Implantable devices formed of materials which are not readily imageable, and which may shift from a delivery configuration to a deployment configuration upon deployment, are delivered and deployed with a deployment/delivery device having sensors generating a signal indicating contact of the delivery/deployment device with tissue to guarantee purchase of the implantable device with tissue upon deployment. The implantable device may be a tissue anchor with talons which shift from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration. The sensors may be positioned along a distal end of the delivery/deployment device to indicate purchase of the device with tissue, to ensure purchase of the talons with tissue upon deployment. The sensors may include at least three sensors, which may be spaced apart from one another, to indicate full contact of the distal end of the delivery/deployment device with tissue. The sensors may optionally be aligned with the talons.

The invention relates to a device for use in the transcatheter treatment of mitral valve regurgitation, specifically a coaptation enhancement element for implantation across the valve; a system including the coaptation enhancement element and anchors for implantation; a system including the coaptation enhancement element, catheter and driver; and a method for transcatheter implantation of a coaptation element across a heart valve.

A system for repairing a valve leaflet in minimally invasive surgery includes: a delivery device comprising: an operating handle; an outer delivery tube coupled to the operating handle; a delivery needle coupled to the operating handle; and a pushing tube coupled to the operating handle. The system further comprises a repair component comprising an anchor and a connection wire. The delivery device is configured to perform, in response to a trigger operation, a linkage release operation that includes actuating the delivery needle and releasing the repair component.

A system and method are provided for manufacturing filamentous polymer matrices, comprising electrospinning a polymer fiber into a gap between two or more spaced-apart electrodes.

A system for treating mitral regurgitation may include an outer sheath having a lumen extending to a distal end of the outer sheath, an intermediate sheath slidably disposed within the lumen of the outer sheath, the intermediate sheath having a lumen extending to a distal end of the intermediate sheath, and an inner sheath slidably disposed within the lumen of the intermediate sheath, wherein the inner sheath includes a first anchor disposed within a lumen of the inner sheath, the first anchor being configured to penetrate and secure to a first papillary muscle. The intermediate sheath may include a tissue grasping mechanism at the distal end of the intermediate sheath, the tissue grasping mechanism being configured to hold and stabilize the first papillary muscle for penetration and securement of the first anchor to the first papillary muscle.

Implantable devices may include a single, first component or a plurality of components such as first and second components, the second component being flexibly coupled to the first component. A socket extends over one or more of the component(s), the socket being configured to enhance the inter-component interaction and/or including one or more exposed surface(s) configured to exhibit one or more tiers of foreign body responses within a range of possible foreign body responses.

An implant configured to control travel of a leaflet of a heart valve, the implant comprising a first implant member, the first implant member having a first implant member first fastener, a first implant member second fastener, a tether connecting the first implant member first fastener and the first implant member second fastener and a first implant member connector slidably disposed on the tether; a second implant member, the second implant member having a second implant member connector and a second implant member anchor; wherein the first implant member connector and the second implant member connector are magnetically couplable, and wherein at least one of the first implant member connector and the second implant member connector comprises a permanent magnet.

An apical pad for securing a prosthetic heart valve within a native valve annulus. The apical pad includes a first collar, a second collar and plurality of struts extending between the first collar and the second collar. The plurality of struts has a delivery condition in which the plurality of struts collectively form a first cross-section and a deployed condition in which the plurality of struts collectively form a second cross-section greater than the first cross-section. The apical pad may be coupled to a tether extending from a prosthetic heart valve and may transition from the delivery condition to the deployed condition by tensioning the tether.

This invention relates to the design and function of a compressible valve replacement prosthesis, collared or uncollared, which can be deployed into a beating heart without extracorporeal circulation using a transcatheter delivery system. The design as discussed focuses on the deployment of a device via a minimally invasive fashion and by way of example considers a minimally invasive surgical procedure preferably utilizing the intercostal or subxyphoid space for valve introduction. In order to accomplish this, the valve is formed in such a manner that it can be compressed to fit within a delivery system and secondarily ejected from the delivery system into the annulus of a target valve such as a mitral valve or tricuspid valve.

A method comprises advancing an elongate tube to a target implantation site, the elongate tube having a needle disposed at least partially therein that has a coiled sutureform wrapped around at least a portion thereof, contacting a distal end of the elongate tube to a target tissue, projecting a tip of the needle from the distal end of the elongate tube to pierce through the target tissue such that the tip of the needle and at least a portion of the coiled sutureform project through the target tissue, advancing a pusher device within the elongate tube and over the needle to push the at least a portion of the coiled sutureform off of the tip of the needle, and proximally pulling one or more suture tails associated with the coiled sutureform to form the coiled sutureform into a knot on a distal side of the target tissue.