A method is disclosed for removing a vascular occlusion, such as a clot, from a blood vessel. A tubular sheath is inserted into the vessel and a self-expanding Nitinol mesh filter is deployed from a distal end of the tubular sheath at a location proximal to a clot. An inner catheter is advanced through the tubular sheath and through the mesh filter for contacting the clot. An expandable agitation element is provided along a distal end portion of the inner catheter for cutting or chopping the clot, thereby facilitating removal of the clot and improving blood flow through the vessel. Resulting clot particles are captured by the mesh filter. Negative pressure may be applied along a proximal end portion of the sheath for aspirating remaining particles. Certain embodiments of the method are well-suited for treating deep vein thrombosis and do not require the use of thrombolytic drugs.

Described are various embodiments of surgical procedures, systems, implants, devices, tools, and methods, useful for treating pelvic conditions in a male or female, the pelvic conditions including incontinence (various forms such as fecal incontinence, stress urinary incontinence, urge incontinence, mixed incontinence, etc.), vaginal prolapse (including various forms such as enterocele, cystocele, rectocele, apical or vault prolapse, uterine descent, etc.), and other conditions caused by muscle and ligament weakness, the devices and tools including devices and tools for anchoring an implant to tissue.

Prosthetic valves that include conical shaped base valve members having an annular engagement end, a closed distal end region that restricts fluid flow therethrough, and a plurality of elongated ribbon members, which transition from an open fluid flow configuration to a closed fluid flow configuration in response to expansion and contraction of the base valve member, and a support structure that is configured and adapted to exert retaining forces on the annular engagement ends of the base valve members, whereby the support structure (i) conforms to the shape of the annular engagement ends of the base valve members, (ii) securely positions the annular engagement ends of the base valve members adjacent to and, thereby, in contact with a valve annulus, whereby the annular engagement ends of the base valve members conform to the shape of the valve annulus, and (iii) the annular engagement ends of the base valve members adapt to at least one fluctuation in the configuration and/or dimension of the valve annulus, whereby the annular engagement ends of the base valve members maintain contact therewith.

The present invention relates to a multi-hole stent for digestive organs, the multi-hole stent including: a body configured to form a plurality of cells through the intersection of wires and to be provided in a hollow cylindrical shape; and a film configured to be installed in contact with the inner surface of the body; wherein one or more discharge holes are formed in the film. The multi-hole stent for digestive organs is placed in a stenotic region in a biliary track, and can thus secure a discharge path by restoring a narrowed diameter. Furthermore, the film is installed on the inner surface of the body, and can thus prevent the entry of a lesion into the stent and re-stenosis attributable to the growth of the lesion and can thus provide discharge paths for body fluids generated from side branches through the discharge holes formed in the film.

A flow diversion device for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms and other medical conditions is disclosed. The flow diversion device may include a generally tubular wire stent frame formed from a plurality of zig-zag shaped wire elements that are coupled together. The device further includes a base layer of graft material coupled to the wire stent frame and surrounding at least a portion thereof, the wire stent frame maintaining the base layer in an open condition. In some embodiments, the base layer may be formed of porous graft material having a plurality of slits formed in the longitudinal direction. The slits may have a different shape in a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration. The slits provide a passageway for a small blood flow to maintain the long-term patency of important small side branches, while also reducing blood flow to the aneurysm to promote occlusion and avoid potential rupture.

The present invention provides an implant that includes inflatable anchors that are configured to assume an inflated state and a relaxed state. The implant includes a tubular member mechanically coupled to one or more anchors of the inflatable anchors. The tubular member includes a lumen that provides a passageway for circulating a fluid through the one or more of the plurality of inflatable anchors and allow them to protrude and pierce through bodily tissues. In an embodiment, the implant may include a plurality of bi-directional barbs instead of the inflatable anchors. The plurality of barbs may be activated by a flexible member such that the activation is configured to cause anchoring of the barbs into soft tissues during a surgical procedure. The present invention provides a method for placing an implant. The method includes delivering the implant inside a body along a pathway through an opening proximate sacrum and attaching a first portion of the implant to an anterior vaginal wall, attaching a second portion of the implant to a posterior vaginal wall and attaching a third portion of the implant to a tissue proximate the sacrum.

Described are implants for placing in a body, tools for delivering the implants, and systems and methods for using implants and tools for placing in a body and more particularly to nasal implants, tools for delivering nasal implants, and systems and methods for using such implants and tools. A tool may include a hand-held implant delivery device that holds, moves, orients, inserts, or shapes an implant. An implant may be a biodegradable, longitudinal implant that may be oriented for implantation by an implant delivery device.

A medical device includes a balloon expanded scaffold (or stent) crimped to a catheter having a balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes using protective polymer sheaths or sheets during crimping, and resetting the sheaths or sheets during the crimping to avoid or minimize interference between the polymer material and scaffold struts as the scaffold is reduced in size. Balloon pressure is adjusted when the polymer material is reset.

An endoluminal prosthesis system for being deployed in a patient's aorta near the heart, includes a graft having a main body with a proximal end configured to be deployed near a patient's heart and a distal end configured to be deployed away from the patient's heart. The main body defines a proximal portion of the graft including the proximal end; a distal portion of the graft including the distal end; a middle portion of the graft extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion. A connection branch attached to the middle portion has an inner end attached to the middle portion and an outer end disposed radially outwardly from the inner end. The outer end of the connection branch includes a terminal ring composed of at least two partial rings pivotable relative to each other and including at least one radially outward barb.

A cardiac valve prosthesis including an armature for anchorage of the valve prosthesis at an implantation site. The armature defining a lumen for the passage of the blood flow and having a longitudinal axis, and a set of prosthetic valve leaflets supported by said armature and configured to move, under the action of blood flow, in a radially divaricated condition to enable the flow of blood through said lumen in a first direction, and in a radially contracted condition, in which said valve leaflets co-operate with one another and block the flow of blood through the prosthesis in the direction opposite said first direction. The armature including an annular part and a pattern of arched struts carried by said annular part, said pattern of arched struts having proximal ends connected to said annular part, and distal ends spaced axially from the proximal ends and opposite said annular part, a plurality of sets of anchoring formations configured to protrude radially outwardly of said annular part, each set being supported by at least one of said annular part and a corresponding arched strut, and a plurality of support posts, each support post being supported by adjacent arched struts, wherein the sets of anchoring formations alternate with the support posts around said longitudinal axis.