A composition for internal imaging of a subject includes an imaging contrast agent and one or more carrier agents that can pass through cellular and tissue membranes. Examples of imaging contrast agents are iodine-based, silver-based, or barium-based. Examples of carrier agents are dimethyl sulfoxide, urea, or an alcohol. Methods for internally imaging a subject using such a composition are also disclosed.

A method for power injection of fluids through an access port includes implanting the access port in a patient, palpating the access port, imaging the access port, and introducing contrast media into the patient through the access port at a rate in a range from about two milliliters per second to about five milliliters per second. The access port may include a housing, a first septum, a second septum, and a radiographic indicator. The first septum and the second septum may respectively cover a first reservoir and a second reservoir of the access port. The first septum may include a first sub-pattern of protrusions and the second septum may include a second sub-pattern of protrusions. The radiographic indicator may include a first portion including information pertaining to the first sub-pattern, and a second portion including information pertaining to the second sub-pattern. The imaging identifies the radiographic indicator.

A catheter has an expansile tip that can be delivered in a constricted form. The increased tip diameter facilitates the aspiration and removal of large clot volumes by increasing the area of the catheter tip that applies aspiration to the clot. The tip comprises a support frame which can be cut from a metal or polymer tube, covered with a thin polymer sleeve 909 containing highly elastic properties. This construction provides good pushability and high compressive resistance. The cut pattern can contain axial connections of the support frame and ring members, which will provide a large level of axial support, lateral flexibility and hoop strength to withstand aspiration. The tip of the device can contain a section proximal of the highly flexible area that can expand to except clot. This potential to increase body diameter facilitates the retrieval of large volume clots while the construction of the catheter provides good column stiffness to avoid axial collapse and still maintain good flexibility.

n implantable vascular access port has a main port body with one or more hollow internal chambers formed therein each with a floor at the base of the internal chamber. The port body has an outlet aperture formed in a sidewall there of the internal chamber. One or more parallel, lateral, or angled-access apertures, relative to the port floor and associated septa are located opposite the outlet aperture in the main port body in a sidewall there of (parallel or lateral or angled-access aperture or septum), with at least a one perpendicular-access aperture and septum located opposite the floor of the internal chamber(s). The port chamber in the area of the outlet aperture has an at least partially conical shape directionally aligned with the parallel or lateral or angled-access aperture and septum, with said outlet aperture in contiguity a reversible outlet tube or port body needle locking mechanism.

An implantable device for improving the pump function of the heart of a human patient by applying an external force on a first position of the heart muscle following the heart's contractions. The implantable device comprising a first pump device adapted to assist the pump function of the heart. The pump device comprises a first reservoir having a first volume and adapted to varying said first volume, a second reservoir having a second volume and adapted to varying said second volume, a fluid connection adapted to fluidly connect said first reservoir with said second reservoir, such that fluid can flow between said first reservoir and said second reservoir. The reservoir, said second reservoir and said fluid connection form a fully implantable pump device adapted to maintain a fluid in a closed system, when in operation and wherein said fully implantable pump device is adapted to transfer force by transferring fluid from said first reservoir to said second reservoir to directly or indirectly apply an external force on the first position of the heart muscle, following the heart's contractions, for improving the pump function of the heart, when said device is implanted. The implantable device further comprises a sensor sensing muscle contractions of the heart.

A method of treating a patient using a power-injectable access port, including implanting the power-injectable access port in the patient, imaging the power-injectable access port following implanting, and power injecting a fluid into the patient through the power-injectable access port. The power-injectable access port includes a septum covering a reservoir, the septum including a radiopaque material forming at least one letter, the at least one letter indicating that the power-injectable access port is suitable for power injection. The power-injectable access port is designed to accommodate a pressure developed within the reservoir of at least 35 psi, and a fluid flow rate of at least 1 milliliter per second. Imaging the power-injectable access port produces an image, and the method includes identifying the at least one letter on the image to confirm that the power-injectable access port is suitable for power injecting a fluid.

An externally programmable shunt valve assembly that includes a motor having a rotor that is operable in response to an externally applied magnetic field and configured to increase or decrease the working pressure of the shunt valve assembly. The motor may further include a position sensing mechanism that allows a position of the rotor, and associated pressure setting of the valve, to be determined using an external magnetic sensor. In certain examples the motor further includes a mechanical brake that is magnetically operable between a locked position and an unlocked position and which, in the locked position, prevents rotation of the rotor.

A single lumen catheter with extendable and retractable drains for providing improved fluid drainage and irrigation. The catheter generally includes a housing enclosing a single unpartitioned lumen, a plurality of drain ports, and a common drain. A plurality of drains provide a plurality of paths for fluid to flow between the common drain and the exterior of the housing. The plurality of drains are coupled to an internal connector within the single lumen, and are selectively movable via the internal connector and a stylet with a specially shaped end tip between a retracted position in which the drains are enclosed within the lumen and an extended position in which the drains extend through the drain ports to the exterior of the housing. Additionally or alternatively one or more elongated tools or other elements can be coupled to the internal connector and caused to move between retracted and extended positions.

A negative pressure therapy unit is disclosed that is designed for healing internal wounds under the application of negative pressure. A plurality of tubes sequentially movable relative to one another are used to locate a filler material inside the organ. The tubes cover the filler material to avoid contact with the organ and filler material. A pressure tube passes internally to the plurality of tubes and communicates with the filler material. The filler material is in a compressed state between at least one of the plurality of tubes and the pressure tube. Translation of one of the plurality of tubes selectively exposes the filler material and permits the filler material to expand into the wound. The filler material is interchangeable on the wound and selectively on the pressure tube.

Systems and methods for implanting an endovascular shunt in a patient is disclosed. The system having an expandable anchor configured for being deployed in a dural venous sinus of a patient at a location distal to a curved portion of a wall of an inferior petrosal sinus (IPS) of the patient; an elongate guide member coupled to, and extending proximally from, the anchor; a shunt delivery catheter having a first lumen configured to receive the guide member, and a second lumen extending between respective proximal and distal openings in the shunt delivery catheter, the shunt delivery catheter further having a penetrating element coupled to a distal end of the catheter; and the system further having a guard at least partially disposed over, and movable relative to, the penetrating element.