An apparatus for use at a native valve of a heart of a subject comprises a tubular frame (30) circumscribing a longitudinal axis to define a lumen, a valve member (62) disposed within the lumen and coupled to the tubular frame, an outer frame (40), and a pin (50). The outer frame is composed of a shape-memory alloy. The tubular frame and the pin are composed of a material that is not the shape-memory alloy. The outer frame comprises a flange (42), defines an eyelet (44), and is disposed radially outward from the tubular frame. The pin defines a shaft (52) and a head (54), and couples the outer frame to the tubular frame. The head is disposed against the outer frame, radially outward from the eyelet, the shaft extends from the head through the eyelet to the tubular frame, and the shaft is welded to the tubular frame.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include apparatus for use at a native valve of a heart of a subject. A delivery tool has a shaft, a capsule disposed at a distal portion of the tool, and a balloon that is disposed within the capsule and coupled to the shaft. A tubular frame of a prosthetic valve is compressed around the balloon, such that shape-memory flanges of the prosthetic valve, and a shape-memory upstream support portion of the prosthetic valve, are each constrained within a respective capsule-portion of the capsule. The capsule is openable by moving the capsule-portions apart, such that the flanges and the upstream support portion automatically deflect radially outward, while the tubular frame remains compressed around the balloon, and inflation of the balloon plastically expands the tubular frame radially. Other embodiments are also described.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include apparatus for use at a native valve of a heart of a subject. A delivery tool has a shaft, a capsule disposed at a distal portion of the tool, and a balloon that is disposed within the capsule and coupled to the shaft. A tubular frame of a prosthetic valve is compressed around the balloon, such that shape-memory flanges of the prosthetic valve, and a shape-memory upstream support portion of the prosthetic valve, are each constrained within a respective capsule-portion of the capsule. The capsule is openable by moving the capsule-portions apart, such that the flanges and the upstream support portion automatically deflect radially outward, while the tubular frame remains compressed around the balloon, and inflation of the balloon plastically expands the tubular frame radially. Other embodiments are also described.

An artificial sphincter to be implanted in a urethra, for treating patients suffering from urinary incontinence, includes a container configured to be connected to a wall of a urethra, inside or outside it, a valve unit housed within the container and configured to move from a release configuration to a block configuration and vice-versa. An actuation magnet is movably (rotatably or slidably) arranged between a first and a second position in the container, and is connected to the valve unit such that a predetermined (rotation or translation) movement of the actuation magnet from a first towards a second position, or from the second towards the first position, under the effect of an external manoeuvre magnet, brings the valve unit from the release configuration to the block configuration, where the valve is stably maintained, and from the block configuration to the release configuration, where the valve is stably maintained.

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 disclosure describes a method including manufacturing a shape memory polymer fabric with a collection of shape memory polymer fibers such that the resulting shape memory polymer fabric has a glass transition temperature of greater than 50 degrees centigrade. The method further includes training the shape memory polymer fabric with a pre-determined percentage of strain between an expanded shape and a contracted shape. The method further includes preparing a portion of the shape memory polymer fabric into a shape that is sized to cover two portions of a ruptured soft tissue of an animal with a mean body temperature below 40 degrees centigrade while the fabric has the predetermined percentage of strain stored in the expanded shape.

A method of improving the fatigue life of a superelastic medical device includes applying a compressive stress to a fatigue critical location of a medical device comprising a superelastic nickel-titanium alloy, where the compressive stress induces a compressive strain of greater than 9% in the fatigue critical location. After inducing the compressive strain, the compressive stress is released. A tensile stress is applied to the fatigue critical location of the medical device, where the tensile stress induces a tensile strain of greater than 9% in the fatigue critical location. After inducing the tensile strain, the tensile stress is released. After application and release of each of the compressive stress and the tensile stress, the fatigue critical location includes a non-zero amount of residual strain, and the medical device may exhibit improved fatigue properties.

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.

A medical member of the present invention includes a knitted body knitted with a linear member formed in a linear shape, at least a part of the knitted body is constituted of an alloy containing titanium, tantalum, and tin, and the alloy is constituted of 15 at % to 27 at % of tantalum and 1 at % to 8 at % of tin, where the total is 100 at %, with remainder being titanium and unavoidable impurities. The knitted body is formed in a sheet shape by plain weaving, twilled weaving, plain dutch weaving, twilled dutch weaving, or stockinette stitch. Thus, there can be provided a medical member capable of dispersing a load applied to a treating site of a soft tissue.

Disclosed is an artificial implant comprising: a silicone shell; and a filler filling the interior of the shell, wherein at least a portion of the shell is a rupture-prevention part comprising two or more silicone layers and one or more reinforcing material layers interposed therebetween.