Systems, devices and methods for repairing a native heart valve. In one embodiment, a repair device (100) for repairing a native mitral valve having an anterior leaflet and a posterior leaflet between a left atrium and a left ventricle comprises a support (110) having a contracted configuration and an extended configuration. In the contracted configuration, the support is sized to be inserted under the posterior leaflet between a wall of the left ventricle and chordae tendineae. In the extended configuration, the support is configured to project anteriorly with respect to a posterior wall of the left ventricle by a distance sufficient to position at least a portion of the posterior leaflet toward the anterior leaflet.

An example medical device for treating a body lumen is disclosed. The medical device includes an expandable scaffold including a first end region, a second end region opposite the first end region and an outer surface. The medical device also includes a covering disposed along the outer surface of the expandable scaffold, the covering having an outer surface. The medical device further includes a plurality of granular particles disposed along the covering. Additionally, the expandable scaffold is configured to shift from a collapsed state to an expanded state, the covering is configured to contact an inner surface of the body lumen in the expanded state and the granular particles are designed to prevent migration of the expandable scaffold upon implantation in the body lumen.

Stents as described herein can comprise a tubular body in which a midbody extends to a first end and also extends to an opposing second end, where the midbody includes a thread arranged helically along at least a portion of its length. The thread can exhibit various shapes and dimensions selected to enhance particular aspects of performance when the stent placed in an anatomical structure of a patient.

A soft prosthetic implant shell, such as a silicone breast implant shell, that has discrete fixation surfaces thereon for tissue adhesion. The fixation surfaces may be provided on the posterior face of the shell, as well as either on the periphery or at discrete areas on the anterior face. Band-shaped fixation surfaces may be provided on the anterior face of the shell to generally match the angle of pectoralis major or pectoralis minor muscle groups. The fixation surfaces may be roughened areas of the shell, or may be separate elements adhered to the shell.

The present disclosure provides stents, particularly self-expanding stents, useful for the GI tract, and more particularly, useful for treating esophageal strictures. The stents provided herein include a medial region and proximal and distal cuffs having external diameters greater than the medial region diameter when the stent is in the deployed state. The medial region comprises an open weave wire construction. An elastomeric coating circumscribes the medial region, while the may be an extension of the wire construction or separate elements. Preferably, the cuffs have a textured surface for contact with the esophageal wall tissue to resist stent migration. The elastomer coated medial region provides a barrier to tissue ingrowth, and has an enhanced radial restoring force to maintain an open passageway in a body lumen. Optionally, the stent includes an exterior sheath with a surface pattern, to which the stent couples. A low durometer sleeve, between the stent and body lumen, axial positioning of the stent relative to the body lumen. Consequently, precision in stent placement is provided without tissue damage that could result if positioning motion occurred between the surface texture and the body lumen.

A method of moving a stent device into an outer sheath of a stent device delivery system is disclosed. The stent device is crimped into a collapsed configuration onto the loading mandrel. The loading mandrel is pushed toward the outer sheath as the engaging surfaces resist relative longitudinal movement between the stent device and the loading mandrel to move the stent device into the outer sheath. Upon entering the outer sheath, the stent device expands radially until radially constrained by the outer sheath.

A stent includes a hollow wire formed into a stent pattern. The hollow wire includes an outer member, a lumen extending longitudinally within the hollow wire, at least one opening extending from an outer surface of the outer member to the lumen, and a surface area component within the hollow wire. The surface area component increases the amount of surface area available for tissue in-growth within the hollow wire. More than one surface area component may be utilized. Each surface area component may be disposed within the lumen or the at least one opening of the hollow wire. A pharmacologically or biologically active agent may be disposed within the lumen.

A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.

A soft prosthetic implant shell, such as a silicone breast implant shell, that has discrete fixation surfaces thereon for tissue adhesion. The fixation surfaces may be provided on the posterior face of the shell, as well as either on the periphery or at discrete areas on the anterior face. Band-shaped fixation surfaces may be provided on the anterior face of the shell to generally match the angle of pectoralis major or pectoralis minor muscle groups. The fixation surfaces may be roughened areas of the shell, or may be separate elements adhered to the shell.

A coated medical device (10) including a structure (12) adapted for introduction into a passage or vessel of a patient. The structure is formed of preferably a non-porous base material (14) having a bioactive material layer (18) disposed thereon. The medical device is preferably an implantable stent or balloon (26) of which the bioactive material layer is deposited thereon. The stent can be positioned around the balloon and another layer of the bioactive material posited over the entire structure and extending beyond the ends of the positioned stent. The ends of the balloon extend beyond the ends of the stent and include the bioactive material thereon for delivering the bioactive material to the cells of a vessel wall coming in contact therewith. The balloon further includes a layer of hydrophilic material (58) positioned between the base and bioactive material layers of the balloon.