Abstract: Apparatus, comprising: a sheath (22), advanceable through an endoscope (10), and having distal openings comprising a first opening (30a) and a plurality of second openings (30b) surrounding the first opening; a housing (24), coupled to a proximal portion of the sheath; a first needle (28a), extending through the housing and sheath toward the first opening; a plurality of second needles (28b), extending through the housing and sheath toward a respective second opening; a first handle (26a), slidably coupled to the housing along an axis such that the first needle slides through the sheath and a distal tip of the first needle moves with respect to the first opening; and a second handle (26b), slidably coupled to the housing along a different axis such that the second needles slide through the sheath and a distal tip of each second needle moves with respect to its respective second opening.

Abstract: Apparatus, comprising: a sheath (22), advanceable through an endoscope (10), and having distal openings comprising a first opening (30a) and a plurality of second openings (30b) surrounding the first opening; a housing (24), coupled to a proximal portion of the sheath; a first needle (28a), extending through the housing and sheath toward the first opening; a plurality of second needles (28b), extending through the housing and sheath toward a respective second opening; a first handle (26a), slidably coupled to the housing along an axis such that the first needle slides through the sheath and a distal tip of the first needle moves with respect to the first opening; and a second handle (26b), slidably coupled to the housing along a different axis such that the second needles slide through the sheath and a distal tip of each second needle moves with respect to its respective second opening.

Abstract: Flexible semi-hermetic implantable medical device (IMD) structure, including a flexible device body, at least one flexible lead and at least one respective transition unit, for respectively coupling each flexible lead to the flexible device body, the flexible device body including a plurality of hermetically sealed components, at least one electrical cable harness and an external flexible polymer structure, each one of the hermetically sealed components including at least one hermetically sealed electrical connection and at least some of the hermetically sealed components including at least one separation dome, the electrical cable harness for electrically and mechanically coupling the plurality of hermetically sealed components together and the external flexible polymer structure for encapsulating the hermetically sealed components, the electrical cable harness and the respective transition unit.

Abstract: Apparatus, comprising: a sheath (22), advanceable through an endoscope (10), and having distal openings comprising a first opening (30a) and a plurality of second openings (30b) surrounding the first opening; a housing (24), coupled to a proximal portion of the sheath; a first needle (28a), extending through the housing and sheath toward the first opening; a plurality of second needles (28b), extending through the housing and sheath toward a respective second opening; a first handle (26a), slidably coupled to the housing along an axis such that the first needle slides through the sheath and a distal tip of the first needle moves with respect to the first opening; and a second handle (26b), slidably coupled to the housing along a different axis such that the second needles slide through the sheath and a distal tip of each second needle moves with respect to its respective second opening.

Abstract: Flexible semi-hermetic implantable medical device (IMD) structure, including a flexible device body, at least one flexible lead and at least one respective transition unit, for respectively coupling each flexible lead to the flexible device body, the flexible device body including a plurality of hermetically sealed components, at least one electrical cable harness and an external flexible polymer structure, each one of the hermetically sealed components including at least one hermetically sealed electrical connection and at least some of the hermetically sealed components including at least one separation dome, the electrical cable harness for electrically and mechanically coupling the plurality of hermetically sealed components together and the external flexible polymer structure for encapsulating the hermetically sealed components, the electrical cable harness and the respective transition unit.

Abstract: Apparatus, comprising: a sheath (22), advanceable through an endoscope (10), and having distal openings comprising a first opening (30a) and a plurality of second openings (30b) surrounding the first opening; a housing (24), coupled to a proximal portion of the sheath; a first needle (28a), extending through the housing and sheath toward the first opening; a plurality of second needles (28b), extending through the housing and sheath toward a respective second opening; a first handle (26a), slidably coupled to the housing along an axis such that the first needle slides through the sheath and a distal tip of the first needle moves with respect to the first opening; and a second handle (26b), slidably coupled to the housing along a different axis such that the second needles slide through the sheath and a distal tip of each second needle moves with respect to its respective second opening.

Abstract: A surgical stapler includes a control handle having a forward-extending barrel and a stapling device at the distal end of the barrel, where the stapling device has a stapling head part, a stapler body part, and a hinge connection therebetween such that the stapling head part is pivotable relative to the barrel. The stapling head part has a holder region, opposite the hinge connection, configured for holding a surgical staple during positioning and implanting the staple. The proximal end portion of the stapling head part can be pivoted outwardly relative to the barrel to at least about 15° from an at rest position, juxtaposed with the stapler body part, to an active position for implantation of a staple into tissue in a generally proximal direction toward the control handle.

Abstract: An apparatus, device and method are provided for endoscopically extracting multiple tissue samples from multiple locations without needing to completely retract the apparatus or device from the target tissue in the process. In some embodiments the device includes a sheath for delivering the device through a body lumen wall, an outer needle, an inner needle extendable from and retractable into the outer needle, the inner needle having a rotational feature to enable sequential entry of the inner needle at multiple angles relative to the outer needle; and a rotational control mechanism for controlling rotation of the inner needle thereby enabling tissue extraction from multiple locations in a target tissue, without sequentially exiting the body lumen wall.

Abstract: The invention discloses a delivery device for use in surgery on an organ in a living body. The delivery device is characterized by a proximal and a distal end inter-connected by a main longitudinal axis, the distal end comprising: (a) at least one anchoring device, comprising at least one tissue anchor; and (b) at least one pivoting support in communication with the anchoring device. The anchoring device can pivot freely around the pivoting support independent of the orientation of the pivoting support with respect to the organ, such that the anchoring device can be oriented substantially parallel to and conform to the surface of the organ with which the anchoring device comes into contact.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a tissue closure device and in particular to a tissue closure device having a plurality of configurations providing for delivery and use in minimally invasive procedures. A tissue closure device (100) is provided from shape memory or super-elastic materials for closing a tissue site opening (50), the device comprising a plurality of tissue anchors (130) extending from a closed loop surface (110) wherein the plane of said tissue anchors is provided at an angle essentially perpendicular with respect to the plane of said closed loop surface; a. wherein said plurality of tissue anchors (130) comprise a proximal end (130p) and a distal end (130d); said distal end provided for anchoring said device onto tissue (50); and wherein said proximal end (130p) is fluid with and extends from said closed loop surface (110); and b.

Abstract: A cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) device (30) includes an anti-arrhythmic therapy unit (38) for detecting a cardiac arrhythmia in a heart (2) of a patient based on processing electrical signals related to cardiac activity sensed at the heart, and for delivering anti-arrhythmic therapy to the heart. The device includes a cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) unit (40) capable of delivering cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) signals to the heart for modulating the contractility of a portion of the heart. The device (30) includes a power source (165). The device may be an implantable device or a non-implantable device. A method for delivering anti-arrhythmic therapy to a heart. The method includes applying one or more non-excitatory cardiac contractility modulating electrical signals to said heart.

Abstract: A cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) device (30) includes an anti-arrhythmic therapy unit (38) for detecting a cardiac arrhythmia in a heart (2) of a patient based on processing electrical signals related to cardiac activity sensed at the heart, and for delivering anti-arrhythmic therapy to the heart. The device includes a cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) unit (40) capable of delivering cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) signals to the heart for modulating the contractility of a portion of the heart. The device may provide to the anti-arrhythmic therapy unit control signals associated with the delivery of the CCM signals to the heart. The control signals may be used to prevent interference of the CCM signals with the detecting of the cardiac arrhythmia. The device (30) includes a power source. The device may be an implantable device or a non-implantable device. The device may also include a pacing unit.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for treating a condition such as obesity. The apparatus includes a set of one or more electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient. A control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the body of the stomach a signal, configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross sectional area of a portion of the body of the stomach for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for drug administration. The apparatus includes an ingestible capsule, which includes a drug, stored by the capsule. The apparatus also includes an environmentally-sensitive mechanism, adapted to change a state thereof responsively to a disposition of the capsule within a gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject; one or more drug-passage facilitation electrodes; and a control component, adapted to facilitate passage of the drug, in response to a change of state of the environmentally-sensitive mechanism, by driving the drug-passage facilitation electrodes to apply an electrical current. The apparatus further includes a velocity-reduction element adapted to reduce a velocity of the capsule through the GI tract for at least a portion of the time that the control component is facilitating the passage of the drug. Additional embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use in conjunction with a drug delivered to a gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject. The apparatus includes an ingestible capsule, which includes one or more electrodes, and a control component, adapted to drive the electrodes to apply an electrical current that induces local delivery of the drug in target tissue of the GI tract. Additional embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus (30) for drug administration is provided, including an ingestible capsule (32), which includes a drug (36), stored by the capsule (32), and an environmentally-sensitive mechanism (18), adapted to change a state thereof responsively to a disposition of the capsule (32) within a gastrointestinal (GI) tract (50) of a subject. The capsule (32) further includes first and second electrodes (16), and a control component (14), adapted to facilitate passage of the drug (36), in response to a change of state of the environmentally-sensitive mechanism (18), through an epithelial layer of the GI tract (50) by driving the first and second electrodes (16) to apply a series of pulses at a current of less than about 10 mA, at a frequency of between about 12 Hz and about 24 Hz, and with a pulse duration of between about 0.5 milliseconds and about 3 milliseconds. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided including an ingestible device, which includes two or more electrodes, and a signal controller, configured to drive the electrodes to apply an electrical signal to an inner surface of a wall of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject, and to configure the signal to induce local endogenous release of nitric oxide (NO). Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) device (30) includes an anti-arrhythmic therapy unit (38) for detecting a cardiac arrhythmia in a heart (2) of a patient based on processing electrical signals related to cardiac activity sensed at the heart, and for delivering anti-arrhythmic therapy to the heart. The device includes a cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) unit (40) capable of delivering cardiac contractility modulating (CCM) signals to the heart for modulating the contractility of a portion of the heart. The device may provide to the anti-arrhythmic therapy unit control signals associated with the delivery of the CCM signals to the heart. The control signals may be used to prevent interference of the CCM signals with the detecting of the cardiac arrhythmia. The device (30) includes a power source. The device may be an implantable device or a non-implantable device. The device may also include a pacing unit.

Abstract: A multi-modal cardiotherapy device (100) includes an anti-arrhythmic unit (118) for delivering multiple types of anti-arrhythmic therapy to a heart, a cardiac contractility modulating unit (108) for delivering cardiac contractility modulating signals to the heart, and for applying anti-arrhythmic cardiac contractility modulating signal therapy to the heart, one or more sensing units (112) for sensing electrical signals related to electrical activity of the heart to provide an output signal, one or more detecting units (116) operatively connected to the sensing unit(s) (112) for detecting in the output signal cardiac events of the heart, a controller unit (106) operatively connected to the anti-arrhythmic unit (118), the cardiac contractility modulating unit (108) and the detecting unit(s) (116).

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for treating a condition such as obesity. The apparatus includes a set of one or more electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient. A control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the body of the stomach a signal, configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross sectional area of a portion of the body of the stomach for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.