In the treatment method, a surgeon introduces a catheter assembly into a blood vessel in an arm, and delivers a distal portion of the catheter assembly to a predetermined position of a lower limb through the blood vessel in the body. Moreover, in the treatment method, the surgeon pulls an inner catheter out of an outer catheter, causes a treatment device to advance to the treatment target through the inside of the outer catheter, and treats the treatment target by the treatment device.

In a blood circulation system (10), a first blood circulation device (12) includes a first detection unit (22) that detects a first flow rate of blood flowing through a first blood sending vessel portion (28). A second blood circulation device (14) includes a second detection unit (95) that detects a second flow rate of blood flowing through a blood sending cannula (110). A first control section (74) controls a first centrifugal pump (20) based on a detection result of the second detection unit (95). A second control section (154) controls a second centrifugal pump (92) based on a detection result of the first detection unit (22).

A catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end, a beveled distal end, and a lumen therethrough. The beveled distal end defines an elliptical port for releasing contrast or other media through the lumen and from the elliptical port. The catheter may also be used delivering devices or for aspirating or extracting materials from the vasculature or other body lumens. A fixed guidewire extends distally from the distal end of the catheter body, typically from the distal-most edge of the elliptical port. The fixed wire is typically malleable so that it can be manually formed into a desired shape. The elliptical port may be flat or concave.

In a method for diagnosing and treating a patient having lesions in both arteries of left and right lower limbs. By determining that a lesion distal to an aortailiac bifurcation is to be treated first, catheters and an operation time can be reduced. The lesion to be treated first can be on a priority basis based on diagnostic data, deciding that a lesion proximal to the bifurcation is to be treated next, and then treating the lesions substantially continuously.

Devices, systems and methods for controlling, regulating, altering, transforming or otherwise modulating the delivery of a substance to a delivery site. The devices, systems and methods optimize the delivery of the substance to an intended site, such as a vessel, vascular bed, organ and/or other corporeal structures, while reducing inadvertent introduction or reflux substance to other vessels, vascular beds, organs, and/or other structures, including systemic introduction.

A guidewire system may include a guidewire having a relatively stiff proximal section and a relatively flexible distal section joined by a transition region, and a TAVI device slidably disposed on the guidewire. The guidewire may include an expandable element disposed about the transition region. The expandable element may be configured to expand from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. The guidewire may include an expandable element disposed at the distal end. The distal section may be pre-configured to form more than one distal loop. A method of protecting an apex of a left ventricle during a TAVI procedure may include inserting a guidewire into the left ventricle, positioning a transition region adjacent the apex, expanding an expandable element such that the expandable element spans the apex, advancing a TAVI device distally over the guidewire to an aortic valve, and performing a TAVI procedure at the aortic valve.

The present disclosure teaches a novel medical device and method of use, employing a unique shape that allows the device to use the lesser (inferior) curve of aortic Arch as a fulcrum of support for a guide catheter, for subsequent prevention of recoil and displacement thereof, while delivering additional catheters or devices into the distal branches of the great vessels. A method for using same.

One aspect of an intravascular ventricular assist device is an implantable blood pump where the pump includes a housing defining a bore having an axis, one or more rotors disposed within the bore, each rotor including a plurality of magnetic poles, and one or more stators surrounding the bore for providing a magnetic field within the bore to induce rotation of each of the one or more rotors. Another aspect of the invention includes methods of providing cardiac assistance to a mammalian subject as, for example, a human. Further aspects of the invention include rotor bodies having helical channels formed longitudinally along the length of the body of the rotor where each helical channel is formed between peripheral support surface areas facing radially outwardly and extending generally in circumferential directions around the rotational axis of the rotor.

In a method for diagnosing and treating a patient having lesions in both arteries of left and right lower limbs. By determining that a lesion distal to an aortailiac bifurcation is to be treated first, catheters and an operation time can be reduced. The lesion to be treated first can be on a priority basis based on diagnostic data, deciding that a lesion proximal to the bifurcation is to be treated next, and then treating the lesions substantially continuously.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes a pump-outlet tube shaped to define one or more blood-outlet openings and configured for insertion into a subject's left ventricle, such that the blood-outlet openings are disposed within the subject's aorta and a distal portion of the pump-outlet tube is disposed within the left ventricle. An impeller is disposed within the pump-outlet tube and is configured to pump blood of the subject proximally through the pump-outlet tube. A delivery tube extends from outside the subject's body to the distal portion of the pump-outlet tube. An expandable element surrounds the delivery tube proximally to the blood-outlet openings, a length of the delivery tube between the expandable element and the blood-outlet openings being less than 30 mm. Other applications are also described.