A mesh element having a mesh gauge selected to control flow of materials therethrough. The mesh element is implantable into an anatomical structure upstream of a body passage or within a body passage to control flow of materials through the body passage. The mesh element may be coupled to a support structure to facilitate anchoring of the mesh element in place relative to the body passage. The support structure may have a lumen defined therethrough to allow flow of materials through the body passage, with the mesh element regulating the flow of materials into the lumen. The mesh element alternatively may be directly coupled to an anatomical structure upstream of a body passage to regulate or determine flow of materials through the body passage.

The present teachings provide methods for resizing, reducing, and/or closing an atrial appendage. A delivery catheter is percutaneously advanced to the atrial appendage. At least two tissue anchors are implanted in tissue of the heart. Both tissue anchors are pulled together so that the atrial appendage is resized, reduced, and/or closed. This closure method and system could be used alone in closing the atrial appendage. This closure method and system could also be used in addition to other treatment mechanisms.

A low profile implant, system and method of deployment includes a frame comprising an elongate body having ends that overlap to form an annular configuration of the frame. A circumference of the frame may be modified by varying an extent of the overlap between the ends of the elongate body. The elongate structure may extend through a sleeve of a number of respective anchor housings of the implant along a first axis, and anchors may be deployed through bores in the anchor housings along a second axis to secure the anchor housings to tissue. The implant may be deployed about and anchored to a valve annulus, and the circumference of the frame, and associated anchored tissue, may be adjusted to reconfigure the valve annulus.

A soft tissue fixing anchor includes: an anchor member which is inserted to the bone cavity interior and prevented from moving in the bone cavity interior by the artificial joint when the artificial joint is implanted; and a suture of which one end portion is fixed to the anchor member and the other end portion is exposed to a bone cavity exterior of the bone so as to be sutured to the soft tissue.

A suspension fixation device includes a first fastener assembled to an adjustable loop of suture. The second fastener has a slot configured to allow the second fastener to be assembled to the suture loop once the suture loop has been passed through a drill hole. The second fastener further comprises a suture bridge formed through a post of the fastener for housing the suture loop while the slot is configured to prohibit the suture loop from migrating back out of the suture bridge.

A minimally invasive method of correcting a bunion includes performing an osteotomy to divide the metatarsal into first and second portions, creating a pocket in the first portion implanting a nail in the pocket, securing a suture to the joint capsule, tensioning the suture to align the great toe with the metatarsal, attaching the suture to the nail, and fastening the nail to the second portion. The nail includes an anchor portion for anchoring in the first portion, a head for attachment to a second portion, a passage for attachment of the suture, a first aperture for a fastener to attach the head with the first portion, and a second aperture for a fastener to attach the head with the second portion.

Methods and devices using measurements of heart electrophysiological activity to guide structural heart disease interventions. In some embodiments, measurements of heart electrophysiological activity are mapped into locations of a heart model defined by one or more additional measurement modalities. In some embodiments, the additional measurement modalities comprise impedance measurements. Locations to map electrophysiological data to, in some embodiments, are determined by non-electrophysiological measurements simultaneous with the electrophysiological data measurement which locate a probe—for example, measurements made by the probe itself, and/or measurements which themselves indicate positioning of the probe.

The present invention relates to tissue approximation and fixation, and surgical staples and staple placement devices for surgery and the like. The present invention includes surgical staples having solid first and second legs for anchoring into respective tissue portions, and an elastically deformable bridge monolithically formed with the first leg and the second leg, the legs each forming respective angles greater than 90 degrees with respective portions of said elastically deformable bridge. The present invention also includes staple insertion device comprising a handle portion and substantially parallel insertion portions extending from the handle, the insertion portions each having an interior lateral channel, and each insertion portions having a terminal point.

A needle and suture assembly is provided for use with an endoscopic suturing device with a needle holder arm. The needle assembly includes a needle tip and a needle body. The needle tip has a sharp end, a capture groove, a tab groove and a plug portion positioned between the capture groove and the tab groove. The needle body has first and second ends, tip tabs, retainers for removably retaining the needle body relative to the needle holder arm, and a suture opening. The needle tip is fixed relative to the needle body by plastic deformation of the tip tabs into the tab groove. A suture extends into the suture opening of the needle body and is fixed therein.

A method for coupling tissue with a flexible member including a tail and a self-locking construct coupled to the tail. The self-locking construct includes an adjustable first loop and an adjustable second loop coupled thereto. The method includes implanting an anchor in bone, the anchor slidably mounted to the tail. The tail is positioned relative to the tissue. An end of the tail is inserted through the first loop. The tail is passed through the first loop, the second loop is pulled into the anchor, and the self-locking construct is positioned relative to the tissue. The self-locking construct is tightened against the tissue by pulling on an end of the self-locking construct. The first loop is tightened onto the second loop.