Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing a lacerated tendon or ligament adjacent a repair site. In one embodiment, a repair device includes an elongated flexible structure and multiple anchors, the multiple anchors pre-positioned with the elongated flexible structure. The repair device may be coupled to the tendon or ligament at the repair site with a delivery device. The repair device may be pre-positioned in a cartridge such that the cartridge is loaded into the delivery device. The lacerated tendon or ligament is positioned within a cradle portion of the delivery device such that the tendon is positioned between the cradle portion and the cartridge that holds the repair device. The delivery device may then be triggered to actuate and drive the repair device from the cartridge to couple to the lacerated tendon or ligament. In this manner, the repair device may be anchored to the lacerated tendon.

Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing soft tissue, such as, a lacerated tendon. A repair device includes a frame having a tubular structure with a longitudinal length and struts at least partially defining the tubular structure. The frame includes a first portion and a second portion with an intermediate portion therebetween, each extending along the longitudinal length. The intermediate portion is configured to substantially maintain a fixed position and is configured to be positioned over first and second ends of the lacerated tendon to substantially maintain the first end abutted against the second end. The first portion and the second portion of the frame are configured to be positioned over separate portions of the tendon and configured to move and elongate along a length of the respective first portion and second portion of the frame as the portions of the tendon elongate.

A device and method for repairing a mitral valve leaflet 2, 3. The device 10 includes a body 16 having an annular wall 18 and at least one aperture 22 through the annular wall 18. A deployment assembly 24 mounted on the body includes at least one grasping wire 28 arranged for sliding movement in the aperture 22. Movement of the deployment assembly 24 to a deployed position relative to the body causes a free end of the grasping wire 28 to project out from the annular wall 18 through the aperture 22, and movement of the deployment assembly to a retracted position relative to the body causes the free end of the grasping wire 28 to not project out from the annular wall 18. In the deployed position, the grasping wire 28 may grasp and gather tissue of the leaflet 2,3.

Implantable medical devices for connecting tissue layers, such as for connecting a gallbladder and a portion of a gastrointestinal tract to create an anastomosis, include a tubular structure having a plurality of apposition portions, a central region, and a covering material. The methods of using the devices include endoscopic deployment, and the devices may include self-expanding frameworks that facilitate a secure connection between the tissue structures.

Devices and methods for body conduit lengthening and anastomosis creation can be used to treat patients with a variety of health conditions. For example, among other uses, this document describes esophageal lengthening and anastomosis devices that can be used to remedy esophageal atresia in neonatal patients.

There is provided a lumen maintenance catheter used for vascular suture, in which an operator can stably grip the catheter to improve the operability, and the entire catheter is prevented from entering a blood vessel. The lumen maintenance catheter for vascular suture includes a shaft having flexibility and a bulging part bulging in a radial direction at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the shaft includes a small diameter part on a distal end side, and a large diameter part larger in diameter than the small diameter part, on a rear end side, the small diameter part and the large diameter part are connected by an inclined part that is inclined so that a diameter of the shaft increases toward the rear end side, and the rigidity of the shaft increases as the diameter increases.

A surgical suturing apparatus includes an end effector including a jaw assembly and a needle assembly. The jaw assembly includes first and second jaws movable between open and closed positions. Each of the first and second jaws includes a tissue facing surface having an elongated rail and a longitudinal row of teeth. Each tooth of the longitudinal rows of teeth of the first and second jaws includes a needle channel extending therethrough. The elongated rails and the longitudinal rows of teeth of the first and second jaws are disposed in opposed relation relative to each other. The needle assembly includes a first needle, a second needle, and a suture coupled to the first and second needles. The first needle is slidable through the needle channels of the first jaw and the second needle is slidable through the needle channels of the second jaw.

Described here are devices and methods for treating hypertension by forming a fistula between two blood vessels to reduce blood pressure of a patient. The fistula may be formed using a catheter having an electrode that is placed in a first blood vessel. In some instances, a desired amount of blood pressure is determined. In other instances, the hypertension is drug resistant hypertension.

A tissue removal system is provided which enables optimally performing a full-thickness resection of a hollow organ while minimizing invasiveness. In this tissue removal system, a tissue pressing tool which has a tissue contacting part and which is guided into the abdominal cavity, and a resection and anastomosis device work together. The resection and anastomosis device resects and performs anastomosis of tissue positioned between a main body and an anvil part, and, when pressing the tissue to be cut to the cutting position of the resection and anastomosis device by means of the tissue contacting part, the tissue contacting part is pressed against two abutment parts of the resection and anastomosis device.

Tissue anchors comprise a woven filament braid body having an elongated tubular configuration and a foreshortened configuration where proximal and distal ends of the body expand radially into double-walled flange structures while leaving a cylindrical saddle region therebetween. The tissue anchors are deployed through penetrations between adjacent tissue layers, where the flanges engage the outer surfaces of the tissue layers and the saddle region resides within the tissue penetrations.