Abstract: A prosthetic heart leaflet includes a fiber-reinforced structure including a plurality of composite fibers. Each composite fiber includes a core fiber and a sheathing fiber disposed about the core fiber, wherein the core fiber or the sheathing fiber has a curvilinear shape.

Abstract: A passive knee locking mechanism using the position of the shank and the weight of the user to lock. The mechanism has translational motion, which allows the shank to move linearly along the sagittal/vertical plane, which locks and unlocks the knee, and rotational motion for the shank to swing when unlocked. The knee block, which is disposed at the top of the shank, has a spur gear that locks with a matching gear rack on the top plate of the knee housing. The side plates for the knee housing have a linear path that makes for the translational motion. During heel strike, the stopper in the front plate of the knee housing positions the shank in a straight position. When the user applies their weight for initiating stance phase, the knee block traverses up the path and the spur gear meshes with the matching rack, locking the knee.

Abstract: An intravascular stent (100, 200, 300) comprises a framework with openings and at least one radiopaque structure (103, 201, 301). Each radiopaque structure (103, 201, 301) comprises fixed bodies and radiopaque markers (105, 208, 307) filled in the fixed bodies. The fixed bodies are connected with the framework, and are at least partially disposed in the openings. The envelope enclosed area of all the radiopaque markers (105, 208, 307) in each radiopaque structure (103, 201, 301) is less than or equal to 2 mm2, and a sum of effective areas of all the radiopaque markers (105, 208, 307) in each radiopaque structure (103, 201, 301) is greater than or equal to 0.15 mm2, and a ratio of said sum of effective areas to said envelope enclosed area is greater than or equal to 1:5. The radiopaque structure (103, 201, 301) has a desirable visibility, and does not substantially affect the crimped diameter of the intravascular stent (100, 200, 300).

Abstract: Implantable in vivo sensors used to monitor physical, chemical or electrical parameters within a body. The in vivo sensors are integral with an implantable medical device and are responsive to externally or internally applied energy. Upon application of energy, the sensors undergo a phase change in at least part of the material of the device which is then detected external to the body by conventional techniques such as radiography, ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, radio frequency imaging or the like. The in vivo sensors of the present invention may be employed to provide volumetric measurements, flow rate measurements, pressure measurements, electrical measurements, biochemical measurements, temperature, measurements, or measure the degree and type of deposits within the lumen of an endoluminal implant, such as a stent or other type of endoluminal conduit.

Abstract: A powered leg prosthesis including a powered knee joint with a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint, a powered ankle joint coupled to the knee joint including an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint, a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, a plurality of sensors for measuring a real-time input, and controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input. In the powered leg prosthesis, at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit includes at least one drive stage, where the drive stage includes a rotary element for generating torque and at least one looped element affixed around the rotary element and configured for transmitting the torque to another rotary element coupled to a joint to be actuated.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve comprises a valve body, comprising a tubular frame and a plurality of leaflets; an upstream support, comprising a second frame; and a flexible sheet that couples the upstream support to the valve body. The prosthetic valve is compressible into a delivery tool such that the prosthetic valve is in a compressed state in which the second frame and the tubular frame are arranged in series within the tool, and the valve body has a compressed body-diameter. The prosthetic valve is deployable from the tool such that the prosthetic valve automatically expands into an expanded state. In the expanded state, the second frame defines an inner perimeter, the sheet extends inwardly from the inner perimeter to the valve body, and the prosthetic valve defines a conduit through the upstream support and the valve body. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Valves constructed from low porosity leaflets are disclosed. The valves disclosed herein may be integrated into a variety of structures, such as valved conduits and transcatheter stents, and may be constructed of one or more layers. Embodiments herein are also directed to methods of using the same and methods of making the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a walking assistance robot load compensation system which cancels out the load of a walking assistance robot worn by a walking trainee, the walking assistance robot load compensation system comprising a dynamic compensation part compensating for changes to a dynamic load according to the displacement or the inertia of the walking assistance robot, the dynamic compensation part, which may compensate for a changing dynamic load of the walking assistance robot, comprising: a first plate which is movable in association with the displacement or inertia; a second plate which is spaced apart from the first plate and is movable in association with the walking assistance robot; a connection wire which is connected to the first and second plates and movable in association with the first plate and the second plate; and a dynamic compensation unit which applies resistance force to the connection wire to suppress changes to the dynamic load of the walking assistance robot.

Abstract: A hip orthosis having: an elastic rotary actuator positioned at the rear part of orthosis; an extensible transmission system, positioned along the side of the user and suitable for transmitting the action of the actuator to the joint of the hip; a link which transmits the mechanical action to user's thigh; and a chain of degrees of freedom through which the three elements are connected to a frame which interfaces the entire orthosis with the user's body is disclosed. The degrees of freedom can be passive, actuated or connected to elastic elements.

Abstract: An artificial heart for use in a human recipient includes a housing within which a quartet of turbine pump segments are operative. The quartet of turbine pump segments is configured to provide a pair of redundant input and output turbine pump segment pairs each input and output pair being coupled by a curved passage providing a redundancy which, in turn, enhances the safety factor provided by the artificial heart. A controller is powered by a rechargeable battery and is operative to apply appropriate drive signals to the motor drives of the turbine pump segments. The battery may be implanted along with the controller to avoid the need for any external connections to the artificial heart. An inductively coupled battery charger for use outside the recipient's body is positioned proximate the battery charger to provide inductively coupled charging for use in driving the artificial heart.

Abstract: A method and a medical elongate body are configured to prevent stagnation or turbulence of blood flow in a recess of a rugged pattern formed in a blood vessel due to bulging of a blood vessel wall at a lesion part of the blood vessel. The method involves partitioning an inside of the blood vessel into upstream and downstream sides of the recess, and introducing gel into the recess to at least partially fill the recess. A blood vessel lumen forming method and medical elongate body to form such a lumen are other aspects of the disclosure and involve introducing gel into the recess to at least partially fill the recess with the gel, and drilling the gel to remove at least some of the gel to form a passage and secure blood flow in the blood vessel.

Abstract: An expandable valved conduit for pediatric right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction is disclosed. The valved conduit may provide long-term patency and resistance to thrombosis and stenosis. The valved conduit may enlarge radially and/or longitudinally to accommodate the growing anatomy of the patient. Further, a method is disclosed for the manufacture of the valved conduit based in part on a plastically deformable biocompatible polymer and a computer-optimized valve design developed for such an expandable valved conduit.

Abstract: A prosthesis has a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending through the tubular body and open at each of the proximal end and the distal end. The tubular body defines a longitudinal axis and has a first width in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The prosthesis also includes a first flange at one of the proximal end and the distal end with the lumen extending through the first flange. The first flange has a second width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis that is greater than the first width. The tubular body and the first flange form a structurally self-supporting, body compatible, and body absorbable device. The device is formed of a composite structure and is adapted for insertion into an opening through a tympanic membrane.

Abstract: A prosthetic hand structure including at least one mechanical finger having a metacarpal support and a proximal stiff link connected to the metacarpal support by a proximal cylindrical joint. The mechanical finger includes a transmission member connected to the proximal stiff link. The transmission member includes a worm screw integral to the proximal stiff link. The transmission member includes a flexible rack having a first end portion, pivotally connected to the metacarpal support, and a second end portion arranged to engage with the threaded profile of the worm screw at an engagement zone of the flexible rack. The structure also includes an actuator mounted to the mechanical finger and to actuate the worm screw, causing it to rotate about its rotation axis, in such a way that, when the actuator moves the worm screw, the mechanical finger extends or flexes.

Abstract: A surgical navigation module comprising: (a) a microcomputer; (b) a tri-axial accelerometer; (c) a tri-axial gyroscope; (d) at least three tri-axial magnetometers; (e) a communication module; (f) an ultrawide band transceiver; and, (g) at least four ultrawide band antennas.

Abstract: A vacuum suspension system includes a foot cover having a heel portion and a pump system located in the heel portion. The pump system includes upper and lower sections arranged to move in an axial direction relative to one another and a pump mechanism operatively connected to and positioned between the upper and lower sections. When the heel portion is loaded in stance the pump mechanism moves from an original configuration in which the volume of a fluid chamber defined by the pump mechanism is zero or near-zero, to an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aortic arch intraoperative stent, wherein the aortic arch intraoperative stent comprising a main body (17) and one to three branches (5, 6, 7), The aortic arch intraoperative stent connects several circular waveform rings together via a cover membrane (25) to form the main body (17) and the branches (5, 6, 7), wherein each circular waveform ring comprises a circular elastic wire formed through head-to-tail connection. In addition, the present invention also provides a manufacturing method for the aortic arch intraoperative stent, comprising the following steps of: providing a cover membrane mandrel (40); making an inner membrane; assembling circular waveform rings; making an outer membrane; suturing a proximal fabric (12); and suturing a distal fabric (13).

Abstract: A sliding mode biomimetic (BSM) controller for a prosthetic device, such as a prosthetic hand, includes an input classification component that receives electromyogram (EGM) signals from two or more electromyogram (EGM) sensors that are positioned on an amputee's body. The input classification component compares the EGM input signals based on predetermined activation threshold values and identifies an input class to determine the amputee's intended movement of the prosthetic device. A finite state machine utilizes the current position of the prosthetic hand and the identified input class to identify the coordinates of a lookup table to determine the next state or position of the prosthetic device. As a result, the biomimetic controller is able to simultaneously control two or more degrees of freedom (DOFs) or functions of the prosthetic hand using only two EGM input signals.

Abstract: This disclosure provides design, material, manufacturing method, and use alternatives for medical devices. An example medical device includes a stent having a first strut. The first strut may include an inner surface and an outer surface. The medical device may also include a first attachment member coupled to the strut and a radioactive element. The radioactive element may be coupled to the attachment member.

Abstract: A prosthetic remodeling annuloplasty ring for use in tricuspid or mitral valve repairs to provide support after annuloplasty surgery. The annuloplasty ring includes a relatively rigid core extending around an axis that is discontinuous to define two free ends. A suture-permeable interface surrounding the core includes floppy regions adjacent both free ends of the core. Sutures are used to attach the annuloplasty ring to the annulus, including at least one suture through each of the floppy regions to secure the free ends of the ring and minimize the risk of ring dehiscence, or pull through of the sutures through the annulus tissue. The floppy regions may project from each free end into the gap toward each other, be radially enlarged such as paddle-like extensions, or may comprise outwardly lateral extensions at the free ends of the core.