A prosthetic remodeling annuloplasty ring for use in tricuspid or mitral valve repairs to provide support after annuloplasty surgery. The annuloplasty ring includes a relatively rigid core extending around an axis that is discontinuous to define two free ends. A suture-permeable interface surrounding the core includes floppy regions adjacent both free ends of the core. Sutures are used to attach the annuloplasty ring to the annulus, including at least one suture through each of the floppy regions to secure the free ends of the ring and minimize the risk of ring dehiscence, or pull through of the sutures through the annulus tissue. The floppy regions may project from each free end into the gap toward each other, be radially enlarged such as paddle-like extensions, or may comprise outwardly lateral extensions at the free ends of the core.

A composition and medical implant made therefrom, the composition including a thick diffusion hardened zone, and preferably further including a ceramic layer. Also provided are orthopedic implants made from the composition, methods of making the composition, and methods of making orthopedic implants from the composition.

The invention pertains to implants that facilitate tissue expansion while not substantially inhibiting normal anatomical movement. The implants may be made of different materials or made in different configurations such that such that a measured property at a first location on said implant is different than said same measured property at a second location on said implant. In one particular embodiment the implants may be a cosmetic penile implant.

The invention is generally related to an intervertebral implant for replacing an intervertebral disc of the human spine. The intervertebral implant includes a first conformable endplate, the first conformable endplate being conformable to a boney vertebral endplate under an anatomical load, a second endplate and a core between the endplates, wherein the first conformable endplate partitions the core from the boney vertebral endplate, whereby the core does not contact the boney vertebral endplate. The invention is also directed to a method of replacing an intervertebral disc. The method includes removing at least a portion of an intervertebral disc to form an intervertebral disc space, implanting a first conformable endplate, into the intervertebral disc space and in contact with a first honey vertebral endplate, the first conformable endplate being conformable to the first boney vertebral endplate under an anatomical load; implanting a second endplate into the intervertebral disc space and in contact with a second boney vertebral endplate; and implanting a core between the first conformable endplate and the second endplate, wherein the first conformable endplate partitions the core from the first boney vertebral endplate, whereby the core does not contact the first boney vertebral endplate.

Catheter including an inner tubular member, an outer tubular member movable relative to the inner tubular member, and an expandable member coupled to the distal end portion of the inner tubular member. The expandable member having an inner chamber and transitionable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. A pressure chamber is defined by the proximal seal, the distal seal, the exterior surface of the inner tubular member and interior surface of the outer tubular member, with the pressure chamber in fluid communication with a fluid flow port, wherein fluid introduced through the fluid flow port and into the pressure chamber applies a force on the proximal seal to urge the outer tubular member in a proximal direction.

A voice prosthesis comprising a outer cannula and an inner cannula wherein the outer cannula is generally in the shape of a spool and comprises two flanges connected by a hollow annular stem therebetween, and the inner cannula comprises a proximal flange and a stem configured to fit within a passageway of the stem of the outer cannula. The outer cannula comprises a retaining slot on its outer proximal edge which can be used to rotationally secure an obround inner cannula proximal flange. The inner cannula may also comprise windows for use with retaining nubs disposed on the interior of the outer cannula passageway and an insertion tool having a moveable protrusions.

A prosthetic insertion apparatus and related methods of use in delivering filled prosthetic bladders through a skin incision and into a surgical cavity or pocket. The prosthetic insertion apparatus imparts control and retention properties to a surgical professional such the prosthetic bladder can be oriented and manipulated into the surgical cavity without risk of inadvertent dropping of the prosthetic bladder and without imparting damaging stress or torque to the bladder. Suitable materials can be utilized that are selected as having advantageous properties including lubricity, rigidity, easily sterilizable, and high strength.

A prosthetic tricuspid remodeling annuloplasty ring having two free ends that are upturned in the inflow direction to help avoid unnecessary leaflet abrasion. The free ends are desirably separated across a gap that is large enough to reduce the risk of passing sutures through the conductive system of the heart, yet not too large that support of the septal leaflet of the tricuspid annulus is degraded. The tricuspid ring may have four sequential segments looking from the inflow side and extending in a clockwise direction from a free end located adjacent the antero septal commissure after implant. The ring may define an inflow bulge in the first segment and/or an inflow bulge in the fourth segment that help the ring conform to the natural bulges created by the adjacent aorta, thereby reducing stress and the potential for ring dehiscence. Desirably, the ring has variable flexibility, either gradual and/or between or within different segments, so as to adapt or harmonize its 3-dimensional shape to each individual patient.

A penile sleeve device (PSD) that is an implantable subcutaneous penile shaft silicone rubber apparatus which has several functions such as to elongate, thicken, harden, straighten and custom shape a penis by enhancing penile girth and lengthening. One version of the PSD is a glans sleeve penile device (GSPD) having an elongated member having a C-shaped distal portion, a transitional portion and a shorter arcuate proximal portion and a pair of longitudinal edges with transversely-oriented V-cuts therein. A long term bio-implantable synthetic netting/mesh layer is formed into a mesh cover that fits closely around the GSPD to allow the patient's body to have granulation tissue form to the mesh cover to bind it to the penile skin dermis underside when implanted. For proper thickness of the mesh cover, silicone sheets can be secured underneath the mesh layer. Other PSDs, disclosed herein, can also use the mesh cover for same purposes.

Provided is a ureteral stent (=50) including a bladder portion (=52) positioned in a bladder of a patient, a kidney portion (=54) positioned in a kidney and ureteral passageway of the patient, and one or more tethers (=56) coupling the bladder portion to the kidney portion. The ureteral stent allows urine to pass around a blockage, and allows a ureter orifice connecting the ureteral passageway to the bladder to move between a compressed state and an uncompressed state to prevent or minimize urinary reflux, flank pain, blood in the urine, etc., while allowing the bladder portion to move freely in the bladder to prevent the bladder portion from irritating the trigone muscle.