Devices, systems, and methods for improving airflow within an airway. One example embodiment includes a method for treating a subject. The method includes (1) placing an expandable object into one or more airways of the bronchial tree of the subject, (2) expanding the expandable object within at least one of the one or more airways such that at least a portion of a wall of the one or more airways is expanded, and (3) placing a stent in the airway such that a portion of the stent is adjacent to the portion of the wall of the one or more expanded airways.

An implant includes an optimised structure for implantation in a canal or in a cavity of a living being. The structure includes a tubular structure extending along a longitudinal axis, said structure having at least one braided longitudinal sector of metal wires and open longitudinal ends. The tubular structure has a braided longitudinal sector at each longitudinal end and at least one twisted longitudinal sector, produced with said metal wires in order to form, with continuity, said tubular structure.

A diametrically adjustable endoprosthesis includes a controlled expansion element extending along at least a portion of a graft and is supported by a stent. The controlled expansion element diametrically constrains and limits expansion of the endoprosthesis. Upon deployment from a smaller, delivery configuration, the endoprosthesis can expand to the initial diameter set by the controlled expansion element. Thereafter, the endoprosthesis can be further diametrically expanded (e.g., using balloon dilation) by mechanically altering the controlled expansion element.

A prosthetic heart valve may include an expandable stent having a plurality of struts forming cells connected to one another in a plurality of annular rows around the stent, a cuff attached to an annulus section of the stent by cuff sutures that have a plurality of stitches extending through material of the cuff and looping around the struts, and a plurality of leaflets each having a belly attached to the cuff within an interior region of the stent. The leaflets may together have a coapted position occluding the interior region of the stent and an open position in which the interior region is not occluded. The belly of each leaflet may be attached to the cuff by leaflet sutures extending in a path that crosses some of the struts in overlap zones. Those struts may be devoid of the stitches within the overlap zones.

A coronary artery check valve includes a stent configured to attach to an inner wall of a coronary artery of a living subject, and a tapered helical coil coupled to the stent and configured to regulate blood flow in the coronary artery. The coronary artery check valve is configured to prevent retrograde flow of the coronary blood supply during diastole by closing during systole of the heart when the tapered helical coil compresses longitudinally, and opening when the tapered helical coil expands longitudinally to permit blood flow into the coronary artery when a coronary pressure of the living subject drops below diastolic blood pressure.

A stent comprises an elastically deformable stent wall forming a lumen extending between a first opening and a second opening of the stent. The stent wall is configured to be percutaneously delivered into a blood vessel, secure to a blood vessel wall of a blood vessel, and radially expand from a first configuration to a second configuration within the blood vessel into direct contact with the blood vessel wall. The first configuration defines a first major dimension, a first minor dimension, a first cross-sectional area, a first cross-sectional shape, and a first perimeter of the stent wall. The second configuration defines a second major dimension, a second minor dimension that is greater than the first minor dimension, a second cross-sectional area that is greater than the first cross-sectional area, and the first perimeter of the stent wall.

A prosthetic aortic valve intended for native or valve-in-valve within bioprostheses includes an expandable support scaffold and valve leaflets disposed within an upper leaflet portion of the support scaffold. The valve leaflets within the upper portion may be located within the annulus (intravalvular), above the annulus, or above the native or prosthetic leaflets (supravalvular). The valve within a previously implanted degenerated heart valve such that a base or lower portion of the replacement valve is within the previously implanted valve and the upper portion is expanded within the aorta, the internal area of the valve can be increased and the hemodynamics of the valve improved. Alternatively, the valve may include separate upper and lower portions allowing the portions to be implanted sequentially and the length and other characteristics of the valve to be adjusted based on patient anatomy and condition.

A method for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve including the following steps: endovascularly delivering an anchor and a replacement valve supported within the anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve in a collapsed delivery configuration, the anchor having grasping elements adapted to grasp tissue in a vicinity of the heart valve; expanding the anchor, thereby rotating the grasping elements; and grasping the tissue with the rotating grasping elements.

An implantable endoluminal prosthesis for replacing a damaged aortic valve is provided. In one embodiment, the prosthesis includes a balloon-expandable stent, a tubular conduit that extends into the ascending aorta, and a self-expanding stent. The tubular conduit extends across the balloon-expandable stent. The tubular conduit includes an artificial valve. The self-expanding stent extends across the tubular conduit into the ascending aorta. The balloon-expandable stent, the tubular conduit, and the self-expanding stent are coupled to provide unidirectional flow of fluid into the aorta and further into the coronary arteries. Also provided is a method for implanting the endoluminal prosthesis.

The present invention is directed to prostheses including a support structure having a proximal end and a distal end, and a motion limiting member attached to the distal end of the support structure, wherein the motion limiting member is configured to restrict radial expansion of the distal end of the support structure. Methods for delivering the prosthesis are also provided.