Apparatus and methods are described for treatment of morbid obesity using minimally invasive techniques. The apparatus includes a system of components that may be used separately or in combination for effectively reducing stomach volume, bypassing a portion of the stomach and/or small intestines, reducing nutrient absorption in the stomach and/or small intestines and/or depositing minimally or undigested food farther than normal into the intestines, thereby stimulating intestinal responses. The components described include an artificial stoma device, a gastric sleeve device, an intestinal sleeve device, a combined gastrointestinal sleeve device and permanent and detachable attachment systems. Also described are devices for delivering and deploying the components of the system.

A fenestrated suture anchor for fixation of tissue to bone. In a preferred embodiment, the suture includes an implant, such a swivel implant with a forked tip for capturing suture. The implant is secured in a hole in bone by advancing a fixation device, such as a cannulated interference screw, to engage and fully seat the implant. The cannulated fixation device is provided with a plurality of openings or fenestrations of various dimensions and geometries to provide multiple pathways through the anchor (i.e., though the interior of the body and through the fenestrations) to allow blood to flow to increase the healing zone, for example, for rotator cuff repair, while also promoting bone in-growth.

A suture anchor including a sleeve with an optional solid tip and a threaded, hollow interior portion. A transverse hole passes through a distal end of the sleeve. An inner screw with a flat distal end and threads disposed on an outer surface and a driver head extension monolithically connected with a proximal end of the inner screw are also provided.

A suture anchor has an entry tip and a hollow cylindrical body. The entry tip is integral to a hollow cylindrical body. The entry tip is at a distal end and the body has a proximal end and projections formed on an external surface of the body for retaining the anchor in a pre-drilled hole formed in bone. Four suture openings are formed on the tip at the distal end. Each opening is connected to an internal cavity of the body. The four suture openings are divided into two pairs, a first pair and a second pair. Each first or second pair of two suture openings are recessed in a respective first or second external channel formed in the entry tip. Each pair of two suture openings is configured to receive a suture.

An implant to be fastened to a tissue, a tool a kit and a method. The implant has a first end, a second end and an elongated shank made in part from a first polymer material. The implant includes a contact surface for receiving external mechanical energy for deforming the shape of the implant such that the shape of the implant can be deformed and locked in the tissue by the effect of the external mechanical energy.

A device that, when implanted in the heart, closes the wound and complies with wall motion (i.e., expands and contracts with the myocardium).

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A tissue capture anchor is described that comprises an anchor body and a spreader such that tissue may be captured or compressed between outside surfaces on the anchor and spreader and inside surfaces of a bone hole to secure the tissue within the hole. A bone anchor is described that comprises an anchor body with expandable tines and a spreader that expands the tines into bone. The spreader captures tissue via a suture loop at the distal end of the bone anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the anchor into bone and move the spreader within the anchor to expand the anchor and capture the tissue between the anchor and the bone. Methods are described that allow the use of bone anchors to secure tissue to bone.

A device for fixing a first and a second tissue part or a tissue part and an implant part to each other is provided, providing a fastener including a thermoplastic material and a fastening instrument. The fastening instrument includes a first instrument component with a first contact surface facing toward a distal side and a second instrument component has a foot with a second contact surface distally of the first contact surface and facing toward a proximal side. The first instrument component and the second instrument component are displaceable with respect to each other, so that the fastener is compressible between the first and second contact surfaces by application of a relative force between the components. The instrument also includes an energy source for coupling mechanical energy into one of the instrument components to soften and/or melt an end portion of the fastener.

The disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, devices, and methods for treating a breathing disorder, comprising inserting a first oral stud into a first location of a support structure, wherein the first oral stud includes a first stud shaft, a first anterior stud head, and a first posterior stud head, wherein the first anterior stud head and the first posterior stud head are respectively located at opposite ends of the first stud shaft and external to tissue of the support structure, and wherein the first stud shaft is positioned within tissue of the support structure. The disclosed embodiments further include providing a dental anchor configured to be attached to an anchor structure, wherein the dental anchor includes an attachment point. Further, the embodiments include connecting, using at least one first connector, the first anterior stud head with the dental anchor.

The disclosed embodiments includes apparatuses, devices, and methods for treating a breathing disorder, comprising: inserting a first target oral stud into a first location of an anchor structure, the first target oral stud including a target stud shaft, a target anterior anchor, and a target posterior anchor, wherein the target stud shaft (or suture) is positioned within the tissue of the anchor structure. The embodiments further comprise inserting a first support oral stud into a first location of a support structure, the first support oral stud including a support stud shaft (or suture), a support anterior anchor, and a support posterior anchor, wherein the support stud shaft is positioned within tissue of the support structure. Further, the embodiments comprise connecting, using at least one first connector, the target anterior anchor with the support anterior anchor.