Abstract: An annuloplasty system is disclosed comprising an annuloplasty implant and a delivery device, the annuloplasty implant comprising first and second supports being adapted to be arranged on opposite sides of native heart valve leaflets. The delivery device comprising a locking structure to interlock with a correspondingly mating first locking structure of a delivery device connector of the annuloplasty implant, the locking structure comprising a first locking side to lock rotational movement of the annuloplasty implant, when interlocked with the delivery device, around an axial direction of the annuloplasty implant, and a second locking side to lock movement of the annuloplasty implant along said axial direction, when interlocked with the delivery device. A method of repairing a defective heart valve is also disclosed.

Abstract: An annuloplasty device is disclosed comprising first and second support rings being configured to be arranged as a coil in a first configuration around an axial direction, wherein the first and second support rings are configured to be arranged on opposite sides of native heart valve leaflets of a heart valve, a stiffening unit, wherein at least part of the first and second support rings comprises an interior channel configured to receive the stiffening unit, wherein insertion of the stiffening unit into the interior channel increases the stiffness of the first and/or second support rings. A method of repairing a defective heart valve is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stent with improved durability. Said stent comprises a tubular grid wall extending around a longitudinal axis and consisting of elastic wall segments that are successively arranged circumferentially along the axis and are interconnected by means of connection segments. Said wall segments comprise spring elements that are interconnected by means of connection elements, forming a connection angle, and the spring elements have an undulating structure with respectively at least one crest and one trough.

Abstract: In a bipolar coagulation and cutting device for endoscopic surgery with a proximal operating part and a distal grasping part interconnected by a shaft, the distal grasping part includes jaws, each having two spaced branches supported on flexible wires. The jaws are held apart but are movable toward each other by actuating means extending along the shaft for the engagement of tissue between the jaws. HF energy can be supplied for the coagulation of the tissue engaged between the jaws. A wire electrode is also mounted on the shaft so as to be movable by the actuating means between the spaced branches of the jaws for cutting, by HF energy application, the coagulated tissue engaged between the jaws.

Abstract: In a surgical suturing needle having opposite pointed tips and a mid-section provided with an eye for receiving and retaining a surgical thread and being bent corresponding to a path of movement of the needle when transferred between the jaws of a suturing instrument, the pointed needle tips have a cone angle of between 25 and 35.degree. for non-traumatic piercing of the tissue to be sutured and, adjacent both of its opposite pointed tips, the needle has recessed surface areas to be engaged by pressure pins disposed in the jaws of the suturing instrument for firmly retaining and engaging the needle with the jaws in a predetermined position.

Abstract: In a device for inserting a surgical suture needle into an endoscopic suture apparatus wherein the device includes two legs which are movable relative to each other, one of the legs has a front end with means for receiving a jaw of an endoscopic suturing apparatus and the other leg has needle engagement means for holding a surgical needle in a predetermined position such that one needle tip enters a needle support of the surgical suturing apparatus jaw when the other leg holding the needle is moved toward the one leg while the one leg is disposed on the surgical suturing apparatus jaw.

Abstract: In an apparatus for guiding surgical instruments during endoscopic surgery including a carrier on which a support member is rotatably mounted about a first axis and a housing structure is mounted on the support member so as to pivot about a second axis which is spaced from the housing structure and intersects the first axis in an invariant point and the housing slidably supports an instrument shaft having an axis also extending through the invariant point and an end which is mounted on a guide member, which is axially movably supported on a guide housing extending from the housing structure parallel to the instrument shaft, a camera is firmly supported on the guide housing in alignment with the instrument shaft so as to be axially movable but not rotatable with the instrument shaft whereby an image transmitted from a lens system at the front end of the instrument shaft to the camera at the rear end of the shaft is shown at a given top-to-bottom orientation independently the rotational position of the instrume

Abstract: A stent for transluminal implantation in hollow organs, in particular in blood vessels, ureters, oesophagae or gall tracts, comprising a substantially tubular body is described. The stent can be transformed from a compressed state with a first cross-sectional diameter into an expanded state with a second enlarged cross-sectional diameter. The wall of the tubular body has apertures which repeat both in the longitudinal direction and also in the peripheral direction of the stent and permit the expansion. Each aperture has at least one section which is arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the stent, both in the compressed state and also in the expanded state of the stent.

Abstract: A stent for the transluminal implantation in hollow organs, in particular in blood vessels, ureters, oesophagi or gall tracts, is described, having a substantially tubular body which has a plurality of apertures which are each bounded by elongated boundary elements. In each case at least two boundary elements bounding the same aperture and arranged alongside one another in the circumferential direction are extended beyond the end of the aperture and form a unitary detection element. The detection element has a greater width in the circumferential direction of the stent than each of the boundary elements.

Abstract: In a surgical suturing device especially for endoscopic surgery, an operating mechanism is provided which includes a drive and a locking mechanism operated by a handle from which an operating rod extends to an operating mechanism which carries at its free end a suturing head comprising two jaws between which a needle with opposite needle tips and a central eye can be exchanged while being alternately locked with the two jaws, the whole procedure being controllable by a single handle.

Abstract: In a surgical stitching apparatus for endoscopically performing sutures of tissue or vessels having a drive mechanism including concentric tubes with an operating handle structure at one end and a stitching head mounted at the distal end thereof, the stitching head includes a stationary and a movable mouthpiece each with clamping structures for engaging the tips of a needle each comprising movable and stationary halves with the movable half on the stationary mouthpiece being operatively connected to one of the concentric tubes and the movable mouthpiece being connected to another of the concentric tubes which is hand-operable by a movable handle on the operating handle structure, and the one concentric tube is operable by a pedal switch-controlled mechanism mounted on the operating handle structure for foot operation of the clamping structure on the stationary mouthpiece.