Abstract: A gastrointestinal assembly may be deployed within a patient's gastrointestinal tract in order to facilitate drainage of an abscess. The gastrointestinal assembly may include an outer stent and an inner stent disposed within the outer stent. The inner stent divides a volume within the outer stent into a primary passageway through which nutritional contents may pass and a secondary passageway protected from nutritional contents and configured to accommodate a passive drainage system for draining the abscess.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a medical system may include a laser source for providing laser energy. The medical system may also include a fluid source containing a fluid for absorbing the laser energy to generate heat. The medical system may further include a medical device operatively coupled to the laser source and the fluid source. The medical device may include a shaft having a distal end, and a cap at the distal end of the shaft. The cap may include a lens and a reflector for deflecting the laser energy toward the lens. The lens may be configured to emit the laser energy from the cap toward a target.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using a medical device are disclosed. An example medical device may include an implantable endoprosthesis. The implantable endoprosthesis may include a cylindrical body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an axial bonding region extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The cylindrical body may include one or more winding filaments and a plurality of discrete axial bonds disposed along the axial bonding region. The discrete axial bonds may secure together edge regions of the one or more winding filaments.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods are disclosed in the present application. In one illustrative example a tissue removal device may comprise an elongate shaft defining a lumen and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein a proximal portion of the elongate shaft has a first diameter and a distal portion of the elongate shaft has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is less than the second diameter and an elongate member disposed at least partially within the elongate shaft, the elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the elongate member comprising a cap. In some further embodiments, the elongate member may be axially translatable between a proximal position and a distal position, and the cap may form a closed receptacle with the distal portion of the elongate shaft when the elongate member is in the proximal position.

Abstract: A medical implant for a left atrial appendage may include a central member having an anchor at a distal end and a plurality of legs joined together at a joint coupled to the central member. The plurality of legs may be configured to expand from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration. A medical implant may include a central shaft having an anchor at a distal end and a cup-shaped occluder fixed to a proximal end of the central shaft, the occluder being configured to expand from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration and retard tissue ingrowth thereon. A medical implant system may include a delivery sheath, an implant having an expandable frame including a plurality of legs each having an anchor and a mesh having a plurality of openings therethrough attached to the frame, and a plurality of particles disposed within the delivery sheath.

Abstract: An implant system may include a delivery sheath having an actuator mechanism, an anchoring assistance device including an expandable scaffold including a mid-body section, a cusp interface section, and a crown end arrangement, and a replacement heart valve implant. The cusp interface section includes a plurality of loop portions arranged at radial intervals about the expandable scaffold. Each loop portion is circumferentially spaced apart from another loop portion by a region having a deployment ring, the region being configured to span a commissure of the aortic valve and extending distally a shorter distance from the distal end than the loop portions. An elongate deployment member is configured to releasably engage with the deployment rings to actuate the expandable scaffold from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration. The replacement heart valve implant is configured to be at least partially disposed within the expandable scaffold in the deployed configuration.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a method for assisting breathing in a lung having damaged tissue are disclosed. The method may include inserting an implant containing a dilatant fluid into a pleural cavity of a patient to reduce an inhalation volume of the lung. Additional embodiments may include an implant configured to apply a force toward a portion of a lung. A controller may be coupled to the implant and configured to sense a biological event and control an amount of outwardly directed force applied by the implant to the lung in response to the biological event. Further, a method may include applying a force to an organ via an implant to expel material from the organ and adjusting the implant so as to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration. The implant may include at least one of an electro-active material and a pressure sensitive material.

Abstract: A method of treating a disease of the lung may include inserting an implant into the circulatory system. The implant may include an agent configured to be released into the circulatory system over time to deliver the agent to the lungs. The agent may be configured to treat a disease of the lung.

Abstract: Methods and devices for treating a lung are disclosed. The method may include deploying a catheter into an airway of the lung, and discharging a media into the airway through the catheter. The media may be configured to increase elasticity of lung tissue in the vicinity of the airway or occlude the airway.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a prosthetic valve assembly comprises a pouch connecting two valves to one another. The valve assembly is delivered by a catheter system. In some embodiments, the valve assembly includes a valve for replacing a mitral valve and a valve for replacing an aortic valve. The valve assembly may optionally include an adhesive layer on the outer surface.