Methods and devices for improving airflow distribution in treatment of respiratory conditions are disclosed. According to various embodiments, blocking devices may be used to redirect air away from healthy portions of the lung to diseased portions so that inhaled medication may be more effectively delivered to the patient.

Materials and methods for forming a bronchial obstruction are provided. A peptide comprising between about 7 amino acids and about 32 amino acids in a solution may be introduced to a target site. A hydrogel barrier may be provided at the target site in order to provide a bronchial obstruction.

The present invention relates to a nasal plug for diverting airflow from a natural flow path in a person's nostril. In some circumstances, the airflow is channeled and directed to a specific location in a person's nasal or sinus cavity. The person may adjust and self-select a preferred airflow path by adjusting the nasal plug's location in the nostril, e.g., rotating the plugs. A kit may include two plugs, which may be used singly or in combination with each other and are independently adjustable/rotatable. A method for reducing nasal discomfort or improving nasal functions by diverting channeled airflow in a nostril is also disclosed.

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 one-way lung valve for sealing fluid passageways in ventilatory airways. The valve includes a frame and a flexible membrane having respective opposed inner and outer surfaces and is supported by the frame. The flexible membrane is configured to transition between a compressed configuration and an occluding configuration in the ventilatory airways. The respective opposed inner and outer surfaces includes one or more features on the inner and/or outer surface to prevent the flexible membrane from forming one or more air gaps when the flexible membrane is in the occluding configuration position.

A method of operating a surgical anchoring system can include inserting an outer sleeve of a surgical instrument at least partially into a first natural body lumen, the outer sleeve having a working channel. The method can include inserting a channel arm of the surgical instrument through the working channel of the outer sleeve and into a second natural body lumen. The channel arm has at least one first anchor member coupled thereto and a control actuator operatively coupled to the at least one first anchor member. The method can include expanding the at least one first anchor member from an unexpanded state to an expanded state to form an anchor point at a portion of the second natural body lumen. The method can include controlling, by the control actuator, a motion of the channel arm to selectively manipulate an organ associated with the first and second natural body lumens.

The invention relates to medical technology, and more particularly to a device for the conservative treatment of nasal and paranasal sinus diseases. The present device comprises obturators for the posterior and anterior nasal openings, each obturator being in the form of an expandable sheath made of a resilient material and provided with a feed tube. The distal end of the tube is in communication with the cavity below the sheath, and the proximal end is provided with an adapter having a valve mechanism. The obturator sheath for the posterior nasal opening is hermetically fastened to the distal portion of its feed tube. The obturator sheath for the anterior nasal opening is hermetically fastened to a cuff. The cuff is provided with two channels, one of which holds the feed tube of the obturator sheath for the posterior nasal opening in such a way that the cuff can move along the entire length of the feed tube. The other channel holds a catheter for evacuating a pathological secretion from the paranasal sinuses and/or for introducing solutions of medicinal preparations into same for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. The catheter is held in said channel in such a way that the distal portion thereof can be moved into the space between the obturator sheaths. The invention is intended to provide more effective treatment of nasal and paranasal sinus disorders.

The present invention relates to an implantable apparatus and methods of use thereof for treating congestive heart failure. An apparatus of this invention may be anchored by implantation of a section of the apparatus within in a branch pulmonary artery, for example the left pulmonary artery, which then positions and anchors another section, for example a device frame section of the apparatus within the main pulmonary artery. A medical device may be attached to the anchored device frame.

A conveyor for an implant having at least one cavity, including a conveying handle, a conveying cable, and a core wire. The conveying cable is a tubular body, a proximal end of the core wire is connected to the conveying handle, and a distal end of the core wire penetrates a distal end of the conveying cable from a proximal end of the conveying cable; a first control is provided on the conveying handle, and when the implant is connected to the distal end of the conveying cable, the first control controls the distal end of the core wire to extend into the implant to straighten the curved implant, or the first control controls the core wire to withdraw from the implant to restore the implant to a preset shape. The conveyor can load and release the implant on the conveyor, and be used in the entire implanting process.

An apparatus comprises a shaft, an expandable dilator, and at least one ventilation pathway. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and comprises a distal and proximal ends with at least one shaft lumen. The expandable dilator comprises body with its own proximal and distal ends. The body is configured to transition between a contracted state and an expanded state. The body is configured to dilate a Eustachian tube of a patient in the expanded state. The at least one ventilation pathway is configured to provide ventilation from the distal end of the body to the proximal end of the body when the body is in the expanded state. In some examples, the ventilation pathway comprises a set of transversely oriented vent openings formed through the shaft. In some other examples, the ventilation pathway comprises a space defined between one or more radially outwardly protruding features of the expandable dilator.