Systems, devices and methods for occluding the left atrial appendage (LAA). The device excludes the LAA from blood flow. The implantable device is delivered via transcatheter delivery into the LAA and secured within the LAA. The implant comprises an expandable and compliant frame and an expandable and conformable tubular foam body. A delivery and tether retraction system includes a handle for controlling a pusher and tether. The pusher may be moved a distance away from the implant without changing the orientation of the implant, while the tether is still attached to the implant. Severing the tether and proximally retracting a control on the hand piece by a distance causes the severed end to advance distally by at least about twice that distance. A loader includes a conical portion with guides and a reservoir for submerging the foam prior to loading and delivery.

The present invention relates to a device for intermittently obstructing a bodily opening, such as a gastric opening, and includes a proximal member connected to a distal member by a tether. The proximal member includes an apron member surrounding a first occluding member, which is formable from an elongated and narrower configuration to a contracted or expanded but wider configuration. When employed in the stomach, the device of the present invention is arranged transluminally, with the distal member disposed in the duodenum and the proximal member disposed against the pyloric valve, intermittently occluding the pyloric valve and preventing or delaying the flow of gastric contents through the pyloric valve. In certain embodiments, a reservoir may be included for releasing a substance of interest, for example for releasing insulin from a reservoir disposed in the distal member. Sensors, actuators, and data transmission devices may also be included.

A system effectively narrows a patulous Eustachian tube (ET) of a patient with a guide catheter, instrument, and insert. The guide catheter includes a shaft, a lumen and a distal end configured to provide access the ET when the guide catheter is inserted into a head of the patient. The instrument comprises a shaft. The insert comprises a body configured to radially expand and retract between a non-expanded state and an expanded state. The insert is sized and shaped to be received within the first lumen when in the non-expanded state and is operable to expand to the expanded state to substantially reduce an effective diameter of the ET.

Systems, devices and methods for occluding the left atrial appendage (LAA). The device excludes the LAA from blood flow. The implantable device is delivered via transcatheter delivery into the LAA and secured within the LAA. The implant comprises an expandable and compliant frame and an expandable and conformable tubular foam body. A delivery and tether retraction system includes a handle for controlling a pusher and tether. The pusher may be moved a distance away from the implant without changing the orientation of the implant, while the tether is still attached to the implant. Severing the tether and proximally retracting a control on the hand piece by a distance causes the severed end to advance distally by at least about twice that distance. A loader includes a conical portion with guides and a reservoir for submerging the foam prior to loading and delivery.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for treating pancreatitis. In the methods described herein, the distal portion of a catheter is routed into the pancreatic duct. The catheter delivers to the pancreatic duct an effective amount of a composition at an effective infusion pressure, wherein the amount and infusion pressure of the composition are effective to decrease the secretion of digestive enzymes from one or more exocrine tissues of the pancreas. The reduction of digestive enzymes may reduce damage to the islet cells typically seen in chronic pancreatitis. Backflow of the composition out of the pancreatic duct is limited, for example, by an occluding system, and aspiration system, or both.

A surgical tool for inserting a spile or plug into the punctal opening of a meatus such as a lacrimo-nasal canaliculus. The tool includes a distal end having a plug-carrying structure which includes distally extending rod for engaging an axial bore in the plug, and an abutment having a radial prominence supporting a penetration-resisting bearing surface which prevents over-insertion of the plug by contacting tissue surrounding the punctal opening. The abutment can be shaped and dimensioned to provide effective and comfortable penetration resistance while affording ample visibility to the surgeon user. The rod can be axially withdrawn through a rod tracking tube having a precisely dimensioned central lumen restricting off-axis movement of the rod. The abutment can be fixed to the rod or detached from it.

A medical device and system for modifying a left atrial appendage (LAA), as well as related methods, are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a medical device includes a plurality of frame segments coupled with at least one ring member, the at least one ring member having an inner surface defining notches radially spaced therein, each of the frame segments configured to be positioned within one of the notches of the at least one ring member to collectively form a frame structure. Each frame segment includes a hub portion and at least one leg portion, the hub portion having an upper surface configured to be captured in one of the notches defined in the at least one ring member, and the at least one leg portion extending from the hub portion. With this arrangement, a tissue growth member is coupled to the frame segments.

An embolic protection device and medical procedure for positioning the device in the aortic arch is disclosed. The device and method effectively prevent material from entering with blood flow into side branch vessels of the aortic arch. The device is a collapsible embolic protection device devised for temporary transvascular delivery to an aortic arch of a patient, wherein the device has a protection unit that comprises a selectively permeable unit adapted to prevent embolic material from passage with a blood flow into a plurality of aortic side branch vessels at the aortic arch. The protection unit is permanently attached to a transvascular delivery unit at a connection point provided at the selectively permeable unit, and a first support member for the protection unit that is at least partly arranged at a periphery of the selectively permeable unit. In an expanded state of the device, the connection point is enclosed by the first support member or arranged at said support member.

Medical devices and methods for treating and occluding a female patient's fallopian tubes to provide permanent birth control or sterilization.

An apparatus includes an occlusion device operable to fit securely in an anatomical passageway within a head of a human. The occlusion device is configured to move unitarily with the head when the occlusion device is installed in the anatomical passageway. The occlusion device is further configured to prevent passage of fluid through the anatomical passageway when the occlusion device is installed in the anatomical passageway. A position sensor is fixedly integrated into the occlusion device. The position sensor generates signals indicating a position of the occlusion device in three-dimensional space, thereby indicating the position of the head in three-dimensional space. A connector communicatively coupled to the position sensor is operable to receive and transmit the signals generated by the position sensor.