A catheter that has a catheter tube everting inside-out during the process of catheterization. The catheter tube has a plurality of longitudinal protrusions extending from the first end of the catheter tube through at least a portion of the catheter tube, and forming an angle of 0 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube and facing radially inwards, and provides for dilating a circumference of the catheter tube upon everting the catheter tube inside-out from the first end of the catheter tube.

Devices and methods for the treatment of chronic total occlusions are provided. One disclosed embodiment comprises a method of facilitating treatment via a vascular wall defining a vascular lumen containing an occlusion therein. The method includes providing an intravascular device having a distal portion, inserting the device into the vascular lumen, positioning the distal portion in the vascular wall to at least partially surround the occlusion, and removing at least a portion of the surrounded occlusion from the lumen.

Extravascular implant tools that utilize a bore-in mechanism to safely access extravascular locations and implant techniques utilizing these tools are described. The bore-in mechanism may include a handle and a helix extending from the handle. The bore-in mechanism is used, for example, in conjunction with a tunneling tool to traverse the diaphragmatic attachments to access a substernal location. The tunneling tool may be an open channel tunneling tool or a conventional tunneling tool (e.g., metal rod).

A reentry catheter having a catheter body having a lumen extending axially through a length of the catheter body, a distal port in communication with the lumen, and a flexible distal tip positioned at a distal end of the catheter body. The distal tip can have a first planar surface and a second planar surface that are angled to form a tapered portion in the distal tip. A thickness of the tapered portion in a first direction can decrease along the length of the tapered portion and can be less than a width of the tapered portion in a second direction at every point along the length of the tapered portion such that the tapered portion of the tip is more flexible when bent in the first direction than in the second direction, the second direction being normal to the first direction.

A launching catheter for targeting a second vessel from a first vessel includes a catheter including a proximal portion and a distal portion including a needle aperture and a flat rectangular radiopaque marker. The flat rectangular radiopaque marker disappears under fluoroscopy upon rotation to provide information about rotational alignment of the launching catheter. The launching catheter includes a needle configured to extend through the needle aperture. A method of aligning the catheter includes rotating the catheter in a first blood vessel until the marker has a thickness (e.g., minimal thickness) under fluoroscopy. The thickness indicates rotational alignment of the catheter.

A launching catheter for targeting a second vessel from a first vessel includes a catheter including a proximal portion and a distal portion including a needle aperture and a flat rectangular radiopaque marker. The flat rectangular radiopaque marker disappears under fluoroscopy upon rotation to provide information about rotational alignment of the launching catheter. The launching catheter includes a needle configured to extend through the needle aperture. A method of aligning the catheter includes rotating the catheter in a first blood vessel until the marker has a thickness (e.g., minimal thickness) under fluoroscopy. The thickness indicates rotational alignment of the catheter.

Disclosed is an intraluminal catheter that includes a flexible elongate shaft configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient, and an intraluminal sensor disposed at the distal portion of the shaft that is configured to sense a characteristic within the body lumen. The shaft further comprises a plurality of wires disposed around a lumen, wherein the wires are helically twisted. The wires can be helically twisted in a single direction to form a cylindrical shape. This helical structure is configured to stiffen the flexible elongate shaft for movement into an obstruction within the body lumen without kinking.

A launching catheter for targeting a second vessel from a first vessel includes a catheter including a proximal portion and a distal portion including a needle aperture and a flat rectangular radiopaque marker. The flat rectangular radiopaque marker disappears under fluoroscopy upon rotation to provide information about rotational alignment of the launching catheter. The launching catheter includes a needle configured to extend through the needle aperture. A method of aligning the catheter includes rotating the catheter in a first blood vessel until the marker has a thickness (e.g., minimal thickness) under fluoroscopy. The thickness indicates rotational alignment of the catheter.

A catheter for recanalizing a blood vessel having an occlusion therein via a subintimal pathway. The catheter includes a catheter shaft having an inflatable balloon mounted to the distal end portion of the catheter shaft. A flexible tubular member extends from the catheter shaft and along an exterior of the inflatable balloon. Inflation of the inflatable balloon deflects the flexible tubular member into a deflected configuration away from a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft to effect re-entry into the true lumen distal of the occlusion.

Devices for loading intravascular treatment devices into a sheath and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A sheathing tool may include, for example, a first channel extending to a first opening, the first channel configured to receive a treatment device in a constrained state therethrough. The treatment device may include an elongated member and a first element and a second element at a distal region of the elongated member. The second channel may extend to a second opening, the second opening surrounded by a sidewall and configured to receive the treatment device in the constrained state therethrough, wherein the second opening is spaced apart from the first opening by a gap, and wherein a length of the gap is great enough to allow the first element to self-expand over the sidewall while the second element generally maintains its diameter in the constrained state while crossing the gap.