A valve comprising: (a) a frame having: (i) a plurality of anchors and (ii) a plurality of struts; (b) a membrane connected to and spanning between each of the plurality of struts; wherein each of the plurality of struts have a free state and a loaded state and in the loaded state the membrane is substantially taut between two or more of the plurality of struts that are in the loaded state and in the free state the membrane is substantially taut between two or more of the plurality of struts that are in the loaded state.

Method and system for treating a patient using a compressible, pressure-attenuating device. According to one embodiment, the system is used to treat urinary tract disorders and comprises an access device, a delivery device, a pressure-attenuating device, and a removal device. The access device can be used to create a passageway to an anatomical structure, such as the patient's bladder. The delivery device can be inserted through the passageway created by the access device and can be used to deliver the pressure-attenuating device to the anatomical structure. The removal device can be inserted through the passageway created by the access device and can be used to view the bladder and/or to capture, to deflate and to remove the pressure-attenuating device.

Implantable device embodiments, such as stents, and particularly esophageal stents, formed of a scaffolding structure are disclosed. The scaffolding structure is formed of one or more strand elements arranged in a braided pattern. A covering may coat the scaffolding structure. A valve can be secured to the scaffolding structure and/or the covering. Anti-migration features may be formed by bends in the one or more strand elements. The bends forming the anti-migration features protrude outwardly away from an outer surface of the implantable device.

An iron based and absorbable implanted prefabricated tube (1) for medical device and preparation method therefor, and a medical device prepared by the prefabricated tube and preparation method therefor. The average nitrogen content of nitrogen in the prefabricated tube is from 0.04-0.4 wt. % or 0.02-0.04 wt. %. The prefabricated tube can be cut along the length direction directly by laser or by machining to obtain multiple absorbable implanted medical devices.

Methods and devices for providing a gas pathway between the nasopharynx and the Eustachian tube are provided. One device may include a lumen with a valve. A portion of the valve may be tethered to adjacent muscle. Another portion of the valve may be tethered to adjacent cartilage. When the muscle contracts the valve may open through movement of the tethers, and provide a gas pathway between the nasopharynx and the Eustachian tube.

A prosthesis includes a tubular graft, a prosthetic valve component, an inflow stent, an outflow stent, and a plurality of body stents disposed between the inflow and outflow stents. Each stent is a sinusoidal patterned radially-expandable ring having a first set of crowns and a second set of crowns, with the first set of crowns disposed closer to an inflow end of the tubular graft than the second set of crowns. The prosthesis is configured to be resistant to backfolding and/or buckling during deployment thereof.

A differential pressure regulating device is provided for controlling in-vivo pressure in body, and in particularly in a heart. The device may include a shunt being positioned between two or more lumens in a body, to enable fluids to flow between the lumens, and an adjustable flow regulation mechanism being configured to selectively cover an opening of the shunt, to regulate the flow of fluid through the shunt in relation to a pressure difference between the body lumens. In some embodiments a control mechanism coupled to the adjustable flow regulation mechanism may be provided, to remotely activate the adjustable flow regulation mechanism.

A stent-graft prosthesis for implantation within a body vessel includes a graft material, a frame, and a channel. The graft material includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a graft lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. The frame is coupled to the graft material. The channel is configured to relieve pressure associated with pulsatile blood flow during implantation of the stent-graft prosthesis within a body vessel. The channel permits blood to flow from an upstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis to a downstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis when the stent-graft prosthesis is in a partially expanded configuration in the body vessel. The channel may be a plurality of channels.

A valve (2) comprising: (a) membrane (50) and (b) a frame (10) in communication with the membrane so that the frame expands the membrane, the frame including: (i) a rod (4), (ii) a plurality of struts (12) connected to the rod at a distal end and extending generally radially outward as the struts extend away from the distal end and towards a proximal end; (iii) a plurality of anchors (30) that are in direct communication with the struts between the distal end and the proximal end, each of the plurality of anchors extending through an exit location (52) in the membrane.

A membrane for covering a peripheral surface of a stent is provided, the membrane including a plurality of line openings formed therein. Each line opening may be a straight line opening, for example in the form of a slit, a curved line opening, or any line opening of a suitable shape or curvature, e.g. U-shaped or V-shaped. Blood pressure opens the slits to allow blood to flow through the membrane, while curved line openings create a flap in the membrane that can open to allow blood to pass through. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method of forming a membrane on a stent and a device for use in a blood vessel are provided.