Abstract: This invention relates to the preparation of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (“glyphosate”) from N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (“PMIDA”), and more particularly to methods for control of the conversion of PMIDA, for the identification of reaction end points relating to PMIDA conversion and the preparation of glyphosate products having controlled PMIDA content.

Abstract: Surgical assemblies and related methods are provided for using an actuator to deploy an coupler configured to close a tissue puncture or natural opening in the body. The surgical assembly includes an actuator assembly having an elongate shaft including an outer shaft and an inner shaft concentrically disposed within the outer shaft to define a fluid flow path therebetween, and a deployable coupler coupled to a distal end of the outer shaft. The deployable coupler has a plurality of proximal and distal slits formed therein and configured to form proximal and distal wings. The proximal and distal slits are configured to allow blood to flow therethrough into an inner lumen of the deployable coupler and through the fluid flow path to a fluid outlet port formed in the actuator assembly.

Abstract: Surgical assemblies and related methods are provided for using an actuator to deploy an coupler configured to close a tissue puncture or natural opening in the body, or to create an anastomosis. The surgical method includes deploying first and second anastomotic couplers within a patient to create anastomoses in the body to aid in the treatment of various ailments. The first coupler is deployed to fluidly join a gall bladder and an ileum, and the second coupler is deployed to fluidly join a proximal ileal loop and a distal ileal loop. Fluid can flow between central lumens of the first and second couplers.

Abstract: Surgical assemblies and related methods are provided for using an actuator to deploy an coupler configured to close a tissue puncture or natural opening in the body, or to create an anastomosis. The surgical assembly includes an actuator including an elongate shaft, a deployable coupler coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft. The deployable coupler includes a plurality of proximal slits therein configured to form a proximal wing and a plurality of distal slits therein configured to form a distal wing. The actuator assembly is configured to transform the deployable coupler from a delivery configuration in which the proximal wing and the distal wing are substantially parallel to the elongate shaft to a fully-deployed configuration in which one of the proximal and distal wings is substantially perpendicular to the elongate shaft and the other one of the proximal and distal wings is skew to the elongate shaft.

Abstract: Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow through openings are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment an occlusion device is provided having an expandable outer elongate tubular body, a guide member extending from a distal end of the outer body, and a slide tube disposed within the outer body, the proximal portions of the outer body and the slide tube being fixedly mated. The slide tube is configured to slide distally within the outer tubular body when the tubular body is expanded to form wings. A tether can be included as part of the device and it can be used to assist in positioning and locking a location of the device in an opening. Exemplary methods for delivering devices disclosed herein are also provided.

Abstract: Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow through openings are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment an occlusion device is provided having an expandable outer elongate tubular body, a guide member extending from a distal end of the outer body, and a slide tube disposed within the outer body, the proximal portions of the outer body and the slide tube being fixedly mated. The slide tube is configured to slide distally within the outer tubular body when the tubular body is expanded to form wings. A tether can be included as part of the device and it can be used to assist in positioning and locking a location of the device in an opening. Exemplary methods for delivering devices disclosed herein are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for repairing a heart valve, such as a mitral, tricuspid or aortic valve, using an adjustable and removable implant that can be delivered to the heart through the apex in a simplified and non-invasive manner. The implant can include a prosthetic valve portion coupled to a proximal end of a shaft, and an anchor portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The prosthetic valve can be suspended within an opening of the heart valve while the anchor portion is affixed to the apex of the heart. When the implant is deployed, a distance between the prosthetic valve portion and the anchor portion can be adjusted, and/or the implant or a portion thereof can be rotated to thereby change the position of the prosthetic valve within the heart valve. This can allow correcting for post-implantation movements of the implant to mitigate potential complications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for repairing a heart valve, such as a mitral, tricuspid or aortic valve, using an adjustable and removable implant that can be delivered to the heart through the apex in a simplified and non-invasive manner. The implant can include a prosthetic valve portion coupled to a proximal end of a shaft, and an anchor portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The prosthetic valve can be suspended within an opening of the heart valve while the anchor portion is affixed to the apex of the heart. When the implant is deployed, a distance between the prosthetic valve portion and the anchor portion can be adjusted, and/or the implant or a portion thereof can be rotated to thereby change the position of the prosthetic valve within the heart valve. This can allow correcting for post-implantation movements of the implant to mitigate potential complications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reversibly controlling a size and/or restricting the movement of a body orifice, such as a pyloric opening, using an implantable device configured to allow a distance between opposed ends thereof to be adjusted. A device is provided having attachment members and a connector portion extending therebetween and configured such that a size of the pyloric opening is decreased upon the implantation of the device. The connector can be adjustable to allow a size of the pyloric opening to be adjusted after it has been restricted. The connector can include two or more bridge portions having different lengths such that cutting a first bridge portion can increase the distance between the attachment members so as to increase the size of the pyloric opening. To revert to a natural size of the body orifice, the entire connector can be cut or otherwise broken and/or removed.

Abstract: Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow through openings are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment an occlusion device is provided having an expandable outer elongate tubular body, a guide member extending from a distal end of the outer body, and a slide tube disposed within the outer body, the proximal portions of the outer body and the slide tube being fixedly mated. The slide tube is configured to slide distally within the outer tubular body when the tubular body is expanded to form wings. A tether can be included as part of the device and it can be used to assist in positioning and locking a location of the device in an opening. Exemplary methods for delivering devices disclosed herein are also provided.

Abstract: Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow through openings are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment an occlusion device is provided having an expandable outer elongate tubular body, a guide member extending from a distal end of the outer body, and a slide tube disposed within the outer body, the proximal portions of the outer body and the slide tube being fixedly mated. The slide tube is configured to slide distally within the outer tubular body when the tubular body is expanded to form wings. A tether can be included as part of the device and it can be used to assist in positioning and locking a location of the device in an opening. Exemplary methods for delivering devices disclosed herein are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for anastomosing tissue in the body. In one exemplary embodiment, an anastomotic device is provided having an elongate tubular body that is disposable through a body lumen and that includes proximal and distal portions. The proximal and distal portions can each include a plurality of asymmetrical s-shaped slits and can each be adapted to expand upon rotation to form proximal and distal wings. The proximal and distal wings can extend toward one another to engage tissue therebetween and thereby form a passageway through the tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for repairing a heart valve, such as a mitral, tricuspid or aortic valve, using an adjustable and removable implant that can be delivered to the heart through the apex in a simplified and non-invasive manner. The implant can include a prosthetic valve portion coupled to a proximal end of a shaft, and an anchor portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The prosthetic valve can be suspended within an opening of the heart valve while the anchor portion is affixed to the apex of the heart. When the implant is deployed, a distance between the prosthetic valve portion and the anchor portion can be adjusted, and/or the implant or a portion thereof can be rotated to thereby change the position of the prosthetic valve within the heart valve. This can allow correcting for post-implantation movements of the implant to mitigate potential complications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reversibly controlling a size and/or restricting the movement of a body orifice, such as a pyloric opening, using an implantable device configured to allow a distance between opposed ends thereof to be adjusted. A device is provided having attachment members and a connector portion extending therebetween and configured such that a size of the pyloric opening is decreased upon the implantation of the device. The connector can be adjustable to allow a size of the pyloric opening to be adjusted after it has been restricted. The connector can include two or more bridge portions having different lengths such that cutting a first bridge portion can increase the distance between the attachment members so as to increase the size of the pyloric opening. To revert to a natural size of the body orifice, the entire connector can be cut or otherwise broken and/or removed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reversibly controlling a size and/or restricting the movement of a body orifice, such as a pyloric opening, using an implantable device configured to allow a distance between opposed ends thereof to be adjusted. A device is provided having attachment members and a connector portion extending therebetween and configured such that a size of the pyloric opening is decreased upon the implantation of the device. The connector can be adjustable to allow a size of the pyloric opening to be adjusted after it has been restricted. The connector can include two or more bridge portions having different lengths such that cutting a first bridge portion can increase the distance between the attachment members so as to increase the size of the pyloric opening. To revert to a natural size of the body orifice, the entire connector can be cut or otherwise broken and/or removed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for repairing a heart valve, such as a mitral, tricuspid or aortic valve, using an adjustable and removable implant that can be delivered to the heart through the apex in a simplified and non-invasive manner. The implant can include a prosthetic valve portion coupled to a proximal end of a shaft, and an anchor portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The prosthetic valve can be suspended within an opening of the heart valve while the anchor portion is affixed to the apex of the heart. When the implant is deployed, a distance between the prosthetic valve portion and the anchor portion can be adjusted, and/or the implant or a portion thereof can be rotated to thereby change the position of the prosthetic valve within the heart valve. This can allow correcting for post-implantation movements of the implant to mitigate potential complications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using an actuator to deploy an implant configured to close a tissue puncture or a natural opening in a body. The actuator includes a handle that is rotated in a first direction to deploy a first set of deployable wings of the implant, and that is rotated in a second, opposite direction to deploy a second set of deployable wings of the implant. A guide wire coupled between the implant and the actuator rotates and/or moves axially with the actuator to cause the wings to deploy. After each of the first and second rotation strokes, the handle is prevented from rotating beyond the first and second strokes, respectively. After the wings are deployed to engage tissue therebetween, the handle is operated to eject the implant from the actuator.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for closing a puncture wound. In one exemplary embodiment, a puncture closure device is provided having an elongate tubular body that is disposable through a puncture in tissue and that includes proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion can be adapted to expand to form proximal wings upon rotation of the elongate tubular body, preferably in a first direction. The distal portion can be adapted to expand to form distal wings upon rotation of the elongate tubular body, preferably in a second, opposite direction. The proximal and distal portions can also be adapted to be moved toward one another as they expand upon rotation. As a result, the proximal and distal wings can engage tissue therebetween.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for anastomosing tissue in the body. In one exemplary embodiment, an anastomotic device is provided having an elongate tubular body that is disposable through a body lumen and that includes proximal and distal portions. The proximal and distal portions can each include a plurality of asymmetrical s-shaped slits and can each be adapted to expand upon rotation to form proximal and distal wings. The proximal and distal wings can extend toward one another to engage tissue therebetween and thereby form a passageway through the tissue.

Abstract: Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow through openings are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment an occlusion device is provided having an expandable outer elongate tubular body, a guide member extending from a distal end of the outer body, and a slide tube disposed within the outer body, the proximal portions of the outer body and the slide tube being fixedly mated. The slide tube is configured to slide distally within the outer tubular body when the tubular body is expanded to form wings. A tether can be included as part of the device and it can be used to assist in positioning and locking a location of the device in an opening. Exemplary methods for delivering devices disclosed herein are also provided.