A method of treating a vessel, such as sclerotherapy, includes moving a short balloon catheter to a position at which a compliant extra-luminal balloon is outside of the vessel at an occlusion site, and between the vessel and a non-compliant bearing surface. The vessel is occluded at the occlusion site by inflating the compliant extra-luminal balloon of the balloon catheter, and bearing an outer surface of the balloon against the vessel and the non-compliant bearing surface. The vessel is medically treated upstream from the occlusion site. The short balloon catheter includes a wire guide lumen

A tissue dissector is provided. The tissue dissector includes an introducer including a lumen extending along a length thereof and defining a longitudinal axis therethrough. The introducer configured for placement adjacent target tissue. A shaft operably coupled to the introducer is deployable from a distal end thereof and includes a proximal end for approximating the distal end of the shaft adjacent target tissue. The distal end of the shaft is movable from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration for separating target tissue from neighboring tissue.

Described here are closure devices and methods for ligating tissue, such as the left atrial appendage. Generally, the closure devices include an elongate body, a snare loop assembly comprising a snare and a suture loop, and a shuttle connected to the snare and releasably coupled to the elongate body and retractable therein. In some variations, the shuttle may be configured to fit into the lumen. In other variations, a handle may be attached to the elongate body, and the handle may comprise a track and a snare control coupled to the track. The handle may be configured to release the shuttle from the elongate body and allow movement of the snare control along the track to retract the snare loop and the shuttle into a lumen of the elongate body.

Embodiments of the present invention encompass systems and methods for delivering ligatures to anatomical features of a patient. Exemplary ligature delivery systems for use in delivering a ligature to a left atrial appendage ligature include an elongate support mechanism having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a flexible hoop assembly, and a cinchable constriction member. The flexible hoop assembly can be coupled with the distal portion of the elongate support mechanism, and can include a support body coupled with a support frame. The support frame can be biased to hold the support body in a trailing configuration, whereby a free portion of the support body is disposed proximal to the distal portion of the elongate support mechanism. The support frame of the flexible hoop assembly can be coupled with the distal portion of the elongate support mechanism. The support body can be configured to support the cinchable constriction member and a loop of the left atrial appendage ligature.

A device for wrapping around a bodily organ and preventing overexpansion thereof. The device comprises inner and outer surfaces with a pliant material located therebetween. The inner surface defines a passage and accommodates and reinforces a bodily organ. The bodily organ, following surgical implantation, extends through the passage and is surrounded by the device. The inner surface, in an uncompressed/slightly compressed state, defines a normal state which supports the bodily organ and permits flow of bodily material therethrough. As the bodily organ expands, due to the bodily material flowing therethrough, the inner surface and the pliant material are compressed and, in turn, correspondingly exert a collapsing force, against the outer wall of the bodily organ, which limits and opposes the expansion of the bodily organ and forces the outer wall of the bodily organ back toward its normal state which still permits flow of bodily material through the bodily organ.

An apparatus applicable for the ligation of internal tissue in a created or natural cavity in animals or in the human body, for example varicose veins in the gullet or a duodenal diverticulum, by means of an elastic band (19) while observing the ligations through an endoscope. The apparatus includes an automatic trigger unit (1) mounted firmly on the handle of the endoscope which can release a number of elastic bands (19) with the aid of a single-stranded trigger cord (11). Only a single elastic band (19) is released for each ligation thereby establishing a one-man-operated apparatus.

Body lumen occlusion apparatus and methods are described.

Provided herein is a mechanical device including a rotating spool assembly and a disposable valve assembly. The rotating spool assembly includes a hub, an arm, and a spool inserted through an opening in the arm. The rotating spool assembly can be sterilized after each use. The disposable valve assembly includes a mating stem member, a sealing member, and a flushing port member. The disposable valve assembly can be disposed of after every use. A loading member is also provided including a wire that can be formed from metal drawn out into a thin flexible thread. The loading member can be pre-formed in a helix to form coils in the wire. A release cord is provided including a braided cord with two single filaments and a plurality of beads formed along a length of the single filaments at a distal end of the braided cord.

The invention relates to a perivascular ring having an inner diameter adjustable by inflation/deflation and adapted to be implanted and closed about a vessel for controlling the inner diameter of said vessel and thus the flow and/or pressure of a fluid flowing in said vessel. The ring of the invention is capable of regulating blood flow to the liver, in particular after an hepatectomy or hepatic transplant, and to substantially improve the survival chances of the patient. The ring according the invention has an adjustable inner diameter (Ø.sub.i) for implantation and locking about a vessel.

A multiple band endoscopic ligation device comprises a single pull string and a plurality of beads positioned on said pull string and between each successive band. The device is configured to be coupled to the distal end of an endoscope and is used to deploy multiple elastic bands around target tissues to be ligated. The device includes a tapered cylindrical body about which a plurality of elastic bands are stretched and positioned. The pull string includes multiple sets of two beads fixed to the string wherein one bead is placed directly behind and in contact with the other. The string is wrapped around the device's body and under each band such that at least one pair of beads is positioned between the elastic bands and one pair of beads is positioned proximally to the most proximal band. As the string is pulled, the beads push the bands sequentially off the distal end of the device and around a tissue to be ligated. The use of two adjacent beads on the string to push off each band ensures that the bands will not slip over the beads, thereby preventing a misfire.