An obesity treatment apparatus comprises at least one operable stretching device (10) implantable in an obese patient and adapted to stretch a portion (12a) of the patient's stomach wall (12), and an operation device (16, 18) for operating the stretching device when implanted to stretch the stomach wall portion such that satiety is created.

A surgical system for performing a capsulotomy of a lens capsule of an eye includes an elastic ring, a suction cup, an interface, a converter, and a control console. The elastic ring includes a conductive surface. The interface may be coupled to an air port and/or a fluid line of a phacomachine. The converter detects a pulse of air from the phacomachine via the interface, and produce an electrical signal in response. Fluid received from the phacomachine is delivered into the suction cup. The system is configured to remove the fluid from the suction cup and between the suction cup and a surface of the eye to form a suction seal. The control console is configured to, in response to receiving the electrical signal, drive a series of electrical pulses through the conductive surface of the elastic ring, causing the elastic ring to perform a tissue cutting operation.

A device and system for and methods of using an ultrasound probe housing containing ultrasound probes configured to produce images inside the body of a patient for procedures requiring needle or probe insertion. The ultrasound probe housing can be configured with a guide channel cut-out or aperture between the ambient side and body side of a patient. A needle guide assembly may be pivotally connect internal to the guide channel cut-out or aperture of the ultrasound probe housing at a pivot point such that during use the needle enters the patient through the needle guide assembly within the ultrasound probe housing so that the needle can be visualized by the ultrasonic probes in real time. The ultrasound probe housing may also provide an adhesion or suction quality to the body side of the device to facilitate aspects of the invention.

Various methods and devices are provided for reducing the volume of the ventricles of the heart. In one embodiment, a method for reducing the ventricular volume of a heart chamber is provided including the steps of inserting an anchoring mechanism onto dysfunctional cardiac tissue, deploying one or more anchors into the dysfunctional cardiac tissue, raising the dysfunctional cardiac tissue using the anchors, and securing the anchors to hold the dysfunctional cardiac tissue in place. Further, a device for reducing the volume of the ventricles of a heart chamber is provided where the device has one or more clips for placement on dysfunctional cardiac tissue of a heart, one or more anchors for deployment and securement into the dysfunctional cardiac tissue, and a lifting mechanism for raising the one or more anchors and the dysfunctional cardiac tissue.

A medical/surgical device for performing tissue resection can include an endoscope with proximal and distal ends, defining working channels, and a snare assembly located in one of the working channels. The working channel may include a bend near the distal end and towards the outward radial wall of the endoscope. The snare assembly may include a snare loop and an actuation element imparted with the pre-formed angular bends and an actuation control handle. The bends of the actuation element and the working channel may be the same. The rotational manipulation of the actuation element may synchronize the pre-formed bend of the actuation element with the bend of the working channel to concentrically (or otherwise) align the deployed snare loop with the endoscope or endoscope attachments.

Systems, devices and methods for performing medical procedures in the intestine of a patient are provided. A medical device for performing a treatment and/or a diagnostic procedure can include an elongate shaft assembly comprising at least a shaft assembly first section comprising a distal section of the shaft assembly, and a shaft assembly second section proximal to the first section, and a functional assembly positioned on the shaft assembly first section. Additional sections of the shaft assembly can be included, and each section can comprise a different construction, such as to achieve a different stiffness as described herein. Variable stiffness along the length of the shaft assembly can be provided to aid in translation of the device through the patient's GI tract (e.g. through the stomach and into the small intestine), as described herein.

Devices, systems, and methods for use with suction within a mammalian body. In an exemplary embodiment of a device of the present disclosure, the device comprises one or more of the following: an inner tube, an outer tube, and a foldable portion, whereby movement of the two tubes relative to one another causes the foldable portion to form a suction cup, and conversely causes a suction cup to form a foldable portion, depending on the direction of relative movement.

A capture-tool for manipulation of tissue utilizes vacuum to hold the tissue in place. An extension attached to a vacuum source at one end and a vacuum arm at another end creates a vacuum force through the extension and vacuum arm. The vacuum arm has a support surface with ports therein at which low pressure areas are formed by the vacuum force. The low pressure areas draw tissue against the supporting surface to hold it in place, as long as the vacuum force is active.

The devices and method described herein allow for therapeutic damage to increase volume in these hyperdynamic hearts to allow improved physiology and ventricular filling and to reduce diastolic filling pressure by making the ventricle less stiff. For example, improving a diastolic heart function in a heart by creating at least one incision in cardiac muscle forming an interior heart wall of the interior chamber where the at least one incision extends into one or more layers of the interior heart wall without puncturing through the interior heart wall and the incision is sufficient to reduce a stiffness of the interior chamber to increase volume of the chamber and reduce diastolic filing pressure.

Methods and devices for the treatment of cardiac valve dysfunction through the placement of lines and anchors. The lines and anchors can form artificial chordae between valve leaflets and the ventricular wall or papillary muscles or connect the two valve leaflets together. The methods and devices offer a mechanism for performing this technique with the heart still beating, and allows for the placement of multiple lines with a single device.