Abstract: An implantable device for selectively opening and closing a tubular organ of the body such as the urethra has an elongate valve body which can be introduced into the tubular organ. The valve body has a shut-off means which can be selectively closed and opened, for which purpose the valve body has an elastic hose portion in which there is disposed an inflation body which can be inflated by a fluid to then close the lumen of the hose portion. The fluid can be conveyed out of the inflation body into a storage container by actuation of an implantable pump so the inflation body collapses and permits a flow through the valve body. Manual actuation of a non-return valve in the pump causes fluid to flow out of the storage container into the inflation body to inflate same and close the valve body.

Abstract: An implant is produced with an open-celled structure at least partly covering its surface. The method uses a positive pattern having a basic pattern with particles bonded to it, the particles covering the areas of the pattern which correspond to the structured surface areas of the implant. The method uses the usual steps of conventional lost positive casting techniques. Importantly, the particles have a base with four to eight pins extending radially from its surface with at least three being connected to the basic pattern (e.g., by adhesive).

Abstract: A lost positive pattern comprising an open-pored plastics substrate containing pores with an average width of from one to three millimeters is used, in which, after a negative pattern has been made, the voids which it, as a core, contains are filled with metal by casting and the negative pattern is removed. The production of the negative pattern is preceded by the following method steps in which once the substrate of plastics material has been cleaned, it is wetted throughout with a keying resin film which partially dissolves the structure of its surface and in which at least one coat of an auto-crosslinking two-pack silicone is applied onto and into the whole of the substrate of plastics material to thicken the walls and/or the interlinking webs of the porous substrate of plastics material.

Abstract: Open-celled metal structures are produced which have walls and webs of uniform strength throughout. The structures may also have an irregular surface pattern. To make a strengthened positive pattern, the method comprises application of at least one layer of a strengthening agent such as poly(methyl methacrylate) or polyester resin to a plastic substrate used for ceramic mold formation. The strengthened positive pattern is embedded in a ceramic mass, and heated to incinerate and remove the plastic substrate, which results in voids in the ceramic mass. Molten metal is poured into the ceramic mass. After solidification, the ceramic mass is removed to form the open-celled metal structure.