An angioplasty balloon including a non-deployable stent to prevent or reduce the potential for slippage of the inflated balloon with respect to the vessel wall being treated. The balloon includes a non-deployable stent that is adapted to be secured to the balloon or angioplasty balloon catheter. The stent has a proximal end, a distal end, and at least three radially-spaced struts, each, each strut connecting the proximal end to the distal end and having one or more bends that allow expansion of the strut to accommodate the inflation of the balloon. The stem is made or a material so that the stent collapses upon deflation of the balloon.

Provided are conformable light delivery devices for increasing light penetration depth and related methods. The device may comprise a microarray of tissue penetrating members, each member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the tissue penetrating members are at least partially optically transparent to provide optical transmission through a surface that extends between the distal and proximal ends of each tissue penetrating member and a substrate that supports the tissue penetrating members, wherein the substrate is optionally a flexible substrate.

Provided are conformable light delivery devices for increasing light penetration depth and related methods. The device comprises a tissue penetrating member having a distal end and a proximal end, the tissue penetrating member configured to penetrate the tissue of the patient to be inserted into the tissue, wherein the tissue penetrating member is at least partially optically transparent along a surface of the tissue penetrating member positioned between the distal end of the tissue penetrating member and the proximal end of the tissue penetrating member to provide optical transmission of at least a portion of the light through the surface of the tissue penetrating member, thereby allowing at least the portion of the light to be delivered into the tissue of the patient when the tissue penetrating member is inserted into the tissue; and a substrate that supports the tissue penetrating member.

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.

A method of forming a balloon for a surgical access device includes positioning a molding material into a channel defined in a first mold half of a mold and mounting a second mold half onto the first mold half to cover the channel and form a cavity within the mold. The first and second mold halves each includes vent holes extending therethrough that are in fluid communication with the cavity. The method also includes expanding the molding material to conform to the shape of the cavity to form a balloon including protrusions extending radially outwardly therefrom. The protrusions are formed by engagement of the molding material with the vent holes.

Balloon catheters, sleeves, cages, and endoluminal prostheses are provided with stress-applying and spacing features coupled to expandable surfaces thereof. The stress-applying features may have blunt and/or rounded contact regions which contact tissue or calcified regions in the vasculature. The contact regions dent or fracture occlusive material on the wall of a vascular lumen and/or patient valve leaflets when expanded. The spacing features permit blood, drug, and contrast perfusion past structures expanded in the vasculature, particularly balloon catheters.

The disclosure provides for a device and method for dilation. The dilation device may include a catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a dilation expandable body in fluid communication with a first opening on the distal portion of the catheter body, and an occlusion anchor expandable body in fluid communication with a second opening on the distal portion of the catheter body. The method for dilating a stricture site may include inserting the dilation device into a stricture site of a patient, expanding the occlusion anchor expandable body at the stricture site, and expanding the dilation expandable body at the stricture site.

A kit comprising: a urinary catheter comprising a first and a second longitudinal lumens; an ultrasonic transducer disposed about said catheter; a balloon mounted on said catheter, and enclosing said transducer; and a reservoir containing an acoustic coupling medium, wherein: said catheter further comprises a first opening in said first longitudinal lumen, said first opening disposed inside said balloon and configured to inflate said balloon with at least some of said acoustic coupling medium, said catheter further comprises a second opening in said second longitudinal lumen, said second opening disposed outside said balloon and configured to deliver a therapeutic fluid into the urinary bladder, around said balloon, and activation of said transducer in said urinary bladder causes cavitation bubbles to form in said therapeutic fluid adjacent an internal surface of the urinary bladder, and little or no cavitation bubbles are formed in said acoustic coupling medium in said balloon.

A balloon catheter which is inflated after insertion into a tubular tissue includes: a balloon catheter body made of a polymer material, which is inflatable by fluid injection; and a plurality of microneedles formed on the surface of the balloon catheter body, wherein the microneedles are formed by transferring a biocompatible polymer resin or photocurable resin, filled in intaglio patterns formed on a mold, which have a shape corresponding to a shape of the microneedles, to the surface of the balloon catheter body which is in close contact with the mold, by a thermal molding, thermal crosslinking or photocuring process.

The disclosure provides for a device and method for dilation. The dilation device may include a catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a dilation expandable body in fluid communication with a first opening on the distal portion of the catheter body, and an occlusion anchor expandable body in fluid communication with a second opening on the distal portion of the catheter body. The method for dilating a stricture site may include inserting the dilation device into a stricture site of a patient, expanding the occlusion anchor expandable body at the stricture site, and expanding the dilation expandable body at the stricture site.