An end effector including an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly is disclosed. The staple cartridge assembly comprises a deck having steps defined thereon for compressing tissue positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge assembly to different pressures. The staple cartridge assembly further comprises staples having different unformed heights removably stored therein. The staples are deformed against the anvil to different formed heights.

The invention relates to endovascular medical implant devices and materials of composition for forming these devices to provide improved mechanical properties and biodegradability. The devices include a combination or integration of superelastic material, biodegradable metal and, thin film nitinol and/or biodegradable polymer. A structural frame is formed of individual elongated pieces composed of biodegradable metal. These pieces are joined together by connector pieces composed of superelastic material. At least a portion of the structural frame has deposited thereon the thin film nitinol and/or biodegradable polymer. The structural frame of the device is collapsible for insertion in a delivery tube and, recoverable for deployment and placement in a vascular location of a patient body.

A degradable iron-based alloy stem comprises an iron-based alloy substrate and a degradable polymer in contact with the surface of the substrate. The weight-average molecular weight of the degradable polymer is in the range of [1, 100]*10.sup.4, and the polydispersity index of the degradable polymer is in the range of (1.0. 50]. The degradable polymer is selected from a degradable polyamino acid that can generate an acidic amino acid after degradation; or a mixture of the degradable polyamino acid and a degradable polyester, or a copolymer of monomers of the two; or a mixture of the degradable polyamino acid and a degradable polymer that does not generate acidic products after degradation, or a copolymer of the monomers of the two; or a mixture of the degradable polyamino acid, the degradable polyester and the degradable polymer that does not generate acidic products after degradation, or a copolymer of monomers of the three, or a mixture of a copolymer of monomers of any two of the three with the remaining one.

Ophthalmic devices having elastic electrodes are disclosed herein. An example ophthalmic device may be an intraocular lens that includes a support structure, two optical windows, two immiscible fluids, and an elastic electrode. The support structure may have an inner surface defining an aperture with first and second optical windows disposed on opposite sides of the support structure and spanning the aperture. The two immiscible liquids may be disposed in a cavity formed by the aperture and the first and second optical windows, and the elastic electrode may be disposed on the inner surface. The elastic electrode may be formed from an elastic metal alloy having a minimum yield strain of 0.25%.

A medical device and a method and process for at least partially forming a medical device, which medical device has improved physical properties.

A bifunctional expandable stent delivery assembly having a bifunctional expandable stent, a breakable cover, and a balloon. The bifunctional expandable stent has a balloon-expandable body portion and a self-expandable trumpet portion. The breakable cover fits over only the self-expandable trumpet portion and prevents self-expansion. The balloon is used to expand the balloon-expandable portion, which breaks the breakable cover and allows the self-expandable trumpet portion to self-expand. A method of stenting a patient using the bifunctional expandable stent delivery assembly is also provided.

A vascular stent including at least two layers of magnesium alloy latticed support walls, a cavity, and an expandable balloon. The expandable balloon is disposed in the cavity.

Disclosed herein is a unique family of medical implants which are engineered outside of a subject's body into a form which may be manipulated in vivo. The implants comprise a region of at least one weldable material which allows welding of the implant to a polymeric material introduced into the body prior to, together with or after the implant has been positioned.

The present invention relates to a medical instrument which comprises a porous metal layer. Also described are methods for producing such a medical instrument. The porous metal layer can serve as a marking for use in imaging radiological methods such as, for example, x-ray or ultrasound images.

A high-nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel seamless thin-walled tube, a high-safety nickel-free metal-based drug-eluting vascular stent manufactured therefrom, and manufacturing methods therefor. In the process of manufacturing a stent tube, the nitrogen content of a material is further increased by means of stage-by-stage nitriding, so as to obtain a high-nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel seamless thin-walled tube having the nitrogen content of 0.8-1.2% as a metal stent platform material. By using rolling line contact type electrochemical polishing, the surface of the stent forms a micron-scale protrusion-recess structure by means of crystal grains having different orientations, thus improving a binding force between a metal stent material and a drug coating. The vascular stent has the characteristics of high fatigue life, high biological safety, and a high binding force between the drug coating and a substrate.