, catheters, ports, introducers and other access apparatus. In some embodiments the delivery devices may be loaded with one or more desired substance before their introduction into the body. In other embodiments the delivery devices are loaded and / or reloaded with a desired substance after the delivery device has been introduced into the body.

This invention provides a system and method that allows a therapeutic device, such as an atrial fibrillation microwave ablation catheter or ablation tip to be guided to a remote location within a body cavity and then accurately immobilized on the tissue, including that of a moving organ, such as the heart. In various embodiments, the system and method also enables accurate movement and steering along the tissue, while in engagement therewith. Such movement and engagement entails the use of vacuum or microneedle structures on at least two interconnected and articulated immobilizers that selectively engage to and release from the tissue to allow a crawling or traversing walking across the organ as the therapeutic catheter / tool tip applies treatment (AGE devices). In further embodiments that lack a movement capability (AID devices), the immobilizers allow a predetermined position for the introduced device to be maintained against the tissue while a treatment is applied to the location adjacent thereto. In the exemplary AID devices, variety of steering mechanisms and mechanisms for exposing and anchoring a catheter against the underlying tissue can be employed. In the exemplary AGE devices, a variety of articulation and steering mechanisms, including those based upon pneumatic / hydraulic bellows, lead screws and electromagnetic actuators can be employed.

Methods and devices described herein facilitate improved access of locations within the body by providing a variety of dissection modes on a single access device.

A tubular sleeve is provided for enabling a physician to impart a preselected shape in an implantable tubular device, such as a cardiac lead, a catheter, or some other tubular structure. The sleeve may be deformed by the surgeon before or at the time of implantation to customize the shape of the tubular device to the particular anatomical structures to be encountered by the device. To retain the deformation imparted by the physician, the sleeve may be composed of a heat-sensitive shape-memory material or an elastomeric material provided with a plastically deformable rib.

Self-expandable, woven intravascular devices for use as stents (both straight and tapered), filters (both temporary and permanent) and occluders for insertion and implantation into a variety of anatomical structures. The devices may be formed from shape memory metals such as nitinol. The devices may also be formed from biodegradable materials. Delivery systems for the devices include two hollow tubes that operate coaxially. A device is secured to the tubes prior to the implantation and delivery of the device by securing one end of the device to the outside of the inner tube and by securing the other end of the device to the outside of the outer tube. The stents may be partially or completely covered by graft materials, but may also be bare. The devices may be formed from a single wire. The devices may be formed by either hand or machine weaving. The devices may be created by bending shape memory wires around tabs projecting from a template, and weaving the ends of the wires to create the body of the device such that the wires cross each other to form a plurality of angles, at least one of the angles being obtuse. The value of the obtuse angle may be increased by axially compressing the body.

Disclosed is an indwelling fecal diverting device. The device comprises an elongate tube formed, at an upper end thereof, with a tubular body part; a pair of fixing balloons attached up and down to an outer surface of the tubular body part such that a clamping portion is defined between the fixing balloons; and a tube opening and closing balloon attached to an inner surface of the tubular body part. An injection passage is defined in the tube so that a remedial liquid can be injected through the injection passage to the outside of the tube to medically treat an anastomosed portion of an intestinal tract of a patient. The indwelling fecal diverting device is fitted into the intestinal tract of the patient, air is supplied into the fixing balloons to inflate them, and the intestinal tract is clamped around the clamping portion using a clamping band.

Systems for optimizing anchoring force are described herein. In securing tissue folds, over-compression of the tissue directly underlying the anchors is avoided by utilizing tissue anchors having expandable arms configured to minimize contact area between the anchor and tissue. When the anchor is in its expanded configuration, a load is applied to the anchor until it is optimally configured to accommodate a range of deflections while the anchor itself exerts a substantially constant force against the tissue. Various devices, e.g., stops, spring members, fuses, strain gauges, etc., can be used to indicate when the anchor has been deflected to a predetermined level within the optimal range. Moreover, other factors to affect the anchor characteristics include, e.g., varying the number of arms or struts of the anchor, positioning of the arms, configuration of the arms, the length of the collars, etc.

The invention provides methods and systems for introducing a delivery device in the heart at or near the apex of the heart, wherein the delivery device includes a prosthesis, advancing the prosthesis to the target site, and disengaging the prosthesis from the delivery device at the target site for implantation. Specifically, the present invention provides valve replacement systems for delivering a replacement heart valve to a target site in or near a heart. The valve replacement system comprises a trocar or other suitable device to penetrate the heart at or near the apex of the heart, a delivery member that is movably disposed within the trocar, and a replacement cardiac valve disposed on the delivery member. The delivery member may further comprise mechanical or inflatable expanding members to facilitate implantation of the prosthetic valve at the target site.

The present invention provides a series of new percutaneous concepts of paravalvular repairs including identifying the leak location, several repair techniques and finally built-in means for leak prevention, built on percutaneous valves. A catheter-delivered device locates cavities occurring between a prosthetic valve and the wall of the body vessel where the valve is implanted, the cavities producing paravalvular leaks during diastole, the device comprising at least one of a plurality of flexible wires, the wire having attached to it a balloon, wherein the balloon is pulled by the leak through the cavity and wherein the wire then serves to mark the cavity location.

The present invention is referred to a mechanically-guided transoral bougie, comprising an elongated body with an external end and a distal end; said external end includes a guiding mechanism mechanically connected to said distal end to allow the surgeon to move said distal end in any direction once the bougie is inserted into the stomach. Said guiding mechanism includes a manually operated guiding control.

The present invention discloses devices and methods for performing intravascular procedures with out cardiac bypass. The devices include various embodiments of temporary filter devices, temporary valves, and prosthetic valves.The temporary filter devices have one or more cannulae which provide access for surgical tools for effecting repair of the cardiac valves. A cannula may have filters of various configurations encircling the distal region of the cannula, which prevent embolitic material from entering the coronary arteries and aorta.The temporary valve devices may also have one or more cannulae which guide the insertion of the valve into the aorta. The valve devices expand in the aorta to occupy the entire flow path of the vessel. In one embodiment, the temporary valve is a disc of flexible, porous, material that acts to filter blood passing therethrough. A set of valve leaflets extend peripherally from the disc. These leaflets can alternately collapse to prevent blood flow through the valve and extend to permit flow.The prosthetic valves include valve fixation devices which secure the prosthetic valve to the wall of the vessel. In one embodiment, the prosthetic valves have at least one substantially rigid strut, at least two expandable fixation rings located about the circumference of the base of the apex of the valve, and one or more commissures and leaflets. The prosthetic valves are introduced into the vascular system a compressed state, advanced to the site of implantation, expanded and secured to the vessel wall.