An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a linking assembly joining the beads together. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. The beads each include a housing defining a magnet chamber and a magnet assembly disposed within the magnet chamber. The magnet assembly includes at least one annular magnet and an encasement surrounding the at least one annular magnet to provide a seal between the at least one annular magnet and the magnet chamber.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads each defining a first opening and a second opening, a linking assembly, and a 3D printed magnetic element housed within a first bead of the plurality of beads. The linking assembly extends through the first opening and the second opening of each bead such that the beads and the linking assembly may be arranged in an annular arrangement to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop moves between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration and is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration. The 3D printed magnetic element is housed within a first bead of the plurality of beads. The 3D printed magnetic element include a composite of magnetic granules combined to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field is generated by the 3D printed element and is configured to contribute toward the magnetic bias.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a plurality of interconnection elements. Each bead includes a housing and a magnet. Each interconnection element includes a main body extending between a pair of ends, and a pair of heads each positioned at a respective end and received within a bead. The beads and interconnection elements are sized and configured to form a loop configured to transition between constricted and expanded configurations. The apparatus is configured such that, when the loop is in the expanded configuration, a first head of a first interconnection element is received within a first bead and is spaced apart from a first centerline of the first bead by a first distance, and a second head of a second interconnection element is received within a second bead and is spaced apart from a second centerline of the second bead by a second distance.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads. Each bead of the plurality of beads includes a housing and a magnet positioned within the at least one housing. The apparatus also includes a plurality of interconnection elements. Each interconnection element movably joins together a corresponding pair of beads. Each interconnection element includes a composite material. The plurality of beads and the plurality of interconnection elements are sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop formed by the plurality of beads and the plurality of interconnection elements is configured to transition between a constricted configuration and an expanded configuration. The loop in the constricted configuration is configured to prevent fluid flow through the anatomical structure. The loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure. The magnets are configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the constricted configuration.

An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads are joined using the at least one link and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. Each bead includes at least one magnet. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. Adjacent beads are magnetically attracted together at a plurality of magnetic interfaces that include first and second magnetic interfaces. The first magnetic interface has a first magnetic field strength. The second magnetic interface has a second magnetic field strength that is less than the first magnetic field strength so that the beads forming the second interface are configured to separate prior to the beads forming the first interface when the loop moves from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration, thereby providing uniform radial expansion of the loop.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads. Each bead includes a housing and a magnet positioned within the housing. The apparatus also includes a plurality of interconnection elements. Each interconnection element movably joins together a corresponding pair of beads. The plurality of beads and the plurality of interconnection elements are sized and configured to form an expandable loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The apparatus further includes a decoupling element. The decoupling element is positioned along the loop and is configured to selectively release a first portion of the loop from a second portion of the loop in response to application of a threshold force to the at least one decoupling element in a circumferential direction relative to the loop.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads a linking assembly joining the beads together. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. Each bead includes a housing having a first piece and a second piece that together define a magnetic chamber. A magnetic is within the magnetic chamber. A weld joins the first piece and the second piece while hermetically sealing the magnet chamber. The first piece of the housing includes a mounting feature integrated with a surface of the first piece. The mounting feature mates with a fixture to constrain the first piece of the housing as the weld is formed.

A method of manufacturing a bead assembly for a sphincter augmentation device includes initiating 3D printing of a unibody housing such that the unibody housing defines a first opening, a chamber, and a magnet chamber. The method further includes pausing the 3D printing process, inserting a magnet within the magnetic chamber, and then resuming 3D printing of the unibody housing to form a hermetic seal between the magnet chamber and an external surface of the unibody housing.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a linking assembly joining the beads together. The beads include a first bead having a first external contact surface, and a second bead having a second external contact surface. A magnet is contained within the housing. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. The first external contact surface and the second external contact surface engage each other as the loop transitions into the contracted configuration to drive the first bead and the second bead into a predetermined orientation relative to each other about the linking assembly in the contracted configuration.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads, and a linking assembly. Each bead in the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet and a unibody housing encasing and sealing the at least one magnet. The unibody housing includes a magnetically inert material being formed of a particulate powder composition. The linking assembly joins the bedad together such that the beads and the linking assembly in arranged in an annular arrangement sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure of a patient. The loop may transition between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration while being magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads.