David M Blaeser

6373662, Apr 16, 2002

Mar 27, 1997

08/826277

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Ryan A. Jurgenson - Hutchinson MN

Hutchinson Technology Incorporated - Hutchinson MN

G11B 558

3602455, 3602456

A head suspension including a one-piece load beam and flexure structure wherein the flexure structure includes partially etched connecting bars. The load beam and flexure structure is fabricated from a single piece of spring steel, and the structure comprises a rigid region, a mounting region on a proximal end of the rigid region, and a flexure region. The flexure region has a planar support region and an integral flexure, and the integral flexure includes a slider-receiving region and connecting bars that connect the slider-receiving region to the support region of the integral flexure. A head slider is mounted to the slider-receiving region. The connecting bars of the integral flexure are thinned by partial etching in order to reduce the stiffness of the connecting bars, and thereby allow the head slider to gimbal in response to aerodynamic forces.

6391032, May 21, 2002

Aug 31, 1999

09/387179

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Linda R. Lorentzen Cornelius - Wayzata MN
Martin R. Willard - Maple Grove MN

Scimed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 1100

606108, 606194

A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

6478814, Nov 12, 2002

Sep 28, 1999

09/407836

Lixiao Wang - Maple Grove MN
John Jianhua Chen - Plymouth MN
The Thomas Trinh Tran - Coon Rapids MN
Jon St. Germain - Elk River MN
David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN

Scimed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 206

623 112

A stent delivery system which has a catheter including an inflatable portion. A stent being disposed about the inflatable portion of the catheter, the stent having a contracted state and an expanded state. A pair of stent retaining sleeves which are partially composed of PTFE, each sleeve having a first end portion overlying a respective end of the stent, each sleeve having a second end portion respectively attached to the catheter, the sleeves retaining the stent to the catheter when the stent is in the contracted state, the stent being freed from the sleeves when the stent is placed in the expanded state. The sleeves being placed on the stent by heat shrinking. The inflatable portion of the balloon optionally having stepped compliant characteristics.

6514281, Feb 4, 2003

Sep 4, 1998

09/148179

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN

Scimed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 206

623 112, 623 135

A stent deployment system includes a tubular member having a first end and a second end and a generally longitudinal opening between the first and second ends. The tubular member has an inner periphery sized to receive a stent therein. A plurality of apertures are disposed on opposite sides of the generally longitudinal opening. An elongate retainer is removably receivable within the apertures to retain the stent in the tubular member and to release the stent from the tubular member when removed from the apertures.

6610069, Aug 26, 2003

Dec 4, 2001

10/004729

Charles L. Euteneuer - St. Michael MN
Christoper R. Larson - St. Paul MN
Steven P. Mertens - New Hope MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN
David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Louis G. Ellis - St. Anthony MN
Andrew J. Dusbabek - Dayton MN
Terry V. Brown - Fridley MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 1100

606108, 606195

An angioplasty and stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which or over which there is included on a catheter shaft at least one axially movable or enlargeable body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon.

6626934, Sep 30, 2003

Jan 2, 2001

09/753533

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 206

623 111

The present invention provides an apparatus for delivery and deployment of an expandable stent within a vessel. The apparatus comprises a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a catheter shaft, an expandable stent coaxially mounted on the catheter near the distal end of the catheter and a securement apparatus coaxially mounted on the catheter near its distal end and over the stent. The securement apparatus comprises a securement sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The securement sleeve is constructed and arranged for proximal advancement along the catheter shaft. The present invention also includes a distal cuff having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The distal cuff is mounted near the distal end of the catheter and is constructed and arranged to closely surround the exterior surface of the securement sleeve at the distal end of the securement sleeve until proximal advancement thereof and subsequent deployment of the stent.

6802849, Oct 12, 2004

May 21, 2002

10/153276

David J Blaeser - Champlin MN
Linda R. Lorentzen Cornelius - Wayzata MN
Martin R. Willard - Maple Grove MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 1100

606191, 606198, 606108

A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

7691128, Apr 6, 2010

Oct 14, 2005

11/249317

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN, US
Peter T. Keith - St. Paul MN, US
Scott A. Olson - Zimmerman MN, US
Steven S. Hackett - Maple Grove MN, US
Thomas V. Ressemann - St. Cloud MN, US
Joel D. Phillips - Minneapolis MN, US
Mark R. Christianson - Darwin MN, US
Dennis W. Wahr - Ann Arbor MI, US

St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc. - Minnetonka MN

A61B 17/08
A61D 1/00

606216, 606213, 623 111

Devices and methods for sealing a passageway formed by a patent foramen ovale (PFO track) in the heart are provided. One method includes providing an abrading device to the PFO track and abrading the tissue within the PFO track. The abraded tissue forming the PFO track is then held together under pressure, either via lowering right atrial pressure or via applying suction to the septum primum to pull it into apposition against the septum secundum. After a sufficient period of time, the pressure is released and the abraded tissue heals to form a robust seal over the PFO track. Additionally, several devices are provided which can be placed into the PFO track to apply adhesive to the walls of the PFO track. The devices may or may not be left within the PFO track. If the devices are not left within the PFO track, the walls of the PFO track, covered with adhesive, are brought into apposition with one another and adhered together.