The methods and devices disclosed herein promote temporal control of balloon inflation patterns. The devices include a covering for a portion of the balloon that compresses the balloon portion during the inflation process. This enables the distal portion of a balloon to be inflated prior to the proximal portion of a balloon, creating a tapered shape at lower inflation pressures. This is especially useful during transvascular implantation procedures, as it prevents dislodgement of an implant mounted on the balloon. As inflation continues, pressure exerted on the balloon by the covering is overcome such that the proximal region of the balloon inflates, forming a shape with generally straighter sides than the tapered shape, thereby expanding the cardiovascular device.

A method of limiting an inflation system pressure for dilating a region of a patient's nasal sinus passageways. The method includes grasping an inflation device. The inflation device includes a syringe including a plunger slidably disposed within a barrel, a connector for fluidly connecting an outlet of the syringe with a surgical instrument balloon, and a mechanical pressure indicator associated with the syringe, the mechanical pressure indicator including a housing and an indicator body disposed within the housing. The method also includes delivering the surgical instrument balloon to a patient's paranasal sinus target area, operating the plunger within the barrel of the syringe to deliver pressurized fluid to the surgical instrument balloon, and transitioning the indicator body to extend outside of the housing when a predetermined inflation pressure of the surgical instrument balloon is reached.

An arrangement of an expandable substrate and a strain sensor applied onto a surface of the substrate. The strain sensor is made from an ink composition that is a mixture of a conductive silver ink and a conductive carbon ink. A ratio between the conductive silver ink and the conductive carbon ink lies in a range between 30:70 and 70:30 in on arrangement and between 40:60 and 60:40 in another. A method for forming the arrangement directly prints the strain sensor on the substrate.

Apparatus for endoscopically retracting tissue, the apparatus comprising a sleeve adapted to be slid over the exterior of an endoscope; a balloon movably mounted to the sleeve; and at least one connector extending from the balloon and configured to be secured to tissue which is to be retracted; wherein the balloon is configured to be moved relative to the sleeve in order to retract the tissue.

An insufflation pump includes a pump body having a first end and a second end. The pump body includes a syringe mechanism at the first end and an actuation mechanism at the second end. The syringe mechanism includes a plunger. The plunger of the syringe mechanism and the actuation mechanism are linked by a toggle assembly facilitating transfer of power from the actuation mechanism to the syringe mechanism.

A urinary catheter may include a catheter shaft and a connector coupled with the proximal end of the catheter shaft. The connector may have a first arm ending in a fluid outlet configured to allow urine to flow out of the urinary catheter and a second arm with an aperture and ending in an inflation inlet used for introducing inflation fluid into the urinary catheter. The catheter may further include a primary lumen, an inflation lumen, a retention balloon mounted to the catheter shaft proximal to a fluid inlet and over a distal filling hole, and a pilot balloon mounted on the second arm of the connector over the aperture. The pilot balloon inflates at an inflation pressure that is higher than the inflation pressure of the retention balloon and lower than a predetermined pressure threshold.

Apparatus comprising a sleeve adapted to be slid over the exterior of an endoscope, the sleeve having a distal end and a proximal end; an aft balloon secured to the sleeve; a fore balloon movably mounted to the sleeve so that the fore balloon may be advanced relative to the sleeve; and a locking assembly for releasably securing the sleeve to the endoscope.

A catheter includes an articulation assembly that enables the distal end of the catheter to bend away from the longitudinal axis of a proximal portion of the catheter. The catheter may include a dilation catheter or a guide catheter. The articulation assembly may provide bending in response to changes in electrical current and/or in response to changes in temperature. In addition, or in the alternative, the articulation assembly may provide bending in response to translation of a wire member.

An endoscopic tissue retraction system comprising: an element configured to be movably mounted to an endoscope; and a connector configured to be secured to the element and to the tissue which is to be retracted.

Devices, systems, and methods for inflation are provided. Inflation devices include a housing, a compressed gas canister disposed therein, a syringe disposed within the housing, a plunger slidably disposed in the syringe having an unloaded position and a loaded position relative to the syringe, a puncture mechanism disposed within the housing and configured to open a fluid path between the compressed gas canister and the syringe, and a positive pressure mechanism disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the syringe. Engagement of the puncture mechanism puts the syringe into fluid communication with the compressed gas canister such that gas contained therein loads into the syringe and the plunger moves from the unloaded position and the loaded position. The positive pressure mechanism is configured to maintain the gas within the syringe at a positive pressure relative to ambient pressure in order to prevent air from entering the syringe after loading.