A conduit for creating a passage from a right atrium to a left atrium, through a mitral valve into the left ventricle, and to provide a passage from the left ventricle into the aortic valve. The conduit includes an elongate tubular member having a shaft with a proximal section and a distal loop section at a distal end of the proximal section. The distal loop section includes a proximal curve, a distal curve, a generally straight segment extending between the curves, and a distal tip. The shaft in the distal loop section curves back on itself so that proximal curve is formed by a part of the shaft that is closer along the length of the shaft to the distal tip. The shapes of the proximal and distal curves are selected to direct the distal tip into the mitral valve after it has crossed the inter-atrial septum from the right atrium to the left atrium of the heart, and to orient the distal opening of the distal tip towards the aortic valve when the proximal curve is in the mitral valve and the distal tip is in the left ventricle.

A system and method used to deliver a percutaneous ventricular assist device (pVAD) or other cardiac therapeutic device to a site within the heart, such as a site at the aortic valve. A flexible device is percutaneously introduced into a vasculature of a patient and positioned to run from a femoral vein, through the heart via a transseptal puncture, and to a femoral artery. The venous-side end of the flexible device is withdrawn out the venous vasculature superior to the heart, and a pVAD is secured to the flexible device. The pVAD is pushed in a distal direction while the arterial-side end of the flexible device is pulled in the proximal direction to advance the pVAD to the target site. A left ventricle redirector aids in orienting the pVAD and preventing migration of the flexible member towards delicate structures of the heart during advancement of the pVAD.

A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a linear control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The linear control assembly has a linear control member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the linear control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.

A device and system for providing a centered lumen within a catheter body. A coiled guide lumen (CGL) is composed of a length of wire forming a plurality of coils about the longitudinal axis of the CGL, the CGL including one or more first sections having a first diameter and one or more sections having a second diameter, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter, and a secondary guide lumen extending through the first sections. The CGL may include at least one pull wire extending through the secondary guide lumen and attached at the distal portion of the catheter body. A band may be coupled to an interior of the catheter body distal portion, each of the pull wires being coupled to the annular band. Alternatively, the system may further include a shim coupled to the band, each of the pulls wire being coupled to the shim.

A catheter having a catheter shaft that has a more uniform construction throughout a length of the catheter shaft and is able to provide more than one deflection curvature. The catheter shaft includes a flexible outer tubular member, and a less flexible inner tubular member extending through the outer tubular member in a proximal section of the catheter shaft, wherein the inner tubular member is afforded longitudinal movement relative to the outer tubular member. The catheter also includes at least one puller wire extending through the inner tubular member to deflect a distal deflection section of the catheter shaft, wherein the longitudinal movement of the inner tubular member relative to the outer tubular member enables an operator to select and set a deflection curvature of the distal deflection section.

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 catheter having a catheter shaft that has a more uniform construction throughout its length and is able to provide more than one deflection curvature. The catheter shaft includes a flexible outer tubular member, and a less flexible inner tubular member extending through the outer tubular member in a proximal section of the catheter shaft, wherein the inner tubular member is afforded longitudinal movement relative to the outer tubular member. The catheter also includes at least one puller wire extending through the inner tubular member to deflect a distal deflection section of the catheter shaft, wherein longitudinal movement of the inner tubular member relative to the outer tubular member enables an operator to select and set a deflection curvature of the distal deflection section.

An elongated functional system configured to be advanced in the lumen of a pipe, a duct or a tube, the system having a body part having a main proximal part and a distal part, the distal part being a continuous extension of the proximal part, the distal part including one functional end terminating with a tip, and at least one active area located upstream the functional end on the distal part; and at least one actuator configured to transform an amount of energy to the distal part sufficient to cause a reversible curvature of the active area, thereby preventing undesired spring back of the whole system; the actuator being connectable to a source of energy.

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.