An expandable tube for deployment within a blood vessel is disclosed. In one arrangement, the tube comprises an elongate frame that is reversibly switchable from a radially expanded and longitudinally contracted state to a radially contracted and longitudinally expanded state. The frame comprises a plurality of longitudinally deformable elements for providing longitudinal expansion and contraction of the frame and a plurality of circumferentially deformable elements for providing radial expansion and contraction of the frame. The longitudinally deformable elements can be expanded or contracted longitudinally substantially without any change in the shape of the circumferentially deformable elements. The plurality of circumferentially deformable elements comprises a plurality of sets of circumferentially deformable elements. Each set of circumferentially deformable elements forms a closed ring around an axis of elongation of the frame. Each closed ring consisting exclusively of the circumferentially deformable elements. At least two of the closed rings occupy overlapping ranges of longitudinal positions when the frame is in the radially expanded and longitudinally contracted state and occupy non-overlapping ranges of longitudinal positions when the frame is in the radially contracted and longitudinally expanded state.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention, there is provided a method of deploying an expandable prosthetic mitral valve in a subject, the method comprising: deploying a first component of the prosthetic mitral valve in a left atrium; deploying a second component of the prosthetic mitral valve in a left ventricle; and approximating the first and the second components so that leaflets of a native mitral valve are trapped between the first and the second components.

A prosthetic valve comprises a self-expanding frame which includes a self-expanding atrial skirt that forms a flanged region, a self-expanding ventricular skirt, and a first self-expanding tab coupled with the ventricular skirt. A receptacle for receiving a valve leaflet is formed by the area bounded by an outer surface of the atrial skirt, an outer surface of the ventricular skirt, and an inner surface of the first tab. The receptacle has a window for receiving the valve leaflet that is defined by a gap between an edge of the flange and a tip of the first tab. The gap is maximized when the tip of the first tab is unconstrained and a base of the first tab is at least partially constrained. The gap is minimized when the tip of the first tab and its base are unconstrained.

A stent includes a main body having a plurality of rings that form a helix. Each of the plurality of rings includes a plurality of skewed v-shaped elements that each have a first leg and a second leg that is longer than the first leg. The stent further includes a first end ring and a second end ring positioned to an opposite side of the main body from the first end ring. Each of the plurality of rings of the main body is angled with respect to the first end ring and the second end ring. The stent further includes a first transitional region for connecting the first end ring to the main body, and a second transitional region for connecting the second end ring to the main body.

Methods of delivering a prosthetic aortic heart valve are disclosed. The disclosed methods include loading a prosthetic aortic valve in a collapsed configuration into a delivery sheath so that a selected point on the prosthetic valve is rotationally aligned relative to a long axis of the delivery sheath with a selected radiopaque marker on the delivery sheath, while under fluoroscopic imaging, rotating the delivery sheath about its long axis to align a selected radiopaque marker on the delivery sheath with the selected point on the native aortic valve in a fluoroscopic imaging plane, thereby establishing a desired orientation of the prosthetic aortic valve with respect to the native aortic valve in which the prosthetic valve commissures are rotationally aligned with commissures of the native aortic valve, further advancing the delivery sheath along its long axis until the prosthetic aortic valve is disposed inside the native aortic valve, and deploying the prosthetic aortic valve into an implanted state inside the native aortic valve with the prosthetic aortic valve aligned in the desired orientation with respect to the native aortic valve.

The present disclosure relates to valve replacement devices that are foldable for catheter-based deployment to the site of implantation, as well as systems for the delivery of valve prostheses, including prostheses having the special characteristics of the disclosed valve replacement devices. The devices include highly effective adhering mechanisms for secure and enduring precision implantation. The adhering mechanisms may employ a unique sealing mechanism that includes a cuff that expands slowly whereby the device is not secured in place until the completion of the implantation procedure. The implanted device, optionally together with the cuff, prevents perivalvular leaks and incorporate an appropriate leaflet system for reliable functioning in situ.

An anchor configured to maximize the surface area of the anchor to improve anchor retention is disclosed. The anchor may be configured with a width that differs from a thickness of the anchor. In some embodiments, the anchor be configured as a helical ribbon defining a central lumen about a central axis extending through the helical ribbon. The helical ribbon may vary in width, thickness, central lumen diameter, or a combination thereof, along its extent. The anchor may include retention features that are configured to promote tissue and/or implant interaction for improved anchor retention.

A radiocarpal wrist joint replacement includes a radial member configured to be affixed to a portion of an end of the radial bone proximal to the wrist including a fixture to be affixed over a longitudinal aspect of the radial bone and a radial resurfacing plate having a substantially concave surface configured to be located at the end of the radial bone. A carpal capitate bone insert configured to be inserted and affixed into the carpal capitate bone. A bulbous component includes a first convex head and a second convex head, substantially opposite each other and connected by a neck between the first and the second convex head. The radial resurfacing plate of the radial member with the concave surface is configured to be operably coupled to the second convex head of the bulbous component so as to allow radial freedom of motion in the joint replacement.

A surgical prosthetic heart valve has a supporting structure and a plurality of leaflets, the supporting structure generally having an annular shape with a blood flow channel defined in the annular shape and having opposite inflow and outflow sides along an axial direction of the annular shape, the plurality of leaflets connected to the supporting structure to control the blood flow channel to open or close. The supporting structure includes a first annular band and a second annular band, both of which are provided with deformable sections spaced from each other in the circumferential direction for allowing diameter expansion of the respective annular bands. The surgical heart valve achieves the diameter expansion of the annular bands through the deformable sections, thereby addressing the problem of postoperative variation in a valve-in-valve operations.

Embodiments of a Urological implant include an implant with an elongated body having a longitudinal axis. Optionally longitudinal ribs symmetrically oppose each other and are connected to elongated body. The longitudinal ribs are optionally elastically shiftable between a collapsed state and an expanded state relative to the spinal longitudinal axis, in order to retract or/and support periurethral tissue. Optionally the system includes an implant extraction handle. The extraction handle is optionally positioned proximally to the elongated body and connected to the longitudinal rib and subject to a pulling force to facilitate and/or force approximation of the longitudinal supports to the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, an implant body includes longitudinally spaced arched members, interconnected via arch ends sequentially along a length of a first and second longitudinal rib. Optionally the arched members are elastically bendable to facilitate elastic contractibility of the implant body under a transverse compressive force.