System for fixation of leaflets of a heart valve including a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion configured to be positioned proximate native leaflets of a heart valve from a remote vascular access point, the delivery catheter further includes a rotatable actuator rod having a threaded fastener at a distal end thereof, and a fixation device releasably coupled by a threaded connection to the threaded fastener of the actuator rod. The fixation device includes a first arm moveable between a closed position and an open position, a second arm moveable between a closed position and an open position. The fixation device further includes a first gripping element movable relative to the first arm in the open position, the first gripping element biased toward the first arm to capture a first leaflet of the heart valve therebetween, and a second gripping element movable relative to the second arm in the open position, the second gripping element biased toward the second arm to capture a second leaflet of the heart valve therebetween. The first gripping element and the second gripping element each includes a plurality of barbs extending therefrom, the plurality of barbs of each of the first gripping element and the second gripping element being aligned transversely in at least one row. The fixation device further includes a covering disposed on each of the first gripping element and the second gripping element, wherein the plurality of barbs of the first gripping element and the second gripping element, respectively, protrude through the covering.

A delivery device includes an inner shaft, an outer sheath, a nosecone, and a tether component. The outer sheath is slidably disposed over the inner shaft. The nosecone is removably coupled to the inner shaft. The nosecone includes a delivery configuration for delivery to a treatment site, a radially compressed configuration in which a portion of the nosecone is configured to traverse through a heart wall, and a radially expanded configuration in which an outer surface of the nosecone contacts an outer surface of the heart wall. The tether component includes a first end coupled to the nosecone. The nosecone is configured to plug a piercing in the heart wall when in the radially expanded configuration.

Pulmonary treatment devices, systems and methods of use are provided which take into account the vast tissue damage of advanced COPD sufferers and provide treatments designed specifically to treat the particularly compromised lung tissues that are present in these patients. These treatments reduce trapped air volume, tension lung tissue and enhance lung elastic recoil. A variety of embodiments are provided, including pulmonary treatment devices that move portions of lung tissue around a rotational axis into a torqued configuration, anchoring such tissue in place for improved breathing mechanics.

A closure device system for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a vessel wall can comprise a toggle configured to engage an interior surface of the vessel wall, a plug configured to engage an exterior sur-face of the vessel wall, and a suture that extends through the plug and through the toggle along at least a first direction so as to couple the toggle to the plug. The system can further comprise a tube that extends through the plug and through the toggle along the first direction such that a distal end of the tube is disposed distally to the toggle. The tube can define a guidewire lumen that extends therethrough along the first direction. And the guidewire lumen can be configured to receive a guidewire that protrudes from the vessel wall such that the plug, toggle, and tube are slidable along the guidewire toward the vessel wall.

A tissue anchor is provided that includes a head connected to a shaft, and a tissue-coupling element extending from the shaft. The shaft includes a seal that is configured to form a blood-tight seal between the shaft and a heart wall, and to promote hemostasis. When the tissue anchor is unconstrained, the head is coaxial with an axis of the shaft, and the tissue-coupling element is generally orthogonal to the axis and is shaped such that if the tissue-coupling element were to be projected onto a plane that is perpendicular to the axis, at least 80% of an area of a projection of the tissue-coupling element on the plane would fall within a first angle of 180 degrees in the plane having a vertex at the axis. Other embodiments are also described.

An implantable sealing device is disclosed herein and includes an elongated elastic member having distal and a proximal ends, at least one sealing element including braiding having outside and inside faces. The braiding can include of a plurality of fine threads of a memory metal alloy and wherein at least one face of the braiding is coated by a membrane. The braiding can also include a fixing member positioned at one of the distal and proximal ends of the elastic member and being positioned opposite to the braiding.

System for fixation of leaflets of a heart valve including a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion configured to be positioned proximate native leaflets of a heart valve from a remote vascular access point, the delivery catheter further includes a rotatable actuator rod having a threaded fastener at a distal end thereof, and a fixation device releasably coupled by a threaded connection to the threaded fastener of the actuator rod. The fixation device includes a first arm moveable between a closed position and an open position, a second arm moveable between a closed position and an open position. The fixation device further includes a first gripping element movable relative to the first arm in the open position, the first gripping element biased toward the first arm to capture a first leaflet of the heart valve therebetween, and a second gripping element movable relative to the second arm in the open position, the second gripping element biased toward the second arm to capture a second leaflet of the heart valve therebetween. The first gripping element and the second gripping element each includes a plurality of barbs extending therefrom, the plurality of barbs of each of the first gripping element and the second gripping element being aligned transversely in at least one row. The fixation device further includes a covering disposed on each of the first gripping element and the second gripping element, wherein the plurality of barbs of the first gripping element and the second gripping element, respectively, protrude through the covering.

The present invention relates to an occlusion device (1) consisting of a braiding (2) of thin wires or threads (4) which is given a suitable form in a molding and heat treatment procedure. The occlusion device (1) has a proximal retention area (6) and a distal retention area (8), whereby the ends of the wires or threads (4) converge into a holder (5) in distal retention area (8). A cylindrical crosspiece (10) is furthermore disposed between the proximal and distal retention areas (6, 8). With the objective of providing an occlusion device which positions as flat as possible against the septum at the proximal side of a septal defect in the inserted state, the invention provides for the proximal retention area (6) of the braiding (2) to exhibit a completely closed proximal wall (112) disposed with a continuous surface at the proximal end of the occlusion device (1) which forms the proximal end (12) of said occlusion device (1).

A valve to perform lung volume reduction procedures is described. The valve is formed of a braided structure that is adapted for endoscopic insertion in a bronchial passage of a patient's lung. The braided structure has a proximal end and a distal end and is covered with a non porous coating adapted to prevent flow of air into the. A constricted portion of the braided structure is used to prevent flow of air through a central lumen of the structure, and to define at least one funnel shaped portion. The funnel shaped portion blocks the flow of air towards the constriction, i.e. towards the core of the lung. At least one hole is formed in the braided structure to permit flow of mucus from the distal end to the proximal end, to be expelled out of the lungs.

A device, method, and use of a device for temporary management of a wound, such as a wound in a heart. The device has a shaft, a blood flow blocking membrane at the first end of the shaft for blocking blood flow through the wound, and an abutment member that is mounted to the shaft and is axially movable along the shaft towards and away from the blood flow blocking membrane for abutting the wound and holding the blood flow blocking membrane adjacent the wound. The blood flow blocking membrane is resiliently flexible and movable between at least a first collapsed state for inserting the blood flow blocking membrane through the wound, and a deployed state for blocking blood flow through the wound.