An anchor (10) for implantation in body tissue (12) to hold a line (14) comprises: an elastic material formed to have an unfolded configuration for placement within the body tissue (12), and a folded configuration for use prior to deployment of the anchor (10) and arranged to permit placement of the anchor (10) into an anchor tube (38) prior to deployment. The anchor (10) is arranged to be elastically deformed into the folded configuration by application of a constraining force, and will return to the unfolded configuration when no constraining force is applied. When the anchor (10) is in the unfolded configuration the anchor (10) has an elongate configuration comprising two anchor pins (82) extending in opposite directions with one either side of a centre (80) of the anchor (10), whilst when the anchor (10) is in the folded configuration the two pins (82) both extend in the same direction; and wherein ends (84) of the pins (82) are arranged to pierce the body tissue.

A bone anchoring device includes first and second arms defining a first slot of depth p extending along an axis. The first and second arms respectively bear a first and a second branch extending outside the first slot. The first branch defining second and third slots. In the rest position: the orthogonal projection on the axis of the bottom of each of the second and third slots is in the first slot distanced from the bottom of this slot of at least 10% of p; and the distances d1 separating the second slot bottom from the part of the end of the branch defining it which is the furthest away from it, and d2 separating the third slot bottom from the part of the end of the branch defining it which is the furthest away from it, so each of d1/p and d2/p>0.3.

A method of deploying a blood-flow controlling device is described for treating a native mitral or tricuspid valve. The blood-flow controlling device includes a blood-flow blocking portion that is slidable over an elongate body portion. The blood-flow blocking portion is preferably an elongate structure fillable with blood having a portion adapted for placement between leaflets of the native valve. An anchor is located on a distal end of the elongate body portion for engagement with heart tissue adjacent a heart apex. An anchor delivery catheter is advanced through the native valve and into an adjacent ventricle. The anchor is then expelled from the anchor delivery catheter into ventricular tissue. The blood-flow blocking portion is then slid along the elongate body portion and positioned between the native leaflets. A locking catheter is then slid along the elongate body portion for locking the blood-flow blocking portion to the elongate body portion.

A suture delivery system is described. The system includes an anchor and a cooperating driver, the driver facilitating a delivery of the anchor into the abdominal cavity. The system allows for the deployment of a suture internally into an abdominal wall.

Disclosed are devices for cardioscopic and pericardioscopic access to the heart, including direct access to the left atrium. In certain embodiments, the device may comprise an atrial portal having a configuration such that the distal end of the atrial portal can access the atrium while the proximal end of the portal can extend to outside of the subject. The devices and methods may also include a pericardioscopic portal for emplacement of the atrial portal. Also, methods for using such atrial portals and pericardial portals to perform surgery on the heart, and in some cases to directly access the left atrium, and systems (e.g., kits) comprising these portals in combination with other therapeutic devices are disclosed.

A syndesmosis system includes a bone plate and an anchor. The bone plate includes a body extending between first and second surfaces. The body defines a strand-locking hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. A first locking element and a second locking element each extend from a first side wall of the strand-locking hole to a second side wall of the strand-locking hole. Each of the first anchor and the second anchor extend transverse to a central axis of the anchor hole. The anchor includes a body defining a first wing and a second wing. The first and second wings are coupled at a distal end and are biased away from a longitudinal axis of the body. The first and second wings are configured to maintain the anchor in a fixed position when inserted into a hole formed in a bone.

Syndesmosis fixation assemblies, systems, and methods thereof. A syndesmosis fixation assembly includes a suture retaining portion having a plurality of suture openings formed therein and a suture securing portion rotatably connected to the suture retaining portion. The suture securing portion is movable between a first position wherein a suture is moveable within the suture retaining portion and a second position wherein the suture is frictionally secured within the suture retaining portion. A bone insertion portion has a distal bone insertion end adapted for insertion into a bone, a proximal bone insertion end connected to the suture retaining portion, and a central longitudinal axis extending between the distal bone insertion end and the proximal bone insertion end.

An implant system and method of delivery includes a catheter system including a sling catheter having a plurality of distal openings and a delivery catheter, disposed within the sling catheter and having a distal port. Suture coupled anchors may be sequentially delivered by the delivery catheter to a cardiac treatment site by aligning the port of the delivery catheter with different openings of the sling catheter and pushing the anchor through the port and the sling catheter to embed the anchor into cardiac tissue such as tissue of a papillary muscle. Each anchor may have a linear configuration for translation within the delivery catheter and a biased configuration that inhibits its reentry into the sling catheter once deployed. Once all anchors are deployed, the suture may be tightened, the anchored portion of the sling catheter may be detached, and the catheter system withdrawn.

Vascular closure assembly embodiments may be used to provide hemostasis at vascular puncture sites or the like. Such vascular puncture or access sites may be created during a variety of percutaneous or minimally invasive medical procedures.

A suture anchor and methods of use thereof are disclosed. The suture anchor comprises an anchor body having a slot formed in the body and a passage extending through the body in a first direction. The passage is sized to permit a suture to traverse the body through the passage. The suture anchor also has a shaft with a sharp portion, and the slot and the passage intersect within the anchor body. The shaft is movable relative to the anchor body within the slot from a first position in which the sharp portion and the passage do not intersect, to a second position in which the sharp portion and the passage intersect. The shaft can penetrate a suture or multiple suture strands to fix the suture or suture strands relative to the suture anchor.