The invention relates to catheter system for introducing an expandable heart valve stent (150) into the body of a patient, the catheter system comprising: a catheter tip (10) having a seat portion for accommodating the stent (150) in its collapsed state and a stent holder (15) for releasably fixing the stent (150), wherein the seat portion is constituted by a first sleeve-shaped member (11) and a second sleeve-shaped member (21), said sleeve-shaped members (11, 21) being moveable relative to each other and relative to the stent holder (15), and a catheter shaft (30) for connecting the catheter tip (10) to a handle (70). The catheter shaft (30) comprising: first force transmitting means (31) connected to the first sleeve-shaped member (11), second force transmitting means (41) connected to the second sleeve-shaped member (21) and a distal end section connectable to second operating means (81) of the handle (70), and guiding means (51) having a passageway extending there between, wherein the first and second force transmitting means (31, 41) are at least partly received within the passageway such as to be moveable relative to the guiding means (51), and wherein the proximal end of the guiding means (51) terminates distal to the catheter tip (10).

A guide wire and a medical device are disclosed that have high workability, restrain erroneous puncture by a needle portion for puncture, and assure relative safety. A guide wire for guiding an elongated tubular body or dilator, and which is configured to be inserted in a living body. The guide wire includes a shaft portion, a puncture portion that is fixed to a distal portion of the shaft portion and that forms a hole in living body tissue, and a cover portion that is elastically deformable and that covers the puncture portion, in which when the cover portion is exposed from the elongated tubular body or dilator, the cover portion covers the puncture portion and the cover portion is bent.

Intravascularly delivered blood pumps and associated devices, systems, and methods, are disclosed herein. A method of intravascularly delivering a blood pump in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, advancing an elongated delivery dilator through a patient's vasculature such that a first portion of the elongated delivery dilator is externally accessible proximate to the subclavian artery and a second portion of the elongated delivery dilator is externally accessible proximate to the femoral artery. The method can further include attaching the second portion of the elongated delivery dilator to a driveline, which is coupled to a balloon at the opposite end, and then pulling on the first portion of the elongated delivery dilator to move the driveline and the balloon through the patient's vasculature to a target site with the balloon positioned within the aorta.

In some examples, a catheter includes a hub assembly, an elongate member, and a plurality of support wires extending along a length of the elongate member. The plurality of support wires is configured to expand radially outward from the elongated body to help anchor a distal portion of the catheter within the vasculature the patient and provide a backup support to the elongate member, e.g., to reduce pushback on the catheter when a treatment device is advanced past the distal tip of the catheter.

A flagellated, back-curved guidewire component of the present invention facilitates passage of a balloon catheter through the vasculature. The guidewire may be used in conjunction with commercially available devices. Alternately, the guidewire may come integrated with a balloon catheter, such as a flagellated balloon embolectomy catheter or a flagellated balloon resuscitation catheter. The guidewire can include multiple flexible flagellate disposed at a distal end of an elongate wire configured for passing through the vasculature. The guidewire is configured to self-center in the vasculature.

In various examples, a guidewire with tactile feel is described. The guidewire includes an elongate core wire including a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the core wire from the distal end to the proximal end. A grip portion is disposed on the core wire. The grip portion is configured to provide tactile feel to a user of the guidewire. In some examples, a method for making the guidewire is also described.

A reentry catheter for crossing a vascular occlusion includes an elongate flexible tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen extending there through. A reentry zone on the tubular body includes at least two and preferably three sets of opposing pairs of axially spaced exit apertures in communication with the lumen. The apertures are rotationally offset from each other and aligned in a spiral pattern around the tubular body. Each aperture may be defined within a radiopaque reinforcing ring embedded within the tubular body. A first set of opposing pairs of reinforcing rings may be separated axially from a second set of opposing pairs of reinforcing rings and may be connected by a flexible hinge section.

Intravascular catheters with fluoroscopically visible indicium of rotational orientation are described. The catheter includes an elongate flexible tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end and a tubular side wall defining at least one lumen extending there through. At least first and second opposing pairs of radiopaque rings are embedded in the side wall, spaced axially apart from each other. A first transverse axis extending through the first pair of rings is rotationally offset from a second transverse axis extending through the second pair of rings. The rings may be supported by a subassembly integrated into the wall of the catheter. The subassembly may include a tubular body having a plurality of aperture portions connected by intervening hinge portions. In one implementation, the catheter is a reentry catheter.

Devices and methods for providing an elastically deforming guidewire tip, capable of withstanding the extreme forces of high-speed rotational atherectomy, in particular orbital motion induced by an eccentric abrasive head, are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the reformable tip comprises an inner nitinol support coil, wherein the reformable tip may be attached to a larger proximal core for improved kink resistance and support for delivering adjunctive devices. In other embodiments, an inner nitinol support coil may be wrapped with a braided coil and/or a polymer sleeve. The resulting tip is more flexible with reduced risk of perforation than known guidewire tips.

A catheter insertion device includes a handle, a needle, a guide wire, and a catheter. The handle may have a proximal region and a distal region. The distal region may include a slot between a top extension and a bottom extension, which extends through a distal end. The needle may have a proximal end positioned in the proximal region and a distal end extending from the distal region. The guide wire may have a proximal end positioned in the proximal region of the handle and a distal end positioned in a lumen of the needle. The catheter may be positioned coaxially over the needle with a proximal end connected to a catheter hub. The catheter hub may be slidably disposed in the slot to enable movement from a first position in the distal region to a second position distal of the distal region.