Interventional procedures on the carotid arteries are performed through a transcervical access while retrograde blood flow is established from the internal carotid artery to a venous or external location. A system for use in accessing and treating a carotid artery includes an arterial access device, a shunt fluidly connected to the arterial access device, and a flow control assembly coupled to the shunt and adapted to regulate blood flow through the shunt between at least a first blood flow state and at least a second blood flow state. The flow control assembly includes one or more components that interact with the blood flow through the shunt.

Methods and devices for performing minimally invasive procedures useful for Fallopian tube diagnostics are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the proximal os of the Fallopian tube is accessed via an intrauterine approach; an introducer catheter is advanced to cannulate and form a fluid tight seal with the proximal os of the Fallopian tube; a second catheter inside the introducer catheter is provided to track the length of the Fallopian tube and out into the abdominal cavity; a balloon at the end of the second catheter is inflated and the second catheter is retracted until the balloon seals the distal os of the Fallopian tube; irrigation is performed substantially over the length of the Fallopian tube; and the irrigation fluid is recovered for cytology or cell analysis.

A device for secluding a body vessel may include a distal balloon, a proximal balloon, an aspiration port positioned adjacent to the distal balloon, an injection port positioned adjacent to the proximal balloon, and a lumen assembly. The lumen assembly may comprise a central lumen, a distal balloon lumen operably coupled to the distal balloon, a proximal balloon lumen operably coupled to the proximal balloon, an aspiration port lumen operably coupled to the aspiration port, and an injection port lumen operably coupled to the injection port. The distal balloon and the proximal balloon may define a treatment chamber therebetween, and the aspiration port and the injection port may be positioned within the treatment chamber on the lumen assembly.

Exemplary embodiments of devices and method for affecting at least one anatomical tissue can be provided. A configuration can be provided that includes a structure which is expandable (i) having and/or (ii) forming at least one opening or a working space through which the anatomical tissue(s) is placed in the structure. For example, the structure, prior to being expanding, can have at least one partially rigid portion. In addition, or as an alternative, upon a partial or complete expansion thereof, the structure can be controllable to have a plurality of shapes. Further, the structure can be controllable to provide the working space with multiple shapes and/or multiple sizes.

Electrophysiology mapping and visualization systems are described herein where such devices may be used to visualize tissue regions as well as map the electrophysiological activity of the tissue. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A translucent or transparent fluid, such as saline, can be pumped into the imaging hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. A position of the catheter and/or hood may be tracked and the hood may also be used to detect the electrophysiological activity of the visualized tissue for mapping.

The present technology includes systems and methods for invasively adjusting implantable devices for selectively controlling fluid flow between a first body region and a second body region of a patient. For example, in many of the embodiments described herein, a catheter can be used to mechanically and/or electrically engage an implanted medical device. Once the catheter engages the medical device, the catheter can (i) increase a dimension associated with the medical device, such as through mechanical expansion forces, and/or (ii) decrease a dimension associated with the medical device, such as by heating a shape memory component of the medical device above a phase transition temperature.

Temporary vascular occlusion devices and methods for use thereof are described which provide temporary vascular occlusion while maintaining distal perfusion along with vascular access. The temporary vascular occlusion device may include a multiple layer scaffold covering having proximal and distal attachment zones separated by an unattached scaffold covering zone where the scaffold covering is adjacent to but not attached directly to the scaffold frame. Devices for a vascular procedure may access the vasculature using a guide catheter in the shaft of the occlusion device. The occlusion device may then be used to provide protection from contrast media used during the vascular procedure conducted using the access provided by the occlusion device.

Methods and devices for performing minimally invasive procedures useful for Fallopian tube diagnostics are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the proximal os of the Fallopian tube is accessed via an intrauterine approach; an introducer catheter is advanced to cannulate and form a fluid tight seal with the proximal os of the Fallopian tube; a second catheter inside the introducer catheter is provided to track the length of the Fallopian tube and out into the abdominal cavity; a balloon at the end of the second catheter is inflated and the second catheter is retracted until the balloon seals the distal os of the Fallopian tube; irrigation is performed substantially over the length of the Fallopian tube; and the irrigation fluid is recovered for cytology or cell analysis.

A device for secluding a body vessel may include a distal balloon, a proximal balloon, an aspiration port positioned adjacent to the distal balloon, an injection port positioned adjacent to the proximal balloon, and a lumen assembly. The lumen assembly may comprise a central lumen, a distal balloon lumen operably coupled to the distal balloon, a proximal balloon lumen operably coupled to the proximal balloon, an aspiration port lumen operably coupled to the aspiration port, and an injection port lumen operably coupled to the injection port. The distal balloon and the proximal balloon may define a treatment chamber therebetween, and the aspiration port and the injection port may be positioned within the treatment chamber on the lumen assembly.

A method and apparatus are aimed to improve arteriovenous fistula maturation rate by treating the fistula with a crosslink agent solution (fixative solution). The fixative solution will crosslink proteins and biomolecules, allowing formation of crosslinks that stabilize or stable tissue structure. The method and apparatus will address factors that contribute to arteriovenous fistula maturation failure by stopping the neointimal hyperplasia growth after vascular injury and stabilizing the venous wall to prevent the lumen from narrowing.