Abstract: The invention relates generally to expandable medical implants for maintaining support of a body lumen and, in particular, to an axially nested, diametrically expandable, slide and lock vascular device for enlarging an occluded portion of a vessel. The axially nested vascular device desirably achieves both competitive crossing profiles while maintaining other key features, such as, for example, radial strength and luminal patency. The collapsed profile can also be made very thin without compromising radial strength. Thus, the vascular device can advantageously be deployed in small and difficult to reach areas or vessels. The axial nesting substantially eliminates radial overlap between mating structural elements thereby desirably allowing for a low, uniform profile.

Abstract: A prosthetic or orthotic system including a magnetorheological (MR) damper. The MR damper may be configured to operate in shear mode. In one embodiment, the MR damper includes a rotary MR damper. A controller is configured to operate the damper. A mobile computing device may be adapted to intermittently communicate configuration parameters to the controller. A method of configuring a prosthetic or orthotic system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical linear drive, in particular for a pump system of an artificial heart, with a movable part and a stationary part, wherein the stationary part is formed by a permanent magnet arrangement and the movable part is formed by a coil arrangement, or vice versa, and wherein the coil arrangement and the permanent magnet arrangement can be moved to and fro relative to each other in an axial direction by means of current passed through the coil arrangement. The invention further relates to an electrical linear drive of this kind in which the permanent magnet arrangement is designed as a stack of frame-shaped, in particular ring-shaped magnets, which are magnetized alternately radially and axially in the axial direction, such that the magnetic field is strengthened on one side of the frame.

Abstract: A medical device includes a polymer scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold, after being deployed by the balloon, provides a crush recovery of about 90% after the diameter of the scaffold has been pinched or crushed by 50%. The scaffold has a pattern including an asymmetric closed cell connecting links connecting the closed cells.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a fatigue resistant stent comprises a flexible tubular structure having an inside diameter, an outside diameter, and a sidewall therebetween and having apertures extending through the sidewall. According to other aspects of the invention, processes for making a fatigue resistant stent are disclosed. According to further aspects of the invention, delivery systems for a fatigue resistant stent and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: A catheter based system for treating mitral valve regurgitation includes a reshaping device having a body and a plurality of movable anchoring barbs attached to the body of the device. The reshaping device can be made from a biocompatible material having suitable shape memory properties. The devices of the current invention can be self expandable, balloon expandable, or a combination self expandable and balloon expandable. One embodiment of the invention includes a method for attaching a reshaping device to the annulus of a mitral valve, moving the body of the device from a fully expanded configuration to a resting configuration, and thereby reshaping the mitral valve annulus.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for repairing heart valves through percutaneous transcatheter delivery and fixation of annuloplasty rings to heart valves. An annuloplasty ring includes an outer hollow member including a plurality of segments. Adjacent segments cooperate with one another to change the outer hollow member from an elongate insertion geometry to an annular operable geometry. The annuloplasty ring also includes an internal anchor member located at least partially within the outer hollow member. The internal anchor member includes a plurality of anchors configured to attach the annuloplasty ring to tissue of a heart valve annulus. The internal anchor member is configured to move the plurality of anchors with respect to a plurality of windows in the outer hollow member to selectively deploy the plurality of anchors through the respective windows.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart or venous valve, the valve including a central tissue structure with multiple tissue lobes extending from a common central area, wherein each of the lobes includes a longitudinal slot. The valve further includes a plurality of leaflets, each extending from the central tissue structure and positioned between two adjacent lobes, wherein each of the leaflets has a free end spaced from the central tissue structure, and also has a compressible and expandable stent frame with a plurality of extending arms, wherein each of the extending arms of the stent frame is positioned at least partially within one of the longitudinal slots of the central tissue structure.

Abstract: Cerclage system, including methods, devices, and kits, for stabilizing bone, such as a sternum. The cerclage system may include a wire or cable that encircles bone, and a bone plate to which segments of the wire or cable lock. The cerclage system also or alternatively may include a tensioner for applying tension to a wire or cable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cotyloid component of a hip prosthesis, said cotyloid component being hollow and in the form of a cup whose outer part has a thread allowing it to be fixed in the iliac bone, said thread being a discontinuous self-cutting double thread (20, 21), and said cotyloid component having a flattened upper pole (1), a coating that promotes osseointegration on its outer face (10), and a concave, substantially hemispherical and polished inner surface (11), characterized in that: (a) the pitch of the threads (20, 21) decreases from the upper pole (1) towards the equatorial periphery (3) of the cotyloid component, (b) the thicknesses of the threads (20, 21) increase from the upper pole (1) of the cotyloid component towards its periphery (3), (c) the crest of the threads (20, 21) is sharp towards the pole (1) of the cotyloid component and rounded or substantially trapezoidal towards the equatorial periphery (3) of the cotyloid component.

Abstract: A device for improving the function of a heart valve comprises a first loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a first side of the heart valve, and a second loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a second side of the heart valve opposite to said first side, whereby a portion of the valve tissue is trapped between the first and second supports. An outer boundary of the second support is greater than an outer boundary of the first support.

Abstract: A reverse modular humeral implant for implantation into a humerus that includes a natural humeral shaft and a natural humeral head. The implant includes a humeral stem implantable into the natural humeral shaft, and an adapter couplable to the humeral stem, the adapter including an anchoring projection configured to be coupled to a convex bearing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a guide assembly for introducing a bone anchor to an operative target site. The guide includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has a distal anchor engaging end, a proximal end, and a central passage extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The inner sleeve may be situated in the central passage of the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve is movable being between a first position and a second position. The first position permits insertion of the bone anchor in the central passage. The second position releasably fixes the bone anchor to the guide assembly.

Abstract: A method for implanting a prosthetic valve apparatus in a novel location which replaces the function of a native diseased valve. The prosthetic valve apparatus includes a one way valve and an expandable valve seating. anchoring and securing apparatus in a newly created orifice near or at the center of the anterior valve leaflet. The prosthetic valve apparatus also causes the sealing of the native valve and thus results in a solution for paravalvular leakage and regurgitation.

Abstract: Knee prosthesis includes a femoral component adapted to fit on a distal end of the femur and a tibial insert component. The femoral component includes a measured anterior/posterior dimension defined by the posterior condyle surface and the interior surface of the anterior flange and a distal peg provided on a distal bone facing surface of each of the lateral and medial condylar structures, wherein the distal pegs are positioned at a midpoint of the measured anterior/posterior dimension. The implant system provides two distinct sizing segments and the tibial insert has a medial tibial aspect ratio of 0.74 and a lateral tibial aspect ratio of 0.65 to 0.68 for all sizes.

Abstract: A knee prosthetic system includes a femoral component, a fixed tibial bearing component, a mobile tibial bearing component and an integrated or common tibial base component. The same tibial base component can be used with either the fixed tibial bearing component or the mobile tibial bearing component. The fixed bearing component and tibial base component have mating anti-rotation features. One embodiment of the mobile bearing component does not engage the anti-rotation feature of the tibial base component. Another embodiment engages the anti-rotation feature to allow for limited rotation.

Abstract: A stent includes a magnesium layer, a ceramic layer formed over the magnesium layer, and a magnesium compound layer interposed between the magnesium layer and the ceramic layer. The initial corrosion of the stent can be delayed, and the stent has excellent biocompatibility and thus can reduce side effects during cell proliferation and differentiation.

Abstract: A pulsatile, positive-displacement mechanical circulatory support pump which can be used for assistance or replacement of one or both ventricles. The pump includes a plurality of contractile elements radiating outward from an apex of a compliance chamber, the elements being incorporated in and/or in contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the compliance chamber. These contractile elements include an electroactive dielectric elastomer or an ion exchange membrane metallic composite. Application of electric field pulses from an implantable electrical energy source such as a pacemaker will cause the contractile elements to compress and expand the compliance chamber.

Abstract: A docking head of the present invention is provided to be mounted on a vascular graft having an outer diameter comparable with the inner diameter of the blood vessel so as to couple the vascular graft to a vessel wall in a suture-less manner. The docking head comprises a thin-walled hollow truncated cone having a passage sized to fit the outer diameter of the vascular graft wherein the cone is capable of connecting to the vascular graft while the hollow thin-walled truncated cone is provided with a plurality of outwardly pointing and inclined plurality of barbs. The docking head act as guiding, anchoring and sealing means between the vascular graft and the vessel.

Abstract: A modular stent assembly (20) is provided with stent sections (22-26) which are coupled together by a coupling arrangement formed of first (30) and second (32) coupling elements. The first and second coupling elements (30, 32) provide a strong coupling between adjacent stent sections (22-26) which behaves in a manner substantially identical to the conventional unitary tie bar. The modular nature of the stent assembly (20) reduces manufacturing costs, can provide for replacement of only a defective part of the assembly 20 and can facilitate the assembly of a stent having differing characteristics along its length optimised for a particular medical application.