A tissue closure device can include a structural material and a stimulus responsive material on or in the structural material. The structural material can be biodegradable and/or bioabsorbable (e.g., biocompatible natural and/or semi-natural and/or synthetic polymer). The stimulus responsive material can be a particle, such as a nanoparticle. The structural material is shaped as a suture, staple, screw, patch, adhesive, sealant, or the like. A biologically active agent can be included. A method of promoting wound healing can include: approximating tissue portions; and stimulating the stimulus responsive material with a stimulus to cause the tissue portions of the wound to adhere to each other. The stimulus is selected from optical, electrical, thermal, chemical, mechanical, magnetic, acoustic, pressure, shear, biological, or enzymatic sources.

One embodiment is directed to a system for closing a wound created at least partially across a tissue structure wall, comprising: a helical needle; a suture member coupled to the helical needle and configured to be pulled along a helical pattern with helical movement of the helical needle; an outer delivery member rotatably coupled to the helical needle; a drive shaft axially movably coupled to the outer delivery member; and a plurality of suture guide struts projecting distally from the outer delivery member; wherein upon helical insertion of the helical needle relative to the outer delivery member, the helical needle is advanced such that it becomes disposed around the guide struts, such that the guide struts prevent radial migration of the suture as it is helically wound into the tissue structure.

A staple cartridge is adapted to enhance cell migration towards a wound site when staples are placed in tissue. In order to enhance cell migration, the staples in the staple cartridge are adapted to create an electrical potential within the tissue in the area of a wound or cut line. More specifically, the staples are arranged in spaced rings, wherein the staples in the spaced rings are formed of dissimilar metals having different anodic indexes to create a voltage gradient in the tissue to enhance cell migration toward the cut line.

A surgical end effector comprising a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a compressible portion intermediate the staple cartridge and the anvil is disclosed. The compressible portion comprises a plurality of tubular members.

An implant 801 for closing an opening in tissue such as a fistula or a sinus comprises a coil having a substantially uniform outer diameter. The coil forms an internal passage having a diameter that tapers from a distal end to a proximal end. The implant 801 may be delivered using a non-tapered driver coil 820.

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.

Surgical tissue fusion instrument and support structure having two gripping structures which are movable relative to each other and which are designed to bring together biological tissue sections that are to be connected to each other, with heat-generating means which are assigned to the gripping structures and, during tissue fusion, cause heat to be introduced in the area of a connection site of the biological tissue sections, and also with a support structure which is held between the gripping structures and, during tissue fusion, is operatively connected to the tissue sections. The support structure has at least one additional physical functional structure for aiding or promoting the tissue fusion.

An occlusive implant can be delivered into a body vessel using a delivery assembly that can engage with at least a portion of the implant. The assembly can utilize an engagement member and an engagement socket or a catheter or sheath to removably couple the engagement member with the implant. When the implant is advanced to a target location in the body vessel, the implant can be released to restrict flow of a fluid through the vessel and/or promote occlusion of the vessel.

A surgical stapler, or fastening instrument, may generally comprise a layer, such as a tissue thickness compensator, for example, releasably attached to a fastener cartridge and/or anvil by a flowable attachment portion. The flowable attachment portion may be indefinitely flowable. The flowable attachment portion may be flowable from the time that layer is installed to the fastener cartridge to the time in which the layer is implanted to patient tissue. The flowable attachment portion may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. The flowable attachment portion may comprise an adhesive laminate comprising a base layer comprising the tissue thickness compensator and an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a surface of the base layer comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive. Articles of manufacture comprising flowable attachment portion and methods of making and using the flowable attachment portion are also described.

A sealant is provided for sealing a puncture through tissue that includes an elongate first section including a proximal end, a distal end, and a cross-section sized for delivery into a puncture through tissue, and a second section fused to and extending from the distal end of the first section. The first section may be formed from a freeze-dried hydrogel that expands when exposed to physiological fluid within a puncture. The second section may be formed from a solid mass of non-freeze-dried, non-crosslinked hydrogel precursors, the precursors remaining in an unreactive state until exposed to an aqueous physiological, whereupon the precursors undergo in-situ crosslinking with one another to provide an adhesive layer bonded to the first section. Apparatus and methods for delivering the sealant into a puncture through tissue are also provided.