Medical device delivery systems and methods are disclosed. In various examples, the medical device delivery system (1000) includes an elongate element (1100) including an olive (1200). The olive (1200) includes an opening that exposes a lockwire (1300) extending through a lumen of the olive (1200) such that a linking element (1500) can be coupled to the portion of the lockwire (1300) exposed by the opening, wherein the linking element (1500) provides a coupling to a medical device (1400).

Disclosed herein is a delivery catheter for implanting a leadless biostimulator. The delivery catheter includes a shaft and a tubular body having a lumen and an atraumatic end. The atraumatic end includes at least one of a braided, woven or mesh construction configured to facilitate the atraumatic end changing diameter. When a distal portion of the shaft is coupled to a proximal region of the leadless biostimulator, at least one of distally displacing the tubular body relative to the shaft or proximally displacing the shaft relative to the tubular body causes the leadless biostimulator to be received in the volume of the atraumatic end and the atraumatic end to encompass the leadless biostimulator. Conversely, at least one of proximally displacing the tubular body relative to the shaft or distally displacing the shaft relative to the tubular body causes the leadless biostimulator to exit the volume of the atraumatic end.

Catheters and methods for supporting a guidewire or delivering a radiopaque, diagnostic or therapeutic agent through a vessel stenosis or other tortuous anatomy are disclosed. A catheter can comprise an elongate shaft body and a tip member disposed at a distal end of the shaft body. The shaft body can extend from a proximal end to the distal end and can define an inner lumen. The shaft body can include a liner, a braid member surrounding the liner, a multi-layer coil surrounding the braid member, and a polymer cover surrounding the multi-layer coil. An outer surface portion of the polymer cover can include one or more helical threads, which can be enveloped in an outer wrapper. The tip member can be made from a metal or a polymer. Polymer tip members can include a hard or semi-hard distal tip.

Disclosed herein is a catheter advancement device having an elongate shaft and a capsule attached to or integral with the shaft, and related methods for assisting with advancement of catheters such as cardiovascular guiding catheters while reducing damage to the inner wall of the blood vessel. Some capsules have a distal plug portion and a neck portion having a smaller diameter than the plug. Other capsules have a channel defined along the outer surface of the capsule. Some elongate shafts have an attachment tube disposed at or near the proximal end thereof.

The subject guide catheter extension/pre-dilatation system includes an outer delivery sheath, an inner member extending within the sheath, and a mechanism for engagement/disengagement of the inner member to/from the sheath. The inner member is configured with a tapered distal tip having a delivery micro-catheter and a pre-dilatation balloon member attached to the tapered distal tip in proximity to the micro-catheter. The outer delivery sheath and the inner member are modified for different engagement/disengagement mechanisms operation. The delivery micro-catheter provides for an improved crossability for the balloon member to the treatment site in an atraumatic, expedited and convenient fashion. During the cardiac procedure, a guidewire and a guide catheter are advanced to the vicinity of the treatment site within a blood vessel. Subsequent thereto, the inner member and outer delivery sheath, in their engaged configuration, are advanced along the guidewire inside the guide catheter towards the site of treatment. Once at the treatment site, the balloon member is inflated for pre-dilatation treatment. Subsequently, the inner member is disengaged and retracted from the outer delivery sheath, and a stent is delivered to the treatment site inside the outer delivery sheath.

An embolization microcatheter with a wall including a braid, a polymer formed around the braid and an inner liner coating an inner surface of the wall, a radiopaque marker located in proximity to the distal end opening; wherein the part of the microcatheter extending between the proximal end of the radiopaque marker and the distal end opening is devoid of the liner and wherein the wall has a thickness of about 120 microns or less.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure can include flexible catheter tip. The flexible catheter tip can include an inboard understructure that defines a tip longitudinal axis, wherein the inboard understructure can be formed from a first continuous element that includes afirst rectangular cross-section. An intermediate inboard covering can be disposed about the first continuous element that forms a distal portion of the inboard understructure. An outboard understructure can extend along the tip longitudinal axis, wherein the outboard understructure can be formed from a second continuous element that includes a second rectangular cross-section. An intermediate outboard covering can be disposed about the second continuous element that forms a distal portion of the outboard understructure.

A catheter assembly includes a catheter at least partially positioned within a sleeve. The catheter has a coating, which produces a low-friction surface on the catheter when treated with an activating fluid. A protective tip is connected to the sleeve and has proximal and distal internal seals, with the proximal seal at the proximal end of the tip or between proximal and distal ends of the protective tip. A cap of the assembly has a projection, which is removably received within the protective tip for sealing engagement with the proximal and distal seals to define a fluid reservoir within the protective tip. An activating fluid is contained within the fluid reservoir. The projection may be partially hollow to receive a portion of the catheter. The sleeve may be relatively narrow or at least have a narrowed portion for better distribution of activating fluid to the surface of the catheter.

Disclosed herein is a catheter advancement device having an elongate shaft and a capsule attached to or integral with the shaft, and related methods for assisting with advancement of catheters such as cardiovascular guiding catheters while reducing damage to the inner wall of the blood vessel. Some capsules have a distal plug portion and a neck portion having a smaller diameter than the plug. Other capsules have a channel defined along the outer surface of the capsule. Some elongate shafts have an attachment tube disposed at or near the proximal end thereof.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating strictures in body lumens and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent.