A method of manufacturing a bead assembly for a sphincter augmentation device includes initiating 3D printing of a unibody housing such that the unibody housing defines a first opening, a chamber, and a magnet chamber. The method further includes pausing the 3D printing process, inserting a magnet within the magnetic chamber, and then resuming 3D printing of the unibody housing to form a hermetic seal between the magnet chamber and an external surface of the unibody housing.

An apparatus includes a plurality of links and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the plurality of links and is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. Each bead includes a housing, a passageway extending through the housing, and at least one annular magnet disposed around the passageway of the bead. The at least one annular magnet includes an aperture defining a magnet axis. The at least one annular magnet of each of the beads is configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. For at least one of the plurality of beads, the at least one annular magnet includes a feature configured to concentrate or diffuse a magnetic field interaction of adjacent beads of the plurality of beads toward the magnet axis.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads, a linking assembly joining the beads together, and an integrated adjustment assembly. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. The integrated adjustment assembly is integrated with the plurality of beads of the linking assembly. The integrated adjustment assembly is operable to selectively adjust either the maximum radius or the minimum radius of the beads and the linking assembly while remaining integrated with the plurality of beads or the linking assembly.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads, and a linking assembly. Each bead in the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet and a unibody housing encasing and sealing the at least one magnet. The unibody housing includes a magnetically inert material being formed of a particulate powder composition. The linking assembly joins the bedad together such that the beads and the linking assembly in arranged in an annular arrangement sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure of a patient. The loop may transition between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration while being magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads.

An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the at least one link and is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. Each bead includes a magnet configured to emit a magnetic field and a non-magnetic feature disposed between the adjacent magnets. The magnetic fields of adjacent magnets of adjacent beads of the plurality of beads are configured to proportionately change based on a distance between the adjacent beads. The magnet of each of the beads is configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. The non-magnetic feature is configured to create a temporary magnetic braking force by temporarily altering the proportionate change of the magnetic fields once the adjacent beads are in a close proximity state.

An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the at least one link. The housing includes a magnet chamber. The magnet is configured to emit a magnetic field to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. The magnet is sized and configured to move within the magnet chamber. A consistent angular orientation of adjacent housings is determined by at least one of the following adjustment parameters: a magnitude of the magnetic fields of adjacent magnets disposed in the adjacent housings by altering a distance between the adjacent housings, a directionality of the adjacent magnets within adjacent magnet chambers by allowing for twist of the magnet within the magnet chamber, or a freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing the magnets to move laterally within the respective magnet chambers.

An apparatus includes a plurality of links and a plurality of beads interconnected together using the plurality of links. Each link of the plurality of links defines a chord length. The plurality of beads is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. Each bead of the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet configured to emit a magnetic field. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure. Adjacent magnetic fields of adjacent magnets of the adjacent beads are configured to interact until separated past a minimum threshold in response the annular arrangement moving from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration. The minimum threshold is based on the chord length of the links.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a linking assembly joining the beads together. The beads include a housing defining a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber extending between the first opening and the second opening. A magnet is contained within the housing. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. The linking assembly includes a first link element having an elongate body extending in the chamber of the first bead and a sealing element attached to the elongate body housed within the first opening of the first bead to thereby form a hermetic seal.

Reinforced biocomposite materials. According to at least some embodiments, medical implants are provided that incorporate novel structures, alignments, orientations and forms comprised of such reinforced bioabsorbable materials, as well as methods of treatment thereof.

There is provided a method for controlling a flow of sperms in a uterine tube of a female patient. The method comprises electrically stimulating a uterine tube wall portion by controlling an implanted stimulation device from at least one of an external control unit and an internal control unit, wherein the electrically stimulating causes contraction of the uterine tube wall portion along a length of the portion to restrict the flow of sperms in the uterine tube.