Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed that help deliver catheters or other medical devices to locations within a patient's body. The device comprises a transporter catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a first balloon located at the distal end, substantially at a tip of the transporter catheter, and at least a second balloon located between the distal end and the proximal end of the transporter catheter. The first balloon is an orienting balloon and the second balloon is an anchor balloon. The transporter catheter may include a single lumen or more than one lumen. The transporter catheter may include a shaft comprising an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer may be made of a material more flexible than the material of the outer layer. The outer layer may also comprise a braided wire assembly, said braided wire assembly being formed by braiding a plurality of flat wires or circular wires. The braided wire assembly may wrap around the inner layer. The transporter catheter may comprise a shaft that may include a plurality of segments of varying degrees of hardness. The degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft of the transporter catheter located between the first balloon and the second balloon may be less than the degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft between the second balloon and the proximal end of the catheter.

Medical devices and methods for delivering fluid. The medical devices include one or more needles for delivering fluid. The methods may include expanding an expandable member such as an inflatable member to expand an expandable scaffold outward toward a lumen wall.

Medical devices and methods for delivering fluid. The medical devices include one or more needles for delivering fluid. The methods may include expanding an expandable member such as an inflatable member to expand an expandable scaffold outward toward a lumen wall.

Intravascular delivery system for deployment of a therapeutic device (such as a stent, and/or other therapeutic devices including balloon catheter(s), laser catheter(s), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), Optical coherence tomography (OCT), drug delivery catheter(s), coil delivery catheter(s), etc.) as required by a particular surgical procedure, in a controlled and robust manner is supported by a lockable balloon catheter equipped with a locking mechanism configured to lock in vivo to a delivery component, such as a guidewire. The lockable balloon catheter can be controllably transitioned between locked and unlocked modes of operation by inflation/deflation of the balloon of the lockable balloon catheter. The system provides an enhanced interlocking interface between the delivery component and an inner shaft by a unique configuration of the inner shaft. Connection of the inner shaft/guidewire and/or outer shaft/inflation lumen to the balloon is by an extended “neck” at the end(s) of the balloon which snuggly envelopes the portions of the inner and/or outer shaft(s) entering/exiting the balloon, thus avoiding the bonding and simplifying fabrication process. Being in the locked mode of operation, the lockable balloon catheter facilitates delivery of the therapeutic device along the delivery component to a target site while enhancing the stability of the delivery component, especially near the target site.

An intravascular device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of energy transmitting conduits extending within the elongated body. The distal ends of the energy transmitting conduits terminate at different axial locations along the distal end of the elongated body. In one embodiment, the number of energy transmission conduits is only two, such that the number of bends in the compound curve assumed by the distal end of the elongated body is only two, although the number of energy transmission conduits may be any suitable number.

A medical device includes: an elongated tube having a wall defining a lumen for the elongated tube, wherein the wall of the elongated tube comprises a first opening; and a first actuating element coupled directly or indirectly to the wall of the elongated tube; wherein at least a part of the first actuating element and the first opening of the wall are located at a same longitudinal position with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated tube; and wherein the first actuating element is configured to change size to induce stress and/or displacement at the wall of the elongated tube to cause the elongated tube to bend.

In a method of collecting a tissue in a bile duct, the method includes a step A of inflating a balloon in the bile duct and pressing the balloon against a wall of the bile duct, a step B of, in a state where a guide tube is positioned by using the balloon, bending a distal end portion of the guide tube so that a distal end opening of the guide tube is directed toward the wall of the bile duct, a step C of inserting a treatment tool into the guide catheter and protruding a distal end portion of the treatment tool toward the wall, and a step D of collecting a tissue using the treatment tool.

A medical appliance for use in medical procedures to controllably advance a medical device through a sheath. The medical appliance features pneumatic action and connecting structures adapted to couple the appliance to a variety of types of catheters, tools, and instruments.

Deflectable guide catheters and methods, including methods for using deflectable guide catheters to perform transnasal procedures within the ear, nose, throat, paranasal sinuses or cranium. Some deflectable guide catheters of the present invention comprise a substantially rigid tube, a helical spring attached to and extending from the distal end of the substantially rigid tube, a tubular plastic inner jacket, an outer plastic jacket substantially covering at least the helical spring member. The spring member is deflectable to cause the distal portion of the guide catheter to deflect to a curved configuration. In embodiments for transnasal use the deflectable guide catheter may have a length of less than 25 cm.

Articulation devices, systems, methods for articulation, and methods for fabricating articulation structures will often include simple balloon arrays, with inflation of the balloons interacting with elongate skeletal support structures so as to locally alter articulation of the skeleton. The skeleton may comprise a simple helical coil or interlocking helical channels, and the array can be used to locally deflect or elongate an axis of the coil under control of a processor. Liquid inflation fluid may be directed so as to pressurize the balloons from an inflation fluid canister, and may vaporize within a plenum or the channels or balloons of the articulation system, with the inflation system preferably including valves controlled by the processor. The articulation structures can be employed in minimally invasive medical catheter systems, and also for industrial robotics, for supporting imaging systems, for entertainment and consumer products, and the like.