A radially expandable, tubular stent, includes a first section having a first crush resistance force and a second section have a second crush resistance force, wherein the first crush resistance force is less than the second crush resistance force. The first section is connected to the second section to form a tube, connection of the first and second sections extending in an axial direction of the tube.

Fixation device for fixation of leaflets of a heart valve includes a central assembly and at least one arm moveably coupled to the central assembly. The at least one arm includes a body portion having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the second end being moveable between a closed position and an open position, the body portion having opposing body lateral sides, each body lateral side extending between the first end and the second end, the body portion having a body portion width defined between the opposing body lateral sides. The at least one arm further includes first and second nondeformable wing extensions, each wing extension extending laterally from a respective lateral side, each wing extension having a lateral outer edge, wherein a maximum arm width is defined between the outer lateral edge of the first wing extension and the outer lateral edge of the second wing extension. The fixation device further includes at least one gripping element moveable relative to the at least one arm to capture a native leaflet therebetween.

Devices, systems, and methods for treating a blood flow passage are disclosed herein. For example, expandable devices of the present technology may comprise a stent having a collapsed configuration for delivery through a delivery device to a treatment site in a body conduit and an expanded configuration. The stent may comprise a plurality of struts and longitudinally extending first and second spines configured to move in opposing axial directions as the stent expands. Each of the struts may extend between and connect one of the first spines and one of the second spines. Moving the first spines axially relative to the second spines may cause the struts to push circumferentially adjacent spines to move away from one another, thereby increasing a diameter of the stent.

A compressible and expandable stent assembly for implantation in a body lumen such as a mitral valve, the stent assembly including at least one stent barrel that is shaped and sized so that it allows for normal operation of adjacent heart structures. One or more stent barrels can be included in the stent assembly, where one or more of the stent barrels can include a cylinder with a tapered edge.

An endoprosthesis delivery system includes a branched endoprosthesis having a long leg and a short leg, each leg having an end, the short leg including a tail that extends beyond the end of the short leg, a constraint attached to at least a portion of the long leg prior to deployment. The constraint also retains at least a portion of the tail. The constraint is configured to release both the long leg and the tail when the branched endoprosthesis is fully deployed.

A prosthetic valve including a leaflet frame configured to be transitioned from a collapsed state having a first diameter to an expanded state having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. The leaflet frame has an inlet and outlet end and defining a longitudinal axis. The leaflet frame includes a plurality of frame members that form a framework defining plurality of cells each having an interior cell space, the plurality of cells including an attachment cell. The plurality of frame members includes a plurality of sub-cell attachment members extending into the interior cell space of the attachment cell, the sub-cell attachment members each being configured to define a plurality of attachment locations along a sub-cell attachment line defined within a plane that intersects with the longitudinal axis such that the sub-cell attachment line extends through the interior cell space of the at least one attachment cell.

Some embodiments are directed to methods for serially expanding an artificial heart valve within a pediatric patient. For example, the artificial heart valve can be implanted into the pediatric patient during a first procedure, and then expanded during a second procedure to accommodate for the pediatric patient’s growth. Some embodiments include introducing an expander into the implanted valve when the frame is expanded to a first working diameter, and then actuating the expander to expand the frame to a second working diameter greater than the first working diameter, to accommodate for the pediatric patient’s growth.

A stent includes a main body having a plurality of rings that form a helix. Each of the plurality of rings includes a plurality of skewed v-shaped elements that each have a first leg and a second leg that is longer than the first leg. The stent further includes a first end ring and a second end ring positioned to an opposite side of the main body from the first end ring. Each of the plurality of rings of the main body is angled with respect to the first end ring and the second end ring. The stent further includes a first transitional region for connecting the first end ring to the main body, and a second transitional region for connecting the second end ring to the main body.

A method and device for treating mitral regurgitation includes providing a treatment device comprising an expandable frame, and a leaflet assembly housed inside the frame. The frame has a tenting element. The treatment device is delivered to the aortic position in a patient's aortic valve, and the frame is expanded at the location of the native aortic valve, with the tenting element pushing the aortic curtain and/or anterior leaflet and/or mitral annulus of the mitral valve towards the mitral valve direction. The leaflet assembly replaces the valve function of the patient's native aortic valve.

An ear cleaner is provided that includes an elongated handle, a spoon, and a disc intermediate the spoon and the disc.