Balloon catheters that includes inner and outer elongate shafts, each of which is secured relative to an end of an inflatable member. The inner and outer elongate shafts are secured relative to one another at one more discrete connection locations. The balloon bonding locations are disposed radially inward relative to an outer dimension of the outer elongate shaft.

A pessary system for providing pelvic floor support for USL and other ligaments. The pessary has an elongated probe with independently inflatable balloons each located substantially the same distance from the insertion end of the probe and which inflate into separate radial sectors. The probe can be inserted into a vaginal cavity and the balloons inflated provide mechanical support to the USLs. Independent inflation of each balloon allows the mechanical USL support provided to be varied on left and right sides to compensate for differences in the degree of degradation and positioning of the USL ligaments on either side.

A coaxial multilumen annulus plane catheter, including an outer pigtail catheter enclosing one or two additional lumens, each housing either a slidable shaped wire or a second pigtail catheter shaped to fit into a wide range of annulus diameters and/or depths. In embodiments, the device may include a catheter delivery handle with thumb/finger-actuated sliders that extend or retract the shaped wires and are sized to enable side-to-side or radial motion, imparting a torque to the pre-shaped wires which translates the length of the wires to enable individually controlled rotation or sweep of each wire to accommodate different annulus diameters. The delivery handle includes hemostasis controls and flush ports. In other embodiments, a handle is obviated by direct lumen axial and rotational control at a proximal end.

A pre-curved catheter tube of a catheter assembly or other elongate medical device and methods for forming such a device using a heating procedure is disclosed. Pre-curving of the catheter tube is desirable to impart to the catheter assembly a desired positional configuration when the catheter assembly is inserted into a patient. The heating procedure may include heat sterilization procedures commonly used to sterilize medical devices prior to use. One method for curving a catheter tube of a catheter assembly includes constraining the catheter tube into a curved configuration using the tube constraint, heating the catheter tube in the curved configuration for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature, and releasing the catheter tube from the tube constraint after the heating is complete.

A catheter, including: a hollow shaft having a distal end that includes a first section extending substantially linearly and a second section on a distal end side of the first section. The second section includes a first curved region and a second curved region, less rigid than the first curved region, on the more distal end side than the first curved region. A virtual plane on the axis of the hollow shaft forms a boundary, and spaces on both sides of the virtual plane define a first area and a second area. The first curved region and the distal end of the catheter are in the first area. The second curved portion is in the second area. A distance from the distal end of the catheter to the virtual plane is larger than a distance from the first curved portion to the virtual plane.

A pessary system for providing pelvic floor support for USL and other ligaments. The pessary has an elongated probe with independently inflatable balloons each located substantially the same distance from the insertion end of the probe and which inflate into separate radial sectors. The probe can be inserted into a vaginal cavity and the balloons inflated provide mechanical support to the USLs. Independent inflation of each balloon allows the mechanical USL support provided to be varied on left and right sides to compensate for differences in the degree of degradation and positioning of the USL ligaments on either side.

A pre-curved steerable catheter includes a catheter body (102) having a distal end portion. The distal end portion includes a permanently curved flexible end portion (110). A pull wire (108) is disposed in a pull wire lumen within the catheter body. The pull wire extends from the distal end portion to a proximal end portion of the catheter body wherein the pull wire, when tensioned, provides a change in an angle of the curved flexible end portion of the catheter body.

An assembly is provided for accessing a superior vena cava of a patient without visualization of a vasculature of the patient. A stylet has an elongated body including a core wire disposed within a tubular body, the core wire having a pre-formed shape in a first state and a straightened shape in a second state. A first portion of the core wire has a substantially straight shape in the first state. A second portion of the core wire has a first pre-formed bend in the first state. A third portion of the core wire has a substantially straight shape in the first state. A fourth portion of the core wire has a second pre-formed bend in the first state. A fifth portion of the core wire has a substantially straight shape in the first state and includes a narrow segment that increases deflection of the distal tip.

A system implantable in the coronary venous system, including a pacing lead with an anchoring screw is disclosed. The system includes a stimulation lead (10) for stimulating a left heart cavity of a patient, and a removable catheter (26) for implanting the lead. The lead (10) has at least one stimulation electrode having an anchoring screw (14) that penetrates into the epicardial tissue of the patient. The catheter tube (26) is a pre-shaped tube with two curvatures in the absence of stress. The two curvatures are inscribed in two separate surfaces (38, 40) for self-orientating the distal end of the catheter tube into the target vein and maintaining the axis of the anchoring screw towards the epicardial wall during the screwing of the lead head.

A urodynamic investigation apparatus for receipt of urine from a bladder is provided. The apparatus is characterized by a tubular element, first and second fittings, and a sleeve element, for select passage of urine there through, within the tubular element. The tubular element is characterized by opposing first and second end portions, and a port. The fittings are adapted to be received by the opposing end portions of the tubular element so as to delimit an apparatus chamber. The sleeve element, suspended between the fittings within the chamber, has collapsed and open configurations. The collapsed configuration is indicative of a no urine flow condition, and the open configuration indicative of a urine flow condition, with the sleeve element urine flow condition being a function of pressure applied to the chamber via the port of the tubular element.