Abstract: A medical device for treating a heart valve insufficiency, with an endoprosthesis which can be introduced into a patient's body and expanded to secure a heart valve prosthesis in the patient's aorta. In an embodiment, the endoprosthesis has at plurality of positioning arches configured to be positioned with respect to a patient's aorta and a plurality of retaining arches to support a heart valve prosthesis. The endoprosthesis includes a first collapsed mode during the process of introducing it into the patient's body and a second expanded mode when it is implanted.

Abstract: A device for epicardial support and/or the assuming of cardiac activity having a double membrane (1) having an elastic inner membrane (2) and a non-expandable outer membrane (3) as well as a closed cavity (4) formed therebetween which can be inflated and deflated by means of a fluid. With the objective of further developing a device of the type, so that same can more simply and at substantially lesser risk administer medication to the pericardial sac, a second cavity (7) having a fluid-permeable wall limiting the second cavity (7) relative to the heart is provided at the inward facing side (6) of the inner membrane (2) relative to the heart (5) with this second cavity (7) being able to be filled with a fluid through a separate fluid line (9) from outside the patient's body or drained from within the body.

Abstract: A device for epicardial support and/or the assuming of cardiac activity having a double membrane (1) consisting of an elastic inner membrane (2) and a non-expandable outer membrane (3) as well as a closed cavity (4) formed therebetween which can be inflated and deflated by means of a fluid. With the objective of further developing a device of the type as indicated at the outset which provides a simpler possibility of stimulating the heart in the critical post-operative phase, it is provided for at least one probe/electrode unit (7, 8) to be arranged on the inward facing side (6) of the inner membrane (2) to the heart (5) for epicardial ECG leads and/or signal transmission/conversion of an external pacemaker.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for exchanging and/or docking functional modules (1, 2), used for the extracorporeal circulation of bodily fluids, each functional module (1, 2) having at least one conduit (3; 4) comprising an inlet (5; 7) and an outlet (6; 8). The aim of the invention is to exchange the functional modules of an extracorporeal circuit as rapidly as possible, without detaching tubular connections and without having to establish a new connection. To achieve this, the invention is provided with elements (9, 10; 11, 12) for connecting the conduit (3) of a first functional module (1) to the inlet (5) and the outlet (6) of a second functional module (2), whereby the connection is established in such a way that the first functional module (1) is bypassed by means of the second functional module (2) to maintain the flow and the bodily fluid is diverted through the second functional module (2).

Abstract: A device for epicardial support and/or the assuming of cardiac activity having a double membrane (1) consisting of an elastic inner membrane (2) and a non-expandable outer membrane (3) as well as a closed cavity (4) formed therebetween which can be inflated and deflated by means of a fluid exhibiting a first chamber (6) allocated to the right ventricle (5) and a second chamber (8) allocated to the left ventricle (7). With the objective of further developing a device of the type indicated so that it provides for simple device operability while maintaining the advantage of being able to augment only one ventricle, it is provided for the first chamber (6) and the second chamber (8) are connected to one another by at least one valve (9) in a dividing wall (10) separating the two chambers (6, 8).

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-expandable medical instrument (100) for treating defects in a patient's heart, in particular for the transvascular implantation of a prosthetic heart valve (30), wherein the medical instrument (100) is introducible into the body of a patient in a minimally-invasive procedure using a catheter system (40) and comprises a stent (1) made of a flexible mesh (2) of thin wires or filaments (2?). In order to realize a positioning of medical instrument (100) in the patient's heart which is as precise as possible and to securely anchor same there, it is provided for the stent (1) composed of the flexible mesh (2) to exhibit in the expanded state of the medical instrument (100) a distal retention area (10) with a laterally-inverted beaded portion (12) which is engageable in at least one pocket (51) of the patient's defective heart valve (50), a proximal retention area (20), and a center area (15) positioned between the distal and the proximal retention area (10, 20).

Abstract: A device for the transvascular implantation and fixation of prosthetic heart valves having a self-expanding heart valve stent (10) with a prosthetic heart valve (11) at its proximal end is introducible into a patient's main artery. With the objective of optimizing such a device to the extent that the prosthetic heart valve (11) can be implanted into a patient in a minimally-invasive procedure, to ensure optimal positioning accuracy of the prosthesis (11) in the patient's ventricle, the device includes a self-expanding positioning stent (20) introducible into an aortic valve positioned within a patient. The positioning stent is configured separately from the heart valve stent (10) so that the two stents respectively interact in their expanded states such that the heart valve stent (10) is held by the positioning stent (20) in a position in the patient's aorta relative the heart valve predefinable by the positioning stent (20).

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for fastening and anchoring heart valve prostheses which is essentially formed of wire-shaped interconnected elements. The aim of the invention is to be able to be implant, in a minimally invasive manner, a device of this type via the aorta by compressing the device to make it smaller, and by extending the same at the site of implantation, whereby ensuring a secure retention and a secure sealing with regard to the aorta wall. To this end, the invention provides that for fastening and supporting a cardiac valve prosthesis, three identical pairs of arched elements are interconnected, with a configuration that is offset by 120°, by means of solid body articulations. These solid body articulations carry out the function of pivot bearings.

Abstract: The invention relates to an anchoring system for heart valve prostheses which can be implanted by introduction via the aorta without any major surgical operation. With the heart valve prosthesis according to the invention it shall be achieved that this can be safely and quickly guided through the aorta toward the heart, and can be fixed there. With this, hook-shaped elements are secured to the commissures of the heart valve prosthesis the hooks of which are guided in an outward direction through the heart valve prosthesis material.

Abstract: The invention relates to an anchoring system for heart valve prostheses which can be implanted by introduction via the aorta without any major surgical operation. With the heart valve prosthesis according to the invention it shall be achieved that this can be safely and quickly guided through the aorta toward the heart, and can be fixed there. With this, hook-shaped elements are secured to the commissures of the heart valve prosthesis the hooks of which are guided in an outward direction through the heart valve prosthesis material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for fastening and anchoring heart valve prostheses which is essentially formed of wire-shaped interconnected elements. According to the object such a device shall be able to be implanted through the aorta in a minimally invasive manner by folding up small enough, and deployed at the site of implantation, wherein a secure retention and a secure sealing with respect to the aorta wall are ensured. To solve this object, for fastening and anchoring a heart valve prosthesis three respective identical pairs of arched elements are interconnected by means of solid articulations in a respective configuration offset by 120° each. These solid articulations meet the function of pivot bearings.