Abstract: A prosthetic implant delivery assembly includes a prosthetic implant and a catheter. The prosthetic implant includes a plurality of apices with apertures. Each apex of the plurality of apices is circumferentially-spaced apart relative to an adjacent apex. The catheter includes a plurality of arms and a plurality of locking elements. Each of the arms includes an opening configured to receive a respective apex of the prosthetic implant. Each of the locking elements is configured to extend through the aperture of a respective apex of the prosthetic implant. A length of at least one of the locking elements is different than a length of another locking element such that when the prosthetic implant is coupled to the catheter by the locking elements, a longitudinal axis of the prosthetic implant can be held at a tilted position relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus for delivering a prosthetic implant includes a handle and a shaft assembly having an inner shaft and an outer shaft. A carriage member is disposed within a cavity of the handle and coupled to the outer shaft. An annular groove to receive a seal member is defined within the carriage member by a proximal end of the outer shaft and a stepdown shoulder formed within the carriage member. The inner shaft extends through a lumen of the outer shaft and includes one or more fluid ports that fluidly connect a lumen of the inner shaft to the lumen of the outer shaft. The implant is coupled to the inner shaft by a frame connector having a recess to receive a connector tab of the implant. The recess includes an undercut wall that transfers tensile force applied to the connector tab to radial force on the connector tab.

Abstract: A prosthetic implant delivery assembly includes a prosthetic implant including an expandable stent and a catheter for delivering the prosthetic implant. The expandable stent includes apices circumferentially-spaced apart relative to each other. At least some of the apices include an aperture disposed therein. The catheter includes arms disposed at an end of a shaft, and the arms are moveable between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state via a sheath. The arms each include a hook portion for releasably engaging the apertures of the apices. The arms are configured to move from the radially compressed state to the radially expanded state when the plurality arms is exposed from within the sheath such that the hook portion disengages from the apices of the prosthetic implant and releases the expandable stent from the catheter.

Abstract: Embodiments of a nosecone for a transcatheter delivery apparatus are disclosed. The nosecone can include a distal portion and a proximal portion. A longitudinal axis can extend from a distal end of the distal portion to a proximal end of the proximal portion. The proximal portion can have a shoulder region adjacent the distal portion of the nosecone and a body region proximal to the shoulder region. An outer surface of the nosecone can have a cross-sectional profile taken along the longitudinal axis of the nosecone. The cross-sectional profile of the body region can have a convex shape when viewed from a centroid of the body region.

Abstract: Expandable docking stations for docking an expandable valve can include a valve seat, one or more sealing portions, and/or one or more retaining portions. The valve seat can include radiopaque markers affixed to a frame or an impermeable member. The radiopaque markers can indicate a deployment location of the valve. The docking stations can be deployed from a catheter including one or more radiopaque markers. Relative positioning of two or more radiopaque markers can provide an indication of the amount of deployment of the docking station.

Abstract: A system includes a lock and release connector, an implantable medical device, and an outer tube. The lock and release connector includes a connector body defining a recess having planar lateral head portions extending to and intersecting with a cylindrical surface of the connector body, and a longitudinal neck portion extending from the head portion. The implantable medical device has an extension including a neck portion receivable in the longitudinal neck portion of the recess and a head portion receivable in the lateral head portions of the recess. The outer tube extends over the recess to retain the extension in the recess.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for situating a device within a variety vasculature morphologies are provided. An expandable device can adapt to the local vasculature morphology and still provide a controlled inner diameter is described. A device for situating within the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava is described. Systems and methods for utilizing devices are described.

Abstract: Delivery systems and catheters including lock and release connectors for implantable devices and methods for retaining, positioning, and deploying a medical device are disclosed. The lock and release connectors can include a body and at least one door engaged with the body, wherein the door is moveable from a first position to a second position. The lock and release connectors can further include at least one fastener connecting at least one end of the door to the body. The door can be integral with the body or connected and can comprise a shape memory material and/or other materials.

Abstract: Docking stations for transcatheter valves are described. The docking stations can include an expandable frame, at least one sealing portion, and a valve seat. The expandable frame can be configured to conform to an interior shape of a portion of the circulatory system when expanded inside the circulatory system. The sealing portion can be configured to contact an interior surface of the circulatory system to create a seal. The valve seat can be connected to the expandable frame and can be configured to support an expandable transcatheter valve. The docking stations are adaptable to different anatomies/locations to allow implantation of a transcatheter valve in a variety of anatomies/locations.

Abstract: A prosthetic implant delivery assembly includes a prosthetic implant including an expandable stent and a catheter for delivering the prosthetic implant. The expandable stent includes apices circumferentially-spaced apart relative to each other. At least some of the apices include an aperture disposed therein. The catheter includes arms disposed at an end of a shaft, and the arms are moveable between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state via a sheath. The arms each include a hook portion for releasably engaging the apertures of the apices. The arms are configured to move from the radially compressed state to the radially expanded state when the plurality arms is exposed from within the sheath such that the hook portion disengages from the apices of the prosthetic implant and releases the expandable stent from the catheter.

Abstract: One method of implanting a prosthetic valve includes advancing the valve into a patient with a delivery apparatus. The valve includes apices circumferentially-spaced apart relative to each other. At least some of the apices include first apertures. The delivery apparatus includes release arms and a sheath. The release arms include second apertures for receiving the apices. At least one of the second apertures of the release arms has a different length than another one of the second apertures. The method also includes positioning the valve at a location, retracting a sheath of the delivery apparatus relative to the valve, allowing the valve to self-expand from a radially compressed state to a radially expanded state, and while the valve is coupled to the delivery apparatus, pivoting the valve relative about the release arms such that an axis of the valve is tilted relative to an axis of the delivery apparatus.

Abstract: Delivery systems and catheters including lock and release connectors for implantable devices and methods for retaining, positioning, and deploying a medical device are disclosed. The lock and release connectors can include a body and at least one door engaged with the body, wherein the door is moveable from a first position to a second position. The lock and release connectors can further include at least one fastener connecting at least one end of the door to the body. The door can be integral with the body or connected and can comprise a shape memory material and/or other materials.

Abstract: One method of implanting a prosthetic valve includes advancing the valve into a patient with a delivery apparatus. The valve includes apices circumferentially-spaced apart relative to each other. At least some of the apices include first apertures. The delivery apparatus includes release arms and a sheath. The release arms include second apertures for receiving the apices. At least one of the second apertures of the release arms has a different length than another one of the second apertures. The method also includes positioning the valve at a location, retracting a sheath of the delivery apparatus relative to the valve, allowing the valve to self-expand from a radially compressed state to a radially expanded state, and while the valve is coupled to the delivery apparatus, pivoting the valve relative about the release arms such that an axis of the valve is tilted relative to an axis of the delivery apparatus.

Abstract: A prosthetic implant delivery assembly can include a prosthetic implant and an elongate catheter. The prosthetic implant can include an expandable stent portion having a longitudinal axis extending from a first end portion of the stent to a second end portion of the stent. The catheter can include a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end portion of the catheter to a distal end portion of the catheter and a plurality of arms extending axially from the distal end of the catheter. The first end portion of the stent can be releasably and pivotably coupled to at least one the arms of the catheter such that the stent can pivot about the at least one of the arms so that the longitudinal axis of the stent is tilted relative to the longitudinal axis of the catheter.

Abstract: Docking stations for transcatheter valves are described. The docking stations can include an expandable frame, at least one sealing portion, and a valve seat. The expandable frame can be configured to conform to an interior shape of a portion of the circulatory system when expanded inside the circulatory system. The sealing portion can be configured to contact an interior surface of the circulatory system to create a seal. The valve seat can be connected to the expandable frame and can be configured to support an expandable transcatheter valve. The docking stations are adaptable to different anatomies/locations to allow implantation of a transcatheter valve in a variety of anatomies/locations.

Abstract: A prosthetic implant delivery assembly can include a prosthetic implant and an elongate catheter. The prosthetic implant can include an expandable stent portion having a longitudinal axis extending from a first end portion of the stent to a second end portion of the stent. The catheter can include a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end portion of the catheter to a distal end portion of the catheter and a plurality of arms extending axially from the distal end of the catheter. The first end portion of the stent can be releasably and pivotably coupled to at least one the arms of the catheter such that the stent can pivot about the at least one of the arms so that the longitudinal axis of the stent is tilted relative to the longitudinal axis of the catheter.

Abstract: A system for attaching earpieces to portable or vehicular electronics is described, as is a procedure for using it. The system is unique in that it can be conveniently operated with one hand.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for rendering characters on one or more output devices using multiple media fonts; one type of a multiple media font being a multiple color font ("MCF"). An MCF is a scalable font (a font used to render characters in multiple sizes and output device pixel resolutions) that enables the use of one or more types of color scheme (color design) data and character shape data in conjunction with one or more types of transformation data (shapes and visual looks) to render characters. Inventive multiple media fonts can be embodied for use: (a) in coordination with present operating systems; (b) as an annex to applications programs; (c) in coordination with, or as an integral part of, an operating-environment; and (d) over the Internet or other computer networks.