Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for administering one or more medications useful for facilitating diagnostic and/or surgical procedures within a patient. A guidewire is positioned intravascularly in a patient at a location of interest, the guidewire being free of any coating that includes adenosine. An intravascular component having a surface with a coating that includes a vasodilation agent is deployed over the guidewire. The vasodilation agent is released from the surface of the intravascular component, such as by eluting the vasodilation agent from the coating of the surface while the intravascular component is within the anatomical structure of the patient. The intravascular component is removed over the guidewire, and the guidewire is left at the location of interest after the intravascular component is removed, which can facilitate subsequent deployment of a different intravascular component over the guidewire.

Implantable apparatuses or biosensors for facilitating imaging-based diagnoses and methods thereof are disclosed. An implantable apparatus is configured to exhibit a form when subjected to a first physical parameter indicative of a first physiological state, and a second form when subjected to a second physical parameter indicative of a second physiological state.

A catheter for measuring a fractional flow reserve includes a proximal shaft, a distal shaft coupled to a distal portion of the proximal shaft, and a pressure sensor coupled to the distal shaft. The proximal shaft includes a distal portion configured to extend through a stenosis in a vessel. The distal portion of the proximal shaft includes a radially expanded configuration having a first diameter and a radially collapsed configuration having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter. The distal shaft includes a guidewire lumen configured to receive therein.

Apparatus for facilitating ablation of nerve tissue of a subject is provided, comprising (1) an ablation unit, configured to be percutaneously advanced to a site adjacent to a first portion of the nerve tissue; (2) at least one electrode unit, coupled to the ablation unit, and configured to be percutaneously advanced to a site adjacent to a second portion of the nerve tissue, and to initiate unidirectional action potentials in the nerve tissue, such that the unidirectional action potentials propagate toward the first portion of the nerve tissue; and (3) a control unit, configured: (a) to drive the ablation unit to ablate, at least in part, the first portion of the nerve tissue of the subject, and (b) to drive the at least one electrode unit to initiate the unidirectional action potentials by applying an excitatory current to the second portion of the nerve tissue.

Implanted electrodes can be used to deliver electrical stimulation signals to areas near blood vessels, nerves, or other internal body locations. In an example, an electrode can be implanted in a cervical location and can be used to measure dimensional changes in an artery using impedance plethysmography. Measured artery dimensional changes can be used to determine one or more physiological parameters associated with a patient's health status, such as pulse transit time, relative pulse pressure, or aterial compliance, among others. These parameters can be used to monitor a patient health status or to modulate a patient's therapy, among other uses. In some examples, an electrode configured to deliver an electrostimulation signal to nerve tissue can be used to provide non-neurostimulating electrical stimulation plethysmography signals near a blood vessel.

Methods and systems include a long-term implantable ultra-filtrate monitoring system that uses micro-porous membranes to produce an ultra-filtrate of tissue interstitial fluid or blood plasma. The ultra-filtrate is transported through a sensor to detect a level of analyte in the ultra-filtrate. The long-term implantable fluid monitoring system thus includes a first porous catheter, a second porous catheter, a sensor configured to measure an amount of analyte in fluid, and a pump configured to move fluid through the first porous catheter to the sensor and from the sensor through the second porous catheter.

Procedures, implantable wireless sensing devices, and sensor assemblies suitable for monitoring physiological parameters within living bodies. Such sensor assembly includes a sensing device and an anchor for securing the sensing device within a living body. The sensing device comprises a housing having at least one internal cavity and a transducer and electrical circuitry within the at least one internal cavity. The sensing device further comprises an antenna that is within the at least one internal cavity or outside the housing. The housing has at least one additional housing portion in which the transducer, the electrical circuitry, and the antenna are not located. The anchor has a metal portion that surrounds the at least one additional housing portion so as not to surround the transducer, the electrical circuitry, or the antenna.

A system for mapping and marking baroreceptors of a patient. The system includes a mapping device, a marker, and a stimulator. The mapping device includes a plurality of electrodes to be situated on the patient. The marker is to be attached to the patient and mark a location of at least one of the plurality of electrodes based on an analysis of patient physiological responses to stimulation of the plurality of electrodes. The stimulator is to divide the plurality of electrodes into a first electrode zone and a second electrode zone and stimulate electrodes in the first electrode zone and the second electrode zone to obtain first patient physiological responses, where one of the first electrode zone and the second electrode zone is selected based on the first patient physiological responses.

There is provided a processor device for an endoscope capable of accurately acquiring an observation distance. An endoscope system has an endoscope, and a light source device, and a processor device. The endoscope has an imaging sensor, and images an observation target and outputs an image signal. The light source device emits illumination light for illuminating the observation target. The processor device includes a measurement image processing unit. The measurement image processing unit includes a blood vessel index value calculation section and an observation distance calculation section. The blood vessel index value calculation section calculates a blood vessel index value based on the image signal from the endoscope. The observation distance calculation section calculates an observation distance from the blood vessel index value calculated by the blood vessel index value calculation section.

The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing real time intraprocedural operational feedback to the operator as to the success of a renal denervation procedure and its overall effectiveness for reducing the blood pressure of a subject to allow for more precise and thorough ablation of the renal artery and better patient outcomes. Using this real time feedback generated through the electrical stimulation of multiple points about the circumference of the renal artery at specific times during the procedure, the operator can assess the desired procedural endpoint and whether the amount of renal denervation provided to the subject is sufficient, or whether the subject may benefit from further denervation of the renal artery. The present disclosure provides means for providing real time intraprocedural feedback to the operator that can be incorporated into conventional renal denervation catheters and equipment.