Apparatus is provided for repairing a cardiac valve, the apparatus including a catheter sized for delivery through vasculature of a subject and an elongated and flexible annuloplasty structure having an elongated lumen and an annuloplasty structure axis extending along the lumen. The annuloplasty structure is sized and configured for delivery to a heart of the subject through the catheter substantially along a catheter axis of the catheter while the annuloplasty structure axis is substantially parallel to the catheter axis. The apparatus also includes a plurality of anchors configured for delivery to a region of cardiac tissue from a proximal end of the catheter toward a distal end of the catheter and substantially along the annuloplasty structure axis and the catheter axis while at least a portion of the annuloplasty structure is within a delivery passage of the catheter. Other embodiments are also described.

Bifurcated haptic aligner actuators (BHAAs) have an anterior and a posterior lens support ring to each of which is pivotively attached a plurality of center-pivoted struts, at least two of which comprise an opposing pair, and to each of the opposing pair of struts is pivotably attached a bifurcated haptic, one haptic branch being pivotably attached to the anterior part of a strut, the other branch of the same haptic being similarly attached to the posterior part of the same strut.

A system and method of repairing an ACL using a fixation device and a pre-sutured tendon. The fixation device includes a button having first and second inner apertures extending therethrough and a length of suture having a first limb connected to a second limb. The first and second limbs both extend through the first inner aperture, forming an adjustable loop in the length of suture extending from the button. A mass of suture material or a protuberance is formed in a first terminal end of the first limb extending proximally from the button. The mass of suture material and the protuberance have a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the first inner aperture. Pulling the second limb proximally from the button decreases the size of the adjustable loop.

A method of implanting a graft onto a proximal humerus includes securing a first suture anchor to a first portion of the proximal humerus and securing a second suture anchor to a second portion of the proximal humerus. The first suture anchor includes a first suture and the second suture anchor includes a second suture. The graft is inserted over the proximal humerus. The method further includes positioning the graft relative to the proximal humerus such that a lateral portion of the graft is oriented over a greater tuberosity of the proximal humerus and a medial portion of the graft is oriented over the medial greater tuberosity. The graft is secured to the proximal humerus via the first suture member and the second suture member. The method may also include securing the graft anteriorly to the subscapularis and/or posteriorly to the infraspinatus.

Disclosed herein is a combined introducer and expandable sheath having an inner member and an outer elastomeric jacket. The inner member has radially folded tapered segments in an unexpanded state that are mechanically unfolded and moved toward the inner wall of the elastomeric jacket by a medical device moving through the lumen of the inner member. The compressive outer elastomeric jacket returns the expanded inner member back to the radially folded, unexpanded state once the medical device has passed through the expanded lumen of the inner member. The structure can include a distal region that tapers to a rounded tip. The proximal region also tapers to mate with a hemostasis value housing.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a tissue shaping device adapted to be disposed in a vessel near a patient's heart to reshape the patient's heart. Such tissue shaping device can include an expandable proximal anchor; a proximal anchor lock adapted to lock the proximal anchor in an expanded configuration; an expandable distal anchor; a distal anchor lock adapted to lock the distal anchor in an expanded configuration; and a connector disposed between the proximal anchor and the distal anchor, the connector having a substantially non-circular cross-section.

A system (100) for a controlled stressing of a reconstructed or re-natured ligament of a human or animal body comprises an anchoring element (10) for implantation in a first bone (50), at least one connecting element (120) and a holding element (30), which fixes the at least one connecting element (20) in a second bone. According to the invention, an elastomer element (125) is arranged in the anchoring element and/or in the connecting element (120) and provides a defined elastic action through the cooperation of elastomer element (125) with the connecting element (120).

Bifurcated haptic aligner actuators (BHAAs) have an anterior and a posterior lens support ring to each of which is pivotively attached a plurality of center-pivoted struts, at least two of which comprise an opposing pair, and to each of the opposing pair of struts is pivotably attached a bifurcated haptic, one haptic branch being pivotably attached to the anterior part of a strut, the other branch of the same haptic being similarly attached to the posterior part of the same strut.

An epicardial anchor system comprising a tether attachment member defining a portion of a tether passageway configured to receive a portion of a tether extending from a heart valve, a base having a rim defining a void along a circumference of the rim, and a tether capture device adjacent the tether attachment member and hingedly attached to the epicardial anchor, the tether capture device including an opening configured to receive the portion of the tether therethrough and a slot configured to capture the portion of the tether extending through the opening, and an actuation mechanism configured to flip the tether capture device from an unactuated condition to an actuated condition, wherein in the unactuated condition, the tether capture device is spaced from the void defined by the rim, and in the actuated condition, a first portion of the tether capture device is positioned within the void defined by the rim.

Implants, devices, systems, and methods for achieving ligament fixation are disclosed. An implant comprises a cap member comprising an internally threaded opening extending from a first end thereof, an anchor portion comprising a first end that defines a tip of the implant and external threads, and a coupling portion extending between the cap member and the anchor portion. The coupling portion of the implant includes an externally threaded portion threadably coupled within the internally threaded opening of the cap member. The cap member of the implant is longitudinally moveable along the coupling portion. Insertion instruments for inserting an implant for ligament fixation are also disclosed. Methods of using an implant for achieving ligament fixation are also disclosed.