Abstract: A device for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis includes a distal valve holder portion and a shaft extending towards the valve holder portion. The shaft is selectively bendable to a curved shape to vary the spatial orientation of the valve holder portion with respect to the desired implantation site.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stent for implantation at a site within a human or animal body comprising: an expandable body having an inner surface and an outer surface; and treatment agents applied to the outer surface of the expandable body, the treatment agents comprising a combination of Paclitaxel and FK506 or their derivatives or analogues.

Abstract: A cardiac valve prosthesis includes a frame and a set of prosthetic valve leaflets supported by the frame. The frame defines a principal axis of the cardiac valve prosthesis and includes first and second annular elements expandable from a radially contracted state to a radially expanded state, a plurality of valve supports supporting the leaflets, and a plurality of connecting members. The valve supports are angularly spaced from one another about the principal axis of the cardiac valve prosthesis, and the connecting members extend between and connect the first and second annular elements. When the annular elements are in the radially expanded state each of the connecting members arches radially outward with respect to the annular elements and is configured to project into one of the Valsalva sinuses when implanted. The connecting members are angularly spaced from the valve supports about the principal axis.

Abstract: An instrument for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis, including a plurality of radially expandable portions, at an implantation site, includes a plurality of deployment elements each independently operable to obtain the radial expansion of a radially expandable portion of the valve prosthesis. A method for deploying the cardiac valve prosthesis includes advancing the instrument to an implant site and independently actuating the radially expandable portions.

Abstract: An instrument for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis, including a plurality of radially expandable portions, at an implantation site, includes a plurality of deployment elements each independently operable to obtain the radial expansion of a radially expandable portion of the valve prosthesis. Additionally, the instrument is adapted to provide a de-aired, fluid-filled, or gas filled environment in order to minimize and/or prevent air embolism during the implantation procedure. The fluid can contain a drug. A method for deploying the cardiac valve prosthesis includes advancing the instrument to an implant site and independently actuating the radially expandable portions.

Abstract: A cardiac-valve prosthesis is adapted for percutaneous implantation. The prosthesis includes an armature adapted for deployment in a radially expanded implantation position, the armature including a support portion and an anchor portion, which are substantially axially coextensive with respect to one another. A set of leaflets is coupled to the support portion. The leaflets can be deployed with the armature in the implantation position. The leaflets define, in the implantation position, a flow duct that is selectably obstructable. The anchor portion can be deployed to enable anchorage of the cardiac-valve prosthesis at an implantation site.

Abstract: A process for depositing an active substance on selected regions of the surface of a stent, comprising: (i) providing the active substance in at least one form selected from the group consisting of a powder and a paste; and (ii) depositing the active substance on the selected regions of the surface of the stent. Preferably, the active substance comprises or consists essentially of FK506, such as FK506 in the form of a powder with a grain size smaller than 15 micron or a paste with a base of FK506 with a viscosity not lower than 100,000 to 120,000 cps.

Abstract: Biological tissues may be prepared for use in biological prostheses. The biological tissue may be fixated with glutaraldehyde and may be subjected to successive treatment of the tissue with a solution containing taurine to neutralize excess aldehyde groups that remain free after fixation.

Abstract: An instrument for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis, including a plurality of radially expandable portions, at an implantation site, includes a plurality of deployment elements each independently operable to obtain the radial expansion of a radially expandable portion of the valve prosthesis. A method for deploying the cardiac valve prosthesis includes advancing the instrument to an implant site and independently actuating the radially expandable portions.

Abstract: A support device for implanting stentless valve prostheses, such as biological heart valves, includes a hub and a plurality of support portions for supporting the stentless valve prosthesis. The hub defines a manipulation axis for the device and is flexibly connected to the support portions to allow displacing the manipulation axis for the device between the support portions.

Abstract: An instrument for positioning a cardiac valve prosthesis in a vessel includes a wire element to slidingly guide the valve prosthesis towards an implantation site and an expandable element coupled to the wire element. The expandable element is expandable in the vessel to position the wire element in association with the implantation site. A method for positioning a cardiac valve prosthesis includes securing a delivery instrument at an appropriate location at the implantation site and delivering the valve prosthesis to the implantation site using the delivery instrument.

Abstract: A device for crimping an implantable device or a part thereof between a radially expanded condition and a radially contracted condition, includes first and second annular bodies arranged about a common axis, and a ring-like array of linear crimping elements having respective opposite ends linked to the first and second annular bodies, respectively. These annular bodies are relatively rotatable around the common axis between a first position, wherein the annular array of crimping elements define a wider orifice for receiving a device to be crimped, and a second position, wherein the annular array of crimping elements define a narrower orifice.

Abstract: An annuloplasty prosthesis including an inner tubular member having a lateral wall and exhibiting auxetic behavior when subject to a tensile stress along the longitudinal axis of at least one of its portions. The auxetic behavior may be obtained by perforating the tubular member with apertures of desired shape, thus obtaining, for instance, re-entrant honeycomb cell structures or cell structures with two-dimensional chiral symmetry.

Abstract: An angioplasty stent comprises a body comprising a plurality of successive segments connected in pairs by bridge means so that the successive segments can be oriented relative to one another for the purposes of bending of the body in any direction defined by a linear combination of respective orientation axes defined by the bridge connection means. During the radial expansion of the stent, the axial contraction of the segments resulting from the opening-out of the respective loops is compensated by axial projection of the bridge elements from the respective concave portions. The wall of the body comprises arms for supporting a lumen as well as regions which are selectively deformable during the expansion of the stent, the arms and the selectively deformable regions having different cross-sections and/or cross-sectional areas. At least one portion of the body may have a substantially reticular structure, the branches of which define geometrical figures identifiable as fractals.

Abstract: A device for crimping an implantable device or a part thereof between a radially expanded condition and a radially contracted condition, includes first and second annular bodies arranged about a common axis, and a ring-like array of linear crimping elements having respective opposite ends linked to the first and second annular bodies, respectively. These annular bodies are relatively rotatable around the common axis between a first position, wherein the annular array of crimping elements define a wider orifice for receiving a device to be crimped, and a second position, wherein the annular array of crimping elements define a narrower orifice.

Abstract: An instrument for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis, including a plurality of radially expandable portions, at an implantation site, includes a plurality of deployment elements each independently operable to obtain the radial expansion of a radially expandable portion of the valve prosthesis. A method for deploying the cardiac valve prosthesis includes advancing the instrument to an implant site and independently actuating the radially expandable portions.

Abstract: A stent has surface sculpturing, preferably on its outer surface only, having, for example, microspheres, having the function of increasing the actual geometric surface area of the stent, of creating undercuts and roughness to encourage the application of coatings of active or activatable agents, as well as of improving the attachment of the stent to the blood vessel wall.

Abstract: A carrier for delivering at least one active principle at an intraluminal site. The carrier includes a carrier body, such as a stent. The carrier body is provided with one or more reservoirs. The reservoirs contain nanoparticles which convey at least one active principle. The nanoparticles also comprise a substance having characteristics of preferential affinity attraction to a desired region at the intraluminal site. The nanoparticles can migrate toward the preferred region.

Abstract: A cardiac-valve prosthesis which can be used, for example, as a valve for percutaneous implantation. The prosthesis includes an armature for anchorage of the valve prosthesis in the implantation site. The armature defines a lumen for passage of the blood flow and supports a set of prosthetic valve leaflets, which, under the action of the blood flow, are able to move into a radially divaricated condition to enable the flow of the blood through the lumen in a first direction and a radially contracted condition, in which the valve leaflets co-operate with one another and block the flow of the blood through the prosthesis in the opposite direction. The armature includes, in one embodiment, two annular elements connected by anchor members having the capacity of projecting radially with respect to the prosthesis, and support members for the set of leaflets, the support members being carried by at least one of the annular elements so as to leave substantially disengaged the aforesaid lumen for passage of the blood.

Abstract: A device for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis includes at least one constraint member for radially constraining radially expandable annular portions of the valve. The constraint member is actuatable to release the annular formations constrained thereby and permit radial expansion of these annular formations. The constraint member has associated a first, slow-acting actuating mechanism and a second, fast-acting mechanism, adapted to produce relatively slow and fast release of the annular formations constrained thereby. The device may include a first constraint member and second constraint member in the form of telescoping sleeves. The slow-acting actuating mechanism will thus act on the outer sleeve, while the fast-acting mechanism will act on the inner sleeve to produce, respectively, slow and fast release of the annular formations.