Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein may be directed to clips for medical implementation, including clips for a portion of a heart. The clips may be configured to close the portion of the heart, to reduce blood flow therethrough as well as passage of clots or other undesired materials. In examples, the clips may be configured to close the left atrial appendage (LAA). The closure of the LAA may reduce the possibility of stroke or other maladies stemming from fluid flow with the LAA. In examples, the clips may be positioned exterior of the LAA, to extend over an outer surface of the LAA for closure.

Abstract: This invention provides new inorganic composite materials for hard tissue replacement. The new composite material comprises solid material of calcium sulfate which is fully or partially converted to calcium phosphate from aqueous solution. This composite material has good biocompatibility and controllable resorption, and will be very useful for bone substitute material in orthopaedic and dental applications. The fully converted material which comprises mainly apatite calcium phosphate is also useful for chromatography application. A process to prepare these new composite materials is also described.

Abstract: A surgical cement of high biocompatibility, useful in orthopedic, maxillofacial and dental applications, comprising a calcium alkali phosphate cement with relatively high surface pH of about 7 or higher, and having a wide variety of chemical compositions, permitting flexibility in controlling the bioresorption rate by changing the chemical composition of the cementing powder.

Abstract: This invention provides a calcium phosphate cement with relatively high surface pH which is very beneficial from the biocompatibility point of view. When calcium phosphate salts react with an acidic reagent to form cement, it normally involves the dissolution and recrystallization process. The acidity of the setting cements depends strongly on the nature of the calcium phosphate salt used, the acidity of the setting reagent, and the reaction rate. The present invention uses high alkaline calcium phosphate ceramics such as tetracalcium phosphate alone or together with calcium phosphate ceramics such as .alpha.-tricalcium phosphate as base cementing powder to increase the surface pH of the setting cement.