Abstract: According to one aspect, a medical device including a needle configured for use in suturing tissue is described. The needle may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical body. The needle may also include a lumen extending through the cylindrical body transverse to the longitudinal axis. The needle may further include a first end portion at the first end of the cylindrical body. The first end portion may include a sharp point configured to pierce tissue. An outer surface of the cylindrical body may define a first recess in communication with an opening of the lumen and configured to receive an end of a suture.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a tissue fastening device may include a first body including a proximal end, a distal end, and defining a longitudinal axis; and a fastening device coupled to the distal end of the first body. The fastening device may include a longitudinal body comprising a cartridge; the cartridge configured to hold one or more fasteners; an anvil rotatable relative to the cartridge of the longitudinal body; a fastener actuator configured to move relative to the cartridge to deploy the one or more fasteners from the cartridge; and an actuation wire coupled to the fastener actuator, extending through the first body, and positioned at least partially exterior to the longitudinal body, the cartridge, or the anvil.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a medical device including a needle configured for use in suturing tissue is described. The needle may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical body. The needle may also include a lumen extending through the cylindrical body transverse to the longitudinal axis. The needle may further include a first end portion at the first end of the cylindrical body. The first end portion may include a sharp point configured to pierce tissue. An outer surface of the cylindrical body may define a first recess in communication with an opening of the lumen and configured to receive an end of a suture.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a medical device including a shaft having a proximal and a distal end. The medical device may also include a handle coupled to the proximal end of the shaft. The medical device may further include a body at the distal end of the shaft. The body may have a wall defining a lumen within the body, and the lumen may have a longitudinal axis. The wall may include a protrusion at the distal end of the body, and the protrusion may be defined by a gap in the wall and may have a sharp portion configured to grasp tissue. The gap may extend proximally from the distal end of the body, and edges of the wall defining the gap may be transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a tissue fastening device may include a first body including a proximal end, a distal end, and defining a longitudinal axis; and a fastening device coupled to the distal end of the first body. The fastening device may include a longitudinal body comprising a cartridge; the cartridge configured to hold one or more fasteners; an anvil rotatable relative to the cartridge of the longitudinal body; a fastener actuator configured to move relative to the cartridge to deploy the one or more fasteners from the cartridge; and an actuation wire coupled to the fastener actuator, extending through the first body, and positioned at least partially exterior to the longitudinal body, the cartridge, or the anvil.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a medical device including a needle configured for use in suturing tissue is described. The needle may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical body. The needle may also include a lumen extending through the cylindrical body transverse to the longitudinal axis. The needle may further include a first end portion at the first end of the cylindrical body. The first end portion may include a sharp point configured to pierce tissue. An outer surface of the cylindrical body may define a first recess in communication with an opening of the lumen and configured to receive an end of a suture.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a medical device including a shaft having a proximal and a distal end. The medical device may also include a handle coupled to the proximal end of the shaft. The medical device may further include a body at the distal end of the shaft. The body may have a wall defining a lumen within the body, and the lumen may have a longitudinal axis. The wall may include a protrusion at the distal end of the body, and the protrusion may be defined by a gap in the wall and may have a sharp portion configured to grasp tissue. The gap may extend proximally from the distal end of the body, and edges of the wall defining the gap may be transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Generally described herein are automatic, self-adjusting, gastric banding systems and improvements thereof, that are capable of automatically relaxing and contracting in response to a large bolus passing through the area of a patient's stomach constricted by a gastric band. Alternatively, and/or in addition in one or more embodiments, the gastric banding systems described herein may also help prevent pouch dilatation and/or erosion. The apparatus and systems described herein aid in facilitating obesity control and/or treating obesity-related diseases while generally being non-invasive once implanted. Furthermore, certain embodiments of the self-adjusting gastric banding systems disclosed herein are automatically adjustable without complicated fluid control mechanisms, flow rate limiting devices, and/or valves. The automatic adjustments may also be made in response to other changes in the patient's esophageal-gastric junction, for example, in response to size, shape, and or location changes.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a biocompatible and biostable implantable medical device. The present invention can include an implantable medical device including an electro-mechanical component. The electro-mechanical component can be coated with various novel and nonobvious coating combinations designed to promote biocompatibility and biostability. One layer of the coating combinations can be a tie layer. Another layer of the coating combinations can be a layer formed on top of the tie layer, and having biocompatible and biostable properties.