Abstract: In the field of echocardiography there is a need for improved guiding of elongate flexible medical instruments to shorten procedures and thereby reduce the exposure of an interventional cardiologist or cardiac surgeon, and an echocardiographer, to radioactive fluoroscopy. A guide unit (10; 70; 150), for an elongate flexible medical instrument (12) steerable by an operator handle (60), comprises a guide base (14) that is fixedly securable in an operative position to define a reference datum (16) relative to an orifice into which the flexible medical instrument (12) is, in-use, to be inserted. The guide base (14) supports a guide assembly (28) which is engageable, in-use, with the flexible medical instrument (12) to selectively inhibit lengthwise axial movement of the flexible medical instrument (12) relative to the guide base (14).

Abstract: A prosthetic valve coaptation assist device includes an anchor and a single valve assist leaflet. The anchor may be a supporting ring frame, brace or arc structure and will usually be radially self-expandable so that it can expand against surrounding natural or prosthetic tissue. The valve assist leaflet may be made of pericardium or other biological or artificial material and is shaped like the native target valve leaflet. The valve assist leaflet is typically sized larger than the target natural or prosthetic leaflet so that after implantation a significant overlap of the device body occurs.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve coaptation assist device includes an anchor and a single valve assist leaflet. The anchor may be a supporting ring frame, brace or arc structure and will usually be radially self-expandable so that it can expand against surrounding tissue. The valve assist leaflet may be made of pericardium or other biological or artificial material and is shaped like the native target valve leaflet. The valve assist leaflet is typically sized larger than the target leaflet so that after implantation a significant overlap of the device body occurs.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve coaptation assist device (100) includes an anchor (101) and a single valve assist leaflet (102). The anchor may be a supporting ring frame, brace or arc structure and will usually be radially self-expandable so that it can expand against surrounding tissue. The valve assist leaflet may be made of pericardium or other biological or artificial material and is shaped like the native target valve leaflet. The valve assist leaflet is typically sized larger than the target leaflet so that after implantation a significant overlap of the device body occurs.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve coaptation assist device includes an anchor and a single valve assist leaflet. The anchor may be a supporting ring frame, brace or arc structure and will usually be radially self-expandable so that it can expand against surrounding natural or prosthetic tissue. The valve assist leaflet may be made of pericardium or other biological or artificial material and is shaped like the native target valve leaflet. The valve assist leaflet is typically sized larger than the target natural or prosthetic leaflet so that after implantation a significant overlap of the device body occurs.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve coaptation assist device (100) includes an anchor (101) and a single valve assist leaflet (102). The anchor may be a supporting ring frame, brace or arc structure and will usually be radially self-expandable so that it can expand against surrounding tissue. The valve assist leaflet may be made of pericardium or other biological or artificial material and is shaped like the native target valve leaflet. The valve assist leaflet is typically sized larger than the target leaflet so that after implantation a significant overlap of the device body occurs.