Abstract: An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column includes a housing and a shaft at least partially positioned distally of the housing and adapted to pierce a tissue around the spinal column. An expandable member attached to the housing expands around a portion of the shaft to dilate the pierced tissue in a single-pass dilation resulting in a reduction of any traumatic impingement of nerves or muscle tissue and reduction in procedure time.

Abstract: A micro needle driving device comprises: a main body having a receiving space formed therein; a drive motor provided in the receiving space; a rotating unit axially coupled to and rotating with the rotating shaft of the drive motor and having a guide projection formed on an outer peripheral side surface thereof; and a moving cam unit having the micro needle unit coupled to a side thereof and the rotating unit received therein, having a guide portion formed in a curved line along a lengthwise direction on an inner peripheral side surface thereof, and reciprocally and linearly moved according to the rotation of the rotating unit. The guide portion has the guide projection connected thereto in a slidably movable manner.

Abstract: Various exemplary surgical adjuncts with medicants affected by activator materials are provided. In general, an adjunct is provided with at least one medicant that is configured to be activated by an activator material. The adjunct can be delivered to a tissue of a patient, where the adjunct can be implanted. Various activator materials can be configured to activate the at least one medicant retained by the adjunct, the activation causing any one or more of a variety of actions. For example, the at least one medicant can be activated so as to yield at least one of a signal and/or an effect on the adjunct.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and methods including a stop guard are described herein. An exemplary instrument can include an inner shaft disposed within an outer shaft, the inner shaft including a tissue-piercing tip and being effective to secure an end effector to the device. A stop guard can be coupled to the inner shaft and extend through outer shaft sidewall openings when the tip is advanced distally or retract into the outer shaft when the tip is retracted proximally. In a percutaneous procedure, external force applied to the stop guard by the tissue can retract the tip to prevent damage to surrounding tissue as the instrument is advanced distally. Moreover, once passed through pierced tissue, the stop guard can be redeployed when the inner shaft is advanced distally to secure an end effector to the instrument and can prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the instrument.

Abstract: Partitioning devices that may be secured and sealed within a heart chamber for separating a patient's heart chamber into a productive portion and a non-productive portion are described herein. The partitioning devices described herein may include a reinforced membrane with outwardly biased members. The reinforced membrane may have a central hub with a distally extending support stem with a plurality of feet which extend radially from a centerline axis and preferably have ends that are aligned in a common plane. These devices may be secured within the heart chamber by sealing them to the wall of the heart chamber, for example, by inflating an inflatable element on the periphery of the device. The non-productive portion may be filled with a material, including occlusive materials. Sealing and/or filling the non-productive portion formed by the devices described herein may help prevent leakage from the non-productive region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for inserting a surgical port to minimize trauma. The system includes an access port and a guiding mechanism on the distal end of the access port, wherein the guiding mechanism has an adaptive atraumatic tip. The system also includes an introducer probe with a handle on the proximal end of the introducer probe, an atraumatic tip on the distal end of the introducer probe and a flexible body for insertion through the access port, the flexible body comprising one or more bendable elbows along the length of the introducer probe, wherein the introducer slidably engages the interior of the surgical access port to define an access path. The method includes inserting an access port down a sulcal path, inserting an introducer probe through the access port, and navigating the sulcal path with the introducer to the target.

Abstract: A compression ring to grip and compress body structure such as diverticulum, hemorrhoids, and tissue adjacent a hole. A resilient ring-shaped body defines a compression channel, and an elongated axially rigid gripping member extends diametrically across the through-opening. The gripping member can rest on a flange on the opposite side of the through-opening or engage with a second gripping member that extends diametrically across the through-opening from the opposite side of the ring. Or, a flexible cage structure can be disposed in the through-opening.

Abstract: A suture apparatus having a housing, actuator and capture rod, the actuator being engaged to the capture rod to form an actuator-capture rod assembly, an elongated cannula shaft having a lumen that extends through the shaft, and capture rod retraction means, the housing including an internal region that is configured to receive and support the capture rod retraction means, actuator proximal end and actuator rod distal end therein, wherein said capture rod retraction means is in communication with said actuator. The actuator-capture rod assembly and capture rod retraction means being positioned and configured to transition from a retracted position to an extended position when an actuation force is applied to the actuator and return the retracted position by the retraction means when the actuation force is released.

Abstract: The present invention embodies an endovascular graft having an attachment frame connection mechanism that allows placement of the main body component in vasculature in combination with limb components. Various limb component-to-main body component attachment mechanisms are provided which ensure a reliable bond while facilitating a smaller delivery profile.

Abstract: A vasoocclusive coil is reinforced with a stretch resistant member to improve safety during retraction of the coil. The stretch resistant member is fixedly attached at one end to the vasoocclusive coil, and the other end of the stretch resistant member is detachably mounted to an elongated pusher member to allow for placement and release of the vasoocclusive coil within the patient's vasculature.

Abstract: A vasoocclusive coil is reinforced with a stretch resistant member to improve safety during retraction of the coil. The stretch resistant member is fixedly attached at one end to the vasoocclusive coil, and the other end of the stretch resistant member is detachably mounted to an elongated pusher member to allow for placement and release of the vasoocclusive coil within the patient's vasculature.

Abstract: The invention provides a stent made from a material operable to perform a stent's desired therapeutic functions, and also made from a material that has a radiopacity that substantially preserves the appearance of the stent when the stent is viewed under a CT imaging beam. Such a stent can allow for follow-up of the stent and the surrounding blood-vessel on CT.

Abstract: A method of preparing a filter for delivery into a body vessel. The filter includes a hub disposed along a longitudinal axis and a plurality of anchor members extending from the hub. Each anchor member includes either a cranial extension or a caudal extension at a distal end thereof. At least one anchor member distal end may be spaced from the hub at each of a first, second, and third distance along the longitudinal axis. The filter also includes a plurality of locator members extending from the hub, the locator members alternatingly interposed between the anchor members.

Abstract: Removable cardiac implants, applicators for inserting, repositioning and/or removing them, and methods of using them are described. In particular, removable or repositionable ventricular partitioning devices are described. Systems including removable implants and applicators for inserting and/or removing them are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for suture-less placement of an occluding patch in which release of the device can be accelerated. In one embodiment, an inactive form of an adhesive is applied on the area of the patch that will come into contact with cardiac tissue; this allows for the introduction and necessary manipulation of the catheter system until activation of the adhesive occurs. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the adhesive properties of certain polymeric materials are relied upon rather than their ability to cure or harden into a specific shape. In another embodiment, the patch is immediately released utilizing a detaching mechanism on the balloon or the balloon catheter which supports the patch; the patch along with the inflated balloon remain on the cardiac structure occluding the opening.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are described for treating venous insufficiency in which the vein is compressed at least partially along a treatment zone. A system can be provided including an injection device, such as a glue gun, that is operably connected to a delivery catheter that can be advanced across a treatment zone in the vein. The delivery catheter can be used to deliver one, two, or more boluses of media (e.g., cyanoacrylate) to occlude the vein along different spaced-apart sections of the treatment zone. External compression can also be applied to the vein by a compression element, such as a hand or multifunctional ultrasound transducer, to occlude portions of the vein along the treatment zone prior to or during the introduction of the boluses of media.

Abstract: In a background-art medical gripping device, when a wall surface of an in vivo tissue has a large tear, a side portion of the tear can be gripped by the gripping device, but the other side portion opposed to the side portion cannot be gripped simultaneously. Therefore, to close the tear, complicated operation is required to be performed using plural gripping devices. A medical gripping device according to the present invention includes a fixed clip, a pair of movable clips made from an elastic material and provided to face the fixed clip, the movable clips having lower ends fixed to the fixed clip and the other ends opened, and a control mechanism which shifts from each other a timing at which a gripping target is gripped between one of the movable clips and the fixed clip and a timing at which the target is gripped between the other movable clip and the fixed clip.

Abstract: A percutaneous heart valve prosthesis (1) has a valve body (2) with a passage (9) extending between the first and second ends (7, 8) of the valve body (2). The valve body (2) is collapsible about a longitudinal axis (10) of the passage (9) for delivery of the valve body (2) via a catheter (18). One or more flexible valve leaflets (3, 4) are secured to the valve body (2) and extend across the passage (9) for blocking bloodflow in one direction through the passage (9). An anchor device (5), which is also collapsible for delivery via catheter (18), is secured to the valve body (2) by way of an anchor line (6). A failed or failing mitral heart valve (101) is treated by percutaneously locating the valve body (2) in the mitral valve orifice (102) with the anchor device (5) located in the right atrium (107) and engaging the inter-atrial septum (103), such that the taught anchor line (6) acts to secure the valve body (2) within the mitral valve orifice (102).

Abstract: An adjustable anchor system for securing tissue to bone, including an anchor having at least one passage extending from a proximal end toward a distal end. The passage defines a restriction such as a restricted opening. The anchor has at least one bone-engaging feature disposed between the proximal and distal ends. The system further includes a first material formed as a closed loop and capable of being placed through a portion of the tissue, and a second filament having a terminal end, a post limb and a sliding knot tied between the terminal end and the post limb to establish an elongated, adjustable-length loop which extends beyond the proximal end of the anchor and captures the closed loop of the first material. The knot of the second filament is restrained by the restricted opening when tension is applied as desired to the post limb to shorten the elongated loop to draw the tissue toward the anchor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to covered endoprosthetic devices. Covered endoprosthetic devices comprise an endoprosthesis and a sheath. The sheath comprises a central portion and outer portions, wherein the central portion preferentially restricts or causes a restriction of blood flow. Blood flow can be reduced by the central portion of the sheath by varying the permeability of the sheath or by having projections on the sheath that slow blood flow. Permeability may be provided by perforations or holes in the material of the sheath or by varying the polymer structure that makes up the sheath itself. The outer portions of the sheath do not substantially reduce blood flow. Methods of using sheath-covered endoprosthetic devices of the invention to treat aneurysms, especially aneurysms in proximity to small perforator vessels or arteries, are also encompassed.