The present invention provides a catheter for use in delivering and/or recovering materials to and/or from a tissue site in the body, the catheter comprising one or more macroporous regions adapted to selectively deliver molecules and/or recover cells from the tissue site, based on one or more physical-chemical-biological characteristics. The macroporous region can be provided in the form of a helical hollow wires, and can be adapted to both recover cells from the tissue site (e.g., bacterial or other cells present in interstitial fluid) and optionally to permit the infusion of medicament to the site, under corresponding conditions.

The disclosure provides for an adjustable catheter system with isovolumetric suction and restoration of fluid for the removal of a thrombus and a method of use thereof. The catheter system includes an inner catheter and an outer sheath surrounding at least a portion of the inner catheter. The inner catheter may include at least three lumina extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the inner catheter, at least one infusion fenestration along the infusion segment, and a distal encapsulation balloon at the distal end. The outer sheath may include at least three lumina extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the outer sheath and a proximal encapsulation balloon at the distal end. The catheter system may further include an agitator for mechanical morcellation of the thrombus.

Implants comprising electrically-responsive hydrogel are described. Systems to provide electricity to induce response in hydrogel-containing implants are described. Methods for utilizing said system and methods for utilizing said hydrogel-containing implants are described.

A needle assembly 10 compromising an infusion needle 11 that includes a needle cannula 13 made of a superelastic material such as Nitinol. The needle cannula is cold-worked or heat annealed to produce a preformed bend 16 that can be straightened within passageway 21 of a coaxial outer cannula 12 for introduction into the body of a patient. Upon deployment from the outer cannula, the needle cannula substantially returns to the preformed configuration for the introduction or extraction of materials at areas lateral to the entry path of the needle assembly. The needle assembly can compromise a plurality of needle cannulae than can be variably arranged or configured for attaining a desired infusion pattern.

A stent indwelling device includes a guide catheter and a pusher catheter. The guide catheter includes: a core section; an outer layer section surrounding an outer circumference of the core section; a stent protection section disposed between the core section and the outer layer section, being longer than a dimension of a tube stent, having stiffness resisting compression inward in a radial direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the guide catheter, and having flexibility in a direction in which the guide catheter is curved; and a stopper configured to allow expansion of the stent protection section in a direction along the longitudinal axis and restrict movement of the stent protection section in the direction with respect to the core section.

An artery can be occluded by implanting an occlusion implant within a subintimal space within a wall of the artery. As an example, a catheter having a side port just proximal of an inflatable balloon disposed near a distal end of the catheter can be advanced through the artery to a site at which an occlusion is desired. The inflatable balloon can be inflated and a guidewire can be advanced through a lumen of the catheter, out of the side port and into a subintimal space of the artery, with the inflated inflatable balloon guiding the guidewire towards the artery wall. An occlusion implant can be advanced over the guidewire into the subintimal space and the guidewire can be withdrawn, leaving the occlusion implant positioned within the subintimal space.

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to catheters for advancing past a vascular stenosis. Each of these catheters has at least one friction-reducing feature to reduce the friction between the catheter and the stenosis as the catheter is urged therethrough.

Some embodiments provided herein relate to methods, systems and kits for providing consistent intracoronary administration of a biologic to subjects having diverse coronary anatomies. In some embodiments, the biologic is an adeno-associated virus serotype 1 (AAV1) vector encoding sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) protein.

A variable diameter tube for use in a vessel inserter for performing hemodynamics researches and related operations comprises two coupled different-characteristic materials which are coupled to one another to provide a single stretchable tube assembly.

A method for treating the lung dining an acute episode of reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as an asthma attack. The method comprises transferring energy to an airway wall of an airway such that a diameter of the airway is increased. The energy may be transferred to the airway wall prior to, during or after an asthma attack. The energy may be transferred in an amount sufficient to temporarily or permanently increase the diameter of the airway. The method may be performed while the airway is open, closed or partially closed.