Abstract: In some embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve system includes a stent having a plurality of commissure attachment features, a cuff coupled to the stent, and a plurality of leaflets, the cuff and the plurality of leaflets forming a valve assembly, each of the plurality leaflets having two leaflet attachment regions, the leaflet attachment regions being folded adjacent the plurality of commissure attachment features.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve may include a balloon-expandable frame extending between an inflow end and an outflow end, a plurality of prosthetic leaflets mounted within the frame, and an inner skirt positioned between the plurality of prosthetic leaflets and the frame. The frame may include a first row of diamond-shaped cells at the inflow end of the frame, a second row of diamond-shaped cells, and a row of outflow cells positioned at the outflow end of the frame. Each cell in the row of outflow cells may not be diamond-shaped, and, in an expanded condition of the frame, each cell in the row of outflow cells may have a larger area than that of each cell in the first and second rows of diamond-shaped cells. Each outflow cell may be at least partially defined by a commissure attachment feature, and each outflow cell may lack symmetry.

Abstract: A delivery device for a collapsible prosthetic heart valve, the delivery device including an inner shaft, a distal sheath disposed about a portion of the inner shaft and forming a compartment with the inner shaft, the compartment being adapted to receive the prosthetic heart valve, the inner shaft and the distal sheath being movable relative to one another, and a handle including a frame having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the handle further including a deployment actuator and a hub, each of the deployment actuator and the hub being independently capable of opening and closing the compartment, the hub further including a hub actuator coupled to the inner shaft.

Abstract: A delivery device for delivering a prosthetic heart valve may include a balloon catheter shaft having a distal end, an inner shaft extending through the balloon catheter in a proximal-to-distal direction, an atraumatic distal tip positioned at a distal end of the inner shaft, and a balloon positioned between the distal end of the balloon catheter shaft and the atraumatic distal tip. In an uninflated condition of the balloon, the balloon may include a proximal bulge, a distal bulge, and an intermediate section having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the proximal bulge and smaller than a diameter of the distal bulge. The distal bulge may extend a first length in the proximal-to-distal direction, and the proximal bulge may extend a second length in the proximal-to-distal direction, the first length being different than the second length.

Abstract: The instant disclosure relates to electrophysiology catheters for tissue ablation within a cardiac muscle. In particular, the instant disclosure relates to an electrophysiology catheter that conforms to a shape of a pulmonary vein receiving ablation therapy for a cardiac arrhythmia and produces a consistent tissue ablation line along a length and circumference of the pulmonary venous tissue.

Abstract: Braided occluding devices having an access passage and methods including the same are described herein. The occluding device includes a braided frame. The braided frame includes an annular distal disc portion, a waist member, and an annular proximal disc portion defining a passageway through the braided frame. The braided frame is formed with a closed end braid.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve may include a collapsible and expandable frame that includes an atrial anchor, a ventricular anchor, and a center waist extending therebetween. The frame may include a plurality of commissure attachment features (“CAFs”) that include struts that extend from the center waist. A plurality of prosthetic leaflets may be mounted to the plurality of CAFs. A sealing fabric may be coupled to an outer surface of the frame. When the valve is expanded, the atrial and ventricular anchors each flare outwardly from the center waist, which defines a waist diameter of the frame. When expanded, each of the CAFs may be spaced from each other so that gaps in the frame are present therebetween. When expanded, the CAFs may be positioned along an imaginary circle having a diameter that is smaller than the waist diameter.

Abstract: A delivery device for a collapsible prosthetic heart valve includes an inner shaft, an outer shaft, and a distal sheath. The distal sheath may be disposed distal to the outer shaft and about a portion of the inner shaft to form a compartment with the inner shaft, the compartment being sized to receive the prosthetic heart valve in a collapsed condition. The inner shaft and the distal sheath may be movable relative to one another. The delivery device may also include a tube member and an outer sleeve overlying the tube member. The tube member may be configured to rotate or twist upon axial movement of the outer sleeve with respect to the tube member, the rotation or twisting of the tube member configured to rotate the prosthetic heart valve when the prosthetic heart valve is received within the compartment in the collapsed condition.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mounting assembly for attaching medical equipment to a patient table. In one particular embodiment, the present disclosure provides a mounting assembly for attaching a magnetic field generator to a patient table. The mounting assembly allows for the secure attachment of the magnetic field generator to the patient table while also allowing for easy adjustment of the positioning and location of the magnetic field generator, even after the patient is on the table. In many embodiments the mounting assembly is comprised of a mounting apparatus that attaches directly to the patient table and first and second side rails that attach to the magnetic field generator and are configured to slidably attach to the mounting apparatus. In some embodiments, the mounting apparatus and side rails are constructed of a material that provides little or no interference with the magnetic field generator.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, a high-thermal-sensitivity ablation catheter tip including a thermally-insulative ablation tip insert supporting at least one temperature sensor electrically coupled to a flexible electronic circuit and encapsulated, or essentially encapsulated, by a conductive shell.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes a stent having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition. The stent includes a plurality of cells, each cell being formed by a plurality of struts, and a plurality of commissure features. The heart valve further includes a valve assembly secured to the stent, including a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet being attached to adjacent commissure features and to the stent struts and/or the cuff.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent, a cuff attached to an annulus section of the stent, and leaflets attached to the cuff between a first location and a second location distal to the first location in a flow direction. The stent may include struts shaped to form a plurality of cells connected to one another in annular rows around the stent. The cuff may have top and bottom edges and may occupy a first group of the cells, such that cells above the top edge are open cells at least partially devoid of the cuff. The cuff may have a landing zone extending at least one-third of a length of the stent in the flow direction between the bottom edge of the cuff and a proximal end of a most proximal cell of the open cells when the stent is in an expanded use condition.

Abstract: A method of modifying contact status of one or more electrodes in a plurality of electrodes located on a medical device includes measuring an electrical characteristic of each electrode in the plurality of electrodes located on the medical device, determining a contact status for each electrode in the plurality of electrodes based on the measured electrical characteristic for the corresponding electrode, wherein the contact status is indicative of contact with adjacent tissue. The method further includes modifying the contact status of a first electrode in the plurality of electrodes based on the determined contact status of one or more other electrodes in the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: Devices and methods for creating radial-linear lesions in pulmonary vein antral tissue are disclosed. In an embodiment, a device includes an elongate shaft structure with a distal tip ablation region including a spline and an ablation element slidably coupled to the spline. The ablation element includes at least one of an ultrasound emitter, a high frequency ultrasound emitter, a laser, a radiofrequency electrode, a virtual radiofrequency electrode, or a cryogenic source. A backing balloon may be configured to push or pull the spline and the ablation element toward or against the pulmonary vein antral tissue. In an embodiment, the distal tip ablation region includes a splineless cryoballoon with at least one thermally conductive region.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve may include an expandable frame with an anchoring section and a valve support section. The anchoring section may form a row of cells, two adjacent cells being joined together by a runner extending in a longitudinal direction. The anchoring section may include a plurality of commissure attachment features (“CAFs”), a first one of the CAFs features being axially aligned with the runner. Prosthetic leaflets may be mounted within the frame. A first pair of the plurality of prosthetic leaflets may be coupled together to form a first prosthetic commissure attached to the first one of the CAFs. A radiopaque marker may have a longitudinal section extending between a first end section and a second end section, and be coupled to the runner so that the longitudinal section is axially aligned with both the runner and the first one of the plurality of commissure attachment features.

Abstract: In some examples, an introducer sheath extends from a proximal end to a distal end, and includes a hub disposed at the proximal end, and a body coupled to the hub and extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the body defining a lumen and having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, the body having a braided material and an elastomeric material covering the braided material, the body having a flared distal end.

Abstract: A catheter includes an elongate shaft, an electrode assembly, a connective stem, a coupler, a first magnetic position sensor, and a second magnetic position sensor. The electrode assembly includes microelectrodes. The connective stem includes a first connective stem member and a second connective stem member. The connective stem defines a first sensor receptacle and a second sensor receptacle in an exterior surface of the connective stem. The coupler is configured for coupling with the connective stem. The first magnetic position sensor is disposed in the first sensor receptacle and elongated along a first sensor longitudinal axis. The second magnetic position sensor disposed in the second sensor receptacle and elongated along a second sensor longitudinal axis that is not parallel to the first sensor longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method for determining a predicted lesion size formed in a tissue by receiving or calculating a measure of contact force between the electrode and the tissue, determining a tissue characterization, and calculating the predicted lesion size using both the measure of contact force and the tissue characterization. A system comprising an electronic control unit configured to receive or determine a measure of contact force between the electrode and the tissue, characterize the tissue based on both the measure of impedance and the measure of contact force, and cause the tissue characterization to be either (a) presented to a user, or (b) applied to calculate a metric and cause the metric to be presented to the user.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes a non-collapsible annular frame extending in a longitudinal direction between an inflow edge and an outflow edge, and a valve assembly connected to the frame. The frame includes a plurality of annularly spaced commissure posts adjacent the outflow edge, each of the commissure posts including a tip and a post slot spaced apart from the tip. The prosthetic heart valve further includes a radiopaque element including an elongated main body having a first end and a second end. The radiopaque element may extend around the tip and through the post slot of at least one of the commissure posts so that a portion of the main body extends between the slot and the tip. Alternatively or additionally, a radiopaque element may be positioned adjacent a base of the frame.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve for replacing a native valve includes a stent, a valve assembly, and a radiopaque element. The stent has a plurality of commissure attachment features. The valve assembly includes a plurality of leaflets and first and second cuffs. The first cuff has a proximal edge relatively close to the inflow end of the stent. The second cuff may be annularly disposed about the stent radially outward of the first cuff and radially outward of the stent. The proximal edge of the first cuff is coupled to the proximal edge of the second cuff substantially continuously along a circumference of the inflow end of the stent so that a pocket is formed between the first cuff and the second cuff. The radiopaque element is disposed within the pocket and aligned in a longitudinal direction of the stent with at least one of the plurality of commissure attachment features.