Provided is an operation handle capable of shortening an entire length and enhancing operability. The slide mechanism (S) comprises a rotating body (4) that rotates in conjunction with a rotation of the thumbwheel (3) as the rotating wheel and a slide body (5) that engages with the rotating body (4), slides. The slide body (5) is configured by a 1.sup.st divided body (6) formed with a 1.sup.st engaging part (6A) engaged with the rotating body (4) in the initial state, and a 2.sup.nd divided body (7) formed with a 2.sup.nd engaging part (7A) engaged with the rotating body (4) in the initial state and not engaged with the rotating body (4) in the position where the rotating body (4) and the 1.sup.st engaging part (6A) is not engaged with each other. A power transmitting means (T) that transmits a driving force of the 1.sup.st divided body (6) to the 2.sup.nd divided body (7), to integrally slide the 1.sup.st divided body (6) and the 2.sup.nd divided body (7), is provided. When the engagement between the rotating body (4) and the 1.sup.st engaging part (6A) is not engaged and the 1.sup.st divided body (6) is stopped, the rotating body (4) is engaged with the 2.sup.nd engaging part (7A) and the 2.sup.nd divided body (7) slides to the proximal side (A).

A system and method of delivering and detaching an implant within a body of a patient is described. A tether connects an implant with a delivery device. The delivery device includes a heater coil through which the tether passes. The inner diameter of the heater coil is about the same size or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tether, allowing the tether to more efficiently break the tether during delivery.

A prosthetic cardiac valve comprises an anchor having an atrial skirt, an annular region, and a ventricular skirt. The prosthetic valve also has a plurality of prosthetic valve leaflets each having a first end and a free end. The first end is coupled with the anchor and the free end is opposite the first end. The prosthetic cardiac valve has an open configuration in which the free ends of the prosthetic valve leaflets are disposed away from one another to allow antegrade blood flow therepast, and a closed configuration in which the free ends of the prosthetic valve leaflets engage one another and substantially prevent retrograde blood flow therepast. The anchor has a collapsed configuration for delivery to the heart and an expanded configuration for anchoring the prosthetic cardiac valve to a patient's heart.

An intravascular device for treating a cerebral aneurysm, the device comprising an externally controllable expandable member, the expandable member comprising a plurality of wires that define walls of the expandable member; wherein in a relaxed state of the expandable member the walls comprise at least a first wall portion in which openings defined between the wires are small enough to prevent coils positioned within the aneurysm from exiting the aneurysm, the first wall portion comprising an axial length at least as long as a neck of the aneurysm; and at least a second wall portion in which openings defined between the wires are large enough to allow blood flow through; the second wall portion axially aligned relative to the first wall portion. In some embodiments, openings of the first wall portion are small enough to reduce radial blood flow to and/or from the aneurysm.

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for deploying and/or retrieving an object (e.g., a vena cava filter) in a cavity (e.g., a vena cava) using a system configured to: (i) maintain grip of the unsheathed object in the cavity until deliberately released, (ii) prevent premature release of the object in the cavity, and/or (iii) facilitate retrieval by first everting said object, then withdrawing the object through a guiding catheter (e.g., retrieval via eversion).

An expandable substantially spherical structure for deployment in a blood vessel or other body lumen, comprising: an open frame formed out of a closed loop of filament and configured to assume (i) a collapsed configuration in the form of a substantially two-dimensional elongated loop structure so as to facilitate insertion into the blood vessel or other body lumen, and (ii) an expanded configuration in the form of a three-dimensional substantially spherical structure so as to facilitate retention at a site in the blood vessel or other body lumen; and a flow-restricting face carried by the open frame; wherein the open frame is configured so as to permit substantially normal flow therethrough when the open frame is in its expanded configuration, and further wherein the flow-restricting face is configured so as to restrict flow therethrough.

The present disclosure relates to a delivery catheter and the stepwise release of a stent from the catheter into the vasculature of a patient, as well as a loading device for a transcatheter heart valve (THV) prosthesis.

A delivery device prevents longitudinal expansion of an aortic prosthesis under compression by engagement of a clutch with a pin upon release of a handle rotating a gearing mechanism about the pin that advances the aortic prosthesis during endovascular implantation at a surgical site.

An implantable device for reducing pulsatile pressure within a blood vessel is described herein, for example to treat pulmonary hypertension. The implantable device may include a fluid reservoir, a compliant member (e.g., a balloon), and a conduit coupled to the fluid reservoir and the compliant member. Advanced designs for anchoring the compliant member in the blood vessel are described. In addition, enhanced reservoir, conduit, and balloon designs, as well as methods for implanting/using the same, are provided.

Devices, methods and systems for transmitting signals through a device located in a blood vessel of an animal, for stimulating and/or sensing activity of media proximal to the device, wherein the media includes tissue and/or fluid.