A device for emptying stool from the rectum of a patient by means of a shaft body which is introduced into the bowel via the anus and is able to buckle or fold axially and radially, and which is provided with a dumbbell- or hourglass-shaped balloon body for assuring the transanal positioning of the device. The invention is further characterized by the special design of and choice of material for the shaft body and the balloon envelope and by the specific positioning of the balloon body on the shaft body, wherein the axial deflection of the free forward end of the shaft body is limited or an uncontrolled deflection of the shaft is prevented, and the probability of perforation of the bowel wall under the effect of force acting on the shaft body from an axial direction is therefore decisively reduced by the intestinal tube described according to the invention.

A balloon catheter system for infusion of micelles at high pressure. The system includes a catheter with a drug eluting balloon with a perforated wall with numerous pores, a reservoir of nanoparticles in an aqueous solution disposed within the balloon or in fluid communication with the balloon. The particles may comprise drug loaded micelles, where the micelles are provided in the size range of 40 to 250 nm generally (0.040 μm to 0.250 μm), and the pores of the balloon wall are configured to allow passage of the micelles with a minimum of disruption, The pores are conical, with the diameter of the pore at the inside of the balloon wall smaller than the diameter of the pores at the outside of the balloon wall.

A fluid delivery system including a first balloon and a second balloon at least partially positioned within the first balloon, wherein the second balloon has an inner surface, an outer surface, and at least one micro-needle extending outwardly from the outer surface of the second balloon. The delivery system can further include a fluid source in communication with at least one of the micro-needles of the second balloon.

A nested balloon is provided where each balloon is formed from tubing that optimizes the inner wall stretch thus providing maximum balloon strength. The high pressure, nested balloon is provided with layers that allow for slipping, such that the balloon has a very high pressure rating and toughness, yet excellent folding characteristics. Methods for producing such nested balloons using existing balloon forming equipment are also provided. The nested balloons can have layers with low-friction surfaces. The nested balloons are preferably manufactured using a variety of methods, including pressurized constrained annealing.

A medical device for removal of an occlusion from a vessel in a patient’s body. The retrieval device having a retriever sub-system and an aspiration sub-system. The retriever sub-system having a delivery catheter and an elongated delivery member that includes proximal and distal expandable elements, the proximal element being removably engaged to the elongated delivery member and the distal element being fixed to the elongated delivery member. The proximal element adapted to move axially along the elongated delivery member in a distal direction toward the distal element when the proximal element is released from the elongated delivery member, whereby, when the proximal element is disposed on a distal side of the vessel occlusion and the distal element is disposed on a proximal side of the occlusion, the proximal and distal elements surround, isolate and contain the occlusion between the proximal and distal elements at the vessel occlusion site. The medical device also includes means for delivering a pharmacological agent composition to the vessel occlusion site during and after the occlusion extraction, the pharmacological agent composition adapted to at least partially lyse and/or disassociate the occlusion from the vessel wall or ameliorate and/or facilitate amelioration of tissue damage to an endothelial luminal wall of an obstructed vessel in vivo and/or enhance the flow rate of blood through the vessel. The aspiration sub-system being in communication with the retriever sub-system and adapted to remove at least a portion of the occlusion from the vessel.

A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque prior to balloon angioplasty which microperforates the plaque with small sharp spikes acting as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque. The spikes may also be used to transport medication into the plaque. The plaque preparation treatment enables subsequent angioplasty to be performed at low balloon pressures of about 4 atmospheres or less, reduces dissections, and avoids injury to the arterial wall. The subsequent angioplasty may be performed with a drug-eluting balloon (DEB) or drug-coated balloon (DCB). The pre-angioplasty perforation procedure enables more drug to be absorbed during DEB or DCB angioplasty, and makes the need for a stent less likely. Alternatively, any local incidence of plaque dissection after balloon angioplasty may be treated by applying a thin, ring-shaped tack at the dissection site only, rather than applying a stent over the overall plaque site.

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue biopsies and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing the chest wall, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A pull-type cutting device 1 comprises two coaxially nested tubes, each extending from a proximal end 21 to a distal end 22. The first tube 61 defines a guide wire lumen 23 for slidingly receiving a guide wire. The second tube 63 extends over the first tube 60 and coupled thereto at the distal end 22 defining an expandable portion 13 adjacent the distal end 22. The second tube 63 defines an inflation lumen 25 extending from the shaft proximal end 21 to the expandable portion 13. The inflation lumen 25 communicates inflation fluid from the proximal end 21 to the expandable portion 13 so as to inflate and deploy the expandable portion 13. Disposed adjacent the shaft distal end 22 is a cutting head 10 comprising the expandable portion 13 having a cutting portion 11 distal from the shaft distal end 22.

A cable for use with a pressure monitoring catheter, the catheter including an inflatable balloon forming a fluid chamber for pressure measurement. The cable has a first end operably connectable to the catheter, a second end operably connectable to a monitor providing pressure displays, and a printed circuit. The cable includes one or both of the filter system to enable collection and analysis of data and an adjustment feature to adjust pressure values in response to patient movement.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for intravascular delivery of a therapeutic agent, such as paclitaxel, rapamycin, or an analog thereof. The composition includes the therapeutic agent and a biocompatible solvent, such as glycofurol. The composition can aid tissue penetration by the therapeutic agent. A catheter assembly that protects the pharmaceutical composition from the surroundings can be used for its intravascular delivery.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for preventing injury to an esophagus caused by heat or cold being delivered to the left atrium, the method including altering a heat exchange device from an insertable configuration to a heat exchanging configuration which has an inflated generally flattened cross section (e.g. capsule-shaped, elliptical) corresponding with the cross section of the inside of the esophagus such that the esophagus is maintained in its natural shape and location. In some embodiments the heat exchange device has a heat exchanger which is inflated to be in the heat exchanging configuration.