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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8052670 | Medical device with slotted memory metal tube A series of medical instruments can be made with the use of shape memory tube with a transformation temperature that is above or below the ambient temperature. In the first case, the material behaves with the shape memory effect and in the second case the behavior i... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8034046 | Medical devices including shape memory materials Medical devices, such as catheters, including shape memory materials, are provided, as well as related methods of making and using such medical devices. ... | 10/11/2011 |
| 7338441 | Superelastic/shape memory tissue stabilizers and surgical instruments A surgical instrument is used for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body. The surgical instrument is configured to be changed between two shapes upon application of one or both of heating and cooling. The instrument includes a first member, a secon... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7326197 | Method and apparatus for chest drainage The present invention describes a device for placement in the thoracic cavity of a patient. The device is a cannula, tube or catheter for chest drainage. The device serves as a conduit for drainage of excessive fluid or air buildup in the chest to a receptacle outsi... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7291127 | Variable manipulative strength catheter A catheter assembly comprises a catheter which comprises an inner shaft and an outer shaft, and at least one heat transmitting mechanism. At least one portion of at least one of the inner shaft and the outer shaft of the catheter has a predetermined longitudinal sti... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7280865 | Anchored fiducial apparatus and method An anchored fiducial apparatus is described. The fiducial apparatus anchors itself in the target region once inserted so that the fiducial apparatus does not move relative to the target region. ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7264858 | Multilayered articles having biocompatibility and biostability characteristics Multilayer articles, such as tubing and films, are disclosed which have a soft layer of aliphatic polyurethane and at least one layer of hard aliphatic polyurethane. The articles formed avoid the problem of tackiness when using only a soft aliphatic polyurethane, wh... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7264619 | Catheter with flexible cooled electrode A catheter for the treatment of tumors and other affections using hyperthermia induced by radio frequency includes a tubular body with or without an anchoring balloon at its distal end. An active electrode is positioned around the body and connected to a radio frequ... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7252643 | Guide wire A guide wire includes a wire body, a first coil, a second coil, and an elongate member. The first coil has a helical shape, and is disposed on a distal end side of the guide wire. The second coil has a helical shape, and is disposed on a distal end side of the first... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7056314 | Steerable obturator An omnidirectionally steerable obturator facilitates the delivery of the distal tip of an introducer sheath into the coronary sinus of a heart. The steerable obturator comprises an obturator body extending longitudinally along a central axis, the obturator body bein... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7037321 | Medical device with slotted memory metal tube A series of medical instruments can be made with the use of shape memory tube with a transformation temperature that is above or below the ambient temperature. In the first case, the material behaves with the shape memory effect and in the second case the behavior i... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6974557 | Methods for forming an optical window for an intracorporeal device and for joining parts Optical windows for intracorporeal devices, intracorporeal devices comprising a window and a method for forming a window for an intracorporeal device are provided. The method comprises placing within a mold an assembly comprising a mandrel located within a pair of p... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6939338 | Methods and apparatus for imparting curves in elongated medical catheters Curves and dynamic shapes are imparted in distal segments of medical instruments e.g., catheters, through use of a temperature-activated actuator coupled to distal segment of the instrument body. The actuator comprises includes members extending side-by-side in subs... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6893427 | Catheter with thermoresponsive distal tip portion The catheter assembly comprises a tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end and a thermoresponsive distal tip portion fixed to the distal end of the catheter. ... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6887229 | Method and apparatus for insertion of elongate instruments within a body cavity A sheath is composed of a biocompatible material which has a stiffness and moldability such that it can easily be deformed by hand by the physician prior to implantation, or by means of a guiding or shaping tool such as the dilator, stylet and or guide wire during p... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6780175 | Medical instrument with slotted memory metal tube A series of medical instruments can be made with the use of shape memory tube with a transformation temperature that is above or below the ambient temperature. In the first case, the material behaves with the shape memory effect and in the second case the behavior i... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6638372 | Superelastic guiding member An improved guiding member for use within a body lumen having a unique combination of superelastic characteristics. The superelastic alloy material has a composition consisting of about 30% to about 52% (atomic) titanium, and about 38% to 52% nickel and m... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6638266 | Guidewire with an intermediate variable stiffness section The invention is directed to an guide wire for intraluminal deployment of a medical device within a patient, the guide wire having an elongate core member with an intermediate core section comprising a plurality of contiguous segments in alignment with th... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6620126 | Variable shape guide apparatus An apparatus having a steerable distal end portion for insertion in a body lumen comprises a superlastic shape memory member which adopts a memorized shape in an unloaded austenitic state, and stationary heating means for heating at least a portion of the... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6598280 | Method of making a catheter A conformable catheter comprising a catheter handle, an elongated catheter tube, and a distal tip portion of the catheter tube, capable of assuming a desired pre-programmed shape. A wire member is disposed within the core of the catheter's tip portion and... | 07/29/2003 |
| 6592570 | Superelastic guiding member An improved guiding member for use within a body lumen having a unique combination of superelastic characteristics. The superelastic alloy material has a composition consisting of about 30% to about 52% (atomic) titanium, and about 38% to 52% nickel and m... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6533752 | Variable shape guide apparatus The apparatus includes a flexible, elongated tubular member and is comprised of a tube of superlastic metal which in response to changing temperatures resists to a greater or less degree the bending moment imposed by a biasing element, thereby altering th... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6485458 | Surgical insertion instrument body having a distending portion An insertion instrument body includes a longitudinal metallic core portion, a distending portion and a power supply means. The metallic core portion is inserted into a lumen such as a blood vessel. The distending portion is fixed to an outer face of the m... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6447478 | Thin-film shape memory alloy actuators and processing methods A shape memory alloy actuator array comprising a plurality of individually trained shape memory alloy actuators to provide relative movement of different actuator array portions and a thin-film heating element positioned adjacent at least one shape memory... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6287292 | Guidewire with a variable stiffness distal portion A guidewire having a core section formed of a NiTi alloy which is in an austenite phase when being manufactured but which is converted to the martensite phase at operating (body) temperature (37° C.) and can be transformed to an austenite phase by heatin... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6258086 | Catheter for delivery of energy to a surgical site A catheter for delivering energy to a surgical site is disclosed. The catheter includes at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe. The catheter includes at least one energy delivery device and an activation element. The at least one energy de... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6245053 | Soft tip guiding catheter and method of fabrication The present invention relates to medical vascular catheters adapted to be inserted into a blood vessel from an incision through the skin of a patient for introducing ther devices or fluids for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, and particularly to an imp... | 06/12/2001 |
| 6159187 | Reinforced catheter with a formable distal tip This is a section of a catheter which self-forms a selected shape upon application of a modest amount of heat and retains that shape upon cooling and, indeed, upon any reheating. The catheter section includes in its wall a forming member which typically c... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6139536 | Urological stent therapy system and method A stent system and method for use in the prostate gland. The stent is made of a shape memory alloy such as nitinol, and has a low temperature martensite state, with a martensite transition temperature below body temperature, and a high temperature austeni... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6133547 | Distributed activator for a two-dimensional shape memory alloy A distributed activation system for a unitary sheet of electrically conductive or insulative shape memory alloy having a sufficiently small section to limit the lateral flow of heat including at least one heating element disposed on the shape memory alloy... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6072154 | Selectively activated shape memory device A shape memory device includes a shape memory alloy member configured to have at least a portion of the shape memory alloy member be selectively activated. A heating device is coupled to the member and configured to provide heat to a selected section of t... | 06/06/2000 |
| 6056837 | Spiral sheath retainer for autoperfusion dilatation catheter balloon A spiral balloon perfusion catheter assembly having a retaining wire and method of making the balloon. Also, a retaining wire for such a catheter and method of forming the retaining wire. A typical spiral catheter balloon has a spiral configuration of lob... | 05/02/2000 |
| 5997526 | Shape memory catheter A conformable catheter comprising a catheter handle, an elongated catheter tube, and a distal tip portion of the catheter tube, capable of assuming a desired pre-programmed shape. A wire member is disposed within the core of the catheter's tip portion and... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5993436 | Indwelling catheter with improved kinking resistance An indwelling catheter is made of a polyurethane resin having a Shore hardness of 60D or more. The soft segment of the polyurethane resin is constituted by polycaprolactone. The indwelling catheter has a kinking resistance of 10 mm or more when measured a... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5944701 | Self coiling catheter Medical guidewires have coiled proximal ends which allow and facilitate management of guidewires during use in an operating room.... | 08/31/1999 |
| 5928217 | Urological stent therapy system and method A stent system and method for use in the prostate gland. The stent is made of a shape memory alloy such as nitinol, and has a low temperature martensite state, with a martensite transition temperature below body temperature, and a high temperature austeni... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5776114 | Flexible housing for intracorporeal use An elongated flexible housing for an atherectomy or other intracorporeal catheter which is formed of a shape memory alloy such ass an alloy formed predominantly of NiTi intermetallic compound. The housing preferably has an inner chamber with a tissue cutt... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5762630 | Thermally softening stylet The present invention describes a stylet that softens dramatically upon insertion into a living body with a temperature of about 37° C. The stylet has a distal end and a proximal end. Upon insertion of the distal end into a living body, the distal end so... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5716410 | Temporary stent and method of use A temporary stent comprises a coil of tubular thermoplastic material and a heating element inside the tubular material, or a film with a metal film resistive heating element coated thereon. A method of temporarily supporting the wall of a vessel comprises... | 02/10/1998 |
| 5697380 | Guide wire having distal extremity with adjustable support characteristic and method A guide wire having a distal extremity with an adjustable support characteristic comprising a core wire having proximal and distal extremities. The distal extremity has a reduced cross sectional area which is more flexible than the proximal extremity. A t... | 12/16/1997 |
