Tracheal stents may include a plurality of wave form structures each extending radially about the support structure, a plurality of axial loop members extending axially between adjacent wave form structures and a polymeric covering disposed thereover. Tracheal stents may include an expandable metal structure and a plurality of spacer fins extending above an outer surface of the expandable metal structure. The plurality of spacer fins may be formed of a material different than that of the expandable metal structure.

A heart-treatment system (100) includes a first tissue anchor (30) and a second tissue anchor (140), which includes a stent (158), which includes (a) a plurality of struts (160) arranged as a tubular stent body (161) and (b) a locking frame (184). One or more tethers (32) couple together the first and the second tissue anchors (30, 140). A longitudinal portion (180) of the one or more tethers (32) passes through one or more openings (182) of the locking frame (184) so as to form a tether loop (186). The system (100) is arranged such that enlargement of the tether loop (186) by pulling on the tether loop (186) applies tension between the first and the second tissue anchors (30, 140). Other embodiments are also described.

Stents generally can include multiple longitudinal elements each extending over a majority of the length of the stent and each having alternating flexible and rigid segments. The stents can include nodes positioned between the flexible and rigid segments on the longitudinal elements and interconnecting members extending circumferentially to connect adjacent longitudinal elements at the nodes. The longitudinal elements can have a wave pattern and the interconnecting members can have a branch structure connecting peaks from one longitudinal element to troughs of an adjacent longitudinal element. The resulting stent structure can have lateral and longitudinal flexibility needed to navigate and conform to intracranial arteries with the benefits of recapturability and structural integrity of a closed cell design.

A stent according to the invention includes: a strut extending in a predetermined direction; a first protrusion provided on the strut, the first protrusion being substantially L-shaped and extending in a direction away from the strut and in a direction toward a distal side in the predetermined direction; a second protrusion that is provided on the strut and located distal to the first protrusion, the second protrusion being substantially L-shaped, extending in a direction away from the strut and in a direction toward a proximal side in the predetermined direction, and having a tip spaced apart from a tip of the first protrusion; and an opaque member being substantially tubular and highly opaque to radiation, the opaque member having two end portions in which the first and second protrusions are inserted, respectively.

Methods and devices are disclosed for treating neurovascular venous outflow obstructions, with or without implantation of a prosthetic valve. The valve may be carried by a support, such as a stent, which may be self-expandable or balloon expandable. Both transvascular and direct surgical access is contemplated.

A method of making an intraluminal device having an implanted configuration and a modified configuration following the implanted configuration. The method includes preparing the implanted configuration of the intraluminal device by forming a support scaffold, creating a patch, and coupling the patch to the support scaffold. The support scaffold can include a lumen defined by a luminal surface. The patch can be coupled to the support scaffold along a length of the luminal surface such that the patch covers less than a full circumference of the luminal surface along the length. The patch is designed to be removed from the support scaffold following implantation of the intraluminal device to transition the intraluminal device from the implanted configuration to the modified configuration.

The invention relates to stents, in particular to a stent for insertion in a vein of a human or animal body. The invention also relates to a catheter stent insertion device for inserting a stent according to the invention in a vein of a human or animal body. The invention also relates to a method for inserting a stent according to the invention in a vein of a human or animal body using a catheter stent insertion device according to the invention.

A cylindrical indwelling medical device is formed by connecting a plurality of struts in a circumferential direction of the device in such a way to share a rib in an axial direction in neighboring struts to form annular or spiral columns of struts and connecting the columns of struts in the axial direction via links. Each strut has at least one set of strut pieces providing a bistable structure for supporting a load from reducing a diameter of the indwelling medical device and portions for inducing snap-through buckling deformation. load is in a direction preventing reverse snap-through buckling deformation to hold an expanded diameter state of the device. After the indwelling medical device with its diameter reduced has been introduced into a luminal organ and has expanded its diameter to indwell there, the device can resist sufficiently against the reduction in diameter, thus maintaining the expanded diameter state of the device.

Devices that can be delivered into a vascular system to divert flow are disclosed herein. According to some embodiments, devices are provided for treating aneurysms b diverting flow. An expandable device can comprise, for example, a plurality of strut regions and a plurality of bridge regions. Each of the strut regions may extend circumferentially about the expandable device and include a plurality of struts. Each of the plurality of bridge regions may be attached to and extend between two of the strut regions and comprise a plurality first bridges and second bridges that intersect one another and are movable relative to one another at their intersections.

An endovascular fixation device includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion to define a central lumen extending longitudinally through the portions. The first portion includes a first radially expandable ring and at least one first connector, connected to the first ring, configured to cause at least one first flarable crown of the first ring to flare radially outwardly relative to other portions of the first ring when the first ring is expanded from a retracted position to an expanded position. The second portion includes a second radially expandable ring and at least one second connector, connected to the second ring, configured to cause at least one second flarable crown of the second ring to flare radially outwardly relative to other portions of the second ring when the second ring is expanded from a retracted position to an expanded position.