The present disclosure describes, among other things, a thereto-responsive hydrogel comprising a PNIPAM copolymer having adhesive properties that are temperature dependent, as well as a device for administering the hydrogel, and methods for making and using the foregoing.

An insertable light-dispensing catheter device, comprising a shaft including a proximal and distal end, a light guide extending through the shaft, and a mirror displaceably extendable from the catheter into a position where the mirror receives and reflects light emitted from the light guide. The mirror can be in the form of a coating on an inflatable balloon; and the balloon, when inflated, can press a patch against a defect (e.g., a ventricular septical defect), while the light cures an adhesive that binds the patch to the structure with the defect, thereby remedying the defect.

Embodiments may include an attachable fastener, which may include a bondable material that may be secured to the end of an end effector. Vibration may be tuned to occur at a distal end of the fastener. Accordingly, the fastener may be used to generate heat at a distal point of contact. If the contact surface contains bondable material, that material may be softened. If the fastener includes bondable material at the point of contact, that material may also be softened by heat produced by vibration at the contact area. A hard implant or another polymeric material may function as the anvil.

A device for applying adhesive composition to biological tissue and/or prosthetic material includes a flexible body, wherein the body has an upper surface that includes a first shoulder defining a first recess. The body is adapted to be folded on itself in a folded position in which the body defines a channel and in which the first recess forms an annular gap between the upper surface and the biological tissue and/or prosthetic material when the biological tissue and/or prosthetic material is positioned in the channel.

Methods of treating diverticulosis and medical devices suitable for use in such methods are described herein. In an embodiment, a method of treating diverticulosis in an animal comprises clearing the lumen of the colon of the animal of solid matter, isolating a treatment portion of the colon, applying suction at a point within the lumen of the colon to depressurize the treatment portion, applying a material to the external surface across at least one diverticulum of the diverticula on the colon, and removing the suction. In some embodiments, the material comprises an adhesive. A step of applying a second material across at least one diverticulum of the diverticula on the colon can also be included.

A device for occluding a perforation in a blood vessel includes a catheter shaft that has a first lumen and a second lumen. The first lumen is adapted to receive at least one of a guidewire and an implanted cardiac lead, and the second lumen is adapted to receive an inflation fluid. The device further includes an inflatable balloon that is carried by the catheter shaft. The inflatable balloon is adapted to receive the inflation fluid from the second lumen, wherein the second lumen includes a cross-sectional area at a location within the catheter shaft between 0.65 mm.sup.2 and 1.90 mm.sup.2 and the inflatable balloon comprises polyurethane having a Shore A durometer of about 85 A.

The present invention relates to an aqueous composition comprising an aqueous solution, -TCP, a silicate compound and a phosphorylated amino acid. The composition has improved mechanical strength and is easily applied and may be used as a tissue adhesive, implant or a filler.

A staple cartridge assembly includes a stepped staple cartridge deck and an implantable layer, such as a tissue thickness compensator and/or a buttress material, for example, positioned thereon. The layer can include a first portion positioned over a first deck surface of the multi-step staple cartridge and a second portion positioned over a second deck surface of the multi-step staple cartridge. The first portion includes a first tissue-contacting surface and the second portion includes a second tissue-contacting surface, wherein the first tissue-contacting surface is vertically offset from the second tissue-contacting surface.

The present disclosure provides a method of positioning an implant in a patient. The method includes inserting a deflated biodegradable balloon into a joint of the patient, wherein the biodegradable balloon is wedged between at least one of bone and soft tissue in the joint of the patient. The biodegradable balloon is inflated by injecting a warmed sterile liquid from a syringe through an inlet valve and the inflated biodegradable balloon is at least one of sized and shaped to fit within the surgical field. The expanded biodegradable balloon is a joint spacer, changing the spatial relationship between the bones and soft tissue in the joint of the patient.

A bone fixation system, device and method are provided herein. A system may include a bone plate. The bone plate is adapted to be affixed to a bone surface, and comprises a bioactive porous portion. The porous portion is adapted to include bone healing-promoting substances, such as hollow microparticles containing the bone healing-promoting substances embedded in the porous portion. The bone plate further includes at least one attachment portion. In some embodiments, the attachment portion includes a face, which defines indentations, such as dimples, to retain an amount of adhesive.