Assemblies of guidewires for automatic withdrawal of stylets can include stylet and catheter assemblies. For example, a stylet assembly can include a guidewire disposed in a stylet. The guidewire can include a proximal portion having a first outer diameter, a distal portion including a dilated section having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter, and a guidewire tip in the distal portion of the guidewire. The stylet can include a stylet tip and a stylet lumen therethrough with a stylet inner diameter commensurate with the first outer diameter of the guidewire. At least the proximal portion of the guidewire can be disposed in the stylet lumen of the stylet with a corresponding orientation. The dilated section of the guidewire can be configured to butt against the stylet tip when the guidewire is proximally withdrawn from a catheter for automatic withdrawal of the stylet from the catheter.

A catheter for measuring pressure in the urinary tract of a patient includes a catheter body having a proximal and distal end. A plurality of lumens is formed in the catheter body, and an adaptor is coupled to the proximal end of the catheter body. The adaptor includes a port for each lumen. A first pressure sensor, typically including a balloon, is fluidically coupled to a first lumen and is configured and positioned to measure pressure in a urethra of the patient. A second pressure sensor, also typically including a balloon, is fluidically coupled to a second lumen and is configured and positioned on the catheter body to measure pressure in a bladder of the patient. An expandable retention member, which may be coupled to a third lumen, is positioned on the catheter body between the first and second expandable pressure sensors so that the catheter body may be retained at a selected location in the urinary tract to properly position the fluid pressure sensors in the bladder and urethra, respectively.

Disclosed is a localized method for treatment of cancer including the steps of providing a drug delivery catheter; navigating the catheter to the bile duct; and delivering a therapeutic agent into the bile duct. According to one aspect of the method, the drug delivery catheter is a multi-occlusion balloon catheter. The multi-occlusion balloon catheter may include at least two balloons. The multi-occlusion balloon catheter may optionally include a pressure transducer between the balloons to optimize delivery technique.

An elongate medical device comprising an expandable structure with an expandable configuration and a collapsed configuration, a handle, operably coupled to the expandable structure, the handle further including a selective movement limiter; and a deflection control member coupled with the distal hub, where the deflection control member is configured to adjust a stiffness of the expandable structure, from a first stiffness to a second stiffness, and maintain the first stiffness or the second stiffness when the selective movement limiter couples with the deflection control member and limits a longitudinal movement of the deflection control member, and wherein the deflection control member is configured to move freely when the selective movement limiter is not coupled with the deflection control member.

Systems, medical devices, and methods for controlling stiffness of the medical devices are disclosed. For example, a system can include an elongate medical device such as a stylet and a pneumatic or hydraulic pump station. The medical device can include a tubular body with a lumen. The lumen, which terminates proximal of a distal end of the medical device, can be configured to contain a fluid. The pump station can be configured to pressurize the fluid and, thereby, stiffen at least a distal portion of the medical device. Being as the tubular body of the medical device is configured to be disposed in another lumen of another elongate medical device such as an intravenous catheter, any stiffness in the medical device (e.g., the stylet) can be imparted to the other medical device (e.g., the catheter) when disposed therein.

Intravascular imaging devices and methods for making and using intravascular imaging devices are disclosed. An example intravascular imaging device may include a catheter shaft assembly including a telescoping assembly and a catheter body. The catheter body may include an imaging window and a distal end region having a first guidewire lumen formed therein. An imaging core may be disposed within the catheter shaft assembly. A distal shaft member may be disposed along an outer surface of the catheter body. The distal shaft member may have a second guidewire lumen formed therein. The intravascular imaging device may also include rod having a first end region coupled to the distal shaft member and a second end region coupled to the telescoping assembly.

A percutaneous transluminal angioplasty device includes a catheter defining one or more lumens. A filter is coupled to the catheter adjacent a distal end of the catheter, and the filter is movable between an unexpanded and expanded configuration via a filter activation wire that extends through a lumen. An expandable balloon is coupled to the catheter proximally of the filter, and a stent is disposed over at least a portion of the balloon. To deploy the stent to a target site, the filter is first moved into its expanded position via the filter activation wire. Then, the stent is expanded, and the balloon is inflated to expand the stent further radially. The balloon is then deflated, the filter is contracted, and the catheter, balloon, and filter are removed from the body.

A system of devices for treating an artery includes an arterial access sheath adapted to introduce an interventional catheter into an artery and an elongated dilator positionable within the internal lumen of the sheath body. The system also includes a catheter formed of an elongated catheter body sized and shaped to be introduced via a carotid artery access site into a common carotid artery through the internal lumen of the arterial access sheath. The catheter has an overall length and a distal most section length such that the distal most section can be positioned in an intracranial artery and at least a portion of the proximal most section is positioned in the common carotid artery during use.

A system for removing intracranial blood or thrombus including a probe having a supply channel and an aspiration channel, the aspiration channel having a distal end and a proximal end, the supply channel having a distal end and a wall, the aspiration channel having an opening at or adjacent its distal end and an interior wall surface, an orifice adjacent the distal end of the supply channel and in fluid communication with the interior of the aspiration channel, wherein the orifice is configured to create a spray pattern when pressurized fluid is pumped through the supply channel such that the spray pattern impinges on the interior wall surface of the aspiration channel, and an ultrasound device at or adjacent the opening of the aspiration channel, and configured to operate at a frequency of between about 1 kHz and about 20 MHz.

A system for aspirating thrombus and delivering an agent includes an aspiration catheter having a supply lumen having a proximal end, a distal end, and a wall, and an aspiration lumen having a proximal end, an open distal end, and an interior wall surface adjacent the open distal end, and at least one orifice at or adjacent the distal end of the supply lumen, in fluid communication with the aspiration lumen and located proximally of the open distal end of the aspiration lumen, wherein the at least one orifice is configured to create a spray pattern that is caused to impinge on the interior wall surface of the aspiration lumen such that the spray pattern upon impinging on the interior wall surface is caused to transform into at least a substantially distally-oriented flow capable of exiting the open distal end of the aspiration lumen.