10290 results about "Lung" patented technology

An electrosurgical working end and method for obtaining a tissue sample for biopsy purposes, for example, from a patient's lung or a liver. The working end provides curved jaw members that are positioned on opposing sides of the targeted anatomic structure. The working end carries a slidable extension member that is laterally flexible with inner surfaced that slide over the jaw members to clamp tissue therebetween. As the extension member advances, the jaws compress the tissue just ahead of the advancing extension member to allow the laterally-outward portion of the extension member to ramp over the tissue while a cutting element contemporaneously cuts the tissue. By this means, the transected tissue margin is captured under high compression. The working end carries a bi-polar electrode arrangement that engages the just-transected medial tissue layers as well as surface layers to provides Rf current flow for tissue welding purposes that is described as a medial-to-surface bi-polar approach.

This invention relates to a surgical device and method. More particularly, it relates to a tissue ablation device assembly and method using a circumferential ablation member in combination with a position monitoring assembly in order to position the circumferential ablation member along a circumferential region of tissue at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from a left atrium.

The present invention relates in general to methods and products for initiating an immune response against an antigen, and in particular relates to transepithelial delivery of antigens to provoke tolerance and immunity. The present invention further relates to methods and products for the transepithelial delivery of therapeutics. In particular, the invention relates to methods and compositions for the delivery of therapeutics conjugated to a FcRn binding partner to intestinal epithelium, mucosal epithelium and epithelium of the lung. The present invention further relates to the synthesis, preparation and use of the FcRn binding partner conjugates as, or in, pharmaceutical compositions for oral systemic delivery of drugs and vaccines.

A catheter introduction apparatus provides an ultrasound assembly for emission of ultrasound energy. In one application the catheter and the ultrasound assembly are introduced percutaneously, and transseptally advanced to the ostium of a pulmonary vein. An anchoring balloon is expanded to center an acoustic lens in the lumen of the pulmonary vein, such that energy is converged circumferentially onto the wall of the pulmonary vein when a transducer is energized. A circumferential ablation lesion is produced in the myocardial sleeve of the pulmonary vein, which effectively blocks electrical propagation between the pulmonary vein and the left atrium.

A catheter introduction apparatus provides an optical assembly for emission of laser light energy. In one application, the catheter and the optical assembly are introduced percutaneously, and transseptally advanced to the ostium of a pulmonary vein. An anchoring balloon is expanded to position a mirror near the ostium of the pulmonary vein, such that light energy is reflected and directed circumferentially around the ostium of the pulmonary vein when a laser light source is energized. A circumferential ablation lesion is thereby produced, which effectively blocks electrical propagation between the pulmonary vein and the left atrium.

A radar-based physiological motion sensor is disclosed. Doppler-shifted signals can be extracted from the signals received by the sensor. The Doppler-shifted signals can be digitized and processed subsequently to extract information related to the cardiopulmonary motion in one or more subjects. The information can include respiratory rates, heart rates, waveforms due to respiratory and cardiac activity, direction of arrival, abnormal or paradoxical breathing, etc. In various embodiments, the extracted information can be displayed on a display.

The present invention relates in general to methods and products for initiating an immune response against an antigen, and in particular relates to transepithelial delivery of antigens to provoke tolerance and immunity. The present invention further relates to methods and products for the transepithelial delivery of therapeutics. In particular, the invention relates to methods and compositions for the delivery of therapeutics conjugated to a FcRn binding partner to intestinal epithelium, mucosal epithelium and epithelium of the lung. The present invention further relates to the synthesis, preparation and use of the FcRn binding partner conjugates as, or in, pharmaceutical compositions for oral systemic delivery of drugs and vaccines.

A system for accessing a patient's cardiac anatomy which includes an endovascular aortic partitioning device that separates the coronary arteries and the heart from the rest of the patient's arterial system. The endovascular device for partitioning a patient's ascending aorta comprises a flexible shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first inner lumen therebetween with an opening at the distal end. The shaft may have a preshaped distal portion with a curvature generally corresponding to the curvature of the patient's aortic arch. An expandable means, e.g. a balloon, is disposed near the distal end of the shaft proximal to the opening in the first inner lumen for occluding the ascending aorta so as to block substantially all blood flow therethrough for a plurality of cardiac cycles, while the patient is supported by cardiopulmonary bypass. The endovascular aortic partitioning device may be coupled to an arterial bypass cannula for delivering oxygenated blood to the patient's arterial system. The heart muscle or myocardium is paralyzed by the retrograde delivery of a cardioplegic fluid to the myocardium through patient's coronary sinus and coronary veins, or by antegrade delivery of cardioplegic fluid through a lumen in the endovascular aortic partitioning device to infuse cardioplegic fluid into the coronary arteries. The pulmonary trunk may be vented by withdrawing liquid from the trunk through an inner lumen of an elongated catheter. The cardiac accessing system is particularly suitable for removing the aortic valve and replacing the removed valve with a prosthetic valve.

A method for ablating tissue with ultrasonic energy is provided. The method including: generating ultrasonic energy from one or more ultrasonic transducers; and focusing the ultrasonic energy in the radial direction by one of: shaping the one or more ultrasonic transducers to focus ultrasonic energy in the radial direction; and arranging one or more lenses proximate the one or more ultrasonic transducers for focusing the ultrasonic energy from the one or more ultrasonic transducers in a radial direction.

Devices, systems and methods are provided for tissue approximation and repair at treatment sites. In particular, fixation devices are provided comprising a pair of elements each having a first end, a free end opposite the first end, and an engagement surface therebetween for engaging the tissue, the first ends being moveable between an open position wherein the free ends are spaced apart and a closed position wherein the free ends are closer together with the engagement surfaces generally facing each other. The fixation devices also include a locking mechanism coupled to the elements for locking the elements in place. The devices, systems and methods of the invention will find use in a variety of therapeutic procedures, including endovascular, minimally-invasive, and open surgical procedures, and can be used in various anatomical regions, including the abdomen, thorax, cardiovascular system, heart, intestinal tract, stomach, urinary tract, bladder, lung, and other organs, vessels, and tissues. The invention is particularly useful in those procedures requiring minimally-invasive or endovascular access to remote tissue locations, where the instruments utilized must negotiate long, narrow, and tortuous pathways to the treatment site.

Devices and methods are provided for temporarily inducing cardioplegic arrest in the heart of a patient and for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass in order to facilitate surgical procedures on the heart and its related blood vessels. Specifically, a catheter based system is provided for isolating the heart and coronary blood vessels of a patient from the remainder of the arterial system and for infusing a cardioplegic agent into the patient's coronary arteries to induce cardioplegic arrest in the heart. The system includes an endoaortic partitioning catheter having an expandable balloon at its distal end which is expanded within the ascending aorta to occlude the aortic lumen between the coronary ostia and the brachiocephalic artery. Means for centering the catheter tip within the ascending aorta include specially curved shaft configurations, eccentric or shaped occlusion balloons and a steerable catheter tip, which may be used separately or in combination. The shaft of the catheter may have a coaxial or multilumen construction. The catheter may further include piezoelectric pressure transducers at the distal tip of the catheter and within the occlusion balloon. Means to facilitate nonfluoroscopic placement of the catheter include fiberoptic transillumination of the aorta and a secondary balloon at the distal tip of the catheter for atraumatically contacting the aortic valve. The system further includes a dual purpose arterial bypass cannula and introducer sheath for introducing the catheter into a peripheral artery of the patient.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the administration of lipid-based vehicles to treat various disorders, including bladder inflammation, infection, dysfunction, and cancer. In various aspects, the compositions and methods of the invention are useful for prolonged delivery of drugs, e.g., antibiotics, pain treatments, and anticancer agents, to the bladder, genitourinary tract, gastrointestinal system, pulmonary system, and other organs or body systems. In particular, the present invention relates to liposome-based delivery of vanilloid compounds, such as resiniferatoxin, capsaicin, or tinyatoxin, and toxins, such as botulinum toxin, for the treatment of bladder conditions, including pain, inflammation, incontinence, and voiding dysfunction. Further related are methods of using these vehicles alone or in conjunction with antibodies, e.g., uroplakin antibodies, to improve duration of liposome attachment, and provide a long-term intravesical drug delivery platform. The present invention specifically relates to antibody-coated liposomes that are useful for targeting specific receptors for drug, peptide, polypeptide, or nucleic acid delivery. In one particular aspect, the present invention relates to liposomes coated with antibodies against nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor and containing NGF antisense nucleic acids, which are used as a treatment for neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for the mapping of electrical signals and the ablation of tissue. Embodiments include an ablation catheter that has an array of ablation elements attached to a deployable carrier assembly. The carrier assembly can be transformed from a compact, linear configuration to a helical configuration, such as to map and ablate pulmonary vein ostia.

Apparatus is provided including an implantable sensor, adapted to sense an electrical parameter of a heart of a subject, and a first control unit, adapted to apply pulses to the heart responsively to the sensed parameter, the pulses selected from the list consisting of: pacing pulses and anti-arrhythmic energy. The apparatus further includes an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a site of the subject selected from the list consisting of: a vagus nerve of the subject, an epicardial fat pad of the subject, a pulmonary vein of the subject, a carotid artery of the subject, a carotid sinus of the subject, a coronary sinus of the subject, a vena cava vein of the subject, a right ventricle of the subject, and a jugular vein of the subject; and a second control unit, adapted to drive the electrode device to apply to the site a current that increases parasympathetic tone of the subject and affects a heart rate of the subject. The first and second control units are not under common control. At least one of the control units is adapted to coordinate an aspect of its operation with an aspect of operation of the other control unit. Other embodiments are also described.

A method for forming an ablation pattern to electrically isolate a vessel having an ostium from a chamber formed within a patient for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia. The distal portion of a catheter is navigated to a chamber. An anchor member is deployed from the distal end of the catheter into the chamber, and the distal end is navigated into the ostium of the vessel, and temporarily secured in the vessel. An ablation member is deployed from the distal end of the catheter into the chamber and successively navigated into contact with tissue adjacent the ostium and ablating the tissue in contact with the ablation member to form a line of ablation. At least one of the navigating the distal portion of the catheter, navigating the anchor member and navigating the ablation member is performed by applying an external magnetic field to orient the device being navigated.