A stent (100) comprising a stent wall (102), the stent wall (102) having a plurality of side holes (110) extending therethrough, each side hole (110) having an upstream end (116) and a downstream end (118). The stent wall (102) tapers in thickness in a direction towards the side hole (110) at the upstream (116) and/or downstream (118) end of at least one of the side holes (110). Also disclosed are methods for making side holes (110) in stents (100) by milling and making stents (100) having side holes (110) by injection moulding.

Stent delivery systems and methods for making and using stent delivery systems are disclosed. An example stent delivery system may include a guide member having a proximal portion and a distal portion. A stent may be disposed about the distal portion of the guide member. The stent may have a wall having an opening formed therein. A pusher member may be disposed about the guide member and positioned proximal of the stent. A holding filament may be disposed at the opening and may extend to the proximal portion of the guide member. The holding filament may be configured to releasably secure the position of the stent relative to the pusher member. The holding filament may be releasable from the stent independently of movement of the guide member.

Systems, devices and methods for draining and analyzing bodily fluids are disclosed in which a drainage assembly is configured to prevent negative pressure build-up. The drainage assembly generally includes a catheter which may include a drainage lumen, a reservoir, a venting mechanism in fluid communication with the drainage lumen and a positive pressure lumen, and a controller. The venting mechanism may further include a valve which is configured to maintain a closed position, as well as a vent in fluid communication with the valve, where the venting mechanism is configured to inhibit wetting of the vent from fluid within the drainage lumen

A pyelo-ureteral stent is provided that combines the benefits of a stent having a lumen with the benefits of a lumen-less stent. In one example, the stent may be implanted in a patient for use during and after a pyeloplasty procedure. The provided stent includes a flexible tube having two separate lumens. Each lumen terminates prior to the stent's closed distal end, which enables a lumen-less ureteric limb at the stent's closed distal end. The lumen-less ureteric limb may have a smaller diameter than the rest of the stent, and may be positioned in a patient's ureter to bridge the pyeloplasty repair, thereby providing the benefits of a lumen-less stent. The flexible tube may be formed with at least one perforated coil for the drainage of urine and/or blood. The stent may be removed from the patient without the use of a cystoscopic procedure.

A ureteral stent assembly includes a ureteral stent, a bladder portion, and a stent pusher. The bladder portion is connected to the ureteral end of the ureteral stent with a tether. The stent pusher includes a bladder portion pusher. When the ureteral stent and the bladder portion are pushed into a predetermined position of the human body along a guidewire by the stent pusher, the guidewire passes through the ureteral stent, the bladder portion and the stent pusher, and the front end of the stent pusher is used to abut against the ureteral end of the ureteral stent. The bladder portion is sleeved on the front section of the stent pusher, and the bladder portion pusher is used to abut against the bladder portion.

Compositions comprising electrospun fibers and active (e.g. pharmaceutical) agents encapsulated thereto are provided. Further, articles and methods of use of the fibers, including, but not limited to coating of medical tubing, are provided.

A ureteral stent is provided. The stent may include a first section having a first wall defining a first luminal section. The stent may further include a second section having a second wall defining a second luminal section. The second section can be enabled to substantially close at times external pressure is applied to the stent.

The described invention provides a ureteral stent device comprising a tubular structure comprising a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end comprises a magnet, a magnetic tip, a magnetic coating, a magnetic metal, or a magnetic alloy. The distal end comprises a tapered tip and can form any one of a J-curl, a j-shape, or a pigtail loop for securing the distal end in a kidney. The proximal end is not secured in the bladder and terminates in the ureter.

Described are means for the direct and continuous connection of a catheter to the lumen of any tubular anatomical structure, or ductus, without medically significant leakage. A port implanted at the body surface with piping to a periductal collar allows drug or radionuclide delivery that bypasses the upstream lumen. The port allows injection, infusion, aspiration, or attachment of an automatic ambulatory pump. A superparamagnetic nanoparticle carrier-bound drug, for example, can be introduced into the lumen to pass downstream until the particles, with or without the drug still bound, are drawn into the lumen wall by a magnetized jacket surrounding the ductus. Such constitutes a method of drug targeting whereby a segment of a vessel or the territory supplied by a branch of that segment can be circumscribed for exposure to the drug. A jacket with side-entry connector positioned in surrounding relation to a lesion requiring treatment can itself be magnetized.

Negative pressure therapy systems are provided for increasing urine production, the negative pressure therapy system including: (a) a pump assembly, the pump assembly including: (i) a pump configured to provide negative pressure to a kidney, and (ii) a controller configured to regulate the negative pressure provided by the pump within a pressure range that facilitates increased urine production from the kidney.