Abstract: A graft ligament anchor comprises a graft ligament engagement member disposed in an opening in a bone, the graft ligament engagement member being arranged to receive a graft ligament alongside the engagement member, and a locking member for disposition in the opening, and at least in part engageable with the graft ligament engagement member. Movement of the locking member in the opening causes the locking member to urge the engagement member, and the graft ligament therewith, toward a wall of the opening, to secure the graft ligament to the wall of the opening.

Abstract: Biomaterial including tissues basically obtained from an animal cornea, in particular, from a fish cornea. A cardiac valve (10) which may envisage at least one cusp (15) made with an organic tissue obtained from this particular biomaterial.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis can be formed with a harvested tissue heart valve and a sewing rim that extends outwardly from the annulus of the harvested heart valve for easier attachment of the prosthesis. The heart valve prosthesis can further include a belt that extends along the annulus to provide further support to the valve annulus. A single piece of pericardial tissue can be used to form the sewing rim, belt and a collar that envelopes the edge of the annulus. The harvested heart valve prosthesis can have the diameter of its annulus adjusted using pledgeted suture prior to the application of additional support structures such as the belt, sewing rim and collar.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system, apparatus, and method for treating, repairing, and/or replacing an aneurysm, preferably an aortic aneurysm, and most preferably, an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The systems, devices, and methods of the present invention include a first prosthesis or stent gasket, and at least one second prosthesis for bypassing the aneurysm. In preferred embodiments, the second prosthesis includes a branch leg that may be disposed and anchored in an either a cross artery or a downstream artery to facilitate fluid flow. In other preferred embodiments, at least one third prosthesis is provided for establishing a fluid flow channel through a second diseased artery to bypass an aneurysm disposed therein. In accordance with the invention, the first artery may be the abdominal aorta and the second artery may be an iliac artery.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for supporting a heart valve at an annulus of an implantation site. The apparatus includes a base portion operative to maintain a circumferential dimension thereof. A plurality of fingers extend axially and radially outwardly from the first end of the support element. A heart valve can be located within the apparatus to provide a prosthesis that can be suturelessly implanted at an annulus of a patient.

Abstract: A radially expandable sheath is provided having a substantially closed distal end with at least two sidewalls extending proximally therefrom and defining a central lumen. Each sidewall can have a substantially concave outer surface adapted to seat a graft member, and each side wall is at least partially separated by a longitudinally oriented slot that extends from a proximal end along a substantial length of each sidewall. The slot preferably terminates at a position just proximal to the distal end. The device can also include a sheath expander that is adapted to be disposed in the central lumen of the radially expandable sheath and that is configured to flex the sidewalls to radially expand the sheath so as to fix a graft member within a bone tunnel.

Abstract: A prosthesis is provided for implantation into a knee joint compartment between a femoral condyle and its corresponding tibial plateau without requiring bone resection. The prosthesis includes a body having a generally elliptical shape in plan and a pair of opposed surfaces where one of the surfaces is generally concave. The body further includes an exterior portion and an interior portion, where the exterior portion is constructed from a higher modulus material than the interior portion such that the body is at least slightly deformable.

Abstract: An implant for stabilizing a bony segment includes a flexible body sized and shaped to extend intravertebrally between at least first and second bony portions. In use the body is attachable intravertebrally to each of the first and second bony portions to distract each of the first and second bony portions while allowing motion between each of the first and second bony portions.

Abstract: Methods for coating different regions of an implantable device are disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes dipping a first portion of the implantable device into a first coating substance, and then centrifuging the implantable device to provide an even coating. Next, a second portion of the implantable device is dipped into a second coating substance, and the implantable device is again centrifuged, resulting in an even second coating. In another embodiment, a first coating substance is applied to an interior surface of a cylindrical implantable device, such as a stent or graft, and a second coating substance is applied to an exterior surface. A centrifuge step is performed so that the first coating substance is preferentially and uniformly applied on the interior surface of the implantable device and the second coating substance is preferentially and uniformly applied on the exterior surface of the implantable device.

Abstract: A mitral annuloplasty ring that has an outward and an upward posterior bow. The ring defines a closed, modified oval shape with a minor-major axis dimension ratio of between about 3.3:4 to 4:4. The ring is made of a material that will substantially resist distortion when subjected to the stress imparted thereon when the ring is implanted in the mitral valve annulus of an operating human heart. As a result, the annuloplasty ring corrects for pathologies associated with mitral valve prolapse, or Barlow's syndrome, in which the leaflets tend to be elongated or floppy.

Abstract: This invention provides apparatus and a method for assembling a modular hip implant where the desired orientation of the neck component is uniquely determined during the trialing phase of the operation, and that same desired orientation is accurately reproduced during the implantation phase of the actual hip implant device.

Abstract: An intervertebral cage includes a thin main wall having two return parts at opposite ends of the wall. The wall has an approximately constant thickness. The return parts are extended by facing end parts having a gap between them. The wall, the return parts and end parts delimit an inner cavity. The gap extends parallel to the wall and has a length between 50% and 100% of the cavity length. The gap length is preferably between 70% to 90% of the cavity length.

Abstract: A titanium incudo-stapedial joint prosthesis comprises a body including a generally tubular wall defining a first cavity for receiving a head of a stapes. A generally U-shaped wall is connected to the tubular wall defining a second cavity extending generally perpendicular to the first cavity for receiving an incus. The tubular wall comprises slots to enable the first cavity to be sized to fit the head of the stapes. The general U-shaped wall comprises slots to enable the second cavity to be sized to fit to the incus.

Abstract: An instrument guide and implant holding device is provided which releasably secures an implant to the instrument guide. The device provides a convenient guide for surgeons to perform various operative techniques on the subject bone without the need for separate devices, and allows all these operative techniques to be performed without removing the instrument guide from the dissected area until all operative techniques have been completed. The releasable mechanism allows the surgeon to easily hold the instrument to an implant using a simple press-fit approach, and easily releases from the implant with a minimal amount of force. An embodiment also allows the surgeon to releasably lock the cannula in a given orientation about the centroidal axis of the implant fastener hole.

Abstract: A sheath for organizing soft tissue includes a first tube having a flexible body sized and shaped to receive a fixation device, and a second tube coupled to the first tube having a flexible body sized and shaped to receive a soft tissue graft. A method for implanting soft tissue in a bone tunnel includes coupling a soft tissue graft to a sheath assembly; and positioning the sheath assembly relative to the soft tissue graft based on a measured depth of a bone tunnel. A set of surgical devices for implanting soft tissue grafts in a bone tunnel includes a sheath assembly, a measurement device for measuring the depth of the bone tunnel, a securing element configured to secure the sheath assembly to the soft tissue graft at a position determined by the measured bone tunnel depth, and a tensioning device configured to organize a plurality of soft tissue grafts.

Abstract: A method and a device for improving cardiac function are provided. The device is packaged in a collapsed state in an end of a catheter. Portions of a frame construction of the device spring outwardly when the catheter is withdrawn from the device. Anchoring formations on the frame construction secure the frame construction to a myocardium of the heart. A membrane secured to the frame construction then forms a division between volumes of an endocardial cavity of the heart on opposing sides of the membrane.

Abstract: Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. The valves are rolled into a first, contracted configuration for minimally invasive delivery and then unrolled or unfurled at the implantation site. One- and two-piece stents may be used in conjunction with a plurality of flexible leaflet-forming membranes. The one-piece stents may include an annulus anchoring section, a sinus section with the membranes attached over sinus apertures, and a rigid outflow section. The two-piece stent may include a primary stent to provide a tubular base at the annulus, and a secondary stent having the membranes that couples within the primary stent. Lockout tabs to secure the stents in their expanded shapes are provided. Also, alignment structure may be provided to ensure concentric unfurling. Anchoring barbs at the stent edges or in the stent body secure the valve within the annulus. Methods of implantation are also provided.

Abstract: An intraocular lens for amblyopia designed in consideration of normalizing vision as well as magnifying vision, is provided with an optical part having predetermined refractive power, which includes front and rear side refractive surfaces, a supporting part for supporting the optical part within the eye, a first reflecting part formed at a rear surface side of the optical part for reflecting an incident light bundle, which has passed through the front surface of the optical part, toward the front surface, and a second reflecting part formed at a front surface side of the optical part for reflecting the incident light bundle, which has been reflected by the first one, toward the rear surface, wherein the first and second reflecting parts form a reflecting telescopic system which forms a magnified image on a retina, and at least one of them has a property of transmitting a part of the light bundle.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the predictability of a vision correction procedure by comparing historical data, including the vision defect, the correction method and outcome, in terms of wavefront aberrations with a patient's condition to select an acceptable procedure. The patient's eye is examined and an optical model is created and compared to the historical data to select an acceptable procedure. The procedure is performed and the outcome is included in the data base.

Abstract: An intravascular stent assembly for implantation in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, is designed to treat a lesion with vulnerable plaque by reducing the fibrous cap stresses. The stent includes distal, proximal, and center sections where the center section is configured to treat the vulnerable plaque. The stent consists of radially expandable cylindrical rings generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and either directly connected or interconnected by one or more interconnecting links placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction while providing high degrees of radial strength and vessel scaffolding.