There is provided a method for controlling a flow of fluid and/or other bodily matter in a lumen formed by a tissue wall of a patient's organ. The method comprises gently constricting (i.e., without substantially hampering the blood circulation in the tissue wall) at least one portion of the tissue wall to influence the flow in the lumen, and stimulating the constricted wall portion to cause contraction of the wall portion to further influence the flow in the lumen. The method can be used for restricting or stopping the flow in the lumen, or for actively moving the fluid in the lumen, with a low risk of injuring the organ. Such an organ may be the esophagus, stomach, intestines, urine bladder, urethra, ureter, renal pelvis, aorta, corpus cavernosum, exit veins of erectile tissue, uterine tube, vas deferens or bile duct, or a blood vessel.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method of fabricating an artificial heart muscle (AHM) patch. In some embodiments, the method includes obtaining and/or isolating cells from a subject. In some embodiments, the cells are primary cardiac cells. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a scaffold. In some embodiments, the method includes seeding the cells in the fibrin gel scaffold. In some embodiments, the method includes culturing the cells seeded in the fibrin gel scaffold under conditions appropriate for the formation of an artificial heart muscle (AHM) patch. In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method of fabricating a bioartificial heart (BAH). In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method of treatment of cardiac tissue injury in a subject in need thereof. In some embodiments, the method includes implanting the aforementioned artificial heart muscle patch in the injured area of the subject. In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method of treating end stage cardiac disease in a subject in need thereof.

A medical device is provided including an artificial contractile structure which may be used to assist the functioning of a hollow organ. The medical device includes an artificial contractile structure including at least one contractile element configured to contract an organ, in such way that the contractile element is in a resting or in an activated position, at least one actuator configured to activate the contractile structure, and at least one source of energy to power the actuator. The medical device includes a corrosion reducing system configured to reduce corrosion of the medical device.

A medical device is provided including an artificial contractile structure which may be used to assist the functioning of a hollow organ. The medical device includes an artificial contractile structure including at least one contractile element configured to contract an organ, in such way that the contractile element is in a resting or in an activated position, at least one actuator configured to activate the contractile structure, and at least one source of energy to power the actuator. The medical device includes a corrosion reducing system configured to reduce corrosion of the medical device.

A device, a kit and a method is presented for permanently augmenting the pump function of the left heart. The mitral valve plane is assisted in a movement along the left ventricular long axis during each heart cycle. The very close relationship between the coronary sinus and the mitral valve is used by various embodiments of a medical device providing this assisted movement. By means of catheter technique an implant is inserted into the coronary sinus, the device is augmenting the up and down movement of the mitral valve and thereby increasing the left ventricular diastolic filling when moving upwards and the piston effect of the closed mitral valve when moving downwards.

There is provided a method for controlling a flow of eggs in a uterine tube formed by a uterine tube wall of a patient. The method comprises gently constricting (i.e., without substantially hampering the blood circulation in the uterine tube wall) at least one portion of the uterine tube wall to influence the flow of eggs in the uterine tube, and stimulating the constricted wall portion to cause contraction of the uterine tube wall portion to further influence the flow of eggs in the uterine tube. The method can be used for restricting or stopping the flow of eggs in the uterine tube, or for actively moving the fluid in the uterine tube, with a low risk of injuring the uterine tube.

A diaphragm pump, includes a case, a diaphragm dividing a space in the case into a first space and a second space, a liquid feed flow path including an inflow path to introduce a liquid to be fed into the first space and an outflow path to discharge the liquid to be fed from the first space, a drive unit including a compression/decompression device that repeatedly causes displacement of the diaphragm by repeating compression and decompression of a driving fluid filling the second space, and a valve mechanism to open and close the inflow path and the outflow path. The drive unit includes a pressure release mechanism to release pressure of the driving fluid after the driving fluid is compressed or decompressed by the compression/decompression device.

A diaphragm pump, includes a case, a diaphragm dividing a space in the case into a first space and a second space, a liquid feed flow path including an inflow path to introduce a liquid to be fed into the first space and an outflow path to discharge the liquid to be fed from the first space, a drive unit including a compression/decompression device that repeatedly causes displacement of the diaphragm by repeating compression and decompression of a driving fluid filling the second space, and a valve mechanism to open and close the inflow path and the outflow path. The drive unit includes a pressure release mechanism to release pressure of the driving fluid after the driving fluid is compressed or decompressed by the compression/decompression device.

An implantable cardiovascular blood pump system is provided, suitable for use as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system, having an implantable cardiovascular pump, an extracorporeal battery and a controller coupled to the implantable pump, and a programmer selectively periodically coupled to the controller to configure and adjust operating parameters of the implantable cardiovascular pump. The implantable cardiovascular blood pump includes a coaxial inflow cannula and outflow cannula in fluid communication with one another and with a pumping mechanism. The pumping mechanism may be a vibrating membrane pump which may include a flexible membrane coupled to an electromagnetic actuator assembly that causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood through the implantable cardiovascular pump. The implantable cardiovascular pump may be programmed to operate at frequencies and duty cycles that mimic physiologic flow rates and pulsatility while avoiding thrombus formation, hemolysis and/or platelet activation.

An implantable cardiovascular blood pump system is provided, suitable for use as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system, having an implantable cardiovascular pump, an extracorporeal battery and a controller coupled to the implantable pump, and a programmer selectively periodically coupled to the controller to configure and adjust operating parameters of the implantable cardiovascular pump. The implantable cardiovascular blood pump includes a coaxial inflow cannula and outflow cannula in fluid communication with one another and with a pumping mechanism. The pumping mechanism may be a vibrating membrane pump which may include a flexible membrane coupled to an electromagnetic actuator assembly that causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood through the implantable cardiovascular pump. The implantable cardiovascular pump may be programmed to operate at frequencies and duty cycles that mimic physiologic flow rates and pulsatility while avoiding thrombus formation, hemolysis and/or platelet activation.