The present invention relates to the diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence. The diagnosis and treatment involves the use of a multiple sensor-enabled catheter capable of providing real-time data regarding the patient's physiology, such as urinary flow and muscular function of the bladder sphincter, as well as the position and movement of the catheter within the patient.

A medical device includes a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the sheath having an opening at both the proximal end and the distal end, and a removable dilator having a distal end and a proximal end, the dilator having at least one blood detector disposed on a tapered portion of the distal end of the dilator, the dilator positionable within the sheath such that the tapered portion of the distal end of the dilator extends through the opening in the distal end of the sheath, the proximal end of the dilator extends through the opening in the proximal end of the sheath, and at least a portion of the at least one blood detector is adjacent to the distal end of the sheath.

Described herein are methods and systems for calculating a corrected Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR). An illustrative method includes delivering a first pressure sensing device including a pressure sensor to a location in a blood vessel having a stenosis, positioning the pressure sensor distal to the stenosis, measuring the distal pressure, measuring the proximal pressure, and calculating a corrected FFR using the measured proximal and distal pressures and applying a correction factor or correction equation. The corrected FFR may approximate a FFR that would have been obtained if the pressure measured downstream of the stenosis was measured using a second pressure sensing device having a second maximum cross-sectional area in a distal portion of the second pressure sensing device that is different from the first maximum cross-sectional area.

Wireless intracranial monitors are provided. The wireless intracranial monitors comprise a main body, a wireless transceiver, a processing module, and a sensing module, in which the sensing module contains a catheter. On the catheter, a pressure sensor is configured to detect deformation of the catheter or a diaphragm connected to the pressure sensor. The detected deformation is then transmitted to the processing module through an in-catheter wire.

A neurovascular catheter extension segment is provided, such as for distal neurovascular access or aspiration. The neurovascular catheter extension segment includes 1) an elongate flexible control wire having a proximal end and a distal end and 2) a tubular extension segment having a side wall defining a central lumen carried by the distal end of the control wire. The side wall of the tubular extension segment includes a tubular inner liner, a tie layer separated from the lumen by the inner liner, a helical coil surrounding the tie layer, and an outer jacket surrounding the helical coil. The extension segment may be introduced into the proximal end of a neurovascular catheter and advanced distally to extend beyond the catheter and thereby extend the reach of the catheter.

Methods and systems for treating aneurysms using filling structures filled with a curable medium are described herein. Such methods can include positioning a double-walled filling structure across the aneurysm and filling with a filling medium so that an outer wall conforms to the inside of the aneurysm and an inner wall forms a generally tubular lumen to provide for blood flow. The lumen is supported with a balloon or other expandable device during and/or after filling. The pressure within the structure and/or in the space between an external wall of the structure and the aneurysm wall is monitored and a flow of the medium into the structure is controlled responsive to the pressure. The pressure can also be used to determine a filling endpoint.

A control system for an arterial catheter operable to selectively impede blood flow includes a processor and a storage medium accessible to the processor that bears instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute logic including receiving a first signal representing a physical parameter associated with a patient in whom the catheter is disposed, receiving a second signal representative of time, and causing inflation of a first balloon on the catheter to impede blood flow in the first artery. Based at least in part on the first signal satisfying a first condition, the instructions include causing deflation of the first balloon. Based at least in part on the second signal indicating elapse of a predetermined time period, the instructions include causing deflation of the first balloon regardless of whether the first signal satisfies the first condition.

A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating signals representing position and pressure data, with a reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a flexible joint with pressure sensing and position coils, at least pair of a pressure sensing coil and a position coil are serially connected. Methods of calibrating a catheter for position and pressure sensing, and detecting magnetic field interference with one catheter by another catheter or other metal or ferrous object advantageously use signals between two sets of sensors as a “back up” or “error check”.

An intravascular sensor delivery device for measuring a physiological parameter of a patient, such as blood pressure, within a vascular structure or passage. In some embodiments, the device can be used to measure the pressure gradient across a stenotic lesion or heart valve. For example, such a device may be used to measure fractional flow reserve (FFR) across a stenotic lesion in order to assess the severity of the lesion. The sensor delivery device has a distal sleeve configured to pass or slide over a standard medical guidewire. Some distance back from the sensor and distal sleeve, the device separates from the guidewire to permit independent control of the sensor delivery device and the guidewire. The sensor delivery device can be sized to pass over different sizes of guidewires to enable usage in coronary and peripheral arteries, for example.

Embodiments of the invention provide apparatus and methods for testing the efficacy of nerve stimulation therapy to treat patients who have urinary dysfunction prior to the implantation of an apparatus to treat the dysfunction. The apparatus and methods provide means to selectively stimulate the pudendal nerve with high and low frequency current to produce a physiologic response involved in the urination process (e.g., relaxation of the urinary sphincter and contraction of the bladder) and then measure information relating to the response. Particular embodiments involve the introduction of a urethral catheter configured to both fill the bladder and test the ability to control bladder voiding by applying stimulation current to the pudendal nerve and then measure the response information such as bladder pressure, urinary sphincter pressure and urinary flow rate. The catheter can include at least two electrodes and separate pressure sensors positioned for measuring the urinary sphincter and bladder pressure.