A joint prosthesis comprises a first component and a second component being connected via a ball-and-socket-joint, wherein the first component comprises two outward spherical sections, at least one of the spherical sections having a projection; the ball-and-socket-joint comprises two gliding blocks each having an inward spherical section and at least one of the gliding blocks comprising a hole, the gliding blocks being attached to the second component, the outward spherical sections are in gliding engagement with the inward spherical sections of the gliding blocks so that the first component is movably attached to the second component; and the projection is inserted into one of the holes of the gliding blocks, so as to limit the mobility of the ball-and-socket-joint.

A system includes a core and a catheter for use with (A) a first atrial arm and a first ventricular arm articulatable with respect to each other at a first articulation site to clamp one leaflet of a patient's native heart valve, and (B) a second atrial arm and a second ventricular arm articulatable with respect to each other at a second articulation site to clamp another native leaflet of the native valve. The core tapers in a distal direction toward its smallest perimeter, defining a minimum nonzero angle of the atrial arms with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the core. The catheter advances the core and the arms toward the native valve. The catheter and the core have an advancement configuration in which the smallest perimeter of the core is adjacent to the first and second articulation sites. Other embodiments are also described.

An implant includes a clip and a clip-controller interface. The clip is disposed laterally from a central longitudinal axis of the implant, includes first and second arms articulatably coupled to each other, and sandwiches a leaflet of a heart valve between the first and second arms by articulation between the first and second arms, such that the second arm is disposed laterally from the first arm. The clip-controller interface is reversibly coupled to a clip controller of a delivery tool, and includes first and second portions. The first portion is linearly slidable by the clip controller. The second portion is articulatably coupled to the first portion and to the second arm, such that linear sliding of the first portion causes the second portion to (i) articulate with respect to the first portion, and (ii) push the second arm to articulate toward the axis. Other embodiments are also described.

An expandable intervertebral implant is provided for insertion into an intervertebral space defined by adjacent vertebrae. The expandable intervertebral implant includes a pair of outer sleeve portions and an inner core disposed between the outer sleeve portions. Movement of the inner core relative to the outer sleeve portions causes the outers sleeve portions to deflect away from each other, thereby engaging the expandable intervertebral implant with the vertebrae and adjusting the height of the intervertebral space.

A delivery apparatus for implanting a prosthetic heart valve includes one or more shafts and a handle coupled to the one or more shafts. The handle comprises one or more knobs, one or more adjustment mechanisms, and/or one or more control mechanisms. The knobs are configured for actuating the one or more adjustment mechanisms and/or the one or more control mechanisms. The one or more adjustment mechanisms are configured for moving the shafts relative to each other and/or relative to the handle. The one or more control mechanisms are configured for limiting the direction of movement and/or force applied to the one or more shafts.

A prosthetic heart valve comprises an annular frame comprising a plurality of interconnected struts, wherein the frame is radially compressible and expandable between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state. A plurality of leaflets are situated within the frame, each leaflet comprising a main body, two opposing commissure tabs arranged on opposite sides of the main body and two opposing sub-commissure tabs arranged on opposite sides of the main body. Each commissure tab of a leaflet is paired with an adjacent commissure tab of an adjacent leaflet to form a commissure that is coupled to the frame. Each sub-commissure tab is paired with an adjacent sub-commissure tab of an adjacent leaflet and connected thereto, wherein each pair of sub-commissure tabs extends radially inwardly relative to the frame.

A tubular stent formed of at least one wire includes proximal and distal ends and an intermediate part that includes annular windings extending in a circumferential direction around a longitudinal axis of the stent and arranged in a direction along the longitudinal axis. Each of the windings has hill-shaped sections bent toward the proximal end and valley-shaped sections bent toward the distal end, alternately arranged in the circumferential direction. All sections form intersections helically arranged around the longitudinal axis. The hill-shaped sections of one of the windings and the valley-shaped sections of the neighboring winding overlap each other at the intersections in a radial direction of the stent. Distances in the direction of the longitudinal axis between the hill-shaped and the valley-shaped sections of a first winding forming at least one of the proximal and distal ends are different from each other in a circumferential direction of the stent.

In some examples, a delivery device includes a handle that includes a control member, an elongate body, a plurality of arms extending from a distal portion of the elongate body to a distal collar configured to releasably couple to an annuloplasty device. The plurality of arms is operatively coupled to the control member and configured to position the annuloplasty device at a target site in a patient. The delivery device further comprises a plurality of anchors configured to secure the annuloplasty device to tissue at the target site, each respective anchor of the plurality of anchors deployable from a respective arm of the plurality of arms.

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.

An expandable intervertebral implant is provided for insertion into an intervertebral space defined by adjacent vertebrae. The expandable intervertebral implant includes a pair of outer sleeve portions and an inner core disposed between the outer sleeve portions. Movement of the inner core relative to the outer sleeve portions causes the outers sleeve portions to deflect away from each other, thereby engaging the expandable intervertebral implant with the vertebrae and adjusting the height of the intervertebral space.