A method for controlling intraocular pressure in a patient’s eye is provided. The method includes creating an intraocular entry into the eye, selecting a location along an optical disc of the eye, creating a conduit connecting at least a portion of an intravitreal cavity with at least a portion of a subarachnoid space in the eye at the selected location, deploying at least one stent communicating between the intravitreal cavity and the subarachnoid space via the conduit, and equilibrating the intraocular pressure in the eye by allowing the stent to communicate fluid flow between the intraocular compartment and the subarachnoid space.

A device prepares leaflets for cardiovascular valve reconstruction from a pericardial tissue sheet harvested from a patient. A cutter is adapted to cut a predetermined pattern having a selected leaflet size. A tissue marker automatically aligned with the predetermined cutting pattern is configured to mark suture positions on the leaflet in response to placement of the cutter. Cutting of a leaflet from the tissue sheet and marking of suture positions on the leaflet are obtained concurrently. A set of such devices spanning a variety of leaflet sizes may be provided in a kit that results in an ability to quickly obtain a properly sized and marked leaflet for reconstruction.

A replacement heart valve prosthesis is loaded onto a balloon mounted onto a balloon shaft of a catheter system. The balloon shaft is rotatably engaged with an actuator on the handle of the catheter system. Rotation of the actuator by a first amount in a first direction permits rotation of the heart valve prosthesis by a known amount during the procedure so that alignment of the commissures of the replacement valve with the commissures of the existing valve can be predictably achieved.

A breast implant includes an outer shell made of a polymer and a filler material disposed within the outer shell. At least one opaque marking is disposed on the outer shell. The opaque marker is visible through the skin when a light emitter emits light through the chest tissue. This allows a user to determine if the breast implant is flipped or rotated based on the location of the opaque marker.

The present disclosure pertains to membranous tissue grafts comprising one or more pre-made attachment points. The one or more pre-made attachment points may include pre-made markings and/or pre-made suture holes. The membranous tissue grafts can be in the form of a tube. The membranous tissue grafts can also be rectangular in shape and can be used in a nerve repair by wrapping the severed or damaged nerve. In some embodiments, the membranous tissue grafts are suitable for repairing severed nerves that have a short gap or no gap with a gap of less than 5 mm between the severed stumps. Accordingly, methods are provided for repairing a damaged or severed nerve by implanting the membranous tissue grafts on to the damaged or severed nerve.

A prosthetic insertion apparatus and related methods of use in delivering filled prosthetic bladders through a skin incision and into a surgical cavity or pocket. The prosthetic insertion apparatus imparts control and retention properties to a surgical professional such the prosthetic bladder can be oriented and manipulated into the surgical cavity without risk of inadvertent dropping of the prosthetic bladder and without imparting damaging stress or torque to the bladder. Suitable materials can be utilized that are selected as having advantageous properties including lubricity, rigidity, easily sterilizable, and high strength.

Apparatus for use with a prosthetic heart valve includes a holder, to which the heart valve is releasably attached, and an elongated handle. The handle can be connected to the holder simply by pushing a distal end of the handle straight into a recess in the holder. After this has been done, the holder preferably releasable latches onto the handle, and the handle can also be rotated about its longitudinal axis to transmit torque to the holder (e.g., a rotatable portion of the holder). Rotation of such a rotatable portion of the holder can be used to deflect portions of the valve radially inward. This operation of a rotatable portion of the holder is preferably one-way only. The handle can be released from the holder at any time, and it can similarly be reconnected to the holder at any time.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method for locating an expandable implant for treating BPH within the prostatic urethra of a patient. The delivery device comprises an inner tube and an outer sleeve moveable relative to the inner tube between a stored position and a deployed position. The outer sleeve surrounds the inner tube to define an annulus therebetween and the expandable implant is retained within the annulus when the outer sleeve is in the stored position.

Improved methods, designs and/or systems for incorporating markings and/or other visual and/or tactilely identifiable indicia on woven, knitted, nonwoven, braided and/or felted textiles used for medical textile implants and prostheses, including medical graft prostheses that would not affect the overall mechanical performance of the textile.

A data processing method performed by a computer (2) for determining the structure of a medical implant (12; 18; 20; 22) which is to replace removed tissue in a patient's body, comprising the steps of:—acquiring a 3D dataset which represents remaining tissue (10; 17) which at least partly surrounded the removed tissue before the latter was removed;—determining the required contour of the implant (12; 18; 20; 22) from the 3D dataset;—simulating forces exerted by the remaining tissue (10; 17) on the contour of the implant (12; 18; 20;22); and—determining a structure dataset which represents the structure of the implant (12; 18; 20; 22) such that the implant (12; 18; 20; 22) has the required contour and can absorb the simulated forces.