Exemplary methods and systems can be provided for resurfacing of skin that include formation of a plurality of small holes, e.g., having widths greater than about 0.2 mm and less than about 0.7 mm or 0.5 mm, using ablative electromagnetic radiation, e.g., optical energy. An optically transparent plate or window can be pressed over a surface of the skin tissue as the holes are ablated to disrupt formation of a thermal cuff around the holes. Compressive or tensile forces can then be applied to the treated region of the skin tissue as the damage heals to facilitate hole closure and provide enhanced and/or directional shrinkage of the treated skin area.

The present disclosure relates generally to apparatus, devices, and methods for increasing force distribution at a suture-tissue interface. In some embodiments, a tissue suturing device may include a deployment device and a plurality of tissue supports deployable from the deployment device towards a target tissue. The plurality of tissue supports may each include a central opening for receiving a suture during deployment.

A piece of buttress material and an end-effector of a surgical instrument including features which can aid a surgeon in properly and quickly attaching the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In various embodiments, a piece of buttress material can include retention features which can be engaged with portions of an end-effector to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to at least a portion of the end-effector. Similarly, an end-effector can include features configured to engage portions of a piece of buttress material to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In at least one embodiment, more than one piece of buttress material can be releasably retained to an end-effector.

The invention relates to novel internal fixation devices, such as bone plates, generally and novel craniomaxillofacial bone plates more specifically and systems for bonding the same. More specifically, the invention relates to bone plates made of a polymer blend of (poly)lactic acid and Ecoflex as well as a novel hot-melt adhesive polymer blend of the same material.

A modular implant system, such as a spinal implant system, having an implant part, for example a (spinal) plate, and at least one fastener, wherein the implant part has a fastener receiving opening. The system also includes thermoplastic material, the thermoplastic material being equipped for being liquefied by mechanical vibration, especially ultrasonic vibration energy. The fastener receiving opening and the fastener can be shaped so that the fastener can be inserted relative to the implant part at a variable angle. The fastener, the plate and the thermoplastic material are equipped for the thermoplastic material, after re-solidification, to secure the fastener against at least one of an axial (back-out) movement of the fastener, a rotation of the fastener relative to the implant part, a variation of the angle of the fastener relative to the implant part.

An assembly for joining tissue portions is provided and includes an anvil assembly and a body portion juxtaposed with respect to one another along a shaft and arranged so as to be approximated with respect to one another; and an applicator disposed between the body portion and anvil assembly and configured for retaining a wound treatment material therein. The applicator has channels arranged for dispensing the wound treatment material therefrom onto an interface between the tissue portions. A method of joining the tissue portions is also provided and includes the steps of dispensing the wound treatment material from the applicator so as to distribute wound treatment material onto an interface between a first tissue portion and a second tissue portion; and approximating the anvil assembly and the body portion to one another so that the first and second tissue portions are in contact with one another.

Methods, devices and systems are described for treating venous insufficiency in which the vein is compressed at least partially along a treatment zone. A system can be provided including an injection device, such as a glue gun, that is operably connected to a delivery catheter that can be advanced across a treatment zone in the vein. The delivery catheter can be used to deliver one, two, or more boluses of media (e.g., cyanoacrylate) to occlude the vein along different spaced-apart sections of the treatment zone. External compression can also be applied to the vein by a compression element, such as a hand or multifunctional ultrasound transducer, to occlude portions of the vein along the treatment zone prior to or during the introduction of the boluses of media.

Disclosed is a delivery device, kit, system, method, etc. for localized fusion of leaflets of a tissue valve, for example, a native heart valve, using an adhesive. The delivery device can have one or more capture features for capturing separate leaflets, for example, the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets. An applicator can be configured to apply a biocompatible adhesive between the captured leaflets, and one or more curing elements can be configured to cure the applied biocompatible adhesive. The kit can have the aforementioned delivery device, and the biocompatible adhesive used therewith. The method can include positioning the aforementioned delivery device adjacent the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets, capturing the mitral leaflets between the paddles of the delivery device, applying a biocompatible adhesive between the captured mitral leaflets via the applicator, and curing the applied biocompatible adhesive via the energy elements to locally fuse the mitral leaflets.

The present invention is directed to a device for delivering a sealant to a tissue, comprising a sealant compartment, a cooling gas compartment, and a heater, all disposed inside a unified housing; with heater configured for rendering the sealant liquid or semi-liquid or molten and flowable; with sealant compartment configured for expressing the sealant in a flowable form from device via an exit nozzle; with gas compartment configured for expressing a cooling gas via a gas expression port; with exit nozzle and gas expression port co-directed into the same direction.

Methods, devices and systems are described for treating venous insufficiency in which the vein is compressed at least partially along a treatment zone. A system can be provided including an injection device, such as a glue gun, that is operably connected to a delivery catheter that can be advanced across a treatment zone in the vein. The delivery catheter can be used to deliver one, two, or more boluses of media (e.g., cyanoacrylate) to occlude the vein along different spaced-apart sections of the treatment zone. External compression can also be applied to the vein by a compression element, such as a hand or multifunctional ultrasound transducer, to occlude portions of the vein along the treatment zone prior to or during the introduction of the boluses of media.