This disclosure relates to the field of luminal surgery. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to medical devices that expand within a body lumen for accessing a target tissue. In an aspect, an expandable device for a body lumen may include a filament comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a length. The device may include a plurality of segments. Each segment may comprise a middle portion comprising a longitudinal axis extending axially therethrough, a projection portion extending from an end of the middle portion along the longitudinal axis, and a receptive portion extending from an opposing end of the middle portion away from the longitudinal axis, the receptive portion configured to receive the projection portion of an adjacent one of the plurality of segments. An aperture may be disposed through the projection portion, the middle portion, and the receptive portion.

Disclosed is a fenestrated bone anchor suitable for being anchored in live bone tissue of a human or animal patient. The bone anchor comprises a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end and a circumferential surface extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The shaft further comprises a longitudinal cavity extending from the proximal end towards the distal end and a plurality of lateral channels extending through a wall of the shaft from the axial cavity to the circumferential surface. The lateral channel has a pear-shaped cross section and/or the thickness of the wall increases gradually in selected ones of directions towards the lateral channels. The fenestrated bone anchor is e.g. a component of a surgical system comprising an interbody fusion device of the stand-alone type.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure may be a method for preparing a soft tissue graft, comprising: passing a suture material through the soft tissue graft adjacent to a graft support filament at a first longitudinal location along the filament and graft, such that the suture material passes through the graft on a first side of the filament; passing the suture material over the filament and back through the graft adjacent to the filament at a second longitudinal location spaced longitudinally along the filament and graft from the first longitudinal location, such that the suture material passes through the graft on the first side of the filament; and tensioning the suture material to secure the filament to the graft along a length of the suture material between the first longitudinal location and the second longitudinal location.

Dislodgment of a constricting cord from an annulus can be prevented by delivering the distal loop portion of the constricting cord to the annulus using a percutaneous delivery tool, and launching anchors into the annulus so as to affix the distal loop portion of the constricting cord to the annulus. The percutaneous delivery tool is withdrawn in a proximal direction after the anchors have been launched. A pushing member is pressed in a distal direction so that the pushing member holds a portion of the constricting cord against the annulus with enough pressure to prevent dislodgment of any of the anchors during the withdrawal of the percutaneous delivery tool.

A wicking component is integrated into an arthroscopically deployable bone anchor, and is intended to improve soft tissue-to-bone repair. Once deployed, the fibrous wick component extends from within the bone tunnel, out of the hole, and to the bone-tendon interface on the bone surface. The tissue is approximated against the bone, sandwiching the wick material between the bone and tissue. The wick component is ideally a polymeric fibrous or tissue-based scaffold that provides a pathway for cells (autologous bone marrow constituents and blood) to travel from within the bone to the soft tissue-bone interface, accelerating and promoting the healing response. The system provides a biomimetic structure that stimulates the extracellular matrix to encourage cell attachment and potentially improve the healing response. The wick component does not need to be integrated into a suture anchor and installed when the suture anchor is deployed. For example, the wick component could be placed above or near a traditional suture anchor after it has been deployed.

A knotless suture fastener installation system for securing medical devices such as cardiac implants. The knotless suture fasteners may be spring-biased so as to grip onto sutures passed therethrough. The system includes a fastener deployment tool with a proximal handle and a distal shaft to which a fastener cartridge attaches. A plurality of disposable cartridges are sequentially attached to the end of the deployment tool and used to secure the medical implant one fastener at a time. The deployment tool may also cut the sutures being fastened.

A suture transport system is disclosure for placing a flexible member along a tunnel, the system including a means of transporting a flexible member along a tunnel from a first opening in the tunnel through to a second opening at an opposite end of the tunnel, such that the flexible member extends from both the first and second opening. The system also includes a means of capturing a portion of the flexible member at the second opening, to inhibit the flexible member from retracting into the tunnel second opening. The means of capturing includes an aperture for capturing the portion of the flexible member.

A method and apparatus for coupling a soft tissue implant into a locking cavity formed within a bone is disclosed. A bone engaging fastener is coupled to bone. A second fastener is coupled to a suture construction. The second fastener is coupled to the first fastener. Soft tissue is coupled to the suture construction.

Devices and methods for gastrointestinal bypass are described. A gastrointestinal bypass device includes a gastrointestinal cuff and a gastrointestinal sleeve. The cuff may be configured to be attached in the esophagus, and may be sufficiently flexible to expand and collapse to conform with the inside of the esophagus to allow the esophagus to function substantially normally. The sleeve is configured to be coupled to the cuff, and may be made of a material that is floppy or flaccid but does not substantially expand radially.

A medical device includes a surgical needle attached to a mesh suture having anti-roping elements. The suture is constructed of a flat macroporous mesh wall that facilitates and allows tissue integration subsequent to introduction to the body, thereby preventing suture pull-through and improving biocompatibility. Advantageously, the anti-roping elements serve to maintain the desired construct of the flat mesh wall when undergoing axial tensile loads by resisting elongation and loss of outer mesh wall macroporosity.