Abstract:
This application is directed to a stent delivery system for introducing a flexible, generally cylindrical, self-expandable stent. The system comprises a catheter having distal and proximal ends, the catheter defining at least one lumen extending there-through and having at least three longitudinally displaced openings or sets of openings extending from a lumen to the surface of the catheter; a stent which comprises a generally cylindrical, expandable structure having proximal and distal ends and a flexible member extending proximally from the proximal end of the structure, the stent being wound circumferentially around the catheter, and having restraining member holding each of the proximal and distal ends of the stent to the catheter, and one or more restraining member holding at least a portion of the flexible member to the catheter surface; and one or two release wires positioned in and extending longitudinally through at least one lumen, the release wires cooperating with the restraining member so that as the release wire or wires are withdrawn proximally, the proximal and distal end sections of the stent are released in such a manner that coils of the stent unwind.
Abstract:
This invention is directed to a stent delivery system for implanting a flexible, generally cylindrical, expandable, coiled stent. The system comprises a catheter defining at least one lumen and having at least two longitudinally displaced openings or sets of openings ,a flexible, self-expandable coiled stent having discrete proximal and distal end sections, said stent being wound circumferentially around said catheter and coils of the stent being more closely wound at the proximal and/or distal end sections, and one or two release wires cooperating with restraining means so that as the release wire or wires are with-drawn proximally, the proximal and distal end sections of the stent are released in such a manner that coils of the stent unwind and the length of the unwound stent is not substantially less than the length of the portion of the unreleased stent that is not more closely wound.
Abstract:
A stent (1) is provided for having variable flexibility and stiffness along its length. The stent (1) comprises portions (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15) of the stent having different bending and durability characteristics, and may be fabricated, using any of a variety of methods out of any of a variety of materials.
Abstract:
A method for determining a flow rate of a substance or a thermo-contrast agent in an object including a surface and an upstream region, and the method comprising the steps of (a) providing the upstream region with a thermo-contrast agent; (b) obtaining successive temperature readings of at least a part of the surface of the object; (c) generating a temperature response curve from the temperature readings; (d) extracting a parameter from the temperature response curve; and (e) determining the flow rate from the parameter.
Abstract:
A navigation system for catheter-based interventions, the system comprising a processing device; an angiogram x-ray system connected by data transfer connection to the processing device and capable of capturing angiographic images of a patient; an electrocardiogram monitoring device that is also connected by data transfer connection to the processing device and to the x-ray system; a medical instrument to be inserted into the area of the patient captured by the angiographic image; a position capture module for getting position information about the position of the medical instrument, the unit connected by data transfer connection to the processing device, wherein the processing device is capable of triggering the capturing of the angiographic images as a roadmap and superimposing on the roadmap the position information about the medical instrument.
Abstract:
An apparatus for control of a procedure, comprising: a communications interface; a control console, wherein the control console is adapted to provide control commands via the communications interface to at least one of: at least one imaging device or at least one medical instrument used to perform the procedure; and, at least one radiation shield attached to the control console and positioned between the control console and a patient on which the procedure is being performed, wherein the apparatus is separately movable from at least one of the at least one imaging device, the patient or the at least one medical instrument.
Abstract:
An apparatus for imparting motion from at least one of a plurality of motion sources into linear, rotary, or combined linear and rotary motion of an elongated device, the apparatus comprising a transmission for translating the motion to linear or rotary motion of the elongated device.
Abstract:
Methods for determining the flow rate of a substance within an object by extracting and mathematically manipulating numerical parameters from a thermoimaging temperature response curve of the surface of the object. The methods of the present invention are suitable to determine coronary arteries flow rates and myocardial perfusion rates in open chest conditions.
Abstract:
A method of displaying cardiac function which forms by helical or segmental analysis a three-dimensional cage model which can be shaded and color coded to indicate local and regional dysfunction by thickening or motion and stresses. On this model is superimposed the coronary artery tree including stenosed segments as obtained from the same patient by angiograms and the resulting three-dimensional coronary and mechanical model can be subjected to animation and analysis for diagnostic purposes and to simulate effects of treatment.