Abstract: An expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent includes a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting members placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. The strength of the stent at a center section or at either end can be varied by increasing the mass of the struts forming each cylindrical element in that center section or end section relative to the lower mass struts in the remaining sections of the stent. Increasing the mass of the struts can be accomplished by, for a given strut thickness, increasing the width of the strut, or increasing the length of a cylindrical element.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a pre-cursor stent for positioning within the infrarenal neck, between an abdominal aortic aneurysm and the renal arteries of a patient to assist in repairing the abdominal aortic aneurysm. The stent is designed to be coupled to a graft for directing blood flow through the aneurysm. The stent is made from a substantially cylindrical self-expanding member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween and an interior. The precursor stent further includes at least two spaced apart longitudinal legs having distal and proximal ends, the proximal ends of the legs attached to the distal end of the member, the legs extending distally from the member, each the leg including a flange adjacent its distal end. Also in accordance with the present invention is an aortic graft, having the above mentioned precursor stent attached thereto when fully deployed.

Abstract: This invention provides a dialysis-access graft fistula having self-sealing ports for use in hemodialysis. The self-sealing ports can be repeatedly used for the cannulation required for the blood flows associated with hemodialysis. The ports self-seal after each puncture.

Abstract: A voice prosthesis has a tubular body with two ends and an internal through-cavity communicating the ends. There are external widened sections at the two ends, with a valve body at the first end to permit air to flow in only one direction. On an outer surface of the tubular body is an adaptation for sealing the tubular body to a wall of the hole between the esophagus and trachea. The adaptation, in particular, is one or more rings protruding from the outer surface at a position between the two ends. The rings protrude at an angle, causing them to be canted toward the opposite end.

Abstract: The hinge stent is a balloon-expandable or self-expandable intravascular endoprosthesis used for treatment of vascular injury. The hinge stent is formed of a single stent section or of multiple stent sections joined together. Each stent section has a node and strut structure extending throughout in order to uncouple expansion forces of the stent to hold a blood vessel outward from crush forces that resist the formation of an oval shape during a crush deformation. Each node includes a hinge which is joined via a transition region to a strut. The hinge can bend in the direction of a uniformly curved surface of the stent but not in the radial direction. The strut can bend in the radial direction but not in the uniformly curved surface of the stent. The widths, lengths, and radial dimensions of the hinges and struts provide a balloon-expandable hinge stent that is non-crushable. For a self-expandable stent the hinge and strut dimensions provide expansion forces that are controlled independently from crush forces.

Abstract: Ophthalmic lenses, such as intraocular lenses, include crosslinked polymeric materials having a first constituent derived from a first monomeric component selected from the group consisting of 2-phenylpropyl acrylate or methacrylate and mixtures thereof, and a second constituent derived from a second component in an amount effective as a crosslinker in the crosslinked polymeric material. The crosslinked polymeric material has branched chain alkyl groups, in an amount effective to reduce the tackiness of the crosslinked polymeric material relative to a substantially identical crosslinked polymeric material without branched chain alkyl groups.

Abstract: A biomedical article made of alumina ceramics including an aluminum oxide having a purity of not less than 99.95% and unavoidable impurities as remainder. The alumina ceramics contains no sintering agent. The alumina ceramics has no irregularities in the crystal grain size, and has a strength necessary for biomedical article, and have a crystal grain size of less than 1.0 &mgr;m to assure excellent slidability.

Abstract: A solid ceramic composition comprising &bgr;-TCP, hydroxy apatite and a substantial amount of &agr;-TCP as shown in the x-ray diffraction spectrum, which is useful as a bone graft substitute. A process for preparing the composition by subjecting a mixture of ionic calcium, phosphate, aspartic acid and carbonate to microwave irradiation and quenching the irradiated mixture.

Abstract: A hearing prosthesis is described for a user in an acoustic environment having a range of audio frequencies. The prosthesis includes an electrical stimulation module, and acoustic mechanical stimulation module, and a stimulation amplifier. The electrical stimulation module delivers to the auditory nerve of the user an electrical stimulation signal representative of a first subrange of frequencies in the range of audio frequencies in the acoustic environment. The acoustic mechanical stimulation module delivers to the inner ear structure of the user a mechanical stimulation signal representative of a second subrange of frequencies in the range of audio frequencies in the acoustic environment. The stimulation amplifier in communication with the electrical stimulation module and the acoustic mechanical stimulation module that determines, for each stimulation module, an amplification magnitude envelope for the subrange of frequencies for that stimulation module.

Abstract: The present invention provides an epoxy compound that has a hydrocarbon backbone, that is water-soluble, and which does not contain an ether or ester linkage in its backbone. Examples of suitable epoxide agents include mono- or diepoxides that have the following basic formulas: Monoepoxide: Diepoxide: where n=1 to 10.

Abstract: A surgical device and related method and kit for use in sealing a biological aperture in situ. In one embodiment, the device is provided in the form of an expandable, porous material such as poly(vinyl alcohol).

Abstract: A bone substitute comprises gelatin powder, water, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) powder, and glutaraldehyde. The bone substitute in the present invention, using tricalcium phosphate powder as the major implant ingredient, gelatin powder as glue, and glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent, can reduce the degradation rate of the bone substitute in the biological body. The present invention also includes the manufacturing procedure of the bone substitute.

Abstract: A process for improving the start up and steady rate friction of soft/compliant polyurethane bearings uses a pre-treatment with Ringers solution. The process includes treating the polyurethane in a heated bath of the solution for 96 hours at a temperature of between 30° C. and 37° C.

Abstract: An intraluminal grafting system having a delivery catheter comprising a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and a capsule mounted on the distal extremity of the tubular member and including a graft disposed within the capsule. The graft is comprised of a tubular body configured to be secured to a blood vessel by a self expanding attachment system. The attachment system comprises a generally sinusoidal wire frame having apices which extend longitudinally outward from the end of the tubular body apices which are secured within the tubular body. Both the protruding apices and the base apices are formed with helices which bias the attachment system radially outward. The attachment system further includes a plurality of lumen piercing members that are oriented in a responsive relationship to the radially outward bias of the attachment system.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant includes a hollow rigid conduit having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is sized to be received within a coronary vessel lumen. The first portion has an axial dimension aligned with an axis of the vessel. The second portion is sized to extend from the vessel through a myocardium into a heart chamber. The conduit has open first and second ends on axial ends of respective ones of the first and second portions to define a blood flow pathway within an interior of the conduit between the first and second ends. The first portion has at least one radial opening formed therethrough for blood to flow radially outward of the first portion proximally to the first end.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a pre-cursor stent for positioning within the infrarenal neck, between an abdominal aortic aneurysm and the renal arteries of a patient to assist in repairing the abdominal aortic aneurysm. The stent is designed to be coupled to a graft for directing blood flow through the aneurysm. The stent is made from a substantially cylindrical self-expanding member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween and an interior. The precursor stent further includes at least two spaced apart longitudinal legs having distal and proximal ends, the proximal ends of the legs attached to the distal end of the member, the legs extending distally from the member, each the leg including a flange adjacent its distal end. Also in accordance with the present invention is an aortic graft, having the above mentioned precursor stent attached thereto when fully deployed.

Abstract: Linear block polymer having a molecular weight of at least 104 Dalton, comprising urea and urethane groups and ester groups at such a distance from each other that after hydrolysis of these ester groups fragments are created which are so small that they are biologically degradable and can be excreted from a human body and further including an end group selected from primary NH2 and OH groups, which can be substituted by a monoamine. The polymers are intended to be used as implants.

Abstract: The invention discloses a composition having a mixture of a pharmaceutically, medically or veterinarily acceptable polymer, preferable a poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) copolymer (PLGA) containing between about 10 and 100 wt. % lactic acid (LA) units, preferably between about 50 and 90 wt. % LA units, and &agr;-(tetrahydrofuranyl)-&ohgr;-hydroxypoly(oxy-1,2-ethandiyl) (glycofurol). Methods of forming solid implants in situ in an animal body, said implants optionally comprising a drug or other biologically active agent, as well as the use of the compositions of the invention in the treatment of animal bodies, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A stent, particularly a coronary stent, which includes at least one thin-walled, tubular body (2), the surface (1) of which is divided into strap-like, expandable elements (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″) extending in the longitudinal direction of the stent and expandable in the circumferential direction thereof and, which elements are linked by at least one joining strap (6,6′). Two expandable elements (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″) are juxtaposed in the circumferential direction of the stent and, by means of an end attachment (8), with the end face (4.4′) of an expandable element (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″) adjoining in the longitudinal direction of the stent. The surface (1) in the non-expanded condition is substantially free of apertures and is divided by partition lines (3), which have a considerably smaller width compared with the strap width of the expandable elements (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″).

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a stent, preferably a self-expanding Nitinol stent, for insertion into a vessel of a patient. The stent is made from a tubular member a thickness, front and back open ends, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The member has a first smaller diameter for insertion into a vessel, and a second larger diameter for deployment into a vessel. The tubular member has a plurality of adjacent hoops extending between its front and back ends. The hoops are formed of a plurality of longitudinal struts, each having opposing ends and a center therebetween. The ends of the struts are shaped to form a plurality of loops which connect adjacent struts at the ends of the struts. The member further includes a plurality of bridges connecting adjacent hoops to one another. Each of the struts has a width which is greater at its ends than at its center. Preferably, the width continuously tapers from a greater width at the ends to a smaller width at the centers.