Abstract: The present invention relates to a suture which is firmly maintained and fixed to an operation site to stably sustain suturing or lifting effects for a long time. More specifically, the present invention provides a suture having a conic or pyramidal shape with a cut top, wherein a suture supporter comprising a communication hole penetrating the both ends is provided at one end. The suture support can have one or more portions which are cut vertically from a lower end at a lower end portion having a larger diameter between the both ends, or a part of the lower end can be removed so as to form one or more gaps formed from the end at a wall of the end portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems used to deliver a prosthetic heart valve to a deficient valve. In one embodiment, for instance, a support member is positioned to at least partially surround the native chordae tendineae and/or leaflets of a valve. The support member can comprise a flexible, distensible material to reduce abrasion and other mechanical damage to surrounding structures. A locking member may be used to couple both ends of the support member, forming a support ring. The support member may have two magnetic end portions which can be magnetically coupled to form a support ring. An expandable prosthetic heart valve can be delivered into the native heart valve and expanded within the support band, thereby causing one or more of the native chordae tendineae and/or leaflets of the native heart valve to be frictionally secured between the support ring and the expanded prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a wound closure device including: (a) a first opposing member and a second opposing member disposed on opposing sides of a central axis, each resiliently moveable between a closed position and open position relative to each other, each of the opposing members having a distal edge; (b) skin penetrating means for anchoring the device; (c) a pressure bar along each distal edge; (d) releasable locking means for biasing or maintaining the device in the closed position; and optionally (e) an accessory component.

Abstract: A medical device has a rotatable drive shaft, a rotary body whose distal end includes a cutting edge for applying a cutting force to a stenosed site, and that is disposed on a distal side of the drive shaft so as to be rotated in conjunction with rotation of the drive shaft, and a distal member disposed in the rotary body. The distal member has a support portion extending to a distal side beyond a distal end of the rotary body, and configured to be capable of supporting the rotary body with respect to a blood vessel. The support portion is configured so that a distance from the rotary body is variable in a first direction (height direction) in which the rotary body is moved close to the stenosed site.

Abstract: A medical device comprising a compressed, inflatable, detachable single-lobed metal balloon attached to a catheter and methods of use for occluding blood vessels or treating vascular aneurysms are disclosed. The balloon can be made with ductile metals such as gold, platinum, or silver so that the balloon will conform to the shape of the void space during inflation and so that the balloon can be subsequently shaped by the application of an external force. The balloon can be configured such that it can be detached from the catheter by physical means or by electrolysis. The surface of the balloon can be configured to promote the growth of tissue into the wall of the balloon and to release drugs or pharmacologically active molecules, so that vessel occlusion or the sealing of an aneurysm will be maintained over time.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a handle and a spatula-shaped end coupled to the handle and configured to be inserted into an eye. The spatula-shaped end includes top and bottom surfaces and multiple facets positioned along one or more sides of the spatula-shaped end and along a front of the spatula-shaped end. Each facet narrows a distance between the top and bottom surfaces. One or more first facets are positioned along the front of the spatula-shaped end. The one or more first facets are configured to facilitate insertion of a tip of the spatula-shaped end between an anterior leaflet and a lens in the eye. One or more second facets are positioned along the one or more sides of the spatula-shaped end. The one or more second facets are configured to facilitate sliding of the spatula-shaped end along the anterior leaflet between the anterior leaflet and the lens in the eye.

Abstract: A catheter extraction tool has a head that can be placed in position to significantly surround a diameter of a catheter. The head is shaped to have a low enough profile above the catheter to allow the head to be slid down the catheter and into a subdermal region in which the catheter is subdermal with respect to a patient. The head of the catheter extraction tool is expanded sufficiently to slide the head over a catheter cuff located in the subdermal region. After the head of the catheter extraction tool slides over the catheter cuff, the head is contracted to engage the catheter so that a user can pull the catheter out of the patient using the catheter extraction tool.

Abstract: An interventional medical system (10) comprises an instrument (100) provided with a plug head (120) and a delivery cable (200) provided with a cable head (211), and further comprises a locking sleeve (300) movably sleeved onto the delivery cable (200). The cable head (211) comprises at least one resilient locking piece (123) extending approximately away from a central axis of the cable head (211). When under a radial restraint applied by the locking sleeve (300), the plug head (120) abuts the locking piece (123) such that the plug head (120) is connected to the cable head (211), and when the locking sleeve (300) has moved relative to the delivery cable (200) such that the locking piece (123) is no longer radially restrained, the locking piece (123) elastically moves away from the plug head (120) such that the instrument (100) is separated from the delivery cable (200).

Abstract: The method for automatically producing precise tattoo markings on any anatomical body portion automatically by providing a controlled articulated arm carrying a tattoo machine implement. The method also provides a multi-axis positioning platform for supporting and positioning a person, receiving a tattoo, in a prime, optimal, and comfortable position. Also, the method provides choosing, with a selector, a tattoo of choice from any data source of images, as well as applying, rectifying, and mapping, with a physical or virtual design projection and visualization media, the chosen tattoo to the person. The method completes a tattoo using the articulated arm with the tattoo machine implement producing a precise, accurate, and aesthetically pleasing tattoo, automatically.

Abstract: A punching needle for a handpiece used to separate a follicle of an extraction target hair from a skin tissue of a patient while the punching needle is rotated is provided. The punching needle includes a slit formed at one side of a front end portion thereof, the slit extends rearward from the front end portion of the punching needle in a longitudinal direction of the punching needle, and the punching needle is mounted in and used in the handpiece to allow a part of the slit or the entire slit to be exposed in front of the handpiece. The punching needle enables an inside of the punching needle to be directly and visually checked through the slit and enables the extraction target hair to be inserted into the punching needle from a side of the punching needle through the slit formed in the punching needle.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument for use during a surgical procedure includes a body, a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and an actuation assembly. The body is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer for selectively generating a first or a second predetermined oscillation. The shaft assembly projects from the body and includes an acoustic waveguide connected to the ultrasonic blade. The actuation assembly includes an activator ring and an activation mechanism. The activator ring is selectively movable along the body such that the activator ring is accessible to be gripped by an operator around an entirety of an outer circumferential surface of the activator ring. The activation mechanism is connected to the activator ring such that the activation mechanism selectively moves along the body in conjunction with the activator ring. At least a portion of the activation mechanism is configured to selectively direct the ultrasonic transducer to oscillate the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: A needle array guide for a skin graft expansion apparatus includes: a lower side having openings; and guide channels respectively leading to the openings and converging closer toward one another as the guide channels approach the openings, the guide channels configured to receive a plurality of hollow needles, arranged in a needle array and having respective tips to be attachable to minced skin particles obtained from a skin graft, to thereby guide movement of the plurality of hollow needles when the plurality of hollow needles are being protruded from the openings toward the minced skin particles and when the plurality of hollow needles are being retracted toward the openings. The needle array guide may be included as part of a skin graft expansion apparatus that further comprises the needle array. The skin graft expansion apparatus may be included as part of a skin grafting system.

Abstract: A sleeve for enforcing the end of a hollow organ so that it can be connected with a further end of a hollow organ, the sleeve comprising a cylindrical shape and being configured to be pushed over the end of the hollow organ and for turning-over the end of the hollow organ projecting from the sleeve around an end of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve has an adjustable diameter.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a cartridge are disclosed, for loading a suture onto a suturing instrument and, in some embodiments, for loading a pre-tied knot formed from the suture onto the suturing instrument. The suturing instrument is typically of the type having a suture passing member defining a suture receiving passage therein. The cartridge may be operable to load the suture and/or the knot onto the suturing instrument at a point of use. In some embodiments, the cartridge defines a path for insertion thereto and withdrawal therefrom of the suturing instrument. The cartridge further comprises a seat for releasably holding a portion of a suture and a mechanism for transferring the suture from seat to the suturing instrument, various features of which are described herein.

Abstract: A cutting instrument comprising: an outer tube comprising a distal end and a proximal end; an inner tube rotatably disposed within said outer tube, said inner tube comprising a distal end, a proximal end and a region intermediate said distal end and said proximal end, said region comprising a plurality of slits formed in said inner tube so as to render said region of said inner tube flexible; and a bellows disposed adjacent to said plurality of slits so as to render said region of said inner tube fluid-tight.

Abstract: The active introducer sheath systems disclosed herein are expanded by activating a translation mechanism at the handle. The sheath has an inner cylindrical structure of comingled fixed and mobile elongate rods bound together by an attachment line. Activating the translation mechanism causes the mobile rods to move axially with respect to the fixed rods, changing the internal tension in the attachment line. Increased tension draws the fixed and mobile rods closer together, decreasing the diameter of the cylindrical structure. Decreased tension in the attachment line enables the fixed and mobile rods to move apart, increasing the diameter of the cylindrical structure. A prosthetic device, such as a prosthetic heart valve, can be routed through the expanded sheath and to the implantation site. During implantation, the sheath can be contracted back to its original outer diameter, and expanded again for retrieval of the delivery apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is a capsulorhexis apparatus for incising an anterior capsule covering a crystalline lens by being inserted into an incision site of a cornea, the capsulorhexis apparatus including: an anterior capsule incision portion which has a closed curve shape, is inserted into the incision site of the cornea to incise the anterior capsule located below the cornea to a circle, and generates heat by using high frequency vibration to incise the anterior capsule; a body portion which is externally exposed when the anterior capsule incision portion incises the anterior capsule while slidingly moving in the body portion, and is internally inserted when the anterior capsule incision portion does not incise the anterior capsule; and a button portion which is formed on one side of the body portion and slidingly moves the anterior capsule incision portion inside the body portion.

Abstract: A device for treating an aneurysm by releasing an implanted implant from a delivery system at a treatment site can include a braided implant attached to a releasing component that can be detachably engaged with a delivery tube and a pull wire. The releasing component can engage the delivery tube in a compressed configuration via friction fit and can disengage the delivery tube by expanding to a released or deployed configuration. The pull wire can have an extending portion that can engage the releasing component and an elongated portion that can be pulled to disengage the releasing component. The braided implant, once implanted, can be released from the delivery tube by disengaging the pull wire from the releasing component and disengaging the releasing component from the delivery tube.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument that includes a handle assembly including at least one user input feature; an ultrasonic transducer supported by the handle assembly, a shaft assembly configured to removably couple with the handle assembly, and a mechanical lockout assembly. The shaft assembly includes a distal end portion. The shaft assembly further includes an end effector extending distally from the distal end portion, and an ultrasonic waveguide configured to be acoustically coupled with the ultrasonic transducer. The mechanical lockout assembly is configured to move between at least an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration. In the locked configuration, the handle assembly and the shaft assembly are only partially coupled together physically preventing the user from activating the instrument using the user input feature.

Abstract: A rotation knob assembly for a surgical instrument includes an outer knob, an intermediate collar, an inner sleeve, a retaining clip, and screws. The outer knob defines a knob lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and longitudinal apertures disposed in radially spaced relation relative to a distal lumen portion of the knob lumen. The intermediate collar is disposed within the knob lumen and defines a collar lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. The inner sleeve is disposed within the knob lumen and extends through the collar lumen. The retaining clip includes a curved body disposed within an annular groove defined in an exterior surface the inner sleeve and prongs disposed at opposed ends of the curved body that are aligned with the longitudinal apertures of the outer knob. The screws extend through the prongs and into the longitudinal apertures to secure the outer knob and the inner sleeve with one another.