2597 results about "Blood stream" patented technology

A blood flow controlling apparatus, which is configured to be implanted into a blood circulatory system of a patient, comprises an anchoring means, which is arranged to fix the position of the apparatus in the blood circulatory system, and a valve means being connected to the anchoring means. The valve means is configured to be arranged within the blood circulatory system and is configured to be extendable in a direction transverse to blood flow in order to make contact with native tissue when inserted in the blood circulatory system. The valve means is further configured to release said contact as a result of being exposed to blood flow in a permitted direction.

An intrabody implantable system for long-term, real time monitoring of at least one parameter associated with heart performance. The system includes (a) a first sensor being implantable within a heart and being for collecting information pertaining to a pressure in a first cavity of the heart; (b) at least one additional sensor being implantable in an blood vessel supporting blood flow into or out of a second cavity of the heart, the at least one additional sensor being for collecting information pertaining to a pressure and a flow within the blood vessel; and (c) at least one device implantable in the body and being in data communication with the first sensor and the at least one additional sensor, the at least one device being for receiving the information pertaining to the pressure in the first cavity of the heart and the information pertaining to the pressure and the flow within the blood vessel and for relaying the information pertaining to the pressure in the first cavity of the heart and the information pertaining to the pressure and the flow within the blood vessel outside the body.

A valve prosthesis is sized and configured to rest within a blood path subject to antegrade and retrograde blood flow. A trestle element on the prosthesis extends across the blood path. A leaflet assembly is suspended from the trestle element and extends into the blood path in alignment with blood flow. At least one mobile leaflet member on the leaflet assembly is sized and configured to assume orientations that change according to blood flow direction. The mobile leaflet member has a first orientation that permits antegrade blood flow and a second orientation that resists retrograde blood flow. The valve prosthesis, when implanted in a heart chamber or great vessel, serves to supplement and/or repair and/or replace native one-way heart valve function.

A bag for use in the intravascular treatment of saccular aneurysms and a method of forming the bag are disclosed. The bag is formed from a plurality of flexible, resilient filamentary members braided into a tubular sleeve and biased into a first shape having an expanded first diameter sized to substantially fill the aneurysm. The bag is resiliently deformable into a second shape having a diameter smaller than the first and sized to slidingly interfit within the lumen of a catheter. An opening is provided in the bag to receive a clotting medium, such as a platinum wire, on which blood clots can be induced to form by mechanical or electrolytic means. A closure is provided by biasing the filamentary members to form a constriction around the opening. In use the, bag is inserted into a saccular aneurysm via the catheter and expands to its first diameter upon release therefrom. Interstices between the interbraided filamentary members provide pores allowing blood from the aneurysm to enter the bag when the bag is positioned within the aneurysm. The clotting medium wire is packed into the bag, blood clots on the wire and occludes the aneurysm, sealing it off from the blood stream and preventing rupture. The wire is released from the catheter and is contained within the bag in the aneurysm.

A catheter for delivering a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to a branch blood vessel of a major blood vessel, generally comprising an elongated shaft having at least one lumen in fluid communication with an agent delivery port in a distal section of the shaft, an expandable tubular member on the distal section of the shaft, and a radially expandable member on the tubular member. The tubular member is configured to extend within the blood vessel up-stream and down-stream of a branch vessel, and has an interior passageway which is radially expandable within the blood vessel to separate blood flow through the blood vessel into an outer blood flow stream exterior to the tubular member and an inner blood flow stream within the interior passageway of the tubular member. The radially expandable member is located down-stream of the shaft agent delivery port, and has an expanded configuration with an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the tubular member. The expanded radially expandable member is configured to decrease the blood flow in the outer blood flow stream down-stream of the branch vessel. The catheter provides for delivery of an agent to a branch vessel of a major vessel, and continuous perfusion of the major blood vessel. Another aspect of the invention is directed to methods of delivering a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to one or both kidney's of a patient.

Apparatus for filtering and entrapping debris in the vascular system of a patient, the apparatus including a filter to allow blood to flow therethrough and to restrict passage of debris, wherein the filter captures debris carried in a first direction of blood flow. The apparatus further includes an entrapment mechanism which allows passage of debris and blood therethrough, in the first direction of blood flow and prevents debris passage in a second direction. The entrapment mechanism and filter allow blood and debris therethrough in the first direction of blood flow. The entrapment mechanism prevents debris flow in the second direction of blood flow. A method for filtering and entrapping debris in the vascular system includes inserting the apparatus into the vascular system, allowing blood and debris carried therein to flow through the entrapment mechanism, and removing the apparatus and accumulated debris from the vascular system.

A method and system of performing an intravascular procedure at a treatment site in a vessel of a patient. A device creates a seal to prevent the flow of blood during the treatment of vascular disease. A seal may be formed between the distal inside diameter of a sheath or catheter such as a guide catheter as well as within a vessel, such as an artery or vein. An elongated device having a distal portion extending from the catheter and having a fluid impermeable membrane disposed about at least the distal end of the device is used to seal the vessel. The system includes a device to occlude blood flow and a distal protection device to filter or remove embolic debris.

A method of increasing blood flow through an obstructed blood vessel includes providing an expandable member substantially made of a mesh having a plurality of interstices. The expandable member has a proximal member end and a distal member end spaced longitudinally apart by a tubular member body. The expandable member is substantially closed at the distal member end. The expandable member is inserted into the blood vessel. The expandable member is positioned within the blood vessel with the proximal member end upstream of the distal member end and the member body located radially adjacent at least a portion of an obstruction. The expandable member is expanded to bring at least a portion of the member body into contact with the obstruction. An outward radial force is exerted on the obstruction to dislodge at least one fragment from the obstruction and to enhance blood flow through the blood vessel past the obstruction. The at least one fragment is passed through at least one interstice of the member body in the radial direction. The at least one fragment is selectively retained within the expandable member. An apparatus for increasing blood flow through an obstructed blood vessel is also provided.

Apparatus and methods for treatment of stroke are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention disposes at least one catheter having a distal occlusive member in the common carotid artery of the hemisphere of the cerebral occlusion. Retrograde flow may be provided through the catheter to effectively control cerebral flow characteristics. Under such controlled flow conditions, a thrombectomy device may be used to treat the occlusion, and any emboli generated are directed into the catheter.

Systems and methods for determining ICP based on parameters that can be measured using non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques are provided, wherein a non-linear relationship is used to determine ICP based on one or more variable inputs. The first variable input relates to one or more properties of a cranial blood vessel and/or blood flow, such as acoustic backscatter from an acoustic transducer having a focus trained on a cranial blood vessel, flow velocity in a cranial blood vessel, and the like. Additional variables, such as arterial blood pressure (ABP), may be used in combination with a first variable input relating to one or more properties of a cranial blood vessel, such as flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) to derive ICP using a non-linear relationship. Methods and systems for locating target areas based on their acoustic properties and for acoustic scanning of an area, identification of a target area of interest based on acoustic properties, and automated focusing of an acoustic source and/or detector on a desired target area are also provided. Acoustic transducer assemblies are described.

A noninvasive patient-specific method is provided to aid in the analysis, diagnosis, prediction or treatment of hemodynamics of the cardiovascular system of a patient. Coronary blood flow and pressure can be predicted using a 3-D patient image-based model that is implicitly coupled with a model of at least a portion of the remaining cardiovascular system. The 3-D patient image-based model includes at least a portion of the thoracic aorta and epicardial coronaries of the patient. The shape of one or more velocity profiles at the interface of the models is enforced to control complex flow features of recirculating or retrograde flow thereby minimizing model instabilities and resulting in patient-specific predictions of coronary flow rate and pressure. The invention allows for patient-specific predictions of the effect of different or varying physiological states and hemodynamic benefits of coronary medical interventions, percutaneous coronary interventions and surgical therapies.

A medical imaging system provides simultaneous rendering of visible light and fluorescent images. The system may employ dyes in a small-molecule form that remains in a subject's blood stream for several minutes, allowing real-time imaging of the subject's circulatory system superimposed upon a conventional, visible light image of the subject. The system may also employ dyes or other fluorescent substances associated with antibodies, antibody fragments, or ligands that accumulate within a region of diagnostic significance. In one embodiment, the system provides an excitation light source to excite the fluorescent substance and a visible light source for general illumination within the same optical guide that is used to capture images. In another embodiment, the system is configured for use in open surgical procedures by providing an operating area that is closed to ambient light. More broadly, the systems described herein may be used in imaging applications where a visible light image may be usefully supplemented by an image formed from fluorescent emissions from a fluorescent substance that marks areas of functional interest.

This invention provides methods of treating a patient's lung. One aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a lung including the following steps: inserting a collateral flow blocking agent delivery device into an air passageway of the lung; and delivering a collateral flow blocking agent to reduce airflow between a portion of the lung distal to the delivery device and the exterior of the patient. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a lung including the step of delivering a collateral flow blocking agent to reduce airflow through openings in lung tissue caused by tissue degradation.

A vascular occluding device for modifying blood flow in a vessel, while maintaining blood flow to the surrounding tissue. The occluding device includes a flexible, easily compressible and bendable occluding device that is particularly suited for treating aneurysms in the brain. The neurovascular occluding device can be deployed using a micro-catheter. The occluding device can be formed by braiding wires in a helical fashion and can have varying lattice densities along the length of the occluding device. The occluding device could also have different lattice densities for surfaces on the same radial plane.

A catheter for delivering a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to a branch blood vessel of a major blood vessel, generally comprising an elongated shaft having at least one lumen in fluid communication with an agent delivery port in a distal section of the shaft, an expandable tubular member on the distal section of the shaft, and a radially expandable member on the tubular member. The tubular member is configured to extend within the blood vessel up-stream and down-stream of a branch vessel, and has an interior passageway which is radially expandable within the blood vessel to separate blood flow through the blood vessel into an outer blood flow stream exterior to the tubular member and an inner blood flow stream within the interior passageway of the tubular member.