A shunt comprises a central flow portion configured to fit at least partially within an opening in a tissue wall. The tissue wall is situated between a first anatomical chamber and a second anatomical chamber and the opening represents a blood flow path between the first anatomical chamber and the second anatomical chamber. The central flow portion is further configured to maintain the blood flow path from the first anatomical chamber to the second anatomical chamber. The shunt further comprises a barrier configured to alter growth of tissue around the shunt.

The wound drainage apparatus for drug-assisted removal of bodily fluids includes a double-lumen tubing member connected to a customizable branched tubing member for placement in a wound cavity. A perforated inner tube connected to an anticoagulant drug delivery pump and a solid outer tube connected to a fluid drainage vacuum make up the double-lumen tubing member. The branched tubing member includes a plurality of secondary wound cavity tubes branching away from a primary wound cavity tube. The apparatus disclosed herein improves upon current drainage systems by preventing occlusions produced by blood clots forming in fluid drainage tubes.

A covered catheter, including a catheter body coated with a lubricant to facilitate entry into tissue of a user, and a covering sheath, including a sheath body to cover at least a portion of the catheter body in an extended position, and expose the catheter body in a retracted position, a first end cap disposed on at least a portion of a first end of the sheath body to enclose the first end of the sheath body, and a second end cap disposed on at least a portion of a second end of the sheath body to enclose the second end of the sheath body.

A medical implant for treating bone defects. The implant has at least one hollow body delimiting an inner chamber in the interior of the hollow body, a fluid feed line connected in a fluid-permeable manner with the inner chamber, and a fluid discharge line connected in a fluid-permeable manner with the inner chamber. The hollow body consists at least in places or wholly of at least one plastic material that is impermeable to liquids and permeable to oxygen and to carbon dioxide, such that oxygen is deliverable from a fluid passed through the hollow body to, and carbon dioxide is absorbable into the fluid from, the surroundings of the hollow body. Also disclosed is a bone defect treatment system having such a medical implant and the fluid, wherein the fluid contains oxygen and is suitable for absorbing oxygen, and to a method for gas-flushing a surface of a medical implant.

A user-controllable urinary catheter prosthesis (20) is provided for minimally-invasive insertion into a subject. The prosthesis (20) includes a proximal intra-urethral assembly (22), configured to be inserted entirely within a urethra (102) via a meatus (104). A user-activatable hydraulic activator (50) is disposed along a flexible intra-urethral catheter (30, 430), which is shaped so as to define a urinary outlet (40, 440) at a proximal end (41, 441) thereof. A distal bladder assembly (32, 132, 232, 332) is configured to be disposed in a bladder of the subject, and includes a bladder anchor (48). A hydraulic valve (60, 160, 260, 360) is configured to assume an open state, in which urine flow is allowed between the distal bladder assembly (32, 132, 232, 332) and the urinary outlet (40, 440); and a closed resting state, in which urine is entirely blocked from entering the distal bladder assembly (32, 132, 232, 332) and exiting the urinary outlet (40, 440). Application of pressure to the hydraulic activator (50) transitions the hydraulic valve (60, 160, 260, 360) from the closed resting state to the open state. Other embodiments are also described.

The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for treating heart failure by normalizing elevated blood pressure in the left and right atria of a heart of a mammal. The present disclosure includes methods for creating and maintaining an opening in the atrial septum. Tools for making an opening and enlarging the opening are also disclosed. Use of the techniques and tools described herein prolongs the patency of an intra-atrial pressure relief opening.

An ocular implant for treating glaucoma is provided, which may include any number of features. More particularly, the present invention relates to implants that facilitate the transfer of fluid from within one area of the eye to another area of the eye. One feature of the implant is that it includes a proximal inlet portion and a distal inlet portion adapted to be inserted into the anterior chamber of the eye, and an intermediate portion adapted to be inserted into Schlemm's canal. Another feature of the implant is that it can be biased to assume a predetermined shape to aid in placement within the eye.

A catheter for treatment of a defect internal of a human or animal body. The catheter may comprise a tube adapted for insertion into the body; an applicator disposed within and moveable relative to the tube; and a porous medium attached to the applicator; wherein the porous medium is capable of fitting inside the tube, whereby the applicator can be controlled at a proximal end of the tube to deploy the porous medium from a distal end of the tube so as to treat the defect.

A catheter for treatment of a defect internal of a human or animal body. The catheter may comprise a tube adapted for insertion into the body; an applicator disposed within and moveable relative to the tube; and a porous medium attached to the applicator; wherein the porous medium is capable of fitting inside the tube, whereby the applicator can be controlled at a proximal end of the tube to deploy the porous medium from a distal end of the tube so as to treat the defect.

An exhaust collection bag for cryogenic treatment is described herein and may generally comprise a first layer and a second layer attached along a periphery and forming an enclosed volume. The periphery defines four radiused corners and an extension member. A tubing connector may be positioned along the first layer and extend through the first layer and may also be located along a centerline of the first layer and in proximity to a bottom edge of the first layer. A drain closure may also be positioned along the first layer and located away from the centerline and in proximity to the bottom edge.