Abstract: Universal modular stented graft assemblies are assembled, on site, and often in a patient's parent artery, from at least two components; a first component and a second component. The first and second components each include a window, or fenestration. The second component couples with the first component by fitting at least partially in the first component to form the universal modular stent graft assembly with an adjustable collateral opening. As the first and second components are assembled, the first and second components are adjusted relative to each other so that the first and second component windows overlap to form a collateral opening whose size is selectable, depending on the overlap, with the desired position and dimensions in the universal modular stent graft assembly.

Abstract: Intraocular lenses for implanting within the natural capsular bag of the human eye having features on the outer ends or portions of the lenses to fixate the lens within the natural capsular bag following implantation.

Abstract: A kit and associated method is for implanting a prosthetic device in a resected bone such as a humerus. The kit includes a trial assembly including a trial body portion having a trial bore defined therein, and a trial head portion having (i) a trail head member which includes a trial offset indicia, and (ii) an eccentrically located trial stem extending from the trial head member, the trial head stem being configured to be received within the trial bore. The kit also includes a final prosthesis assembly including a final body portion having a final bore defined therein, and a final head portion having (i) a final head member which includes a final offset indicia, and (ii) an eccentrically located final head stem extending from the final head portion, the final head stem being configured to be received within the final bore.

Abstract: A preloaded intraocular lens injection device includes a retainer for releasably holding an IOL in an unstressed state. The retainer and IOL are removably attached to an injector body and are sealed in the same package for delivery to a surgeon. In an alternate embodiment, the retainer and IOL are coupled together and sealed in one package and the injector body is sealed in a separate package with the surgeon attaching the retainer to the injector body at the time of surgery. To deliver the IOL through the injector body, the retainer is removed from the injector body causing the IOL to release from the retainer and become located in an unstressed state in the injector body.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for treating an infected implant area of a knee joint comprises surgically accessing the implant area, and inserting a tibial component into the tibia using an antibiotic-impregnated material. A femoral component is formed that is configured to interact with the tibial component by stable knee joint articulation and motion. The femoral component is formed of an antibiotic-impregnated material using a mold. The femoral component is attached to the femur using an antibiotic-impregnated material, and the tibial component is interfaced with the femoral component to form a stable temporary knee joint capable of reducing the spread of infection while permitting movement of the knee joint.

Abstract: The invention is based on the use of polyisobutylmethacrylate instead of PMMA as an adhesive or spinal fill material for treating diseases of the spine. Polyisobutylmethacrylate has several advantages over PMMA, mainly less heat is developed during the in situ polymerization process. When using any spinal adhesive of fill material that is light activated, a tube can be used to transmit activating light to the light-activated adhesive or spinal polymerizable fill material at the surgical site. In addition, a mesh bag comprising optical fibers or similar light transmitting material can be employed to receive the injected light-activated fill, with the mesh bag, irradiated externally, for directing the light via the bag to the polymerizable fill.

Abstract: A preloaded intraocular lens injection device includes a retainer for releasably holding an IOL in an unstressed state. The retainer and IOL are removably attached to an injector body and are sealed in the same package for delivery to a surgeon. In an alternate embodiment, the retainer and IOL are coupled together and sealed in one package and the injector body is sealed in a separate package with the surgeon attaching the retainer to the injector body at the time of surgery. To deliver the IOL through the injector body, the retainer is removed from the injector body causing the IOL to release from the retainer and become located in an unstressed state in the injector body. A compressor is moved to the closed position to compress the IOL, the injector tip is inserted through a small incision in an eye and a plunger is advanced to push the IOL through and out the injector body tip and into an eye.

Abstract: An intravascular material removal device that removes material from a vessel wall and creates flow dynamics that draw the material into a catheter device for removal from the vessel is provided. A collapsible device that provides a relatively low delivery profile while being expandable in use to adapt to varying and variable vessel diameters is also provided. A spiral configured material removing element is provided that can adapt to varying vessel diameters and to remove material forming blockages or occlusions from the inner wall of a vessel.

Abstract: A prosthetic foot (147) has a longitudinally extending foot keel (149) and a resilient, monolithically formed calf shank (148) extending upwardly from the foot keel to form an ankle joint area of the prosthetic foot and a lower, prosthetic part of a leg above the ankle joint area for connection with a lower extremity prosthetic socket on a person's leg stump. At least the lower portion of the calf shank extending upwardly from the foot keel is anterior facing convexly curved. The shank and at least a portion of the foot keel are monolithically formed.

Abstract: A biocompatible non-memory expandable polymeric article selected from stents, implantable prostheses, catheters, other surgical articles and sealants for implantable prostheses, and which is at least in part biodegradable and includes a combination where hollow cylindrical element (2) is depicted in cutaway form to reveal helical element (4), terminated schematically at (6) and where a combination of at least one thermoplastic elastomeric component and at least one thermoplastic non-elastomeric component, the article being either porous articles or having the potential to become porous by action of body fluids in situ), the thermoplastic non-elastomeric component being present in such an amount as will provide mechanical strength and rigidity to the article when in an expanded mode.

Abstract: An artificial spinal disk comprises a central capsule that is configured to slide laterally within the disk space with one or more of flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the spine so as to shift an instantaneous center of rotation of the artificial disk. In one embodiment, the invention comprises an artificial spinal disk comprising a first plate having an inwardly directed surface, a second plate having an inwardly directed surface facing generally toward the inwardly directed surface of the first plate, and a central capsule with outwardly directed opposed faces that slidably mate with the inwardly directed surfaces of the first and second plates.

Abstract: A stent includes annular units arranged in the axial direction of the stent, wherein each of the annular units includes a plurality of annular elements so arranged as to surround the stent axis, the adjacent annular elements being joined to each other through a joint, and the adjacent annular units are interconnected at their joints by at least one link. The annular elements in each annular unit are so arranged that one of the adjacent pair of annular elements is located on the proximal end side in the axial direction of the stent relative to the other of the adjacent pair of annular elements, end portions of each annular unit are projected zigzag, and the zigzag projected end portion of one annular unit is in the state of penetrating into the adjacent annular unit. The joints in each annular unit are substantially parallel to the stent axis.

Abstract: A vision prosthesis includes an optical element having a surface that is shaped to be positioned near a cornea of an eye, and a magnetic element embedded in the optical element.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve for regulating fluid flow through a body vessel is provided. The valve includes an expandable support frame and a valve leaflet, and includes at least one opening that permits a controlled amount of retrograde flow through the valve when the valve is in a closed configuration.

Abstract: An artificial intervertebral disc having a pair of opposing baseplates, for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, uses a semispherical, bored bearing that is secured to the baseplates with compression locking posts and one or more retaining caps. The compression locking posts extend through the bearing bore and baseplate apertures such that the bearing is between the baseplates' inwardly facing surfaces. Retaining caps are attached to the compression locking posts, securing the baseplates to the bearing. Bearing surfaces on the inwardly facing side of each baseplate allow each baseplate to rotate relative to the bearing, however, rotation of each baseplate is limited by the interference of each baseplate and its respective retaining cap. Rotation of the baseplates about the longitudinal axis of the spine can be limited via a notch in the retaining caps and a groove in the baseplates, or vice versa.

Abstract: An endovascular stent graft assembly (10) for use with abdominal aorta aneurysms (70) and having a main stent graft body (12) and a separate attachment graft tube (14) that extends proximally therefrom having the proximal attachment stent (50) thereon for infrarenal attachment of the assembly (10) to the aorta (74). A distal end portion (44) of the attachment graft tube (14) underlies the proximal end portion (30) of the main stent graft body (12) and presses outwardly there against forming a friction fit, at an overlapping region (64). The main stent graft body (12) has an ipsilateral leg (22) and a contralateral stump (24) at the bifurcation (26). After deployment of the attachment graft tube (14), the contralateral leg (16) is deployed at the contralateral stump to complete the stent graft assembly (10).

Abstract: In an inventive stent (10), helical filaments (12, 13) are disposed on a first tubular layer (11). The helical filaments (12, 13) are mutually phase-shifted such that they do not touch and lie in one plane. The helical filaments (12, 13) are completely coated by a second elastic tubular layer (14) which is connected to the first elastic tubular layer (11). Further helical filaments may be disposed on the second elastic tubular layer (14). The inventive stent can be lengthened for introduction into a hollow organ and is self-expanding.

Abstract: A femoral component is provided for use in a knee joint prosthesis. The femoral component may be configured to provide one or more desirable kinematic relationships with a tibial component and/or patella so as to mimic the flexion and extension motion of a natural knee joint. The femoral component may be configured so that the patella follows a substantially circular pathway during knee flexion and extension. The femoral component may be configured so that the patella follows a curved patellar path during flexion and extension, and the curved patellar path has an origin located anterior and proximal to the geometrical center axis of the knee. The femoral component may be configured so that the patella follows a curved patellar path that lies in a plane which is parallel to and offset from a plane that extends through the center of the femoral head of a femur and is perpendicular to the geometric center axis of the knee.

Abstract: Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. In a first embodiment, an expandable pre-assembled heart valve includes a plastically-expandable annular base having plurality of upstanding commissure posts. A tubular flexible member including a prosthetic section and a fabric section is provided, with the prosthetic section being connected to the commissure posts and defining leaflets therebetween, and the fabric section being attached to the annular base. In a second embodiment, an expandable heart valve includes an annular tissue-engaging base and a subassembly having an elastic wireform and a plurality of leaflets connected thereto. The annular base and subassembly are separately stored and connected just prior to delivery to the host annulus. Preferably, the leaflet subassembly is stored in its relaxed configuration to avoid deformation of the leaflets. The expandable heart valves maybe implanted using a balloon catheter.

Abstract: An approach is disclosed for improving ventricular function of a patient's heart. According to one embodiment, the system includes a pouch that defines a chamber dimensioned and configured to simulate at least a portion of a heart chamber. The pouch has a sidewall portion extending from an inflow annulus and terminating in a closed distal end spaced apart from the inflow annulus. A generally cylindrical outflow portion extends from the sidewall portion of the pouch and terminating in an outflow annulus thereof to provide for flow of fluid from the chamber through the outflow annulus. A valve is operatively associated with the inflow annulus of the pouch to provide for substantially unidirectional flow of fluid through the inflow annulus and into the chamber.