307 results about "Blood Vessel Tissue" patented technology

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for producing a virtual electrode within or upon a tissue to be treated with radio frequency alternating electric current, such tissues including but not limited to brain, liver, cardiac, prostate, breast, and vascular tissues and neoplasms. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a source of super-cooled fluid for selectively providing super-cooled fluid to the target tissue to cause a temporary cessation of cellular or electrical activity, a supply of conductive or electrolytic fluid to be provided to the target tissue, and alternating current generator, and a processor for creating, maintaining, and controlling the ablation process by the interstitial or surficial delivery of the fluid to a tissue and the delivery of electric power to the tissue via the virtual electrode. A method in accord with the present invention includes delivering super-cooled fluid to the target tissue to cause a temporary cessation of cellular or electrical activity, evaluating whether the temporary cessation of cellular or electrical activity is the desired cessation of cellular or electrical activity, and if so, delivering a conductive fluid to the predetermined tissue ablation site for a predetermined time period, applying a predetermined power level of radio frequency current to the tissue, monitoring at least one of several parameters, and adjusting either the applied power and/or the fluid flow in response to the measured parameters.

To produce a black body angiographic image representation of a subject (42), an imaging scanner (10) acquires imaging data that includes black blood vascular contrast. A reconstruction processor (38) reconstructs a gray scale image representation (100) from the imaging data. A post-acquisition processor (46) transforms (130) the image representation (100) into a pre-processed image representation (132). The processor (46) assigns (134) each image element into one of a plurality of classes including a black class corresponding to imaged vascular structures, bone, and air, and a gray class corresponding to other non-vascular tissues. The processor (46) averages (320) intensities of the image elements of the gray class to obtain a mean gray intensity value (322), and replaces (328) the values of image elements comprising non-vascular structures of the black class with the mean gray intensity value.

Endoluminal prosthetic devices having fluid-absorbable compositions for repair of vascular tissue defects, such as an aneurysm or dissection, are disclosed herein. A prosthesis for repairing an opening or cavity within a target vessel region configured in accordance herewith includes a tubular body sized to substantially cover the opening or cavity, and having channels formed in a wall thereof. The channels can include a fluid-absorbable composition deposited therein and which is configured to absorb fluid (e.g., blood) and swell within the channels, thereby providing radial expansion of the tubular body in situ.

A minimally invasive method of placing a delivery device substantially adjacent to vascular tissue and a device for use with such a method are disclosed. The delivery device may be a flexible biological construct with a flexible tethering means. The delivery device may be percutaneously inserted near vascular tissue such as, for example, peritoneal tissue. When the delivery device has been inserted, the tether may be used to pull the delivery device toward the vascular tissue and secure the device thereto. Contact between the front surface of the delivery device and the vascular tissue may be maintained by making and keeping the tether substantially taut. The delivery device may serve accomplish sustained delivery of active agents.

Optical energy-based methods and apparatus for sealing vascular tissue involves deforming vascular tissue to bring different layers of the vascular tissue into contact each other and illuminating the vascular tissue with a light beam having at least one portion of its spectrum overlapping with the absorption spectrum of the vascular tissue. The apparatus may include two deforming members configured to deform the vascular tissue placed between the deforming members. The apparatus may also include an optical system that has a light source configured to generate light, a light distribution element configured to distribute the light across the vascular tissue, and a light guide configured to guide the light from the light source to the light distribution element. The apparatus may further include a cutting member configured to cut the vascular tissue and to illuminate the vascular tissue with light to seal at least one cut surface of the vascular tissue.

Methods and devices are provided for at least reducing the mineral content of a vascular calcified lesion, i.e. a calcified lesion present on the vascular tissue of a host. In the subject methods, the local environment of the lesion is maintained at a subphysiologic pH for a period of time sufficient for the mineral content of the lesion to be reduced, e.g. by flushing the lesion with a fluid capable of locally increasing the proton concentration in the region of the lesion. Also provided are systems and kits for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and devices find particular use in the treatment of vascular diseases associated with the presence of calcified lesions on vascular tissue.

Optical energy-based methods and apparatus for sealing vascular tissue involves deforming vascular tissue to bring different layers of the vascular tissue into contact each other and illuminating the vascular tissue with a light beam having at least one portion of its spectrum overlapping with the absorption spectrum of the vascular tissue. The apparatus may include two deforming members configured to deform the vascular tissue placed between the deforming members. The apparatus may also include an optical system that has a light source configured to generate light, a light distribution element configured to distribute the light across the vascular tissue, and a light guide configured to guide the light from the light source to the light distribution element. The apparatus may further include a cutting member configured to cut the vascular tissue and to illuminate the vascular tissue with light to seal at least one cut surface of the vascular tissue.

Optical energy-based methods and apparatus for sealing vascular tissue involves deforming vascular tissue to bring different layers of the vascular tissue into contact each other and illuminating the vascular tissue with a light beam having at least one portion of its spectrum overlapping with the absorption spectrum of the vascular tissue. The apparatus may include two deforming members configured to deform the vascular tissue placed between the deforming members. The apparatus may also include an optical system that has a light source configured to generate light, a light distribution element configured to distribute the light across the vascular tissue, and a light guide configured to guide the light from the light source to the light distribution element. The apparatus may further include a cutting member configured to cut the vascular tissue and to illuminate the vascular tissue with light to seal at least one cut surface of the vascular tissue.

Systems and methods for coupling devices such as a ventricular assist device to vascular tissues, such as a heart. In one version, a method is provided for attaching a device to vascular tissue for fluid flow. The device includes a cannula coupled to a cuff, and the method includes coupling the cuff to the vascular tissue, penetrating the vascular tissue by inserting a penetration device through the cannula, and inserting a first end of the cannula through the cuff and into the vascular tissue.

A medical device for drug delivery is provided which includes a stent structure and a biologically active structure attached to the stent structure. The biologically active structure is comprised of a plurality of layers, including a first layer having a first biologically active compound, such as an anti-proliferative, cytostatic or cytotoxic drug, for delivery at a first target site, such as the vascular tissue; a second layer having a second biologically active compound, such as a growth factor, for delivery into the arterial lumen and capable of promoting engraftment and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells and/or endothelial progenitor cells at a second site of myocardial injury; and a third, middle layer which is substantially or selectively impermeable to both the first and second biologically active compounds.

The invention provides a medicine eluting balloon catheter, which comprises a balloon catheter body and a medicine coating, wherein the balloon catheter body comprises a balloon; the outside surface of the balloon has a plurality of grooves; and the medicine coating is coated on the grooved part and flat part of the outside surface of the balloon. The medicine eluting balloon catheter is characterized in that grooves protrude in a reversed direction when the balloon is fully expanded. The medicine eluting balloon catheter disclosed by the invention can carry more medicines and reduce loss of the medicines in a conveying process; and the medicine eluting balloon catheter directly pour and cast medicines remaining in the grooves into blood through reversed protrusion to accelerate the release of the medicines and to increase the medicine concentration at a target position, so that the medicines can quickly concentrate and act on the target position to well prevent the blood vessel tissue at the target position from regeneration and restenosis.

An end effector assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The end effector assembly includes a pair of opposing jaw members configured to grasp tissue therebetween. Each of the opposing jaw members includes a non conducting tissue contact surface and an energy delivering element configured to perforate the tissue to create an opening, extract elastin and collagen from the tissue and denaturize the elastin and the collagen in the vicinity of the opening.

The invention discloses an acupuncture teaching model and particularly relates to a multifunctional acupuncture three-dimensional teaching model which comprises a transparent simulation body model and a base, wherein the transparent simulation body model is arranged on the base. All the body organs such as skin tissue, muscular tissue, skeleton tissue, viscera tissue, vascular tissue and brain tissue are arranged on the transparent simulation body model. Body meridian lines and acupuncture points are embedded in the tissue and among the tissue. Leads, light-emitting devices, pressure sensors and acupuncture sensors are arranged in the tissue, the meridian lines and the acupuncture points. A control circuit is arranged on the base. The leads, the light-emitting devices, the pressure sensors and the acupuncture sensors are electrically connected to the control circuit. A central processor is arranged on the control circuit which is connected with an outside computer through an interface. The acupuncture simulation body teaching model and the ordinary computer form a teaching system. A three-dimensional animation simulation body model corresponding to the teaching model and a body anatomical structure database are arranged on the computer, and positions and organs of the three-dimensional animation simulation body model and the body anatomical structure database and positions and organs of the simulation body teaching model are in one-to-one correspondence and form relevance.

A medical heating device is based on an electrical heater formed out of a self-limiting conductive material, such as a conductive polymer or ceramic. An electrical resistance that gradually changes with temperature characterizes the material such that heat production from electrical current through the material varies with temperature. A thermally insulating jacket contains the self-limiting heater element, which can be coupled to an electrical power supply. A probe thermally coupled to the heater extends outward from the jacket. The self-limiting medical heating device can be used by touching the end of the probe to target tissue, such as skin, adipose tissue, nerves, glands, vascular tissue, or abnormal growths or tumors to effect the desired treatment, typically by thermally ablating, cutting, or shrinking the target tissue where touched by the probe or in the vicinity therein.