Disclosed herein is a therapeutically active agent usable in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), for use in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, as well as methods of treating PAH, said treatment and methods comprising administering such an active agent and effecting pulmonary artery denervation in the subject. In some aspects, a sub-therapeutically effective amount of the active agent is administered. In some aspects, the method is devoid of administering such an active agent for at least one month subsequent to the denervation. Further disclosed is a method of treating PAH comprising determining a responsiveness of the subject to at least one therapeutically active agent usable in treating PAH; and effecting pulmonary artery denervation in a subject responsive to the active agent(s).

Systems for enabling delivery of very high peak power laser pulses through optical fibers for use in ablation procedures preferably in contact mode. Such lasers advantageously emit at 355 nm wavelength. Other systems enable selective removal of undesired tissue within a blood vessel, while minimizing the risk of damaging the blood vessel itself, based on the use of the ablative properties of short laser pulses of 320 to 400 nm laser wavelength, with selected parameters of the mechanical walls of the tubes constituting the catheter, of the laser fluence and of the force that is applied by the catheter on the tissues. Additionally, a novel method of calibrating such catheters is disclosed, which also enables real time monitoring of the ablation process. Additionally, novel methods of protecting the fibers exit facets are disclosed.

Methods and apparatus provide therapeutic electromagnetic radiation (EMR) for inactivating infectious agents in, on or around a catheter residing in a patient's body cavity and/or for enhancing healthy cell growth. Transmitting non-ultraviolet therapeutic EMR substantially axially along an optical element in a lumen of the catheter body and/or the catheter body. Through delivery of the therapeutic EMR to particular infected areas and/or areas requiring tissue healing. The inactivation of the major sources of infection in, on, and around catheters and/or enhance healthy cell growth around catheters is accomplished by utilizing controlled relative intensity and/or treatment region specific dosing of the therapeutic EMR emitted radially from the optical element. Specific embodiments of urinary catheters, peritoneal dialysis catheters, dialysis accesses, and hemodialysis accesses are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method for integrating an electronic circuit in or on a medical stent. The method comprises obtaining (101) a deformable medical stent (21) in a substantially planar shape, in which the deformable medical stent is adapted for being deployed in a substantially cylindrical shape in the body. The method also comprises attaching (104) a deformable electronic circuit (22) onto the deformable medical stent in the planar shape thereby forming a deformable hybrid structure. The method also comprises shaping (107) said hybrid structure into the cylindrical shape.

A system and method for emitting a wavelength of energy internal to a medium or internal to a human or animal subject, and methods for using the system in the treatment of a condition, disorder, or disease. The system includes 1) a source configured to produce an initiation signal penetrating at least a part of the medium or the human or animal subject and 2) an insertion device having an electronics assembly unit. The assembly unit includes 1) an emitter configured to emit the wavelength of energy of a predetermined type to treat a disease or disorder in the human or animal subject or to produce a change in the medium and 2) a receiver that receives the signal.

A system to be used to treat Leukemia, comprises a device to power, control and monitor an ultraviolet radiation as well as to monitor a blood contactless conductivity; and a catheter assembly with an inner dialysis catheter, an ultraviolet radiation source and a differential coil sensor. The system is using wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation to destroy infectious microbes that are in the blood and that are inside circulating tumor cells directly and indirectly as well as to destroy infectious microbes at primary tumor location (bone marrow). This is done without withdrawing the blood out of the body. Furthermore, the system measures a blood conductivity to evaluate the treatment process in a real time during the operation.

Disclosed is a novel vascular optical fiber guidewire. The vascular optical fiber guidewire includes a metal axial wire and an optical fiber surrounding the metal axial wire. The optical fiber includes a core wire and a cladding layer covering the core wire. For above vascular optical fiber guidewire, in a part of the optical guidewire that is required to transmit light, a bending radius of the optical fiber around the metal axial wire is greater than a critical bending radius, and in a region of the optical fiber guidewire that is required to scatter light, the bending radius of the optical fiber around the metal axial wire is less than the critical bending radius. The present disclosure is capable of entering a blood vessel by a percutaneous puncture technique, guiding the optical fiber guidewire through a medical imaging device in a blood vessel, and performing side-illumination on the head.

A therapeutic illumination assembly includes a catheter and a point source treatment fiber. The catheter comprises a catheter wall encircling a luminal fluid pathway. The point source treatment fiber is positioned within the luminal fluid pathway of the catheter. Further, the point source treatment fiber comprises a plurality of light emitting point sources intermittently positioned along a treatment length of the point source treatment fiber such that the plurality of light emitting point sources irradiate the catheter when the plurality of light emitting point sources emit light.

A light-emitting, antimicrobial tuber, instrument or catheter includes a thin, flexible tube having an optically transparent wall; and a light transmitter configured and arranged to emit light through the tube, which may be ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation, photodynamic therapy (PDT), violet-blue light therapy, and other light-based therapies. In one embodiment, violet-blue light from 400-500 nm in wavelength, such as 405 nm, for instance, is used. The device is used on a patient and a therapeutic amount of light is administered to the patient, thereby reducing the risk of infections being transmitted from the instrument, tube or catheter to the patient, generally. The device may be configured for use in the urinary tract or as intravascular, and may be indwelling or temporary. Light may be administered for the duration of use or another time period effective to halt, inhibit, or reduce microbial or fungal growth.

The present application is directed to devices, assemblies, systems and methods for targeting one or more sites with electromagnetic radiation. The devices, assemblies and systems are operationally configured to transform and convey electromagnetic radiation to one or more targeted sites. The devices, assemblies and systems may also convey one or more fluids or fluid solutions to the one or more targeted sites.