Systems and methods for treatment of an aortic tear or dissection (such as in the thoracic aortic region) are provided. Some methods disclosed herein include inserting an endoprosthesis near an inlet flap of an aortic tear or dissection, inserting an infusion catheter near the inlet flap of the aortic tear or dissection, positioning said infusion catheter between an outer surface of the endoprosthesis and an aortic wall, expanding the endoprosthesis so that the infusion catheter is in contact with aortic tissue near the inlet flap, infusing a stabilization treatment compound through the infusion catheter, wherein the stabilization treatment compound comprises a contrast media agent, a stabilizing agent, and one or more excipients, and removing the infusion catheter.

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.

A system for deploying a prosthesis over a Carina between an ipsilateral lumen and a contralateral lumen includes a guidewire, a guidewire capture catheter, a self-expanding tubular prosthesis, and a delivery catheter. The guidewire is first placed in the ipsilateral lumen. The guidewire capture catheter is then advanced from the contralateral lumen to a position at or above the ipsilateral lumen. The guidewire is typically advanced through an occlusion, which may be a total occlusion, and captured by a capture element on the guidewire capture catheter. The guidewire capture catheter pulls the guidewire out through the contralateral side, and the guidewire is used to advance a delivery catheter from the ipsilateral side. The delivery catheter delivers a first segment of the tubular prosthesis in the ipsilateral lumen and a second segment of the prosthesis in the contralateral lumen.

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.

Described here are devices, methods, and kits for the deployment of tissue anchors. In some variations, the devices may comprise a shaft defining a lumen for housing at least one anchor therein and a mechanism for deploying the anchor distally from the lumen. In certain variations, the devices may comprise one or more stop elements. For example, a device may comprise a stop element that limits the advancement of the device through an opening in a wall portion or at the distal end of another device.

Systems and methods for systems and methods for focal cooling of the brain and spinal cord are disclosed. Some embodiments may be directed to a neuroprotection system that includes a cerebrospinal fluid processing platform. Embodiments may provide rapid and selective spinal cord hypothermia and drainage. Embodiments may be tailored to selective spinal cord cooling, pressure monitoring and automated drainage. Embodiments may enable local hypothermic neuroprotection, limit the stress of systemic cooling, minimize secondary neuronal damage and achieve maximal neuroprotection while at the same time improving workflow as a result of automated drainage. Embodiments may include a multi-lumen catheter, a drainage collection reservoir bag, a pump to circulate coolant, sensor hardware and controllers to modulate the flow of a heat transfer fluid for cooling to modulate therapeutic hypothermia and re-warming. Certain embodiments may include extracorporeal cooling of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Certain embodiments may include circulating heat transfer fluid within a CSF-containing space near the brain or spinal cord using a catheter. Particular methods may be used to determine the length and amount of cooling.

An aortic cannula comprises a main body portion and a distal end portion. A lumen extends through the main body portion and the distal end portion to allow fluid communication between the main body portion and the distal end portion. The distal end portion has an inner wall and an outer wall. There is a passageway disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the distal end portion. The passageway has an inlet and an outlet, and the passageway is fluid communication with a surrounding environment. There may be a stop ring disposed about the distal end portion between the inlet of the passageway and outlet of the passageway.

An aortic perfusion catheter is an apparatus that is used during surgery for acute ascending aortic dissection to reduce postoperative injuries from profound hypothermia, ischemia, and reperfusion. The apparatus may include at least one main cannula, an inflation cannula, a drainage cannula, and a balloon tamponade. The at least one main cannula helps maintain blood perfusion to the body during the procedure to reduce postoperative injuries. The inflation cannula enables the selective inflation and deflation of the balloon tamponade to facilitate the insertion and removal of the balloon tamponade along with the at least one main cannula within the descending thoracic aorta. The balloon tamponade prevents blood flow into the operative area to maintain the operative area clear during the procedure. The drainage cannula enables the drainage of blood that may escape the balloon tamponade as well as other bodily fluids.

A catheter assembly includes an outer catheter that includes a tubular outer catheter body and an outer catheter hub, and an inner catheter that includes an inner catheter body and an inner catheter hub. The inner catheter body is positionable in the outer catheter body, and the outer catheter hub is connectable to the inner catheter hub. The inner catheter body includes a shaft extending from the inner catheter hub, and a tubular body disposed at the distal end of the shaft and possessing an inner catheter lumen. When the outer catheter hub is connected to the inner catheter hub, a portion of the tubular body is distal of the distal-most end of the outer catheter body, a portion of the tubular body is distal of the proximal-most end of the outer catheter body, and a proximal end portion of the tubular body is in the outer catheter lumen.

A guidewire configured to traverse through a catheter with-out exiting side holes of the catheter for placement of a minimally invasive miniaturized percutaneous mechanical circulatory support device or ventricular assist device across the heart. The guidewire includes a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongate flexible body extending therebetween. The guidewire can have a variable flexibility across its length via variable diameters and tapered sections that make up its core, and one or more coils surrounding and connected to sections of its core to prevent kinking. The guidewire can have one or more radiopaque markers and one or more visual markers to facilitate use.