A balloon catheter (100), suitable for delivery of a balloon to the stomach via application by the nose, the balloon catheter comprising a catheter (2) and one or more inflatable balloons (1) fixedly attached to the catheter. The balloons have an outer diameter from 4 to 7 cm, are made of a relatively hard material (e.g. durometer 70 to 100 shore A), and have an effective length of 7 to 18 cm or a total inner volume of 90 to 330 ml, when inflated by 0.2 psi. A system comprising the balloon catheter, and a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of a fluid inside the balloon, and optionally a fluid pump for inflating and/or deflating the balloon, and a control unit for reading the pressure sensor and optionally for controlling the fluid pump.

A guidewire includes an elongated member and a shaft extending distally from the elongated member, wherein the elongated member and shaft are configured to be navigated through vasculature of a patient. The guidewire further includes a first conductor extending around the shaft to define an outer perimeter of the guidewire and a first electrode adjacent the shaft. The first conductor is configured electrically connect the first electrode to an energy source. The guidewire further includes a second electrode and a second conductor configured to electrically couple the second electrode to the energy source. The first and second electrodes may be configured to deliver an electrical signal to fluid contacting the first and second electrodes to cause the fluid to undergo cavitation to generate a pressure pulse wave within the fluid.

Methods and catheter control assemblies for determining a functional parameter of a catheter are described. One example method includes connecting the catheter to a catheter connector interface that includes a first lumen configured to be in fluid communication with an inflatable retention element of the catheter and a second lumen configured to be in fluid communication with a main lumen of the catheter. The method further includes injecting a fluid into the first lumen during a predetermined period of time, measuring a pressure parameter related to the pressure in the first lumen, and determining, based on the measured pressure parameter, a functional parameter of the catheter.

An occlusion catheter system includes an inflation catheter member and an occlusion balloon. The proximal and distal balloon ends are connected to the inflation catheter between the proximal and distal catheter ends. A distal pressure sensor is attached to the inflation catheter member between the proximal balloon end and the atraumatic tip. An inflatable spine is connected to the inflation catheter. The proximal spine end is connected to the inflation catheter near the proximal balloon end and the distal spine end is connected to the inflation catheter near the distal balloon end. The occlusion balloon and the inflatable spine are configured to define blood flow channels with the internal surface and the external balloon surface when the occlusion catheter system is at least partially positioned in the vessel and the occlusion balloon and the inflatable spine are in a partially inflated configuration.

A sensor guide wire for intravascular measurement of a physiological variable includes: a core wire extending at least partly along a length of the sensor guide wire; a sensor element in a sensor region of the sensor guide wire; a jacket having a jacket wall, the jacket being fixed relative to the core wire; and at least one lead connected to the sensor element. The jacket is tubular and includes a proximal end opening, a distal end opening, and a first set of openings extending through the jacket wall. The first set of openings extending through the jacket wall includes a first opening located above the sensor element, a second opening located at a first lateral side of the sensor element, and a third opening located at a second lateral side of the sensor element, and wherein the first, second, and third openings are elongated in a longitudinal direction of the jacket, and are aligned in a circumferential direction of the jacket.

A catheter hub assembly includes a body. A pressure sensor is disposed within the body to sense pressure within a catheter and communicating with the body. The body has a chamber formed therein having a predetermined volume. A stopper assembly, slideably moves to engage the body forming a gastight seal within the chamber for pushing a column of gas ahead of the stopper assembly as the stopper assembly moves from a first position to a second position.

Embodiments of medical devices and methods are disclosed. The medical devices typically comprises an elongate member with a proximal region and a distal region. The distal region comprises a flexible portion that is more flexible than the proximal region of the medical device. The flexible region includes gaps in the sidewall of the elongate member. Furthermore, the medical device comprises a rigid energy delivery device at the distal end which is configured to deliver energy to tissue when energy is supplied to the energy delivery device. In some embodiments, the medical device comprises a support spine configured to provide support to the flexible portion of the elongate member.

Some systems and methods for treating heart tissue may include instruments for intermittently occluding the coronary sinus using a coronary sinus occlusion catheter device. In some embodiments, the coronary sinus occlusion catheter can be used before or during a coronary intervention procedure in which a blockage in a heart is repaired or removed.

An insertion apparatus for inserting an object into a body comprising a housing, a piercing structure with a lumen, wherein the piercing structure extends distally from the housing, a vacuum chamber that communicates with the lumen of the piercing structure, a plunger configured to fit within the vacuum chamber, a guidewire, and a pressure monitoring channel communicating with the lumen, wherein the insertion apparatus is configured to be operated with a single hand.

A method of performing a medical procedure in a cerebral vessel including advancing a guide sheath into an internal carotid artery; advancing a catheter within a lumen of the guide sheath until a distal end of the catheter is adjacent to an embolus in a cerebral vessel; activating a vacuum source to create a vacuum in a lumen of the catheter; and cyclically controlling the vacuum applied with a valve. The vacuum is cyclically controlled by opening the valve for a first time period, closing the valve for a second time period longer than the first time period, opening the valve for a third time period shorter than the first time period, then closing the valve for a fourth time period greater than the first time period, and repeating for at least 40 cycles.