Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110067471 | Method and Apparatus for Creating Formed Elements Used to Make Wound Stents - A method for forming a wave form for a stent includes providing a length of a formable material from a supply of the formable material in a feeder along an axis in a first direction in between a first forming member and a second forming member. The second forming member is positioned closer to the feeder than the first forming member. The length is about the length of a substantially straight portion of the wave form. The method also includes moving the first forming member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction to a position in contact with the formable material, and moving the second forming member in a third direction substantially opposite the second direction to wrap the formable material about a distal end of the first forming member. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071615 | Methods for Forming an Orthogonal End on a Helical Stent - A method of manufacturing a stent includes forming a wave form having a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns. Each crown connects two adjacent struts. The wave form has a center and two portions extending from opposite sides of the center. The method includes wrapping a first portion of the wave form about a longitudinal axis in a first direction at a first pitch angle, starting at the center of the wave form, to define at least one turn oriented at the first pitch angle, and wrapping a second portion of the wave form about the longitudinal axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction at a second pitch angle, starting at the center of the wave form, to define at least one turn oriented at the second pitch angle. The first pitch angle is opposite the second pitch angle. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071617 | Stent With Improved Flexibility - A stent includes a continuous wave form wrapped around a longitudinal axis of the stent at a pitch to define a helix comprising a plurality of turns. The wave form includes a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns. Each crown connects adjacent struts within a turn to define the continuous wave form. The stent also includes a plurality of connections configured to connect selected crowns of adjacent turns. Unconnected crowns of adjacent turns that substantially face each other are spaced from each other and define a gap therebetween. The gap between the unconnected crowns of adjacent turns is variable around a circumference of the stent. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071620 | Methods for Forming an Orthogonal End on a Helical Stent - A method of manufacturing a stent includes forming a wave form having a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns. Each crown connects two adjacent struts. The wave form has a central portion and two end portions located on opposite sides the central portion. Some of the struts located in the end portions have lengths longer and/or shorter than an average length of all of the struts of the wave form. The method includes wrapping the wave form about a longitudinal axis to define a plurality of turns so that an end turn is oriented at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis, a second turn is at a first pitch angle that is less than the angle that the end turn is disposed relative to the longitudinal axis, a third turn is at a second pitch angle that is less than the first pitch angle, and a fourth turn is at a third pitch angle that is less than the second pitch angle. | 03-24-2011 |
20110218615 | Stent With Multi-Crown Constraint and Method for Ending Helical Wound Stents - A stent includes a wave form having a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns with each crown connecting two adjacent struts. The wave form is wrapped around a longitudinal axis to define a plurality of turns. The stent includes a first connection that connects an end of the wave form to an adjacent crown in a first turn that defines an end of the stent, and a second connection that connects a first crown of the wave form to an adjacent crown in a second turn. | 09-08-2011 |
20110264194 | Endoluminal Implant With Locking and Centering Fixation System - An implant centering system includes a sensor connected to a hollow cylindrical anchor via at least two struts. The hollow cylindrical anchor is transformable between a radially compressed configuration for delivery and a radially expanded configuration for lodging against a vessel wall. The struts longitudinally relocate the sensor between a first position in which the sensor is longitudinally spaced apart from the radially compressed anchor, and a second position in which the sensor is at least partially within a lumen of the radially expanded anchor and radially centered within vessel. In one embodiment, the struts are heat-set into a curved configuration and an externally applied force longitudinally relocates the sensor until the struts lock over center into their heat-set configuration. In another embodiment, radial expansion of the anchor longitudinally relocates the sensor without an externally applied force. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264195 | Helical Stent with Opposing and/or Alternating Pitch Angles - Waveforms for forming helical stents with opposing and/or alternating pitch angles along their lengths are disclosed. A wire is bent to form a waveform having a series of sinusoidal segments between a first end and a second end thereof. Each sinusoidal segment is longitudinally offset from its adjacent segment(s). Each waveform includes at least one sinusoidal segment having a first portion in which the amplitude between consecutive turns of the wire gradually increases and a longitudinally offset second portion in which the amplitude between consecutive turns of the wire gradually decreases. The waveform is wrapped from one end to the other about a mandrel to form the stent and depending on the arrangement of sinusoidal segments along the waveform may have opposing and/or alternating pitch angles along a section or an entire length of the stent. | 10-27-2011 |
20110270339 | Two-Stage Delivery Systems and Methods for Fixing a Leadless Implant to Tissue - Systems and methods of delivering and retaining a leadless medical implant to tissue, wherein a docking base and the implant are sequentially delivered to an implantation site. In a first stage, the docking base is delivered and deployed into tissue at an implantation site. In a second stage, the implant is navigated through the vasculature and coupled to the docking base. Various mechanisms for navigating the implant to the previously implanted docking base and coupling the implant thereto are described. Navigational mechanisms include advancing the implant over a proximally extending wire portion that is releasably attached to the previously implanted docking base, utilizing fluoroscopic visualization to guide the implant to a previously implanted docking base that is at least partially radiopaque and utilizing electromagnetism to guide the implant to a previously implanted docking base that is electro-magnetizable. | 11-03-2011 |
20120012014 | Method for Forming a Wave Form Used to Make Wound Stents - A method for forming a wave form for a stent. The wave form includes a plurality of substantially straight portions and a plurality of curved portions. Each curved portion connects adjacent substantially straight portions. The method includes feeding a formable material between a first die and a second die, the first die having a protruding surface in the shape of the wave form, and the second die having a recessed surface in the shape of the wave form complementing the protruding surface of the first die, pressing the formable material with the protruding surface of the first die into contact with the recessed surface of the second die, and shearing the wave form from the formable material with shearing forces created by the pressing. | 01-19-2012 |
20120018496 | Method and Apparatus for Forming a Wave Form Used to Make Wound Stents - A method for forming a wave form for a stent includes clamping a formable material to a first die including a forming portion; drawing the formable material with the first die in a first direction; clamping the formable material to a second die at a location spaced from the first die, the second die including a forming surface; moving a forming member in between the first die and the second die in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and into contact with the formable material; and deforming the formable material by moving the forming member in the second direction while moving the first die towards the second die and/or moving the second die towards the first die. | 01-26-2012 |
20120101413 | CATHETER APPARATUSES HAVING EXPANDABLE MESH STRUCTURES FOR RENAL NEUROMODULATION AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Catheter apparatuses having expandable mesh structures and associated systems and methods for intravascular renal neuromodulation are disclosed herein. A catheter treatment device includes an expandable mesh structure configured to position an energy delivery element in contact with a renal artery via an intravascular path. The mesh structure can assume an expanded configuration for direct and/or indirect application of thermal and/or electrical energy to heat or otherwise electrically modulate neural fibers that contribute to renal function. A collapsed configuration may facilitate insertion and/or removal of the catheter or repositioning of the energy delivery element within the renal artery. | 04-26-2012 |
20120108922 | Implantable Medical Sensor and Fixation System - An implantable medical device, such as a sensor for monitoring a selected internally detectable physiological parameter of a patient, is attached to a fixation member that is deployable within the patient to position and orient the sensor to enable it to perform its function. The fixation member may be configured to lie in a single plane when deployed or may be tubular in shape. The attachment of the housing and fixation member includes providing the fixation member with a linear attachment strut that is non-circular in cross section and providing the housing with external members that define an elongate channel, non-circular in cross section and receptive to the attachment strut. The attachment strut can be inserted transversely into the channel and the external member can be crimped over the strut to secure the housing and fixation member together. | 05-03-2012 |
20120108986 | Implantable Medical Sensor and Fixation System - An implantable medical device, such as a sensor for monitoring a selected internally detectable physiological parameter of a patient, is attached to a fixation member that is deployable within the patient to position and orient the sensor to enable it to perform its function. The fixation member may be configured to lie in a single plane when deployed or may be tubular in shape. The attachment of the housing and fixation member includes providing the fixation member with a linear attachment strut that is non-circular in cross section and providing the housing with external members that define an elongate channel, non-circular in cross section and receptive to the attachment strut. The attachment strut can be inserted transversely into the channel and the external member can be crimped over the strut to secure the housing and fixation member together. | 05-03-2012 |
20120197350 | COMMUNICATION DIPOLE FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - This disclosure is directed to an implantable medical device having a communication dipole configured in accordance with the techniques described herein. In one example, the disclosure is directed to an implantable medical device comprising a housing that encloses at least a communication module, a first electrode of a communication dipole electrically coupled to the communication module and an electrically conductive fixation mechanism that is electrically coupled to a portion of the housing and wherein a portion of the fixation mechanism is configured to function as at least part of a second electrode of the communication dipole. The electrically conductive fixation mechanism includes a dielectric material that covers at least part of a surface of the fixation mechanism. The communication module is configured to transmit or receive a modulated signal between the first electrode and second electrode of the communication dipole. | 08-02-2012 |
20120239002 | Catheter With Deflectable Cap - A catheter system for delivery of a medical implant, the system including a cap removably covering an open distal end of a catheter. An elongate actuator wire is fixedly attached to the cap, extends through a lumen of the catheter, and has a distal region that can assume a pre-formed shape when unconstrained by the catheter lumen. The pre-formed shape of the wire distal region defines a bend adapted to laterally deflect the cap from the catheter distal end when assuming the pre-formed shape. At least a portion of the lumen adjacent the catheter distal end is sized and shaped to slidably receive the medical implant alongside the actuator wire. A push rod extends through the catheter lumen for ejecting the medical implant from the catheter distal end. Methods of using the invention are also disclosed. | 09-20-2012 |
20120271134 | Delivery System for Implantable Medical Device - A delivery device for implanting a medical device that includes an expandable fixation member adapted to fix the position of the medical device within a lumen of a human body. The delivery device has an inner shaft rotatably disposed in a tubular outer shaft. A retention member is secured to and rotatable with the inner shaft and has a free end and a retainer portion adapted to protrude outwardly through an exit aperture in the outer shaft to extend circumferentially about the exterior of the outer shaft. The fixation member of the medical device may be retained on the tubular shaft in a low profile configuration by the outwardly protruding retainer portion and may be released to expand upon retraction of the retainer portion in response to rotation of the inner shaft. | 10-25-2012 |
20120291788 | Implantable Medical Sensor and Anchoring System - A medical device adapted to be implanted in a vessel of a human body includes a housing that contains means for performing medical functions and an anchor for supporting the housing in an intended location and orientation within the vessel. The anchor is expandable from a low profile configuration adapted for delivery to an expanded configuration for engagement with the vessel wall. The anchor and delivery device are adapted to enable the medical device to be retrieved and repositioned or removed from the vessel. The anchor is adapted to apply sufficient force against the vessel wall to maintain the anchor in place but less force than that required to provide scaffolding support for the vessel. | 11-22-2012 |
20120296222 | Implantable Medical Sensor and Anchoring System - A medical device adapted to be implanted in a vessel of a human body includes a housing that contains means for performing medical functions and an anchor for supporting the housing in an intended location and orientation within the vessel. The anchor is expandable from a low profile configuration adapted for delivery to an expanded configuration for engagement with the vessel wall. The anchor and delivery device are adapted to enable the medical device to be retrieved and repositioned or removed from the vessel. The anchor is adapted to apply sufficient force against the vessel wall to maintain the anchor in place but less force than that required to provide scaffolding support for the vessel. | 11-22-2012 |
20130131591 | DELIVERY SYSTEM ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES - A delivery system assembly includes an elongate outer tube, an elongate inner member extending within a lumen of the outer tube, and an articulation sheath surrounding the outer tube between a handle of the assembly and a distal-most portion of the outer tube. The outer tube is longitudinally moveable within the sheath; and an inner diameter of the sheath is preferably smaller than that of the handle and the distal-most portion of the outer tube. Navigation of the assembly through a venous system, for deployment of an implantable medical device, is facilitated by deflection of the sheath, to orient a distal-most portion of the outer tube, within which an entirety of the medical device is contained/loaded, and by subsequent advancement of the distal-most portion, with respect to the sheath, to move the distal end of the inner member, along with the contained/loaded device into proximity with a target implant site. | 05-23-2013 |
20130131693 | DELIVERY SYSTEM ASSEMBLIES FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES - An inner subassembly of a delivery system assembly extends within a lumen of an elongate outer tube of the assembly, and includes a flared distal end, which is preferably configured to conform to a proximal end of an implantable medical device; a distal-most portion of the outer tube is sized to contain both the flared distal end and an entirety of the medical device. The inner subassembly includes a core, an elongate pull-wire, extending along the core, and a sheath surrounding the pull-wire and the core; the sheath includes a slot opening that allows the pull-wire to pass laterally therethrough. The assembly preferably has a pre-formed curvature along a length of the sheath, and the slot opening extends along the pre-formed curvature. The outer tube is longitudinally moveable relative to the inner subassembly, for example, to deploy the medical device. | 05-23-2013 |
20130255347 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING FORMED ELEMENTS USED TO MAKE WOUND STENTS - A method for forming a wave form for a stent includes moving a first forming portion of a first forming member across an axis along which a formable material is provided in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the axis to engage and deform the formable material while engaging the formable material with a first forming portion of the second forming member. The method includes moving the first forming portion of the first forming member and the first forming portion of the second forming member across the axis in a second direction that is substantially opposite the first direction to draw and form the formable material over the first forming portion of the second forming member, disengaging the first forming member from the formable material, and rotating the first forming member to position a second forming portion of the first forming member to face the formable material. | 10-03-2013 |
20130277884 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING FORMED ELEMENTS USED TO MAKE WOUND STENTS - A method for forming a wave form for a stent includes moving a first forming portion of a first forming member across an axis along which a formable material is provided in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the axis to engage and deform the formable material while engaging the formable material with a first forming portion of the second forming member. The method includes moving the first forming portion of the first forming member and the first forming portion of the second forming member across the axis in a second direction that is substantially opposite the first direction to draw and form the formable material over the first forming portion of the second forming member, disengaging the first forming member from the formable material, and moving the first forming member to position a second forming portion of the first forming member to face the formable material. | 10-24-2013 |
20140249543 | DELIVERY SYSTEM ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES - A delivery system assembly includes an elongate outer tube, an elongate inner member extending within a lumen of the outer tube, and an articulation sheath surrounding the outer tube between a handle of the assembly and a distal-most portion of the outer tube. The outer tube is longitudinally moveable within the sheath; and an inner diameter of the sheath is preferably smaller than that of the handle and the distal-most portion of the outer tube. Navigation of the assembly through a venous system, for deployment of an implantable medical device, is facilitated by deflection of the sheath, to orient a distal-most portion of the outer tube, within which an entirety of the medical device is contained/loaded, and by subsequent advancement of the distal-most portion, with respect to the sheath, to move the distal end of the inner member, along with the contained/loaded device into proximity with a target implant site. | 09-04-2014 |