Implantable devices for retracting prostatic tissue of a patient are provided. In some embodiments, an implantable device may include a main body and a suture extending through at least a portion of the main body. The main body may be configured to extend through prostatic tissue of the patient such that a distal end portion of the main body resides at least partially outside of a prostatic capsule of the patient, and the distal end portion may be configured to deform from an undeformed configuration to a deformed configuration. The suture may include a first end and a second end extending from a proximal end of the main body, and the suture may be configured to cause the distal end portion to deform from the undeformed configuration to the deformed configuration when the first end and the second end are pulled proximally relative to the main body.

A set of devices and associated methodology for percutaneously closing a puncture through the wall of an artery. The method includes inserting a guide wire through a percutaneous entry and into the artery; using the guide wire to guide an insertion of an introducer catheter into the artery; inserting a balloon catheter through the introducer catheter and into the artery; locking a firing mechanism loaded with fasteners onto the introducer catheter, thereby aligning the puncture with a distal working end of the firing mechanism; activating the firing mechanism to fire two or more fasteners onto the artery, each fastener individually tethered to a suture; percutaneously tying the sutures together to draw the fasteners together, closing the puncture.

A method and apparatus for securing soft tissue to bone can include loading a suture through an eyelet of a suture anchor. The suture anchor can have a longitudinal axis and a distal tip. An anchor inserter assembly can be positioned in contact with the suture anchor. The anchor inserter assembly can include a sleeve portion and an impacting portion. The suture can be engaged with a suture engaging member on the suture inserter assembly at a location adjacent to the eyelet. The sleeve portion can be translated relative to the impacting portion from an alignment position to an insertion position thereby moving the suture a first distance offset from the eyelet in a direction away from the distal tip. The anchor insert assembly can be advanced to a driven position thereby advancing the suture anchor into the bone. The suture engaging member can be released from the suture.

Extra-urethral implants and methods of use are disclosed. Implants can treat disorders or diseases of the prostate by, for example, enlarging the lumen of the prostatic urethra.

Abdominal closure method and device variations for closing ventral hernias and reducing recurrence are described. The tissue anchoring assembly may generally include a first prong defining a lumen at least partially therethrough. The first prong may further define one or more openings or channels at least partially along the first prong and an opening near or at a base of the first prong such that the one or more openings or channels and the opening are in communication via the lumen. A first member may extend from the base of the first prong for contact against a first tissue surface and a second member may be configured to move relative to the first prong for contact against a second tissue surface such that the first member and the second member are secured relative to one another.

A method of reducing tricuspid valve regurgitation is provided, including implanting first, second, and third tissue anchors at respective different first, second, and third implantation sites in cardiac tissue in the vicinity of the tricuspid valve of the patient. The geometry of the tricuspid valve is altered by drawing the leaflets of the tricuspid valve toward one another by applying tension between the first, the second, and the third tissue anchors by rotating a spool that (a) winds therewithin respective portions of first, second, and third longitudinal members coupled to the first, the second, and the third tissue anchors, respectively, and (b) is suspended along the first, the second, and the third longitudinal members hovering over the tricuspid valve away from the annulus of the tricuspid valve. Other embodiments are also described.

Methods and devices for transvascular prosthetic chordae tendinea implantation are disclosed. A catheter is advanced into the left atrium. From an atrium side, the catheter can be anchored to a superior surface of a mitral valve leaflet and a leaflet anchor can be advanced into the mitral valve leaflet to secure the mitral valve leaflet to a leaflet suture. A ventricular anchor is anchored to the wall of the ventricle to secure the ventricular wall to a ventricle suture. The leaflet suture and the ventricle suture may be tensioned and connected by a suture lock to form an artificial chordae.

An inserter including a hollow elongated shaft extending along a central longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end with a lumen extending therethrough; a sharp point at the distal end of the hollow elongated shaft, the sharp point disposed eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the hollow elongated shaft; a handle at the proximal end of the hollow elongated shaft; and a drive shaft movably disposed within the lumen of the hollow elongated shaft.

Suture anchors and associated methods are disclosed having suture securing features able to lock suture ends extending from a body tissue, such as from a bone tunnel.

A suture anchor retaining a suture is fixated in hard tissue, in particular in bone tissue, using any per se known method and is then secured using a securing element including a material having thermoplastic properties, which is liquefied in situ and made to penetrate the hard tissue in which the suture anchor is fixated. The securing element is e.g. a thermoplastic plug or thermoplastic sleeve which is anchored above the suture anchor in a mouth area of the same hard tissue opening. Alternatively the securing element is a thermoplastic pin which is introduced into an inner cavity of the suture anchor, wherein the material having thermoplastic properties is liquefied in this cavity and, in a liquid state is pressed through passages connecting the cavity with outer surfaces of the anchor.