A medical device for dilating a target tissue includes: a first lateral portion; a second lateral portion; and a middle portion connecting the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion and disposed between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion. The medical device has a dilate mechanism. The dilate mechanism allows the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion to be in a first dilated state when a first criterion is met, and allows the middle portion to be in a second dilated state when a second criterion is met, but does not allow the middle portion to be in the second dilated state when the first criterion is met.

A system that breaks calcium in a liquid includes a catheter including first and second electrodes arranged to receive there-across a high electrical voltage at an initial low current. The high electrical voltage causes an electrical arc to form across the electrodes creating a gas bubble within the liquid, a high current to flow through the electrodes, and a mechanical shock wave. A power source provides the electrodes with the high electrical voltage at the initial current and terminates the high electrical voltage in response to the high current flow through the electrodes.

A balloon guiding sheath may include an elongated sheath comprising a proximal end, a distal end, an inner tube, an outer tube surrounding the inner tube, an access port, a distal port, and a working lumen extending through an interior portion of the elongated sheath between the access port and the distal port. The balloon guiding sheath may also include an inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the elongated sheath adjacent the distal end. The balloon guiding sheath may include a plurality of inflation holes extending through a side wall of the elongated sheath. The elongated sheath may be sized and configured to enable direct insertion into a patient's vasculature through an arteriotomy in at least one of a femoral artery and vertebral artery to position the inflatable balloon at a target site.

A balloon catheter includes a balloon that is formed of film and includes an inflation/deflation portion. The inflation/deflation portion includes a plurality of linear projections that projects in a thickness direction of the film and extends along a surface of the film. One of the linear projections is an inner projection that projects inside the balloon.

Some embodiments provide a soft tissue device, such as a transverse carpal ligament cutting device having one or more balloons that are deflated when the device is in an inactive position and are inflated when the device is in an active position. Other embodiments provide a soft tissue cutting method, such as a method of cutting a transverse carpal ligament that uses a soft tissue cutting device.

A balloon catheter system assisted by ultrasound and microbubbles and a method for vasodilation are provided. The system includes: a controller; a sensor catheter; a highly focused ultrasound probe, and the highly focused ultrasound probe and the sensor catheter is connected to the controller; and a balloon catheter. The method of vasodilation includes: providing a sensor catheter into a blood vessel, and controlling a highly focused ultrasound probe to focus at a hardened portion of the blood vessel; removing the sensor catheter from the blood vessel and inserting a balloon catheter into the blood vessel; infusing microbubbles into the balloon catheter and controlling the highly focused ultrasound probe to start working to destroy a calcification point of the hardened portion of the blood vessel, and smoothly inflating the balloon catheter at the hardened portion of the blood vessel.

Some embodiments provide a soft tissue device, such as a transverse carpal ligament cutting device having one or more balloons that are deflated when the device is in an inactive position and are inflated when the device is in an active position. Other embodiments provide a soft tissue cutting method, such as a method of cutting a transverse carpal ligament that uses a soft tissue cutting device.

Provided is a medical device designed to be inserted into a lumen of a living body, the medical device including: a long shaft part; and a cylindrical hollow body. The shaft part has a center axis at position which differs from a center axis of the hollow body on a cross section perpendicular to the center axis of the shaft part. The hollow body has a housing part extending along the center axis of the hollow body, the hollow body being a groove depressed from an outer peripheral surface to an inner peripheral surface or a slit penetrating from an outer peripheral surface to an inner peripheral surface. The shaft part is positioned between inner surfaces facing from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface in such a way that at least a portion of the shaft part constitutes the slit or the groove of the housing part.

A method and system are disclosed for opening a workspace inside a lumen of a living creature are disclosed. Anchors may be affixed to opposite ends of the workspace. An extender may be distance anchors apart while they are affixed to the walls of the workspace. Distancing the anchors may unfold and/or stretch the lumen in the region of the workspace.

A method and apparatus for delivery of cell therapies, introduced via percutaneous access to the circulation, and delivered to the site of vascular injury or intervention.