The present invention provides a tube body cleaning apparatus. A tube body cleaning apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a body having a set length and formed from a flexible material; a work member positioned at one point of the length direction of the body and rotatable, about a shaft provided in the length direction of the body, with respect to the body; and an expansion member positioned at one point of the length direction of the body and enabling a volume, which protrudes outward from the body, to increase by expanding.

Systems and methods for treating cellulite including an apparatus that applies or a method involving disrupting, stretching, re-orienting or tearing septa to eliminate or reduce the appearance of cellulite. In one approach, an expandable member is placed between tissue layers to stretch or tear septa connecting tissue layers between which fat deposits are contained.

A method and apparatus for treating a clot in the blood vessel of a patient, and particularly the treatment of a pulmonary embolism is disclosed. The treatment includes restoring flow through the clot followed by clot removal, either partially or substantially completely. The clot treatment device is expandable into the blood vessel and may contain radial extensions that assist in restoring flow as well as in removing clot material.

The devices and methods described herein relate to improved structures for removing obstructions from body lumens. Such devices have applicability in through-out the ho including clearing of blockages within the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen.

An intravascular catheter device includes an expandable portion which has a plurality of struts and is secured to a flexible catheter tube. A tip member is attached to a distal portion of a sleeve and a distal portion of the struts. Axial retraction of the tip member moves the expandable portion from a closed position where the struts extend parallel with a centerline of the expandable portion to an opened position where the struts bow outwardly. An incising element is associated with at least one of the struts. The incising element extends parallel with the centerline when the expandable portion is in the closed position.

An apparatus and method for the treatment of intravascular medical conditions is provided. The device comprising a handle assembly, an expandable portion defined by a plurality of struts oriented along a longitudinal axis and a tip member affixed to a distal end of the struts. The struts are moveable between a collapsed and an expanded position. A catheter tube extends from the handle assembly to the expandable portion. An elongate member is disposed within the catheter tube and is in communication with the handle assembly and the tip member.

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing a body wall of a patient. A pull-type cutting device also is disclosed to introduce an opening into the body wall to provide access for intra-chest surgical interventions, for example a minimally invasive biopsy technique as also described for excising target tissue from within a patient, including a nodule from within the patient's lung.

The devices and methods described herein relate to improved structures for removing obstructions from body lumens. Such devices have applicability in through-out the ho including clearing of blockages within the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen.

Intravascular catheter devices and methods for using the same are disclosed. An expandable portion is connected to a flexible catheter tube. A sleeve extends within the expandable portion. The expandable portion includes a number of struts, each of which hinges relative to the flexible catheter tube and the sleeve, and each of which has an intermediate joining portion which permits hinging movement of a first intermediate portion relative to a second intermediate portion upon movement of the sleeve relative to the flexible catheter tube to selectively elevate the intermediate joining portion away from an outer surface of the sleeve. An incising element is oriented to extend along a longitudinal axis of an outer surface of a first intermediate portion of one of the struts for incising vascular tissue.

A method for suctioning an object in a blood vessel, the method comprising: inserting an expansion portion connected to a shaft portion on a distal portion of the shaft portion into the blood vessel; expanding the expansion portion in the blood vessel; inserting a suction catheter along the shaft portion into the blood vessel; reciprocating at least the expansion portion or the suction catheter relative to each other along an axial axis of the shaft portion; and suctioning the object with the suction catheter.