A method of making a high flexibility distal zone on a neurovascular catheter is provided. The method includes the steps of dip coating a removable mandrel to form a tubular inner layer on the mandrel, coating the tubular inner layer with a tie layer, applying a helical coil to the outside of the tie layer, positioning a plurality of tubular segments, heating the tubular segments to form the high flexibility distal zone on the neurovascular catheter; and removing the mandrel.

A filament wrapping and reflow system and a method therefrom. The method including wrapping a filament around an elongate substrate along a longitudinal direction between a proximal end of the elongate substrate and a distal end of the elongate substrate. The method also including melting the filament to form at least a portion of the elongate medical device. The system including a substrate system, a filament system, a heater, one or more actuators, and a controller.

Provided herein as systems, apparatus, and methods for the effective and minimally invasive deployment of medical devices or therapeutic agents using a steerable guidewire/catheter assembly. The steerable guidewire and/or catheter has a bendable distal portion comprising an ionic electroactive polymer actuator, which is allowed to deform, bend or expand from its original shape in at least one dimension.

An invasive medical device (10) is disclosed comprising a device portion (15) for inserting into a patient, said device portion including a functional module (20); an electrically conductive path (40) extending through the invasive medical device and connecting to the functional module; and a deformable switch (30) within the device portion arranged to alter the electrical impedance of said conductive path as a function of a degree of deformation of the switch, said deformation being caused by a blood parameter of the patient's blood that varies during the cardiac cycle of said patient.

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may be a medical device with increased compression resistance. The medical device may include an elongate shaft having a proximal end region, a distal end region, a lumen extending therethrough, and a tension resistance member extending at least partially between the proximal end region and the distal end region. An exoskeleton may be disposed along an outer surface of the shaft. The exoskeleton may include a plurality of discrete segments engaged with one another. At least one of the segments may be coupled to the tension resistance member.

A method may include accessing an artery in communication with an ophthalmic artery of a subject, and advancing a microcatheter along the accessed artery so as to align a distal end of the microcatheter with an ostium of the ophthalmic artery, wherein the microcatheter includes a lumen having a guidewire positioned therein. In addition, the method includes proximally withdrawing the guidewire relative to the microcatheter so as to enable a distal portion of the microcatheter to assume a curved relaxed configuration, and cannulating the ostium with the distal portion of the microcatheter when the distal portion is in the curved relaxed configuration.

The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.

An example medical device includes a body portion having a tubular inner wall defining an inner channel, and a tubular outer wall encircling the inner wall. The outer wall defines an outer channel between the outer wall and the inner wall. The body portion also includes an indicator substance disposed within the outer channel. The device also includes an indicator portion defining an indicator channel. The body portion is configured to insert at least in part into a patient, and the indicator portion is configured to remain at least in part along an exterior of the patient when the body portion is inserted into the patient. The device is also configured to transfer at least a portion of the indicator substance from the outer channel to the indicator channel when the body portion is bent.

A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes a flexible tube to be inserted into an insertion target body, a variable stiffness portion that changes a bending stiffness of the flexible tube, a state detection sensor that detects state information of the flexible tube. The apparatus also includes a shape calculator that calculates shape information regarding a shape of the flexible tube based on the state information, an external force calculator that calculates external force information including magnitude of an external force received by the flexible tube based on the state information, and a stiffness controller that controls the variable stiffness portion in accordance with the shape information so that the magnitude of the external force received by the flexible tube becomes smaller than a reference value.

A catheter comprises a hollow sheath, a guidewire extendable through the hollow sheath, where the guidewire comprises a controllably bendable tip portion, a hollow tubular intermediate portion connected to the tip portion, an electrical connection portion connected to the hollow tubular portion, at least a first wire extending through the hollow tubular portion and connected at a first end thereof to a first circumferential conductor and at a second end thereof to a surface of the tip end, and a power supply connector, therein the electrical connection portion is received in the power supply connector and a first terminal in the power supply connector contacts the first circumferential conductor.