Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating, preventing, or reducing the recurrence of a stricture and/or cancer, or for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), in a non-vascular body lumen and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the balloon catheter includes a length-control mechanism which stretches and elongates the balloon when it is in a deflated state, giving the balloon a smaller cross-sectional deflated profile for tracking through the body lumen and for removal after treatment.

Provided are gastric residence dosage forms comprising flexible arms that can help prevent premature passage of the gastric residence system through the pylorus of a patient. In particular, described herein are gastric residence systems comprising one or more arms extending radially, the one or more arms comprising a first segment comprising a first polymer composition and a second segment comprising a second polymer composition, wherein the first segment has a stiffness of greater than a stiffness of the second segment, as measured using a 3-point bending test per ASTM D790. The second segments of the arms of the gastric residence systems help prevent premature passage of the gastric residence system through the pylorus of a patient.

The present invention provides an automatic drug delivery device. The automatic drug delivery device includes an enclosure and a first piston disposed in the enclosure. The first piston partitions the enclosure to a first drug delivery chamber and a first expansion chamber. A first through hole and a second through hole are formed in the wall of the enclosure, the first through-hole communicates with the first drug delivery chamber, and the second through-hole communicates with the first expansion chamber. A first targeted dissolution membrane covers the first through hole and the second through hole, and dissolves at a first targeted region. A drug is filled in the first drug delivery chamber, and an expandable material is included in the first expansion chamber. The expandable material in the first expansion chamber can expand after absorbing liquid.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating, preventing, or reducing the recurrence of a stricture and/or cancer, or for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), in a non-vascular body lumen and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the balloon catheter includes a length-control mechanism which stretches and elongates the balloon when it is in a deflated state, giving the balloon a smaller cross-sectional deflated profile for tracking through the body lumen and for removal after treatment.

Disclosed is a two-way vacuum assisted closure system in the medical field which eliminates leakages based on the upper gastrointestinal system organs such as the stomach and intestine after stab wounds and/or wounds after surgical operations.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating strictures in body lumens and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent.

An expandable dilation member may include a proximally-tapered portion to dilate a stricture. The dilation member may be distally advanced in an unexpanded state over a wire guide through the stricture. The dilation member may then be configured in an expanded state, where the dilation member has a longitudinal profile that includes the proximally-tapered portion. A handle assembly proximally pulls the dilation member in the expanded state. In response, the proximally-tapered portion engages with and biases the stricture. When biasing the stricture, the proximally-tapered portion exerts a plurality of different types of forces, including a shearing force, a radial force, and in some procedures, a torsional force. In some embodiments, the proximally-tapered portion has a continuous taper from a smallest diameter to a largest diameter. In other embodiments, the proximally-tapered portion has at least one constant-diameter portion longitudinally disposed in between the smallest diameter and the largest diameter.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating strictures in body lumens and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent.

The following describes various applications and uses for a controllably rigidizable flexible device or sheath. Such rigidizing mechanisms can allow for a transition between a rigid state and a flexible state of a sheath. Rigidization can be applied along an entire length of a flexible sheath or along select portions of the sheath, and the rigidization can be of varying stiffness. Rigidization can be user controlled or automatically controlled using computer processes.

A device can include a capsule containing an array of microneedles and a mechanical actuator. The device can be in an ingestible form for delivery to a duodenum or other target location within a subject and can release the mechanical actuator from constraint by the capsule in response to stimuli or conditions in or en route to the duodenum or other target location. The mechanical actuator upon release from constraint by the capsule can expand outwardly (e.g., responsive to a bias provided by a flexibly resilient material of the mechanical actuator) in a direction away from a central longitudinal axis of the mechanical actuator and drive the array of microneedles into penetrating engagement with a lining of the duodenum or other target location. The penetrating engagement can facilitate delivery of a biotherapeutic agent or other payload via the microneedles.