Abstract: A prosthesis for repairing a hernia defect includes a patch body, a hoisting frame releasably attachable to the patch body, and a tether attached to the hoisting frame with a free end extendable through the thickness of the patch body and accessible from the side of the patch body opposite to where the hoisting frame is releasably attached. The patch body and/or the hoisting frame includes a self-expanding support member. The hoisting frame includes a frame body with an outer frame component and a force translation component for directing pulling forces on the tether across the frame body. The outer frame component has a loop configuration to generally follow the patch periphery with overlapping end portions or a gap between free ends thereof. The force translation component is separable into multiple segments to facilitate withdrawal of the hoisting frame through an opening when released from the patch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are aimed to improve arteriovenous fistula maturation rate by treating the fistula with a crosslink agent solution (fixative solution). The fixative solution will crosslink proteins and biomolecules, allowing formation of crosslinks that stabilize or stable tissue structure. The method and apparatus will address factors that contribute to arteriovenous fistula maturation failure by stopping the neointimal hyperplasia growth after vascular injury and stabilizing the venous wall to prevent the lumen from narrowing.

Abstract: Surgical fasteners for use with articulating surgical instruments are disclosed. In one embodiment, a surgical fastener may include a head, a shaft extending distally from the head, and a through bore extending through the shaft from a proximal surface of the head to a distal end of the shaft. A fastener carrier of a surgical instrument may be slidably received in the through bore, and the through bore may be sized and shaped to have two or fewer contact points with the fastener carrier when the fastener carrier is in a fully articulated configuration. In another embodiment, a fastener may include a head, a shaft extending distally from the head and including a distal tip, a sloped surface sloping toward the distal tip, and a through bore passing through the head, shaft, and sloped surface. The sloped surface may terminate at two shoulders located on opposing sides of the through bore.

Abstract: Articulating surgical instruments are disclosed. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument may include an elongated shaft assembly including an articulable portion moveable between a non-articulated configuration and an articulated configuration. First and second articulating shafts of the elongated shaft assembly may be coaxially arranged and axially fixed at an attachment point located distally from the articulable portion. Proximal portions of the first and second articulating shafts may be displaceable in opposing directions to articulate the articulable portion from the non-articulated configuration to the articulated configuration. In another embodiment, an articulation control may be movable from a first position to a second position to move an articulation lock from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration to selectively permit articulation of a surgical instrument. The articulation lock also may be movable from the second position to a third position to articulate the surgical instrument.

Abstract: Articulating surgical instruments are disclosed. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument may include an elongated shaft assembly including an articulable portion moveable between a non-articulated configuration and an articulated configuration. First and second articulating shafts of the elongated shaft assembly may be coaxially arranged and axially fixed at an attachment point located distally from the articulable portion. Proximal portions of the first and second articulating shafts may be displaceable in opposing directions to articulate the articulable portion from the non-articulated configuration to the articulated configuration. In another embodiment, an articulation control may be movable from a first position to a second position to move an articulation lock from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration to selectively permit articulation of a surgical instrument. The articulation lock also may be movable from the second position to a third position to articulate the surgical instrument.

Abstract: Articulating surgical instruments are disclosed. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument may include an elongated shaft assembly including an articulable portion moveable between a non-articulated configuration and an articulated configuration. First and second articulating shafts of the elongated shaft assembly may be coaxially arranged and axially fixed at an attachment point located distally from the articulable portion. Proximal portions of the first and second articulating shafts may be displaceable in opposing directions to articulate the articulable portion from the non-articulated configuration to the articulated configuration. In another embodiment, an articulation control may be movable from a first position to a second position to move an articulation lock from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration to selectively permit articulation of a surgical instrument. The articulation lock also may be movable from the second position to a third position to articulate the surgical instrument.

Abstract: A guidance system for assisting with the insertion of a needle into a patient body is disclosed. The guidance system utilizes ultrasound imaging or other suitable imaging technology. In one embodiment, the guidance system comprises an imaging device including a probe for producing an image of an internal body portion target, such as a vessel. One or more sensors are included with the probe. The sensors sense a detectable characteristic related to the needle, such as a magnetic field of a magnet included with the needle. The system includes a processor that uses data relating to the sensed characteristic to determine a 3-D position of the needle. The system includes a display for depicting the position of the needle. The needle can include a donut-shaped magnet disposed about the needle cannula, or a removable stylet with a magnetic element and a strain gauge for detection of the needle distal tip.

Abstract: A filter with translating hooks is described. The filter can include strut members having first and second struts connected by a connecting portion. A translating hook is disposed adjacent the connecting portion of the strut members, the hook including a first elongate member attached at one end to the first strut and a second elongate member attached at one end to a second strut, the opposite ends of the elongate members connected together to define a tip. The translating hooks are configured to bend toward a central axis of the filter when the filter is in a collapsed configuration for delivery to a blood vessel and recovery from a blood vessel, and away from the central axis of the filter when the filter is in an expanded configuration within a blood vessel such that the hooks engage a vessel wall.

Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a catheter, a coating, a fluid containing sleeve, and a container. The catheter may include one or more distal drainage openings. The coating may be disposed on an outer surface of the catheter. The fluid containing sleeve may have an outer foil layer and be configured for positioning over the outer surface of the catheter to maintain the coating in a hydrated state. The container may enclose the catheter and the fluid containing sleeve. Substantially all fluid in the container may be disposed in the fluid containing sleeve.

Abstract: Dual-access site catheter systems with a blade or scoring functionality entering through a first access site and a balloon functionality for manipulating or driving the blade or scoring functionality through a different site. The blade or scoring functionality also sometimes provides needle or fluid delivery functionality to an atherosclerotic lesion.

Abstract: A biopsy device includes a drive unit configured to receive a disposable unit having a needle carrier. The drive unit is configured to move a cutting element such that the needle carrier is driven a predetermined distance to move a needle-shooting mechanism to a cocked configuration. A user-actuatable control is configured to release the needle-shooting mechanism to cause the needle-shooting mechanism to shoot a biopsy needle simultaneously with the cutting element by an amount of the predetermined distance.

Abstract: An instrument for delivering a suture transfascially may include a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and a pair of needles that are moveable to an extended position beyond the end of the shaft. One or more sutures are carried by the instrument and may be delivered transfascially. A transfascial suture assembly includes a suture having a first segment, a second segment, and an intermediate segment therebetween. A force distributing member is locatable at the intermediate segment. Suture retainers may be provided at the end of each suture segment, and may have a connection that is moveable relative to the portion of the suture segment connected therewith. A method of delivering transfascial sutures includes inserting a twin-needle instrument loaded with one or more sutures into an abdominal cavity and deploying, from within the abdominal cavity, the suture carrying needles through a soft tissue repair patch and then through at least part of the abdominal wall.

Abstract: A prosthesis for repairing a hernia defect includes a patch body, a hoisting frame releasably attachable to the patch body, and a tether attached to the hoisting frame with a free end extendable through the thickness of the patch body and accessible from the side of the patch body opposite to where the hoisting frame is releasably attached. The patch body and/or the hoisting frame includes a self-expanding support member. The hoisting frame includes a frame body with an outer frame component and a force translation component for directing pulling forces on the tether across the frame body. The outer frame component has a loop configuration to generally follow the patch periphery with overlapping end portions or a gap between free ends thereof. The force translation component is separable into multiple segments to facilitate withdrawal of the hoisting frame through an opening when released from the patch.

Abstract: A stent device includes a first graft member, a second graft member and a stent frame defining a central axis. The frame has an abluminal surface engaged with the first graft member and a luminal surface engaged with the second graft member such that the first graft member and the second graft member encapsulates the stent frame along the length of the central axis. The stent frame includes a configuration where the stent frame is disposed on a curvature such that the abluminal surface has a radius of curvature of approximately 20 millimeters about a center of the curvature and the luminal surface defines a substantially constant effective cross-sectional area at any portion generally transverse to the central axis of the stent frame disposed about the curvature.

Abstract: An endoscopic vacuum controller may include a housing having a vacuum inlet, a vacuum outlet configured to be coupled to a vacuum source, and a vacuum passage fluidly coupling the vacuum inlet to the vacuum outlet. The vacuum controller may also include an actuator supported by the housing and configured to control the flow of fluid through the vacuum passage. An indicator may be supported by the housing to provide an indication that a predetermined vacuum level is being drawn at the vacuum inlet. The vacuum controller may include a connector to detachably couple the housing to an endoscope shaft. The connector may be configured to slidably couple the housing to the endoscope shaft to allow adjustment of the controller along the length of the shaft while the housing remains coupled to the shaft.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and their methods of use are disclosed. In some embodiments, the surgical instrument may include a handle and an elongated shaft assembly extending distally from the handle. The surgical instrument may also include a fastener deployment system for deploying fasteners from the elongated shaft assembly including a reciprocating driveshaft disposed within the elongated shaft assembly. The driveshaft may include an internal channel and at least one guide surface shaped and arranged to maintain an orientation of at least one fastener in the channel of the driveshaft. In other embodiments, the fastener deployment system may include a follower disposed within the elongated shaft assembly for displacing one or more fasteners within the elongated shaft assembly towards a distal fastener deployment position.

Abstract: A securement device, system, and method for use with a medical article. The securement device, system, or method may include a body that has a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface has an adhesive compound thereon. A resilient retainer formed from a soft, tacky elastomeric gel or foam is supported by the bottom surface of the body. The resilient retainer receives and secures a medical device. The medical device is secured to the skin of a patient upon affixing the bottom surface to the patient via the adhesive compound.

Abstract: A patency device for catheter assemblies and other elongate tubular devices used for establishing access to an interior body portion of a patient is disclosed. The patency device establishes and preserves patency of one or more lumens defined by the catheter assembly by providing impulses of positive pressure to fluid disposed in the lumen of the catheter assembly. In one embodiment, the patency device comprises a fluid reservoir configured to provide a fluid path to at least one lumen of the catheter assembly, and a pressure input portion. The pressure input portion is configured to provide pressure for one or more impulses of positive pressure to a fluid disposed within the lumen. The impulses are configured to dislodge occlusions that may have formed in the lumen. A negative pressure can then be provided to the lumen to aspirate the occlusion.

Abstract: An embolus filter introducer system has a symmetric introducer sheath with a filter inside. The introducer sheath can be attached at either end to a deployment actuator. The deployment actuator can thereby be used to push the filter out of the introducer sheath. Since the sheath can be oriented in a selectable direction, so can the filter, allowing the sheath to be introduced via a jugular or femoral approach to the vena cava.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and its method of use are disclosed. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument may include a handle and an elongated shaft assembly extending distally from the handle. The elongated shaft assembly may include an articulable portion with an articulation direction. The elongated shaft assembly may also include a tubular member with a flexible portion with a preferential bending direction and a direction of bending resistance. The tubular member may permit articulation of the elongated shaft assembly when the preferential bending direction is aligned with the articulation direction.