Nitric oxide-releasing materials, methods of making nitric oxide-releasing materials, and uses of nitric oxide-releasing materials are provided. The nitric oxide-releasing materials include a mesoporous silica core and an outer surface having a plurality of nitric oxide donors. In an exemplary aspects, the nitric oxide-releasing material includes a mesoporous diatomaceous earth core, and an outer surface having a plurality of S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine groups covalently attached thereto. Uses of the nitric oxide-releasing materials can include coatings for medical devices such as catheters, grafts, and stents; wound gauzes; acne medications; and antiseptic mouthwashes; among others.

The present invention is an inflatable balloon which is enclosed by an expandable cover which becomes increasingly porous/permeable during expansion. The balloon is coated or enclosed with a matrix which contains a pharmaceutically active agent. During expansion of the balloon, the pharmaceutically active agent is released or extruded through the expandable cover into a body cavity such as an artery or vein. The present invention also provides for a method of treating a disease or condition by delivering the inflatable balloon to a particular body cavity.

The invention is directed to delivery medical devices that enable consistent on-demand delivery of therapeutic agents to a vessel. The medical device of the current invention comprises retractable sheath comprising neckable elements. The medical device of the current invention comprises an expandable member, a hydrophilic coating comprising at least one therapeutic agent about the expandable member or structural layer and a retractable outer sheath with a selectively permeable microstructure. The design and methods disclosed herein ensures that therapeutic agent delivery occurs essentially only during retraction of the outer sheath, minimizing coating and/or therapeutic agent loss to the bloodstream and providing controlled delivery to the treatment site.

Provided is a catheter to be inserted into an object. The catheter includes a main body having a tubular shape and an expansion layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the main body, and the expansion layer contains an expandable material which is expanded by contact with a liquid.

Devices and methods for balloon delivery of rapamycin and other hydrophobic compounds to the wall of blood vessels. Balloon catheters, such as those used for balloon angioplasty, are modified with the addition of a reservoir of dry micelles. The micelle preparation is reconstituted and the micelles are mobilized when the aqueous solution used to inflate the balloons is injected into the catheter. The micelles are infused into tissue surrounding the balloon when pressurized fluid within the balloon leaks through the wall of the balloon.

A medical system including a tube defining a lumen, a porous body connected to a distal end of the tube to be advanced to a target site within a subject. The porous body defines a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings are in fluid connection with the lumen, the porous body includes a first material and a second material, and the second material elutes from the porous body in the subject.

One aspect relates to a conductive polymer composite based sensor, a detection unit comprising such sensor, a method for manufacturing a conductive polymer composite based sensor, and a use of the conductive polymer composite based sensor or the detection unit. The conductive polymer composite based sensor includes a substrate and a sensor material. The sensor material includes an insulating polymer matrix component and an electrically conductive component dispersed in the polymer matrix component to form the conductive polymer composite. The sensor material is pre-strained and applied to the substrate to form the sensor.

Methods for treating a hypertensive human patient are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with one embodiment comprises delivering a neuromodulatory agent to a renal nerve of the patient via an intravascularly positioned drug delivery catheter. The method includes at least partially blocking neural activity along the renal nerve with the neuromodulatory agent, which results in a therapeutically beneficial reduction in blood pressure of the patient.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to vent adaptor assemblies including a vent adaptor, methods of making such vent adaptor assemblies, method of using such vent adaptor assemblies, and urinary drainage bag systems including such vent adaptor assemblies. In an embodiment, a vent adaptor assembly includes a filter that is configured to permit gas (e.g., air) to flow therethrough, while simultaneously at least partially preventing fluid present within the vent adaptor assembly (e.g., urine) from flowing therethrough.

An apparatus according to certain embodiments generally includes an elongated tubular member having a proximal end and an opposite distal end, and an inflatable balloon surrounding the distal end. The elongated tubular member comprises an outer tube, a non-collapsible inner tube positioned within the outer tube, and a compressible material positioned between the outer tube and the inner tube.