Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve comprises a suture ring supporting a stent which surrounds a conduit bearing a plurality of flexible valve leaflets. The conduit extends beyond the end of the suture ring.

Abstract: A prosthetic ligament has an outer sheath of permeable PTFE yarn surrounding a core of synthetic filaments with stitching through the sheath and core holding the two firmly together to act as a single integral unit when placed in situ.

Abstract: An aorto-coronary bypass graft comprising a plate portion and at least one tube portion extending from the plate portion, the opening in the tube portion communicating with a corresponding opening in the plate portion.

Abstract: Artificial joint prostheses are provided whose outer surfaces include a screw thread which is interrupted by porous-coated columns so as to produce an alternating pattern of threaded columns adjacent to porous-coated columns. The threaded columns provide initial mechanical fixation of the prosthesis to bone and the porous-coated columns provide long-term fixation through bone ingrowth.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial hip endo-limb comprising a spherical joint supported by a shaft. A porous shell of metal, synthetic material, ceramics and the like is provided on the circumference of the shaft. The porous shell is transversely divided and separated by spacing elements and may be longitudinally divided, and the surface can be provided with grooves.

Abstract: A synthetic vascular prosthesis comprises a hollow tubular base member having a multitude of continuous pores and formed of an elastomer material, and a hydrogel layer formed on the inner surface of the base member. The hydrogel layer is partly embedded in the inner portion of the base member at the pores, thereby permitting anchoring adhesion between the hydrogel layer and the base member. A method for manufacturing the synthetic vascular prosthesis is also disclosed, in which the formation of pores in the base member is effected by two separate steps and the hydrogel layer is formed after formation of an inner porous portion of the base member.

Abstract: A prosthesis consisting of a flexible thin-walled sleeve for reinforcing and repairing a damaged vessel and a process of placing the flexible sleeve in the vessel by collapsing the sleeve radially onto an expandable and contractable member and encasing the member and sleeve in a sheath; and then sliding the sleeve in place in a vessel covering the damaged area of the vessel and removing the sheath; then expanding the expandable member and the sleeve so that the sleeve covers the damaged area and forms a sealed interface on its outer peripheral ends with the inner peripheral surface of the vessel to thereby provide a bridging passage across the damaged area in the vessel. The device provides a process to reinforce or repair weakened, damaged, narrowed blood vessels or to divert flow in branching vessels. The sleeve is a flexible, plastic, thin-walled sleeve molded with various types of ribs and reinforcements to be used as an endovascular prosthesis.

Abstract: Devices and methods for transmitting neural signals from a proximal stump of a transected nerve to a prosthetic apparatus are disclosed employing microelectrodes, preferably conductive fiber networks, capable of sensing electrical signals from a nerve and transmitting such signals to a prosthetic apparatus; and a semipermeable guidance channel disposed about the microelectrodes. The channels include an opening adapted to receive the proximal stump of a transected nerve, such that the channel promotes the growth of the stump and the formation of an electrical connection between the transected nerve and the microelectrode.

Abstract: Prosthesis plug implants forming transverse struts between adjacent vertebrae have roughened surfaces receiving bone ingrowth to fuse the plugs on prepared surface sites on opposed faces of adjacent vertebrae and have end faces with tool receiving recesses securing the plug on a tool for insertion on the prepared sites of the vertebrae and for removing the tool from the plug without disturbing its position on the sites. These sites are prepared by feeding a drill through a guide fixed to posterior or anterior sides of adjacent vertebrae to form transverse side-by-side channels including cortex bone in the opposed faces of the adjacent vertebrae and terminating the drilling in advance of the opposite sides of the vertebrae. A plurality of the plug implants are each threaded on the end of the tool surrounded by a sleeve and are inserted endwise in exact position on the prepared side-by-side sites.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a perihepatic prosthesis characterized in that it comprises at least one wing constituted of a central part intended to surround a lobe of the liver and a peripheral fixing part, the said peripheral part having a first transverse edge intended to be fixed on the preliminarily sectioned falciform ligament.

Abstract: Device for the widening of blood vessels having a catheter (5) in whose front end area an elongate, inflatable balloon (6) is present, with the outside of the uninflated balloon (6) being wound round with a woven material (1) of such a length that its end edges (2), provided with a border, overlap. After introduction into the vessel and widening, the woven material serves as a vessel prosthesis.

Abstract: Means and method for eradicating (i.e. removing) images affixed to copies of drawings or other documents made on electrostatic media by electrostatic copiers.

Abstract: A method for implanting a tubular graft within a preselected blood vessel utilizes apparatus embodiments for inserting the graft endwise and axially through the blood vessel into place therein and for operatively securing the graft to the inside wall of the blood vessel with surgical staple-like clips. For inserting the graft through the blood vessel, an apparatus embodiment includes a lengthy conduit for insertion through the blood vessel and having a distal end adapted to selectively expand and contract for cooperating with a preformed hole in the sidewall of the graft for binding the graft to or releasing the graft from the distal end.

Abstract: A soft tissue implant comprises a flexible main body portion, having tissue-facing surfaces and a thin layer of pure titanium covering the tissue-facing surfaces. A method of promoting tissue adhesion of a soft tissue host to the tissue-facing surfaces of a soft tissue implant comprising a strip of polyethylene terephthalate velour comprises the steps of cleaning the strip with a low-residue detergent and rinsing same with fresh distilled water; refluxing the strip in distilled water for one hour at a temperature of less than 30.degree. C.; drying the strip in a room-temperature desicator for several days; sterilizing the strip and packaging same; degasing the strip and storing same in a dust-free environment; removing the strip from the packaging and mounting the strip in the vacuum evaporator at an approximate angle of incidence of 90.degree. from a pure titanium metal evaporant; evacuating the vacuum evaporator to a vacuum of about 2.times.10.sup.

Abstract: An artificial vessel, wherein the vessel wall is made of an elastomer having a porous structure with pores at any part of the vessel wall from the inner surface to the outer surface and consists of at least 2 concentric layers, each layer having a substantially uniform porosity percentage, the inmost layer having a thickness of from 30 to 500 .mu.m and a porosity percentage of from 95 to 80% and other layers having a lower porosity percentage than that of the inmost layer, and the porosity of the whole vessel wall is from 90 to 75%.The artificial vessel may also be reinforced with tubular material made of fiber or with heat-set tubular material made of fiber.The artificial vessel of the present invention has a porosity, a compliance approximate to that of a vital vessel, and a contact surface with blood having an excellent blood compatibility.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a mold surface with microscopic upstanding pillars for molding the inside surface of a vascular prostheses (synthetic blood vessel). The mold article is formed from a quantity of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) which has a polished, flat surface on which a gold film has been sputter deposited. A photoresist layer, which cannot adhere directly to Teflon, adheres to the gold. The photoresist is exposed and developed leaving a sputter resistant mask defining the desired pillar locations, and the resulting workpiece is ion etched to form the pillars in the Teflon. A synthetic blood vessel material is cast against the Teflon mold to form blind recesses on the inside of the synthetic blood vessel, with the recesses being of predetermined uniform cross section and present in a predetermined uniform pattern.

Abstract: A prosthesis for implantation in bone is provided which comprises a metal body having an outer surface at least a portion of which includes:(a) a plurality of first recesses, each of the first recesses having a characteristic dimension of less than about 1.0 millimeter, the characteristic dimension being the minimum edge-to-edge distance across the recess at the outer surface of the prosthesis; and(b) a plurality of second recesses, each of the second recesses having a characteristic dimension less than the characteristic dimension of the first recesses.The first recesses are created in the outer surface before the second recesses. Prior to the formation of the second recesses, the first recesses are characterized by: (1) initial areas at the outer surface; (2) initial perimeters at the outer surface; and (3) initial included angles between the outer surface and the side walls of the recess.

Abstract: Supporting structure (1) for preventing the movements of powder material (2) which will be applied as bone graft (bone graft powder) which supporting structue (1) will be located to contact with bone tissue and which supporting structure (1) is manufactured of at least partially resorbable polymer, copolymer or polymer mixture and is of its form chutelike, box-like, a flat tube or bag and contains such open porosity, which allows the surrounding tissues to grow through the supporting structure (1) but which prevents the migration of the bone graft powder (2) through the pores outside the supporting structure (1). The part of the supporting (1) which will be located against bone surface contains at least one orifice, whose size is bigger than the size of pores of the supporting (1) and bigger than the size of the bone graft powder (2) particles, which orifice makes possible the growth of the bone tissue into the inside of the supporting structure (1).

Abstract: An artificial vessel having a compliance and a stress-strain curve approximate to those of a vital vessel, which comprises a porous part of an elastomer having pores which communicate between the inside of the vessel and the outside of the vessel and a tubular part of fibers, said tubular part being in contact with and/or bonded to at least one part of the porous part. The artificial vessel can be prevented from breakage and damage at a high blood pressure and has an excellent durability.

Abstract: A soft tissue implant comprises a flexible main body portion, having tissue-facing surfaces and a thin layer of pure titanium covering the tissue-facing surfaces. A method of promoting tissue adhesion of a soft tissue host to the tissue-facing surfaces of a soft tissue implant comprising a strip of polyethylene terephthalate velour comprises the steps of cleaning the strip with a low-residue detergent and rinsing same with fresh distilled water; refluxing the strip in distilled water for one hour at a temperature of less than 30.degree. C.; drying the strip in a room-temperature desicator for several days; sterilizing the strip and packaging same; degasing the strip and storing same in a dust-free environment; removing the strip from the packaging and mounting the strip in a vacuum evaporator at an approximate angle of incidence of 90.degree. from a pure titanium metal evaporant; evacuating the vacuum evaporator to a vacuum of about 2.times.10.sup.