An automated system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures. The system can include a first automated fixture that includes an articulating arm and a target device holder. The system can also include one or more additional automated fixtures, which can be configured as one or more suturing arms that include another articulating arm and a needle holder. The first automated fixture can be configured to rotate a target device held by the holder to allow the one or more additional automated fixtures to perform operations such as form sutures on the target device without intervention of a human operator. The system can include a display system configured to display status information of a suturing procedure.

A gastroesophageal reflux preventer and related methods are provided. A gastroesophageal reflux preventer is configured to be positioned around the exterior of a body organ and may include an elongate portion including a plurality of nodes positioned along at least a portion of the length of the elongate portion.

The invention described herein relates to telescoping stents. The embodiments described herein allow for adequate securement to, accommodation for movement by, and prevention of in of tubular organs or hollow areas of the body. Certain embodiments relate to telescoping stents with loop interlocking mechanisms. Further embodiments relate to telescoping stents with ball-in-groove interlocking mechanisms.

Apparatus and methods are described herein for various embodiments of a prosthetic heart valve, delivery apparatus and delivery methods for delivering a prosthetic heart valve to a heart of a patient via a transapical or transvascular delivery approach. In some embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve includes an outer frame coupled to an inner frame and the outer frame is movable between a first configuration relative to the inner frame and a second inverted configuration relative to the inner frame. The valve can be delivered to a heart using an apparatus that includes a delivery sheath that defines a lumen that can receive the prosthetic heart valve therein when the outer frame is in the inverted configuration. Actuation wires are releasably coupled to the outer frame and can be used to help revert the outer frame after the valve is deployed outside of the delivery sheath and within the heart.

A tubular prosthetic device for implantation into a body lumen includes a first part including a tubular lumen and a second part including an attachment member. The second part is secured to the first part via various configurations, where the device is capable of being reduced to a diameter less than the diameter of traditional devices, for ease of use during implantation. Methods of using the device are also provided.

Devices and methods are disclosed for the treatment or repair of regurgitant cardiac valves, such as a mitral valve. An annuloplasty device can be placed in the coronary sinus to reshape the mitral valve and reduce mitral valve regurgitation. A protective device can be placed between the annuloplasty device and an underlying coronary artery to inhibit compression of the underlying coronary artery by the annuloplasty device in the coronary sinus. In addition, the protective device can inhibit compression of the coronary artery from inside the heart, such as from a prosthetic mitral valve that exerts radially outward pressure toward the coronary artery. The annuloplasty device can also create an artificial inner ridge or retaining feature projecting into the native mitral valve region to help secure a prosthetic mitral valve.

A system for heart valve repair includes a packaging assembly for storing the replacement heart valve. The packaging assembly includes a valve support having a base for holding the replacement heart valve, a ring positioned within the valve support and configured to fit around a circumference of the replacement heart valve, and a retention mechanism. The retention mechanism includes a cap and plurality of sutures configured to be attached to the cap and to the replacement heart. The packaging assembly having a locked configuration in which the ring and the valve support are locked together and the sutures tension the replacement heart valve. The packaging assembly is designed to hold and transport a replacement heart valve and fits within a shipment jar.

A prosthetic heart valve including an annular frame and a plurality of leaflets is disclosed. The annular frame includes interconnected struts defining a plurality of rows of cells arranged between an outflow and inflow end of the frame and including an upper row of cells at the outflow end. The frame further includes a plurality of commissure windows formed between axially extending window struts of the frame, each commissure window arranged between axially extending window struts of two adjacent cells and having a commissure-receiving portion that is spaced away from an upper end of the two adjacent cells and an open end. Each leaflet includes opposing commissure tabs, each commissure tab being paired with an adjacent commissure tab of an adjacent leaflet to form a commissure, each commissure arranged within the commissure-receiving portion of a respective commissure window, the open end of the commissure window configured to receive the commissure.

A tension-distribution device includes a rotationally-symmetric structure and two or more suture-engagement features associated with the rotationally-symmetric structure, the suture-engagement features being configured to receive one or more suture portions therein. The two or more suture-engagement features are evenly spaced rotationally about an axial center of the rotationally-symmetric structure.

An implantable prosthetic device can include a frame movable between a radially compressed and a radially expanded configuration and a sealing member. The frame can include an inflow end portion, an outflow end portion, and a plurality of struts. The sealing member can be disposed around the frame and can include a cushioning layer comprising a plurality of texturized yarns extending along the longitudinal axis of the frame, and a base layer disposed between the cushioning layer and the frame.