Delivery systems for expandable elements, such as stents or scaffolds having spikes, flails, or other protruding features for penetrating target tissue and/or delivering drugs within a human patient are described along with associated methods for using such systems. The delivery systems can be provided with a stent that is positioned over an inflatable balloon for expansion and delivery of the stent to a target delivery location. By positioning the stent over and about the inflatable balloon, the stent is ready to be expanded by the balloon immediately upon unsheathing with respect to the outer shaft. Additionally or alternatively, a stent can be positioned in an axially offset arrangement with respect to a balloon to reduce the need for space required by overlapping components.

Retrieval of material from vessel lumens can be improved by electrically enhancing attachment of the material to the removal device. The removal device can have a core assembly that includes a hypotube coupled to a first electrical terminal and a pushwire coupled to a second electrical terminal, the pushwire extending through the hypotube lumen. An insulating layer separates the hypotube and the pushwire, and an interventional element is coupled to a distal end of the pushwire. The interventional element can be disposed adjacent to a thrombus. An electrical signal is delivered to the interventional element to promote adhesion of the thrombus to the interventional element. The electrical signal can optionally be a periodic waveform, and the total energy delivered can be between 0.75-24,000 mJ and the peak current delivered via the electrical signal can be between 0.5-5 mA.

The described invention provides a ureteral stent device comprising a tubular structure comprising a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end comprises a magnet, a magnetic tip, a magnetic coating, a magnetic metal, or a magnetic alloy. The distal end comprises a tapered tip and can form any one of a J-curl, a j-shape, or a pigtail loop for securing the distal end in a kidney. The proximal end is not secured in the bladder and terminates in the ureter.

Delivery systems and catheters including lock and release connectors for implantable devices and methods for retaining, positioning, and deploying a medical device are disclosed. The lock and release connectors can include a body and at least one door engaged with the body, wherein the door is moveable from a first position to a second position. The lock and release connectors can further include at least one fastener connecting at least one end of the door to the body. The door can be integral with the body or connected and can comprise a shape memory material and/or other materials.

A tool for removing non-visually, urinary tract stents placed within the urinary tract of a patient, comprising a distal end, a longitudinally-extending stem, and a handle. The distal end has a conical head with a groove for hooking a stent, stent string or similar stent configuration. The snare head may have a channel for advancing the tool through a urethra over a guide wire. The snare head has a narrow conical front end for dilating urethral strictures. The stem connects the snare head to the snare handle and is made to be flexible or bend on encountering resistance.

A catheter device is described. The device is for implanting a leaflet anchor (10) into the heart as part of a procedure for implanting an artificial chordae line (14). The catheter device comprises: a leaflet anchor (10) for attachment to the leaflet (12) of the heart; and a leaflet anchor deployment mechanism (6), (30), (38) for deploying the leaflet anchor (10). The leaflet anchor deployment mechanism (6), (30), (38) allows for retraction and repositioning of the leaflet anchor (10) after deployment of the anchor (10) into the leaflet (12) via an ejector unit (36) having a grasping device (50) with a first configuration arranged to permit deployment of the leaflet anchor (10) into the leaflet (12) without disengagement of the leaflet anchor (10) from the ejector unit (34), and a second configuration in which the leaflet anchor (10) is reversibly released from the ejector unit (36). In the first configuration the grasping device (50) of the ejector unit (36) grasps a proximal end of the leaflet anchor (10), whilst a distal end of the leaflet anchor (10) is unimpeded by the grasping device (50) to enable it to be implanted in the leaflet (12). In the second configuration the grasping device (50) is disengaged from the leaflet anchor (10).

A stent delivery catheter assembly for delivering and implanting a self-expanding stent in a body lumen includes a handle assembly for one handed use. The handle assembly has a mode selection for advancing, reversing and locking the stent delivery components. Rotation of a thumbwheel allows the physician to deploy and implant the self-expanding stent in the body lumen with control and precision by simultaneously pulling a sheath proximally and pushing a pusher member distally.

The acute and chronic devices and methods described herein include a body lumen fluid flow modulator including an upstream flow accelerator and a downstream flow decelerator. The fluid flow modulator preferably includes one or more openings that define a gap/entrainment region that provides a pathway through which additional fluid from a branch lumen(s) is entrained into the fluid stream flowing from the upstream flow accelerator to the downstream flow decelerator. Delivery devices including a sheath and inner assembly also are provided for delivering the flow modulator to the body lumen. The delivery device may maintain the flow modulator in its collapsed, delivery state upon retraction of the sheath for ease of readjustment within the body lumen prior to full deployment of the flow modulator within the body lumen.

An implantable artificial bronchus including a body having a proximal upper opening and a distal lower opening. The distal lower opening being in fluid communication with the proximal upper opening, and the body at least partially tapering along a length toward the distal lower opening. The body having a plurality of side openings configured to allow air to enter into and exit the implantable artificial bronchus through the body. A length of the body is greater than 4 times the size of a largest diameter of the body, and the diameter of the proximal upper opening is larger than a diameter of the distal lower opening.

A catheter device is described. The device is for implanting an artificial chordae line (14) in the heart. The catheter device comprises: a leaflet anchor (10) for placement in a leaflet (12) of a heart valve, wherein the leaflet anchor (10) is arranged to be coupled to the artificial chordae line (14); and a leaflet anchor deployment mechanism (6, 30, 38) for deploying the leaflet anchor (10), wherein the leaflet anchor deployment mechanism (6, 30, 38) comprises a mechanical gripper device (30, 32, 32′), for grasping the leaflet (12), wherein the gripper device (30, 32, 32′) comprises a leaflet anchor tube 38 for housing the leaflet anchor (10) in a folded configuration. The gripper device (6, 30, 38) and the leaflet anchor (10) are arranged such that when, in use, the gripper device (6, 30, 38) grasps the leaflet (12), the leaflet anchor (10) can be pushed out of the leaflet anchor tube (38) to pierce the leaflet (12) and form the leaflet anchor (10) into an unfolded configuration so that hooked formations of the leaflet anchor (10) can, in use, secure the leaflet anchor (10) in the leaflet (12). The mechanical gripper device (6, 30, 38) includes a first gripper arm (30) rotatably coupled to a main body (4) of the catheter device so that the gripper arm (30) can rotate relative to the catheter device to move an outer end (42) of the first gripper arm (30) away from the main body (4) of the catheter device and a second gripper arm (32, 32′) rotatably and/or slideably coupled to the main body (4) of the catheter device so that the second gripper arm (32, 32′) can rotate and/or slide relative to the main body (4) of the catheter device to move an outer end 46 of the second gripper arm (32, 32′) away from the main body (4). The first and second gripper arms (30, 32, 32′) are arranged so that they can move to come into contact with one another at a point spaced apart from the main body (4) of the catheter device.