A clot capture catheter comprises an elongate tubular shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and an inflatable expansile member at the distal end. The expansile member is inflatable from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the expansile member extends to define a funnel shape having an enlarged distal clot entry mouth at the distal-most end of the catheter. In the expanded configuration, the expansile member may extend distally beyond the distalmost tip of the shaft. The expansile member may be integral with the distal tip of the catheter shaft.

Catheter based systems for isolated stenting of an intravascular lesion can include two expandable occlusion devices with a balloon expandable stent therebetween. Expandable occlusion devices can be expanded in a distal direction and a proximal direction in relation to the lesion to occlude vasculature. One or both of the occlusion devices can include a fluid impermeable membrane to occlude blood flow. The stent can be deployed across the lesion while the occlusion devices are in place. Fragments dislodged during stenting can be aspirated.

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 is disclosed for endovascular procedures. In one embodiment, among others, the balloon catheter includes an elongated catheter body. At a distal end, the catheter body also includes an angled tip and a balloon adjacent to the angled tip. The balloon is inflatable to form an oblong shape.

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter. The catheter may include a catheter shaft and a balloon. The balloon may comprise a cone portion, a waist portion, and a body portion. A fiber braid may be disposed along the balloon. An inner surface of the waist portion may be thermally bonded to an outer surface of the catheter shaft and an inner surface of the fiber braid may be adhesively bonded to an outer surface of the waist portion.

Flexible high-pressure angioplasty balloons are disclosed herein which utilize an inflatable balloon positioned upon the catheter and a supporting structure secured over or along the catheter at a first location proximal to the balloon and at a second location distal to the balloon. Inflation of the balloon reconfigures the supporting structure to urge the first location and the second location towards one another thereby inhibiting longitudinal elongation of the balloon relative to the catheter. The supporting structure may surround, support, or otherwise extend over the entire length of the balloon and allows for the balloon to retain increased flexibility which enables the balloon to bend or curve even at relatively high inflation pressures.

A fiber-reinforced medical balloon includes a cylindrical central portion. The balloon includes first and second conical portions connected to the cylindrical central portion along a central longitudinal axis extending from a first end of the balloon to a second end of the balloon. The balloon includes a plurality of first fiber strands extending from the first end of the balloon to the second end of the balloon. Each strand of the plurality of first fiber strands runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis through the cylindrical central portion and radially around at least a portion of the first and second conical portions. The balloon includes at least one second fiber strand extending radially around the central portion. The strands are applied as part of a single continuous fiber.

A system for performing angioplasty and a method of utilizing same are provided. The system includes a balloon mounted on a catheter shaft and an expandable constraining structure mounted over the balloon. The expandable constraining structure includes a plurality of axial struts crossing a plurality of radially-expandable rings being for constraining said balloon such that isolated balloon regions protrude through openings in said constraining structure when the balloon is inflated.

An improved medical device reduces the loss of longitudinal length during expansion of a stent-graft from a compressed state to an expanded state. For example, the stent-graft is placed over a cover that provides resistance to expansion of the balloon during inflation, which reduces longitudinal compressing forces exerted on the stent-graft.

The present invention relates to the use of a copolymer containing polyether blocks and polyamide blocks for manufacturing an inflatable catheter element, such as a catheter balloon, with improved bursting strength, in which said copolymer has the following characteristics: a number-average molecular mass of the PE blocks greater than 500 g/mol, and a number-average molecular mass of the PA blocks greater than 10,000 g/mol.