The invention relates to a biohybrid for the use thereof in the regeneration of neural tracts, comprising an implantable tubular hybrid structure which is degradable and biocompatible and characterized in that it comprises three layers of different porosity: an inner layer a), an intermediate layer b) and an outer layer c), with uninterrupted connection among them, the three layers consisting of the same porous hydrogel based on cross-linked hyaluronic acid, a biohybrid comprising the hybrid tubular structure described, which can contain a fibrous material, preferably poly-L-lactic acid, to a method for producing said tubular hybrid structure and said biohybrid, and to the use of same for regenerating neural tracts in diseases that affect the central nervous system, preferably Parkinson's disease.

The present invention provides valve prostheses adapted to be initially crimped in a narrow configuration suitable for catheterization through body ducts to a target location and adapted to be deployed by exerting substantially radial forces from within by means of a deployment device to a deployed state in the target location.

A blood flow regulator for creating a shunt in the heart, comprising; a proximal element having a general disc-shape, defined by a braid of one or more wires extending about a central aperture of the proximal element; a distal element having a general disc-shape, defined by a braid of one or more wires extending about a central aperture of the distal element; and a third element defining a neck section intermediate the proximal and distal elements and forming a cavity having a diameter no greater than a diameter of each of the distal and proximal elements, wherein said distal element comprises at least one loop of a wire extending radially outwardly from a center of the distal element and returning towards said center of said distal element.

A method for replicating a structure of a biological tissue provides a plastically deformable film that is subjected to a pressure in order to press it into a mold. The mold comprises formations for pit-like depressions, recesses and notches. The recesses each border on at least one of the pit-like depressions and are opened up. The notches form at least one film hinge in the film. The shaped film is folded into a stack having at least two layers of film, the film hinge forming the folding edge for the folding process. The pit-like depressions are closed along their direction of extension by a neighboring layer of the stack and form each time a capillary. At least two of the opened recesses are arranged one on top of another and form a canal arranged perpendicular to the plane of extension of the film.

The embodiments provide a spinal implant that is configured for midline insertion into a patient's intervertebral disc space. The spinal implant may have a body and the body comprises one or more apertures. The apertures receive fixation elements, such as a screw and the like. The fixation element may comprise one or more anti-backout features, such as a split ring. In addition, at least some of the apertures are designed to permit a predetermined amount of nutation by a fixation element. The apertures that allow nutation enable the fixation element to toggle from one position to another, for example, during subsidence of the implant in situ. Some of the apertures may be configured to rigidly lock with the fixation elements. Moreover, the spinal implant may include features, such as one or more bores, that can accommodate imaging marks to help guide a surgeon.

The invention relates to an implantable prosthetic device for the repair of connective tissue in an animal or a human. In one embodiment, an implantable prosthetic device (100) for the repair of connective tissue (500) in an animal or human is disclosed which comprises a biocompatible pad (101) having an open structure to provide a scaffold for the in-growth of tissue into the pad; and a reinforcement region (206) attached to or formed integrally with the pad. The device is arranged so that it can be attached to tissue by forming a puncture (301) either a) within the reinforcement region, or b) in an area of the pad which is inboard of the reinforcement region, so that a suture (300) can be located through the puncture, the reinforcement region serving to support tensile loading in the device during use by resisting pull-through of the suture.

A method includes mixing a polymer, an organic solvent, and a porogen such that an initial paste is formed. The method also includes in-situ shaping the initial paste; creating a plurality of channels within the shaped paste and removing the organic solvent from the shaped paste such that a solidified perforated paste is formed; and leaching out the porogen from the solidified perforated paste such that a porous scaffold is formed.

Aspects of the disclosure relate methods and synthetic scaffolds for regenerating gastrointestinal tissue (e.g., esophageal tissue).

One or more embodiments of the present invention are directed to a medical device having a textured surface with an arithmetical mean height value (Sa) below 3.0 μm and a developed interfacial area ratio (Sdr) above 1.0 and a density of peaks (Spd) above 1×10.sup.6 peaks/mm.sup.2; a process of preparing such a medical device using a microstructured template; and a method of treating a mammal with such a medical device.

The present invention relates to a resorbable polymeric mesh implant, that is intended to be used in the reconstruction of soft tissue defects. The mesh implant has at least a first and a second material, wherein the second material is substantially degraded at a later point in time than the first material following the time of implantation. The mesh implant is adapted to have a predetermined modulus of elasticity that gradually is decreased until the mesh implant is completely degraded and subsequently resorbed. Due to the gradual decrease in the modulus of elasticity of the inventive mesh implant, the regenerating tissue may gradually take over the load applied to the tissue defect area. Interstices between individual filaments of multifilaments create a capillary effect for cells within the body.