A prosthetic heart valve includes a stent extending in a longitudinal direction, the stent being formed of a plurality of struts forming cells and having a plurality of commissure features, a collapsed condition and an expanded condition. A valve assembly may be secured to the stent, the valve assembly including a cuff and a plurality of leaflets. The cuff may be formed of a fabric and a second material different from the fabric, the cuff having commissure peaks and a plurality of midpeaks disposed between the commissure peaks. Each of the leaflets may have a free edge.

A device for efficiently attaching a sheet-shaped object to a target site includes a support body for supporting a sheet-shaped object, and a protective member having a low coefficient of friction for protecting one surface of the support, in which the support body supporting the sheet-shaped object is rolled while being protected by the protective member and can be inserted into a tubular body.

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.

An adjustable midurethral sling is provided. The adjustable midurethral sling includes a midurethral sling, a frame, an adjustment suture, a housing, two end parts, tunnel opening hooks, outlets, and tunnel opening hook insertion holes. The adjustable midurethral sling is used in a surgical treatment of an involuntary leakage, wherein the involuntary leakage is defined as a urinary incontinence in cases of an abdominal pressure increase as a result of coughing, sneezing etc.

A delivery apparatus for a prosthetic heart valve includes a shaft, an inner balloon, and an outer balloon. The shaft has a lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion and a plurality of openings formed in the distal end portion. The shaft is configured such that a fluid can flow through the lumen and the openings. The inner balloon has end portions and a center portion disposed between the end portions. The inner balloon is mounted on the distal end portion of the shaft and is in fluid communication with the openings of the shaft. When the inner balloon is inflated with the fluid, the end portions expand farther radially outwardly than the center portion. The outer balloon is mounted to the shaft and disposed over the inner balloon. The outer balloon is configured to fully expand after the inner balloon at least partially expands.

A silicone prosthesis delivery apparatus and associated methods are disclosed for facilitating the transport and subsequent insertion of a silicone prosthesis into a surgically developed pocket of a patient. In at least one embodiment, a flexible, substantially funnel-shaped delivery sleeve is configured for receiving and subsequently expelling the prosthesis therefrom. The delivery sleeve provides a substantially conical-shaped entry portion and a substantially conical-shaped exit portion, the entry portion and exit portion opposingly positioned and joined with one another so as to form a relatively larger diameter middle section. A tapered free end of the entry portion provides an entry opening configured for allowing the prosthesis to selectively pass therethrough when the prosthesis is inserted into the delivery sleeve. A tapered free end of the exit portion provides an exit opening configured for allowing the prosthesis to selectively pass therethrough when the prosthesis is expelled from the delivery sleeve.

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 delivery apparatus for a prosthetic heart valve includes a shaft, an inner balloon, and an outer balloon. The shaft has a lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion and a plurality of openings formed in the distal end portion. The shaft is configured such that a fluid can flow through the lumen and the openings. The inner balloon has end portions and a center portion disposed between the end portions. The inner balloon is mounted on the distal end portion of the shaft and is in fluid communication with the openings of the shaft. When the inner balloon is inflated with the fluid, the end portions expand farther radially outwardly than the center portion. The outer balloon is mounted to the shaft and disposed over the inner balloon. The outer balloon is configured to fully expand after the inner balloon at least partially expands.

A delivery apparatus for a prosthetic heart valve includes a shaft, an inner balloon, and an outer balloon. The shaft has a lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion and a plurality of openings formed in the distal end portion. The shaft is configured such that a fluid can flow through the lumen and the openings. The inner balloon has end portions and a center portion disposed between the end portions. The inner balloon is mounted on the distal end portion of the shaft and is in fluid communication with the openings of the shaft. When the inner balloon is inflated with the fluid, the end portions expand farther radially outwardly than the center portion. The outer balloon is mounted to the shaft and disposed over the inner balloon. The outer balloon is configured to fully expand after the inner balloon at least partially expands.

An expandable stent-valve has a stent component and a valve component, preferably an aortic valve component, a mitral valve component or a tricuspid valve component. The stent has, an outer surface area structured in a manner such that the surface area has a higher coefficient of friction between the outer surface and a duct wall than an untreated surface area of the stent component. The surface area is preferably structured with micro-incisions or micro-grooves.