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.

The suture device of the present disclosure disposes rigid components on suture, enabling the device to resist tensile and compressive loads and to protect soft tissue from suture pull-through. The suture device generally comprises of at least one rigid segment as well as a standard high tensile strength suture to create a segmentally rigid suture device. The at least one rigid segment may be comprised of any of a number of materials that are appropriate for use in the human body and provide the desired strength and stiffness for a particular application. Although the segmentally rigid suture device could be used with any prior art suture configuration, a grip stitch, a knot tying grip stitch, a straight-line grip stitch, and a reverse straight-line grip stitch suture configuration are described.

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.

An adjustable, locking all-suture anchor assembly made up of a suture strand having a first end and a second end and an all-suture anchoring element. The suture strand and the all-suture anchoring element being entangled in a manner defining openings through which the first and second ends of the suture strand are passed such that upon bunching of the all-suture anchoring element and compression of the all-suture anchoring element is caused in a manner creating outward forces that allow for placement and anchoring of the all-suture anchoring element within a bone channel while simultaneously locking the first and second ends within the openings.

The present invention relates to a device for endoscopy or endosonography-guided transluminal interventions whereby two luminal structures in the body may be drawn toward each other and a fluid conduit formed in between. The device may have a hollow central member to which is coupled a distal retention member and in one embodiment a proximal retention member. The retention members may each be positioned inside one of the luminal structures and expanded from a first condition to an expanded second condition having an increased radius. The length of the central member may be shortened and its diameter expanded to approximate the two retention members and thereby the luminal structures.

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.

Methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone are disclosed herein. A bone anchor is described that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor base to clamp suture material there between. Also described is a soft-tissue and bone piercing anchor and associated inserter. Methods are described that allow use of the bone anchors to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.

An assembly for securing a mesh patch to a surface of a peritoneum layer of an abdominal wall. The assembly includes first and second holding members coupled by a suture. After the two holding members are deployed from a shaft, tension on the coupler pulls the first holding member and the second holding member towards each other. Various locking arrangements are disclosed to cause the locking of the first and second holding members in position such that a mesh patch that is positioned against the peritoneum layer is secured thereagainst by one of the first and the second holding members while the other of the first and second holding members is retained against the fascia layer of the abdominal wall. Assemblies and methodologies for all of the foregoing are provided.

The present invention relates to a device for endoscopy or endosonography-guided transluminal interventions whereby two luminal structures in the body may be drawn toward each other and a fluid conduit formed in between. The device may have a hollow central member to which is coupled a distal retention member and in one embodiment a proximal retention member. The retention members may each be positioned inside one of the luminal structures and expanded from a first condition to an expanded second condition having an increased radius. The length of the central member may be shortened and its diameter expanded to approximate the two retention members and thereby the luminal structures.

The present invention relates to a device for endoscopy or endosonography-guided transluminal interventions whereby two luminal structures in the body may be drawn toward each other and a fluid conduit formed in between. The device may have a hollow central member to which is coupled a distal retention member and in one embodiment a proximal retention member. The retention members may each be positioned inside one of the luminal structures and expanded from a first condition to an expanded second condition having an increased radius. The length of the central member may be shortened and its diameter expanded to approximate the two retention members and thereby the luminal structures.