Abstract: A robotic catheter procedure system is provided. The robotic catheter procedure system includes a bedside system and a remote workstation. The bedside system includes a percutaneous device and a drive mechanism configured to engage and to impart an axial force to the percutaneous device and to advance and retract the percutaneous device. The bedside system includes an actuator providing torque to the drive mechanism to impart the axial force to the percutaneous device, and the torque provided by the actuator is variable. The remote workstation includes a user interface configured to receive a first user input and a control system operatively coupled to the user interface. The control system is configured to communicate a control signal to the actuator. The control signal is based upon the first user input and a second input, and the actuator provides torque to the drive mechanism in response to the control signal.

Abstract: A transcatheter delivery device including a catheter and at least one stabilizer useful for transseptal procedures. The stabilizer includes a shaft connected to an anchor. The anchor has a delivery position in which the anchor is collapsed against the shaft and a deployed position in which the anchor expands to engage a pulmonary vein or atrial appendage to support the catheter within the septal wall as the catheter moves within a left atrium. Various disclosed delivery devices are also configured to ablate tissue proximate the anchor and/or can be disconnected from the delivery device after the procedure to occlude an atrial appendage. Methods of using the disclosed delivery devices and treating a heart are also disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical suturing system is disclosed. The surgical suturing system comprises a shaft, a firing drive comprising a motor, and an end effector extending distally from the shaft. The end effector comprises a needle driver configured to be actuated by the motor, wherein the needle driver is configured to drive a needle installed within the end effector. The end effector further comprises a needle track configured to guide the needle installed within the end effector through a needle firing stroke, wherein the end effector is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different sizes. The surgical suturing system further comprises a control circuit configured to sense the size of the suturing needle installed within the end effector and adjust the actuation stroke of the motor to accommodate the size of the needle installed within the end effector.

Abstract: Forceps with improved actuation include a housing and a body that is longitudinally slidable relative to the housing. The body having a peripheral flange extending outward towards the housing. A trigger includes an actuation surface configured to receive a force input from a user. The trigger further including at least one arm configured to transfer the received force input to the body. To inhibit lateral splaying of the at least one arm when the trigger is actuated, the housing includes a first control surface, such as a rib proximate the arm.

Abstract: A packaging for an implant to hold the implant in a first condition. The packaging including a first packaging tube and a container, wherein the implant is movable from the container into the first tube and maintained within the first tube in a second condition, the implant having a first transverse dimension in the first condition and a second transverse dimension in the second condition, the second transverse dimension being less than the first transverse dimension.

Abstract: Described herein include various embodiments of a tool assembly for performing endoscopic surgery that can be used manually and/or with a robotic surgical system. The tool assembly can include a shaft assembly that extends from a housing of the tool assembly. A distal end of the shaft can include an end effector that includes a clamp arm pivotally coupled to a blade for cutting and/or sealing tissue. Pivoting of the clamp arm between the open and closed configurations can be caused by movement of a yoke that is slidably disposed within the housing of the tool assembly. For example, the yoke can be caused to move by one or more outputs (e.g., a manual output, a rotary output, and/or a linear mechanical output). Furthermore, some tool assembly embodiments can include a biasing system that biases the yoke such that the clamp arm is in the open configuration. In some embodiments, the tool assembly can be configured for tissue spread dissection using the clamp arm and blade.

Abstract: An articulable wrist for an end effector includes a first linkage, a second linkage rotatably coupled to the first linkage at a first articulation joint, and a flexible member extending at least partially through a central channel cooperatively defined by the first and second linkages. A first pivot guide is rotatably coupled to the second linkage at the first articulation joint and rotatable about a first pivot axis extending through the first articulation joint, the first pivot guide defining a central aperture alignable with the central channel and sized to accommodate the flexible member therethrough. The first pivot guide supports an outer diameter of the flexible member at the first articulation joint and prevents the flexible member from flexing beyond the first pivot axis during articulation.

Abstract: An anchor-handling device comprises a housing shaped to define a channel having an anchor-storage zone and a proximal opening. An anchor driver comprises an anchor-engaging head, the anchor-engaging head being dimensioned to be advanceable through the proximal opening toward the anchor-storage zone. A tissue anchor is stored in the anchor-storage zone, and comprises a coupling head configured to be locked to the anchor-engaging head. The tissue anchor is movable out of the anchor-storage zone toward the proximal opening in response to a proximally-directed force being applied to the tissue anchor by the anchor driver. The anchor-handling device comprises an element that serves as an indicator of movement of the tissue anchor out of the anchor-storage zone toward the proximal opening, by moving in response to the proximally-directed force such that at least part of the element protrudes out of the housing. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an intracranial guide for use in a medical procedure, such as to evacuate a subdural hematoma or to relieve an intracerebral hemorrhage. The intracranial guide generally includes a guide cannula to be received within a portion of a cranial port. The cranial port is configured to be anchored in a burr hole to be formed in the patient's cranium. The guide cannula includes at least one channel that may be used to guide a catheter to a targeted portion of the patient's anatomy or to apply a suction force within the patient's cranium.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for delivering a device assembly into a gastric or other space within the body, allowing the device to expand to occupy volume within the gastric space and, after an effective period of time, delivering a substance or stimulus to begin breakdown of the expanded device so that it may release from the body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a skin treatment device for removing callus from the skin by an abrasive treatment, comprising a housing with a handle section (110), a skin treatment element (120) rotatable around a rotational axis (101) and a protective rim (130). Said protective rim circumferentially encases said skin treatment element partially over an angular range of more than 120° and less than 330° about said rotational axis such that a circumferential abrasive treatment surface protrudes from the protective rim in an area extending over an angular range of 30° to 240°.

Abstract: An anchoring system is a combination of a nanofiber scaffold material and an arthroscopically deployable suture anchor. The anchor is deployed into a bone tunnel using common techniques. The nanofiber material extends out of the proximal end of the implant, once deployed. The implant also includes pre-loaded sutures or has the ability to accept and lock sutures to the implant. For an implant pre-loaded with suture, the implant is placed into the bone, the material is deployed above the anchor onto the surface of the bone, suture is passed through the soft tissue, and knots are tied to secure the tissue against the bone, sandwiching the material between the bone and tissue, to provide a pathway for cells from the bone marrow to the soft tissue-bone interface, promote the healing response, provide a biomimetic structure that cells readily adhere to, and create a larger healing footprint.

Abstract: An improved holder and storage system for prosthetic heart valves that pre-shields or pre-constricts the commissure posts of the valve to prevent suture looping. Pre-shielding and pre-constriction mean at the time of manufacture, so that the valves are stored with the commissure posts shielded and/or constricted. The holders may have solid legs that directly contact and constrict and hold the commissure posts without the use of sutures in tension that might creep over the time in storage. The holder may have a base in contact with the inflow end and a shaft portion that projects through the valve leaflets and cooperates with movable legs on the outflow end of the valve in contact with the commissure posts. The holders may, alternatively, have flexible leg members that extend through the valve and have distal end portions configured to extend over and shield the tips of commissure posts.

Abstract: Devices and methods for extraction and processing of substantiagelatineafuniculi umbilicalis (Wharton's Jelly) from an umbilical cord.

Abstract: A method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve includes advancing a distal end portion of a catheter shaft through a patient's vasculature. The distal end portion of the catheter shaft includes an expansion device. A prosthetic heart valve is mounted on the expansion device with the expansion device and the prosthetic heart valve in a compressed configuration. The method further includes positioning the distal end portion of the catheter shaft and the prosthetic heart valve to an implantation location, and expanding the prosthetic heart valve and the expansion device from the compressed configuration to an expanded configuration. The expansion device includes an inner expandable member and a plurality of outer expandable members. The outer expandable members are distributed such that there are gaps providing perfusion passageways between the expansion device and the prosthetic heart valve when the expansion device is in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: A fistula treatment system comprises a guide such as a guide coil 1101 which is adapted to extend partially around a tissue tract and an implant element 1102. The implant element 1102 is activated to draw tissue surrounding the tract inwardly.

Abstract: A delivery cable for delivering a medical device and a delivery device including the same are described herein. The delivery cable includes a flexible inner core, an outer coil surrounding at least a portion of the flexible inner core, and a pull wire disposed between the flexible inner core and the outer coil, the pull wire configured to deflect a distal deflectable portion of the delivery cable upon manipulation thereof. Methods of making the delivery cable and methods of using the delivery cable to deploy a medical device are also described herein.

Abstract: A device for use in preventing stroke is provided. The device may include an expandable member that expands from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration. The expandable member is located at a neck of a patient. An associated method is provided.

Abstract: A method of stapling tissue is disclosed. The method can include obtaining a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples, wherein each staple has a base and a leg extending from the base. The stapling method can also include firing the staples from the staple cartridge, wherein the staples are fired into tissue in a staple line. The staple line can include a first portion having a first flexibility and a second portion having a second flexibility, wherein the second flexibility is different than the first flexibility. A method of stapling tissue can also include adapting an anvil with an anvil plate having an arrangement of staple-forming pockets that differs from the staple-forming pockets in the anvil.

Abstract: A color-coded bioprosthetic valve system having a valve with an annular sewing ring, and a valve holder system with a holder sutured to the ring of the valve, a post operatively connected to the holder, and an adapter sutured to the post and having a color associated with the valve model and/or size. For example, the adapter may be blue to indicate that the valve of the system is a mitral valve of a particular type and/or size. The system may also include a flex handle that is configured to engage with the adapter. The handle has a color associated with the adapter such that a user is able to visually determine that the handle color matches the valve model. For example, the handle may have a grip that is colored blue to match the blue color of the adapter. Accordingly, the color-coded system enables users to confirm easily that the correct accessories such as the sizer or flex handle are being used with the correct valve.