Described is a prosthetic valve, comprising: an expandable stent including an inner lumen and having a first and a second end; and a spring attached to the first end of the expandable stent; wherein the expandable stent and the spring can expand radially to a desired diametric configuration in order to anchor the prosthetic valve at an implantation position in a body lumen. Related systems and methods.

A delivery system for delivering a heart valve prosthesis includes a heart valve prosthesis and a delivery catheter. The heart valve prosthesis includes an anchoring member and an inner valve support, and further includes a radially collapsed configuration and a radially expanded configuration. The delivery catheter includes a handle, an outer shaft, an intermediate shaft, an inner shaft, and a distal tip component. The delivery catheter further includes a delivery configuration. In the delivery configuration, the outer shaft of the delivery catheter is configured to retain a first portion of the anchoring member, the intermediate shaft is configured to retain a first portion of the inner valve support, and the distal tip component is configured to retain a second end of the anchoring member and a second end of the inner valve support each in a radially compressed state.

A catheter device includes a tube, and an extracorporeal unit coupled to a proximal end of the tube. An implant includes a series of anchors and a tether. The series of anchors includes a first anchor and other anchors, arranged along the extracorporeal unit. Each of the anchors includes a tissue-engaging element, and a head that defines an eyelet. The tether extends, along the extracorporeal unit, through the eyelet of each of the other anchors to the first anchor such that (i) the first anchor is advanceable, with a distal end of the tether, distally into and through the tube toward the tissue, and (ii) subsequently, the other anchors are slidable, sequentially, over and along the tether, distally into and through the tube toward the first anchor. Other applications are also described.

A minimally-invasive annuloplasty ring for implant at a mitral annulus. The annuloplasty ring has an inner core member with a C-shaped plan view that generally defines an oval with a major axis and a minor axis, and is symmetric about the minor axis. A posterior portion of the core member bisected by the minor axis has a thicker radial dimension than a pair of free end regions terminating on an anterior side of the core member. The radial thickness smoothly transitions between the posterior portion and the end regions. The inner core member may be covered with a fabric, and is a superelastic metal so that it can be straightened out and delivered through an access tube. The curvatures and thicknesses around the core member are selected so that the strain experienced when straightened does not exceed 7-8%.

Cartilage support implants for nasal valve support and delivery systems are described. The cartilage support implant can include one or more elongate bodies comprising one or more anchors. The cartilage support implant can be designed to be a permanent implant extending along the midline of a patient's nose, from the nasal bone to the lower lateral cartilage. Methods of placing the cartilage support implant and retrieving the cartilage support implant are also described.

A prosthetic valve prosthesis including a stent body and a valve leaflet assembly is disclosed. The stent body includes a first stent and a second stent. The first stent is provided with a connecting end. The second stent includes several stent rods, and the several stent rods are fixed to the connecting end of the first stent respectively. The valve leaflet assembly is provided with a first valve leaflet fixing portion, and the valve leaflet assembly is fixed to the connecting end of the first stent by the first valve leaflet fixing portion.

A method of providing support in an aortic region. The method includes wrapping a landing band around an outside of a portion of an aortic vessel in a vicinity of a sinotubular junction (STJ) to form a wrapped portion of the aortic vessel. The method further includes securing the landing band to form a secured landing band. The method also includes endovascularly delivering a stent graft in a radially constricted configuration into the aortic vessel. The method also includes deploying the stent graft to a radially expanded configuration such that the stent graft contacts the wrapped portion of the aortic vessel. The method also includes connecting the stent graft in the radially expanded configuration to the secured landing band.

A reversible vasectomy device suitable for reverse vasectomy operations is presented. More specifically, the present invention may take the form of a stent device that installs along the severed vas deferens such that the vas deferens ends are opened and coupled together. The reversible vasectomy device is made out of an absorbable material, allowing the reversible vasectomy device to be absorbed by the body, leaving only the connected vas deferens once the healing process is completed. The reversible vasectomy device contains a first connection element, a second connection element, and a mid-section. The mid-section is connected between the first connection element and the second connection element. The first connection element, the second connection element, and the mid-section are in fluid communication with each other.

Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve, including: a replacement valve adapted to be delivered endovascularly to a vicinity of the heart valve; an expandable anchor adapted to be delivered endovascularly to the vicinity of the heart valve; and a lock mechanism configured to maintain a minimum amount of anchor expansion. The invention also includes a method for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve. In some embodiments the method includes the steps of: endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve; expanding the anchor to a deployed configuration; and locking the anchor in the deployed configuration.

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems used to deliver a prosthetic heart valve assembly. In embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve assembly, including a self-expandable support structure and a self-expanding heart valve, are advanced through the aortic arch of a patient using a delivery system. The support structure, which includes a plurality leaflet retaining arms, is at least partially expanded and positioned on or adjacent to the outflow side of the aortic valve. The prosthetic heart valve is positioned in the aortic valve. The prosthetic heart valve is expanded while it is within an interior of the support structure and while the support structure is positioned on or adjacent to the outflow side of the aortic valve, thereby causing one or more native leaflets of the aortic valve to be frictionally secured between the arms of the support structure and the expanded prosthetic heart valve.