Implantable in vivo sensors used to monitor physical, chemical or electrical parameters within a body. The in vivo sensors are integral with an implantable medical device and are responsive to externally or internally applied energy. Upon application of energy, the sensors undergo a phase change in at least part of the material of the device which is then detected external to the body by conventional techniques such as radiography, ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, radio frequency imaging or the like. The in vivo sensors of the present invention may be employed to provide volumetric measurements, flow rate measurements, pressure measurements, electrical measurements, biochemical measurements, temperature, measurements, or measure the degree and type of deposits within the lumen of an endoluminal implant, such as a stent or other type of endoluminal conduit. The in vivo sensors may also be used therapeutically to modulate mechanical and/or physical properties of the endoluminal implant in response to the sensed or monitored parameter.

An intravascular emboli capture and retrieval system for intravascular embolism protection and embolism removal or maceration. Guidewire mounted proximally and distally located multiple opening filters are deployed within the vasculature and used to part, divide and macerate embolic debris and to capture such embolic debris within the confines thereof. A deployable flexible preformed memory shaped capture sleeve is alternatively used to collapse one or more filters and embolic debris therein for subsequent proximal withdrawal from the vasculature.

A tubular medical instrument which can be easily ejected from a transfer device and accurately placed in a case the tubular medical instrument is released from the transfer device and placed at an affected area is provided. A tubular medical instrument includes ends portions, and a central portion, wherein each of the end portions is a region including one axial end of the tubular medical instrument and having a length of 10% with respect to an axial length L.sub.1 of the tubular medical instrument, the central portion is a region including an axial center of the tubular medical instrument and having a length of 10% with respect to the axial length L1 of the tubular medical instrument, and a ratio (difference V/difference W) is 3 or more.

A method of sequenced deployment of an endovascular device comprises delivering, into a body vessel, a Nitinol structural element comprising n deployable regions each having a local austenite finish temperature above body temperature. The local austenite finish temperature of at least one of the n deployable regions is different from the local austenite finish temperature of another of the n deployable regions. During and/or after delivery, the Nitinol structural element is heated above body temperature, and each of the n deployable regions is deployed when the local austenite finish temperature thereof is reached. Thus, a deployed configuration of an endovascular device is achieved in a sequenced deployment process.

The present disclosure describes intraluminal support devices having high radial stiffness regions with smaller diameter and low radial stiffness regions with larger diameter. When deployed to the vasculature of a patient in need of treatment, the high radial stiffness region is sized such that it has approximately the diameter of the vessel in need of treatment, so that it produces substantially zero chronic radial force when the vessel is not being subjected to external compression. The low radial stiffness regions anchor the device to the vessel wall and provide a less-abrupt transition from the high radial stiffness structure. Methods of making and using such devices are also described.

The present invention relates to an implantable endoluminal graft. The implantable endoluminal graft is comprised of a microporous thin-film metal covering having a plurality of openings and a structural support element underlying and physically attached to the microporous thin-film metal covering, the microporous thin-film metal covering having shape memory properties.

The present disclosure describes intraluminal support devices having high radial stiffness regions with smaller diameter and low radial stiffness regions with larger diameter. When deployed to the vasculature of a patient in need of treatment, the high radial stiffness region is sized such that it has approximately the diameter of the vessel in need of treatment, so that it produces substantially zero chronic radial force when the vessel is not being subjected to external compression. The low radial stiffness regions anchor the device to the vessel wall and provide a less-abrupt transition from the high radial stiffness structure. Methods of making and using such devices are also described.

An annuloplasty repair segment for heart valve annulus repair and a method for forming. A multi-stranded cable replaces solid core wire for both the tricuspid and mitral valves which allows for greater deployment flexibility for minimally-invasive surgical (MIS) implant, while still maintaining the required strength and similar tensile properties of solid-core wire. The particular shape of the annuloplasty ring is fixed using a heat setting process including heating the flexible core member to a temperature higher than 500 C. and holding it in a desired heat-set saddle shape for a period of time. The core is then rapidly cooled to impart physical properties such that the flexible core member can be straightened, during implantation, to fit through a tubular access device and regain the heat-set saddle shape after exiting the access device and, when attached to the native heart valve, the flexible core member is strong enough to remodel the native heart valve.

Implantable in vivo sensors used to monitor physical, chemical or electrical parameters within a body. The in vivo sensors are integral with an implantable medical device and are responsive to externally or internally applied energy. Upon application of energy, the sensors undergo a phase change in at least part of the material of the device which is then detected external to the body by conventional techniques such as radiography, ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, radio frequency imaging or the like. The in vivo sensors of the present invention may be employed to provide volumetric measurements, flow rate measurements, pressure measurements, electrical measurements, biochemical measurements, temperature, measurements, or measure the degree and type of deposits within the lumen of an endoluminal implant, such as a stent or other type of endoluminal conduit. The in vivo sensors may also be used therapeutically to modulate mechanical and/or physical properties of the endoluminal implant in response to the sensed or monitored parameter.

A stent has a tubular shaped framework that includes a plurality of vertices that are each defined by a pair of struts. A plurality of induction responsive muscles are associated, respectively, with one of the plurality of vertices by being attached to each strut of a pair of struts. The induction responsive muscles have a relaxed state at body temperatures, and have a contracted state at an elevated temperature greater than body temperature. If the stent has an initial unsatisfactory implant orientation or position or other expansion irregularity, the application of an electromagnetic induction field may be applied to temporary 11 reduce the diameter of the stent to adjust its positioning and/or orientation.