Abstract: A method of transfascial suturing may include delivering a suture assembly into an abdominal cavity of a patient, passing a suture anchor, from within the abdominal cavity, through a soft tissue repair prosthetic provided in the abdominal cavity and then through the abdominal wall to a location either above or below the skin, and tightening the suture assembly. An instrument for transfascial suturing may include a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and a drive system for advancing a suture or suture assembly out of the instrument and across the fascia. The instrument may advance a suture anchor and a suture from within the abdominal cavity and across the abdominal wall to present the suture anchor on the opposite side of the fascia. The instrument may be adapted to present the suture anchor either above or below the skin surface for subsequent tightening of the suture assembly.

Abstract: A catheter delivery device for a self-expanding stent is described. The delivery device includes a distal catheter component and a distal sheath that releases the stent by moving proximally relative to the distal catheter component and the stent. A proximal catheter shaft including a tube and a pull wire within a lumen of the tube may be provided, the pull wire being attached to the distal sheath such that pulling the pull wire proximally relative to the tube pulls the distal sheath proximally to release the stent progressively. A casing tube may be provided to surround the catheter shaft, the casing tube having a distal end that receives telescopically a proximal end of the distal sheath.

Abstract: A catheter assembly (1) includes an inner member (12) having a proximal end (15), a distal end (13), and a lumen configured to store a hydrating fluid (28) An outer member (10) has a proximal end (19), a distal end (16), and a lumen configured to receive therein a portion of the inner member (12) The outer member (10) is movable relative to the inner member (12) at least one of, between a first position (FIG. 1) preventing fluid (28) from passing out of the at least one drainage opening (14) from within the lumen of the inner member (12) and a second position (FIG. 2) allowing fluid (28) to pass out of the at least one drainage opening (14) from within the lumen of the inner member (12).

Abstract: A balloon catheter includes a catheter tube and an inflatable balloon. The ends of the balloon are attached to the catheter tube. The outside surface of the balloon in an uninflated state is provided with a relief structure which in an inflated state of the balloon is substantially disappeared. A method for producing such a relief structure is by winding a wire helically around the outer surface of the balloon.

Abstract: A blood clot filter, collapsible toward a central longitudinal axis into a collapsed configuration for insertion into a blood vessel and radially expandable outwardly from the longitudinal axis to an expanded configuration for contact with the inner wall of the blood vessel at two longitudinal spaced locations. A first plurality of elongate arms, in the expanded configuration, curve outwardly from the longitudinal axis toward the leading end of the filter to form a first filter basket and to center a hub at the trailing end of the filter within the vessel. A second plurality of elongate legs angle outwardly away from the longitudinal axis toward the leading edge of the filter in the expanded configuration to form a second filter basket opening toward the leading end. The ends of these legs include hooks, at least a portion of which is a reduced cross sectional area relative to the cross sectional area of the adjacent leg to permit the hooks to bend and straighten.

Abstract: A vascular access device, for implantation at least partially below the skin of a patient to provide an arteriovenous fistula, includes a graft portion coupled to a catheter portion. The graft portion is sutured to an opening in an artery while the catheter portion is inserted into a vein so that its end lies within the vein downstream from the point of entry into the vein. The device may be comprised of ePTFE with an outer polyurethane coating or the graft portion may comprise ePTFE with an outer polyurethane coating and the catheter portion may comprise polyurethane. There may also be an inner polyurethane coating. Alternatively, the device may be comprised entirely of polyurethane.

Abstract: A delivery device and method for use, the delivery device including a stent device, a restraining sheath, and a pull member. The restraining sheath is mounted coaxially over the stent device for maintaining the stent device in a delivery configuration, and may include a line of weakness extending axially. The pull member is to be pulled so as to split the restraining sheath at the line of weakness and withdraw the restraining sheath from over the stent device. The pull member and the line of weakness may be located on opposing sides of the restraining sheath. The pull member may have an inner part extending inside of the restraining sheath, an outer part extending outside of the restraining sheath, and a wraparound portion there between for wrapping around an axial end of the restraining sheath to radially capture the restraining sheath between the inner and outer parts.

Abstract: A hernia repair device is provided which may include a soft tissue repair prosthesis and an expandable device configured to be removably connected with the soft tissue repair prosthesis. Attachment components may be used to removably connect the soft tissue repair prosthesis with the expandable device. The hernia repair device may be manipulated into a reduced configuration for insertion into the body. When expanded, the expandable device may be configured to position the soft tissue repair prosthesis adjacent a hernia defect. The expandable device and/or the attachment components may be shaped and/or configured to minimize the maximum dimension of the hernia repair device in its reduced configuration.

Abstract: A catheter system with a proximal end and a distal end element at the proximal end to actuate a device at the distal end of the system, and an actuator element (32) that runs the length of the system, from the actuator element to the device and actuates the device by transmitting a physical force from the proximal end to the distal end and characterized by a pre-tensioner (40) near the distal end of the system, that can be set in a pre-tensioning disposition prior to actuation of the device, the pre-tensioner thereby reducing the magnitude of the physical force that must be transmitted from the proximal end when actuation of the device is required.

Abstract: A stent device delivery system and method of making. The stent device delivery system includes a stent device, an outer sheath overlaying the stent device in a radially compact, delivery configuration of the stent device, and a pull member. The outer sheath may include a first layer and a reinforcement layer that are laminated together, a portion of the pull member captured radially between the first layer and the reinforcement layer. At least a partial length of the captured portion of the pull member may be formed with a varying radial profile.

Abstract: A stent device delivery system and method of making. The stent device delivery system includes a stent device, an outer sheath overlaying the stent device in a radially compact, delivery configuration of the stent device, and an inner catheter extending axially and radially within a lumen of the stent device. The inner catheter provides a stent bed upon which the stent device is located so that a radially inner surface of the stent device engages a radially outer surface of the stent bed. The stent bed may define an inwardly tapering profile, narrowing in radius from a distal portion of the stent device to a proximal portion of the stent device.

Abstract: A needle guide assembly for inserting a needle into the body of a patient in order to access a subcutaneous target, such as a vessel, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the needle guide assembly comprises a needle guide body that is configured to at least indirectly and removably attach to an image producing device, such as an ultrasound probe. The needle guide body defines at least first and second elongate guide channels. Each guide channel defines a unique insertion angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the ultrasound probe. Further, each guide channel is configured to accept needles of differing gauges. In other embodiments other needle guide assemblies are disclosed that include multiple guide channels for inserting a needle at a variety of insertion angles into the patient's body. Related methods are also disclosed. In yet other embodiments, needle guide assemblies including needle stop features are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixating means adapted for use in hernia repair surgeries in attaching a mesh and mesh deployment means; said fixating means are attached to said mesh deployment means; and fixating means comprising: (a) a first portion coupled to said deployment means; and, (b) a second portion comprising a coil having a predetermined retracted shape; said coil is reconfigurable from a plurality of unretracted positions to a plurality of retracted positions and from said plurality of retracted positions to said plurality of unretracted positions; wherein said attachment between said deployment means and said mesh is obtained by reconfiguration of said coil from at least one of said unretracted positions to at least one of said retracted positions.

Abstract: A biopsy device includes a pressure chamber having a body having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end includes an inlet. At least one first recessed area extends along an inner wall of the body, proximate the proximal end of the body of the pressure chamber. The first recessed area is configured to release pressure within the pressure chamber. At least one second recessed area extends along the inner wall of the body, proximate the distal end of the body of the pressure chamber. The second recessed area is configured to release pressure within the pressure chamber. A cannula is coupled to the pressure chamber for taking a tissue sample from a patient. The cannula defines a tissue chamber. A fluid receptacle is interposed between the tissue chamber and the pressure chamber. The fluid receptacle has an absorbent material to absorb a fluid.

Abstract: An annular mesh expandable radially from a compact diameter to a radially-expanded deployed disposition in which the mesh is capable of sustaining a radially outwardly directed resistive force even when flexing its longitudinal axis out of a straight line, the mesh being composed of stenting struts, the stenting struts being arranged in a plurality of zig-zag strings around the circumference of the lumen, with occasional connector struts joining adjacent strings to create a closed circumference unit cell between two such connector struts and two adjacent connected strings there being a plurality of such unit cells arranged in sequence around the circumference between said two adjacent strings; and characterized in that there is a non-constant increment of strut length, serving to displace along the longitudinal axis each unit cell relative to the circumferentially next adjacent unit cell.

Abstract: An elongate hand unit for deploying an elongate implant from the distal end of a delivery catheter. The hand unit has a distal end and a proximal end separated by a hand unit length. The hand unit may include a pull component and a push component. The pull component may include a pull grip sliding on the push component to deploy the implant. The push component may be operatively connected to the push element and include at its proximal end a push surface to receive during deployment of the implant a force that pushes on the push element shaft to resist proximal movement of the implant during deployment. The push component may provide a guide rail that defines a guide path for the pull grip, whereby proximal movement of the pull grip along the guide path deploys the implant.

Abstract: A non-coring needle for use in accessing an implanted medical device is disclosed. The non-coring needle is configured so as to include a compact bevel face relative to standard non-coring needles. In one embodiment, the non-coring needle comprises a hollow cannula that defines a lumen and terminates at a sharpened distal tip. The cannula includes a proximal portion and a bent distal portion. The distal portion defines a bevel face extending proximally from the distal tip, and the bevel face includes the lumen distal opening. The bevel face defines an open angle of at least about one degree with respect to a longitudinal axis of the proximal portion of the cannula. The bevel face is also laterally offset from the proximal portion of the cannula by an offset distance of no more than about 0.010 inch. A portion of the bevel face is dulled to prevent access port septum coring.

Abstract: A catheter delivery device for a self-expanding stent is described. The delivery device includes a distal catheter component and a distal sheath that releases the stent by moving proximally relative to the distal catheter component and the stent. A proximal catheter shaft including a tube and a pull wire within a lumen of the tube may be provided, the pull wire being attached to the distal sheath such that pulling the pull wire proximally relative to the tube pulls the distal sheath proximally to release the stent progressively. A casing tube may be provided to surround the catheter shaft, the casing tube having a distal end that receives telescopically a proximal end of the distal sheath.

Abstract: The invention provides a delivery system for a prosthesis, said delivery system comprising a catheter shaft with a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis, a space for a prosthesis with a distal end and a proximal end, the space being at the distal end of the catheter shaft, a sheath with a proximal end and a distal end, the sheath being disposed at the distal end of the catheter shaft so as to surround the space, a pusher element attached to the distal end of the catheter shaft and arranged at the proximal end of the space for abutting prosthesis, a pull element with a longitudinal axis, the pull element reaming the length of the catheter shaft and having a distal end attached to the proximal end of the sheath and a proximal end for pulling the pull element proximally, thereby retracting the sheath proximally relative to the prosthesis space, and at least one fixation element having a proximal end and a distal end and being disposed within a flexible portion of the length of the shaft that lies be