Among other things, methods and apparatus for inserting devices for closing tissue openings are disclosed. Examples may include a handle, sheath and/or sleeve for insertion into a patient and through or adjacent a tissue defect, fistula, or other tissue opening to be closed. Winding mechanisms for operation in or with such inserting devices are also described.

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for repairing a heart defect. The disclosed devices, comprising a biodegradable gel and a biodegradable mesh scaffold, enhance cellular infiltration, vascularization, and degredation, while reducing fibrosis and rejection. In many embodiments, the mesh scaffold comprises one or more of polycaprolactone, gelatin, and polyurethane, and the gel comprises a biologically active compound decorated with polyethylene glycol. The disclosed heart patch devices possess elasticity and strength similar existing patch products derived from mammalian pericardium.

A system for treating a heart includes a catheter that is advanceable into a chamber of the heart and that is repositionable within the chamber between a septal wall and an external wall to enable penetration of the septal and external walls via a needle that is disposed within a lumen of the catheter. A first guidewire is deliverable through the penetration of the septal wall so that a distal end of the first guidewire is disposed within another chamber of the heart. A second guidewire is deliverable through the penetration of the external wall so that a distal end of the second guidewire is disposed externally of the external wall. The first guidewire is connectable to the second guidewire to join or form a path within the chamber that extends between the septal wall and the external wall.

An open-cavity, reduced-pressure treatment device and system for treating a cavity in a patient's body, such as an abdominal cavity, is presented. In one instance, an open-cavity, reduced-pressure treatment device includes a plurality of encapsulated leg members, each having an interior portion with a leg manifold member and formed with fenestrations operable to allow fluid flow into the interior portion, and a central connection member fluidly coupled to the plurality of encapsulated leg members. The central connection member has a connection manifold member. The open-cavity, reduced-pressure treatment devices, systems, and methods allow for, among other things, removal of fluids.

A method and apparatus for suture-less placement of an occluding patch in which release of the device can be accelerated. In one embodiment, an inactive form of an adhesive is applied on the area of the patch that will come into contact with cardiac tissue; this allows for the introduction and necessary manipulation of the catheter system until activation of the adhesive occurs. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the adhesive properties of certain polymeric materials are relied upon rather than their ability to cure or harden into a specific shape. In another embodiment, the patch is immediately released utilizing a detaching mechanism on the balloon or the balloon catheter which supports the patch; the patch along with the inflated balloon remain on the cardiac structure occluding the opening.

A clip for reducing a dimension of an opening in tissue may include a continuous member having a plurality of legs and a plurality of preformed bends connecting adjacent legs, wherein the plurality of legs form: a first group having two protrusions; a second group having two protrusions; and a third group having two protrusions, wherein each protrusion of each group includes two legs of the continuous member and a corresponding preformed bend connecting the two legs, and each protrusion of each group extends from a region adjacent a first end of the clip to a region adjacent a second end of the clip.

Devices and methods for treating heart disease by normalizing elevated blood pressure in the left and right atria of a heart of a mammal are disclosed. Devices may include an adjustable hydraulic diameter shunt portion which can be manually adjusted in vivo. Methods are provided for adjusting the flow rate of the devices in vivo.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of devices and methods for forming a seal covering an incision in tissue. In some embodiments, a deformable member can be loaded into a catheter and inserted into the tissue incision. The deformable member can unfold into a cup-shape which can form a seal around the incision during a procedure. Once the procedure is finished, the deformable member can be drawn back into the tube.

Devices and methods for treating a sinus venosus atrial septal defect. A treatment device may have a tubular shape and may be configured to be arranged to provide a conduit between an upper right pulmonary vein (PV) and a left atrium (LA). The device may have a proximal portion comprising a flexible mesh configured to anchor within the LA, a distal portion comprising a flexible mesh configured to anchor within the target PV, and a central portion having a plurality of elongate parallel bars. A method for treating a sinus venosus atrial septal defect may include percutaneously advancing the device through the femoral vein and inferior vena cava (IVC), and into the right atrium (RA). The method may include creating a trans-septal opening, passing the device through the opening into the LA, and toward the upper right PV to treat the defect.

Catheter based systems for isolated stenting of an intravascular lesion can include two expandable occlusion devices with a balloon expandable stent or self-expanding stent therebetween. Expandable occlusion devices can be expanded in a distal direction and a proximal direction in relation to the lesion to occlude vasculature. A treatment agent can be injected into a cavity formed between the expandable occlusion device. A coating can be applied to one or both occlusion devices to prevent adherence to the treatment agent. The stent can be deployed across the lesion while the occlusion devices are in place. Fragments dislodged during stenting can be aspirated.