A catheter for isolating a region in a hollow organ of a mammal, having an elongate body designed to be inserted into a lumen of a mammal hollow organ and equipped with two balloons, the balloons being configured to be inflated to isolate an interior of the hollow organ therebetween; wherein a functional channel extending in the body has a functional opening provided in the body between the balloons; and wherein the functional channel is designed to allow a negative pressure to be produced in the isolated interior to take a biological fluid or biological gaseous medium therefrom or to allow a liquid or gaseous medium to be supplied to the isolated interior; and wherein another channel extending in the body is provided at opposite ends with an inlet and an outlet provided both in the body outside of the body part defined by the balloons.

Provided is a stent that can be easily and reliably placed in a branched portion of a biological lumen. A stent is configured to be placed within a biological lumen and comprises: a first skeleton which is for placement within a first lumen of the biological lumen, and which is made of a wire material and formed into a tubular shape; and second skeletons which are for placement within a plurality of second lumens branched from the first lumen, and which are made of a wire material different from that of the first skeleton and whish are formed into a tubular shape. The plurality of second skeletons are provided so as to branch from one end section of the first skeleton and are engaged with each other at the branched portion.

A stent for anastomosis of different kinds of organs includes a main body, and at least one fixing unit provided in the main body. At least a portion of the main body is inserted into one of different kinds of organs to be anastomosed with each other, and the rest of the main body is inserted into the other of the different kinds of organs. A distance between the different kinds of organs under the anastomosis is maintained by the fixing units.

Devices, systems and methods for compressing, cutting, incising, reconfiguring, remodeling, attaching, repositioning, supporting, dislocating or altering the composition of tissues or anatomical structures to alter their positional or force relationship to other tissues or anatomical structures. In some applications, the invention may be used to used to improve patency or fluid flow through a body lumen or cavity (e.g., to limit constriction of the urethra by an enlarged prostate gland).

A stent is disclosed that has an elongated body composed of a bioabsorbable polymer having a proximal end, a distal end, two open spiral channels formed on the exterior surface of the body to provide fluid communication between the proximal end and the distal end. The stent also has a central lumen open at the proximal and distal ends of the stent for the passage of a guide wire. A method for using the stent and a kit containing the stent are also disclosed.

A medical image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain a medical image related to the pancreas. The processing circuitry is configured to extract a pancreas region included in the medical image. The processing circuitry is configured to extract at least one tubular structure region from the inside of the pancreas region. The processing circuitry is configured to identify a first end part and a second end part related to the pancreas on the basis of the pancreas region. The processing circuitry is configured to estimate a primary pancreatic duct centerline of the pancreas on the basis of the tubular structure region, the first end part, and the second end part.

A stent configured to change in length while maintaining a constant inner diameter is disclosed. The stent includes an elongated tubular member comprising at least one knitted filament forming a plurality of twisted knit stitches with rungs extending circumferentially between adjacent twisted knit stitches, wherein each twisted knit stitch is interconnected with a longitudinally adjacent twisted knit stitch forming a series of linked stitches. The tubular member is configured to be stretched from a first length to a second length while in a radially expanded configuration without substantially changing the inner and/or outer diameter of the tubular member.

A method of using a self-adjusting stent assembly includes estimating body lumen diameter(s) associated with a portion of a body lumen in which a stent assembly will be placed; determining, based on the estimated diameter(s), target expanded stent diameter(s) of the stent assembly which is to be placed in the portion of the body lumen; selecting the stent assembly for stenting the portion of the body lumen, wherein the stent assembly is configured to: expand from an initial to expanded diameters within a range of expanded diameters; wherein the range of expanded diameters is from about 9 mm to about 5.5 mm; and wherein the target expanded stent diameter(s) is/are within the range of expanded diameters; and apply a chronic radial force to a wall that forms the portion of the lumen, wherein the radial force is less than about 0.33 N/mm; and implanting the stent assembly in the portion of the body lumen.

A pancreatic stent includes a main body convertible between a compressed configuration for delivery and an expanded configuration once deployed, the main body including an inner surface defining a stent lumen and an outer surface. A plurality of drainage features are formed within the outer surface of the main body, the plurality of drainage features permitting placement of the pancreatic stent within a patient's pancreas without blocking side branches of the pancreas.

A stent including a tubular body formed of one or more interwoven wires, a first anchor member disposed adjacent the first open end of the stent, a second anchor member disposed adjacent the second open end of the stent, and at least one divider disposed between the first and second anchor members. The first and second anchor members and the divider extend radially outward from the tubular body to divide the tubular body into at least a first saddle region extending between the first anchor member and the divider and a second saddle region extending between the second anchor member and the divider.