The present invention relates to a method of making a highly flexible stent graft (100), the method comprising: providing a stent graft having a first and a second longitudinal end and a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the stent graft comprising a base stent (10), the base stent having a first covering material (14) provided on the inside of the base stent so as to line the lumen and a second covering material (12) provided on the outside of the base stent, locally ablating the second covering material without puncturing the first covering material to thereby increase the flexibility of the stent graft.

A delivery system for delivering a spiral anchor to a diseased native valve of a heart includes an anchor control catheter and an anchor guide extending from the anchor control catheter. The anchor guide includes a flexible configuration and a rigid configuration. The anchor guide in the rigid configuration includes a proximal section, a middle section, and a distal section. The proximal section includes a straight central axis and extends from the anchor control catheter, the middle section spirals axially and radially outwards from the central axis, and the distal section curves concentrically about the central axis in a plane that is perpendicular to the central axis.

The present disclosure describes endoluminal devices, such as stents and stent grafts capable of being bent smoothly, with various benefits resulting therefrom.

A hybrid medical device that can aid in reconstructive or augmentative surgery of the breast is disclosed. The device can utilize a suitable biological collagen tissue matrix combined with a synthetic material, for example, that can impart a high initial strength to the repair site while permitting proper healing and revitalization of the implanted device.

A stent including a tubular body formed of one or more interwoven wires, a first anchor member disposed adjacent the first open end of the stent, a second anchor member disposed adjacent the second open end of the stent, and at least one divider disposed between the first and second anchor members. The first and second anchor members and the divider extend radially outward from the tubular body to divide the tubular body into at least a first saddle region extending between the first anchor member and the divider and a second saddle region extending between the second anchor member and the divider.

A replacement heart valve includes an expandable frame for engaging a native valve annulus and a valve body positioned within the expandable frame. The valve body has an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein a diameter at the downstream end is greater than a diameter at the upstream end. The replacement heart valve also includes an elongate upstream portion having an inflow diameter, a transition portion that flares outwardly, and a downstream portion configured to engage a native valve annulus.

A stent graft comprises a plurality of wavy rings sequentially arranged in a spaced manner, and membranes fixed to the plurality of wavy rings, wherein the stent graft comprises, in a circumferential direction, at least one keel region and a non-keel region connected to the keel region, the keel region having an axial shortening rate that is less than that of the non-keel region, and the axial shortening rate of the keel region is 10-40%. The stent graft can be bent in all directions, and the keel region on the stent graft can provide a sufficient amount of an axial support force for the stent.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments directed to a device for minimally invasive medical treatment. The device being a hollow tube with a first end, a second end, and one or more anchors configured to extend outward from the exterior of the hollow tube. The hollow tube having a plurality of cutouts on the exterior, wherein the cutouts allow the hollow tube to be flexible. Additionally, the hollow tube may have at least one snap mechanism configured to connect the first end and the second end together.

A heart valve prosthesis includes a frame and a prosthetic disposed within a lumen of the frame. The frame includes a plurality of struts and crowns and has a radially collapsed state and a radially expanded state. A stiffness of the plurality of struts is varied by varying the width of at least one strut of the plurality of struts such that when the frame is in the radially expanded state, the frame has a substantially elliptical shape.

Disclosed are embodiments of replacement heart valves. Embodiments may include a collapsible and expandable frame comprising rows of cells. The frame may include a plurality of axial connection portions extending between top ends and bottom ends of the cells, wherein each axial connecting portion is shaped to bend for accommodating temporary changes in cell height during non-uniform compression of the replacement heart valve. Frames having these features are advantageous when advancing a replacement heart valve through a funnel-shaped compression tool. The axial connection portions are sufficiently flexible to accommodate changes in frame shapes during compression while also being sufficiently resilient for enhancing the structural integrity of the frame in the fully deployed state. The replacement heart valves are preferably dual-frame heart valves, wherein the axial connection portions form a portion of an inner frame and wherein an outer frame is provided for engaging tissue and forming a seal.