An organ lengthening device comprising a spring-like structure, wherein the surface of the device is covered with micron-size anchors such as hooks, studs or wires made from a biodegradable polymer. The anchors are configured to engage the surface of the organ so that the device will be anchored to the organ. The device, which is inserted into the organ in a compressed position, gradually lengthens over time, thereby lengthening the organ, wherein the anchors are configured to degrade away and eventually allow the device to become disengaged from the organ.

A vascular system includes a delivery apparatus and an endovascular device. The delivery apparatus including a catheter and a control lead. The control lead extends through a lumen of the catheter and is configured to be manipulated by a user. The endovascular device is releasably coupled to the delivery apparatus and includes an implant body, a seal extending radially outwardly from the implant body, and one or more tissue engaging elements. The seal is configured to contact native vascular tissue to reduce leakage between the native vascular tissue and the implant body. The tissue engaging elements are pivotable relative to the seal from a compressed state to an expanded state. In the compressed state, the tissue engaging elements are positioned so as to disengage the native vascular tissue. In the expanded state, the tissue engaging elements extend outwardly from the seal and are configured to engage the native vascular tissue.

A tack device for holding plaque against blood vessel walls in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease can be formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material. The tack device may also have a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer annular periphery. The annular band can have a length in the axial direction of the blood vessel walls that is about equal to or less than its diameter as installed in the blood vessel. A preferred method is to perform angioplasty with a drug eluting balloon as a first step, and if there is any dissection to the blood vessel caused by the balloon angioplasty, one or more tack devices may be installed to tack down the dissected area of the blood vessel surface.

An implantable prosthetic device has two anchor portions. Each anchor portion is configured to attach the prosthetic device to a native valve leaflet. The two anchor portions can be opened both simultaneously by a single actuator and can also be opened independently by two or more separate actuators.

Herein is described a stent platform capable of intravascular local delivery of therapeutics through multipoint injection of drug agents into the vascular walls and endocardial surfaces. More specifically, an endovascular injectable stent made of kirigami skin is wrapped around a soft linear actuator and used for intravascular local drug delivery of therapeutics. This platform addresses an unmet need of treating aortic stenosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

A stent comprises an elastically deformable stent wall forming a lumen extending between a first opening and a second opening of the stent. The stent wall is configured to be percutaneously delivered into a blood vessel, secure to a blood vessel wall of a blood vessel, and radially expand from a first configuration to a second configuration within the blood vessel into direct contact with the blood vessel wall. The first configuration defines a first major dimension, a first minor dimension, a first cross-sectional area, a first cross-sectional shape, and a first perimeter of the stent wall. The second configuration defines a second major dimension, a second minor dimension that is greater than the first minor dimension, a second cross-sectional area that is greater than the first cross-sectional area, and the first perimeter of the stent wall.

The stent having self-expandability, the stent including: a body part formed in a tubular shape by a wire; and a first locking part and a second locking part protruding outward in a radial direction of the body part and formed by the wire. A first angle formed by a protrusion direction of the first locking part and an axial direction of the body part is different from a second angle formed by a protrusion direction of the second locking part and the axial direction.

The invention relates to an anchor (14) for an implant (20) for use in the gastro-intestinal tract. The anchor (14) comprises a tissue contact portion (16) with a bedding region (16a). The bedding region (16a) is configured to at least partly integrate into, or to promote integration into, a wall of the gastro-intestinal tract.

Apparatus and method are described including identifying a subject as suffering from a condition that causes the subject to have elevated central venous pressure. In response thereto, a device is placed inside the subject's vena cava such that an upstream end of the device is placed at a location upstream of junctions of the vena cava with all of the subject's renal veins. The device defines a passage through the device, at least a portion of the passage converging in a direction from an upstream end of the device to downstream end of the device. Other applications are also described.

An implantable device for the treatment of hydrocephalus using a stent having a peripheral wall and an interior passageway and wherein a plurality of microneedles project outwardly from the peripheral and each needle includes a microneedle passageway from an aperture adjacent a distal end of the microneedle to a proximal end of the microneedle adjacent the peripheral wall. A corresponding plurality of one-way microvalves is positioned at the proximal ends of the microneedle and wherein the microneedle passageway is in fluid communication with the interior passageway whenever the one-way microvalve is open. When the stent is implanted in the superior sagittal sinus with the distal end of the plurality of microneedles positioned within the subarachnoid space and at least one of the plurality of microvalves is open, the stent permits cerebrospinal fluid to pass from the subarachnoid space to the superior sagittal sinus.