Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes a radially expandable annular frame and a valve body disposed inside the frame. The valve body includes three leaflets configured to regulate the flow of blood through the frame in one direction. The prosthetic heart valve also includes an annular inner skirt secured to an inner surface of the frame. The inner skirt has an inflow edge oriented toward an inflow end of the frame, an outflow edge oriented toward an outflow end of the frame, and first and second lateral edges extending from the inflow edge to the outflow edge, wherein the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge are secured together. The first lateral edge and the second lateral edge are oriented at an oblique angle relative to a plane that is perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the frame.

Abstract: Benign prosthetic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. Treatment options for BPH include medication, surgery (e.g., removal of enlarged prostate tissue), and minimally invasive procedures (e.g., needle ablation, electrovaporization, thermotherapy, and stent insertion). Minimally invasive procedure is typically the preferred choice if medication is ineffective. Accordingly, disclosed herein are system and method for treating BPH using improved implant and delivery device. Certain embodiments of the delivery device can include: a camming barrel having a first groove at the distal end of the camming barrel; a sheath, located within a lumen of the camming barrel, for storing the implantable device; and a first cam follower coupled to the sheath.

Abstract: A device for treating obesity of a patient, the device comprising: at least one operable stretching device implantable in the patient and adapted to stretch a portion of the patient's stomach wall, and an implantable control unit for automatically controlling the operable stretching device, when the control unit and stretching device are implanted, to stretch the stomach wall portion in connection with the patient eating such that satiety is created.

Abstract: Provided are live, artificial, skin substitute products and methods of making and using the same, such as for wound treatment and compound testing, including compound testing for efficacy, toxicity, penetration, irritation and/or metabolism testing of drug candidates or compositions such as cosmetics.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve configured to replace a native heart valve and having a support frame configured to be reshaped into an expanded form in order to receive and/or support an expandable prosthetic heart valve therein is disclosed, together with methods of using same. Interlocking members or flexible loops are included to limit expansion of the valve to one or two valve sizes, for example, with a 2-mm gap between each valve size. The valve may include an internal structural band with overlapped free ends having structure for limiting expansion, or external loops of suture may be added to the fabric covering which limits expansion.

Abstract: Anchors for securing an implant within a body organ and/or reshaping a body organ are provided herein. Anchors are configured for deployment in a body lumen or vasculature of the patient that are curved or conformable to accommodate anatomy of the patient. Such anchors can include deformable or collapsible structures upon tensioning of a bridging element in a lateral direction, or segmented tubes that can be adjusted by tightening of one or more tethers extending therethrough. Such anchors can be used as a posterior anchor in a blood vessel in implant systems having a tensioned bridging element extending between the posterior anchor and an anterior anchor deployed at another location within or along the body organ. Methods of deploying such anchors and use of multiple anchors or multiple bridging elements to a single anchor are also provided.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an encoded cinching mechanism for use with an implant delivery sleeve. The delivery sleeve includes: an enclosure having a first portion, an orifice, and a throat disposed between the first portion and the orifice; and a cinching mechanism disposed about the throat, in which the cinching mechanism comprises a plurality of demarcations each of which are indicative of a sized opening of the throat.

Abstract: A system for providing electrical energy to an implanted device or to a device attached to a body. The system includes one or more permanent magnets attached to or implanted in a first body part and one or more inductor(s) attached to or implanted in a second body part. The inductor(s) are electrically couplable to the implanted device for providing the implanted device with electrical currents flowing in the one or more inductor(s) in response to changes in the position and/or orientation of the permanent magnet(s) relative to the position and/or orientation of the inductor(s). The system may include a current rectifier for rectifying electrical currents provided by the inductor(s). The system may also include a charge storage device electrically coupled to the current rectifier for storing electrical energy received from the current rectifier.

Abstract: A stented valve including a generally tubular stent structure that has a longitudinal axis, first and second opposite ends, a plurality of commissure support structures spaced from the first and second ends and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, at least one structural wire positioned between each two adjacent commissure support structures, and at least one wing portion extending from two adjacent commissure support structures and toward one of the first and second ends of the stent structure. The stented valve further includes a valve structure attached within the generally tubular stent structure to the commissure support structures.

Abstract: An example medical device is disclosed. An example medical device includes an expandable stent. The stent includes a tubular scaffold formed of one or more interwoven filament. The tubular scaffold includes an inner surface and a flexible valve extending radially inward from the inner surface of the scaffold. Further, the valve is configured to shift between a closed configuration and an open configuration and the one or more filaments of the scaffold bias the valve to the closed configuration while in a nominally deployed state.

Abstract: Tissue engineering devices and methods employing scaffolds made of absorbable material for use in the human body for tissue genesis and regenerative and cellular medicine including breast reconstruction and cosmetic and aesthetic procedures and supplementing organ function in vivo.

Abstract: Prosthetic heart valves may be delivered to a targeted native heart valve site via one or more delivery catheters. In some embodiments, the prosthetic heart valve includes structural features that securely anchor the prosthetic heart valve to the anatomy at the site of the native heart valve. Such structural features can provide robust migration resistance. In addition, the prosthetic heart valves can include structural features that improve sealing between the prosthetic valve and native valve anatomy to mitigate paravalvular leakage. In particular implementations, the prosthetic heart valves occupy a small delivery profile, thereby facilitating a smaller delivery catheter system for advancement to the heart. Some delivery catheter systems can include a curved inner catheter to facilitate deployment of the prosthetic heart valve to a native tricuspid valve site via a superior vena cava or inferior vena cava.

Abstract: Tissue engineering devices and methods employing scaffolds made of absorbable material for use in the human body for tissue genesis and regenerative and cellular medicine including breast reconstruction and cosmetic and aesthetic procedures and supplementing organ function in vivo.

Abstract: A mastopexy implant for maintaining the breast in an elevated and aesthetically pleasing position includes a lower pole support comprising end portions which may be affixed to the chest wall or to a previously installed upper suspension strut. The implant is loaded in an insertion device. The insertion device is inserted through a small incision and into a subcutaneous pocket created in an inferior half of the breast. The lower pole support may have various constructs and in one embodiment includes a unitary conformable mesh having a plurality of arm or band members which are attached across the breast parenchyma and to the chest wall.

Abstract: Embodiments of a prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. An implantable prosthetic valve may be radially collapsible to a collapsed configuration and radially expandable to an expanded configuration. The prosthetic valve may comprise an annular frame, a leaflet structure positioned within the frame and a plurality of outer skirts positioned around an outer surface of the frame, each outer skirt comprising an inflow edge secured to the frame and an outflow edge secured at intervals to the frame. The plurality of outer skirts may include a first outer skirt and a second outer skirt, wherein in the expanded configuration the first and second outer skirts include openings unsecured to the frame between the intervals. The inflow edge of the first annular outer skirt may be secured to the frame with sutures including radiopaque material. The first annular outer skirt may include radiopaque dye.

Abstract: Embodiments include prosthetic valves and related methods. In an embodiment, an implantable valve is included having a frame that includes a plurality of frame struts. The frame can define a central lumen. An outer skirt can be disposed on an abluminal surface of the frame. The outer skirt can include a flap having a first end and a second end. The first end of the flap can be fixed to the abluminal surface of the frame and the second end can be free to move away from the abluminal surface of the frame. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: A percutaneous heart valve delivery system including a valve delivery catheter coupled with a first inflatable balloon positioned at a distal end of the valve delivery catheter, wherein the first inflatable balloon is configured to fracture a previously implanted prosthetic heart valve; and a replacement transcatheter heart valve positioned proximal to the first inflatable balloon, wherein the replacement transcatheter heart valve is configured to be implanted subsequently within the previously implanted, fractured prosthetic heart valve, following fracture of the previously implanted heart valve without withdrawal of the percutaneous heart valve delivery system. Also disclosed are methods of implantation of a new heart valve within a previously implanted prosthetic heart valve and methods of valvuloplasty of a native heart valve.

Abstract: An assembly for replacement of a native aortic heart valve includes a radially collapsible prosthetic heart valve and a delivery apparatus. The prosthetic heart valve includes an annular frame with attachment posts, wherein each of the posts has an axial post portion and a transverse post portion having a greater circumferential dimension than the axial post portion. The delivery apparatus includes an inner shaft with a valve connection portion for releasably coupling to the attachment posts and an outer shaft having a sheath for maintaining the prosthetic heart valve in a radially compressed state. Rotation of a control knob on a handle causes the sheath to retract for uncovering a portion of the prosthetic heart valve. Further rotation of the control knob allows the posts to decouple from the delivery apparatus such that the prosthetic heart valve self-expands to a fully expanded state.

Abstract: A method is presented for tricuspid valve commissural annuloplasty for secondary tricuspid insufficiency. The method comprises suturing through a valve annulus, and bringing the valve annulus to its normal size while eliminating its regurgitation. The suturing comprises applying individual sutures on pledgets through the tricuspid valve annulus from a right ventricle side along anteroposterior and posteroseptal commissures on both sides of each of said commissures, spaced-apart from them; taking out needles of said sutures from a right atrium side and tying knots along the commissures between them.

Abstract: A tendon repair implant for treatment of a partial thickness tear in the supraspinatus tendon of the shoulder is provided. The implant may incorporate features of rapid deployment and fixation by an arthroscopic means approach that compliment current procedures; tensile properties that result in desired sharing of anatomical load between the implant and native tendon during rehabilitation; selected porosity and longitudinal pathways for tissue in-growth; sufficient cyclic straining of the implant in the longitudinal direction to promote remodeling of new tissue to tendon-like tissue; and, may include a bioresorbable construction to provide transfer of additional load to new tendon-like tissue and native tendon over time.