Disclosed herein are sutures (or cords) and methods for using sutures wherein the sutures comprise a material or a combination of materials configured to increase echogenicity of the sutures. In some examples, the sutures comprise echogenic materials incorporated into suture material (e.g., ePTFE). In some examples, the sutures comprise a combination of materials with abrupt and relatively large changes in density to increase reflections of ultrasound waves. The disclosed sutures enhance echogenicity to increase visibility of the sutures using ultrasound imaging technologies. Furthermore, disclosed herein are methods that utilize the disclosed sutures in valve repairs including implanting artificial cords, sub-valvular techniques, reshaping organs, annuloplasty, and the like. Utilization of the disclosed echogenic sutures can result in superior outcomes due at least in part to physicians being able to better visualize the placement and/or tension of the echogenic sutures.

An implant device includes a unitary stent frame including a first axial end segment having a circular cross-sectional shape, a second axial end segment having a circular cross-sectional shape, and a medial segment disposed between the first axial end segment and the second axial end segment, the medial segment having an oval cross-sectional shape. A fluid-tight covering can be disposed on minor-axis sidewall portions of the medial segment of the stent frame.

Sealing members for use with implantable devices and associated methods are disclosed. The sealing members include monofilament strands braided with multifilament strands into a cylindrical braided material. The monofilament strands and the multifilament strands can each comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The monofilament strands can provide structural integrity and resiliency to the cylindrical braided material. The monofilament strands can provide bulk, coverage, and softness to the cylindrical braided material. A method for creating the cylindrical braided material can include a first heat setting step on a straight mandrel at a lower temperature and a second heat setting step at a higher temperature on a shaped mandrel. The sealing members made from the cylindrical braided materials can function to anchor or engage an implantable device to surrounding tissue and limit or prevent paravalvular leakage or other fluid flow around the implantable device when implanted.

Systems for completely or partially excluding an aneurysm from circulation of blood are described. In one embodiment, the system includes a microcatheter, a fully or partially self-expandable stent, and a delivery device configured to be deliverable together with the stent through a lumen of the microcatheter. The delivery device includes an elongate support member coupled to a self-expandable portion, which includes a tubular mesh structure having a compressed state and an expanded state. A distal portion of the self-expandable portion extends proximally from a distal end of the self-expandable portion and has a length having an expanded outer diameter that is equal to or greater than the self-expanded inner diameter of the stent. In some embodiments, the proximal end of the self-expandable portion is substantially non-expanded where it is coupled to the elongate support member.

A degradable biomedical magnesium alloy drug-eluting vascular stent and a preparation method. With the total weight of a magnesium alloy being 100% for calculation, the magnesium alloy comprises the following components in percentage by weight: 3.0-6.0% of Gd, 2.5-5.5% of Y, 1.0-3.0% of Li, 0.3-1.0% of Zn, 0.2-1.0% of Zr, and the balance being Mg. The stent has good radial support strength and strain dispersion capability by means of finite element design. After a protective coating is used, the corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy stent is greatly improved. An arsenic trioxide/rapamycin and tacrolimus composite drug sustained-release system is used to fully adapt to the damage repair process of blood vessels. An implantation result of large animals shows that the vascular stent system has a good anti-restenosis treatment effect.

The present invention discloses a presettable artificial biological aortic valve which comprises a valve seat (1), a valve leaflet stent (2) and three valve leaflets (3), wherein the valve seat (1) is a one-way limiting expandable annular metal seat; the head end of each seat body unit (4) is sequentially provided with a first rivet (7), a limiting protrusion (6) and a first long circular groove (5) from the outside to the inside; the tail end of each seat body unit (4) is sequentially provided with a second long circular groove (8), a second limiting hole (10) and a first limiting hole (9) matched with the limiting protrusion (6), and a second rivet (11) matched with the first long circular groove (5). The presettable artificial biological aortic valve has an original preset state and a normal use state after one-way limiting expansion.

A body implantable penile prosthetic assembly includes a reservoir, a penile implant, and a pump. The reservoir is for containing a saline solution. The penile implant is penile implant operable to shift between a flaccid state in which the penile implant is at least partially depleted of the saline solution and an erect state in which the penile implant receives the saline solution from the one or more reservoirs. The pump is configured to generate pressure that causes the saline solution to flow from the reservoir to the penile implant to cause the penile implant to form the erect state. The penile implant includes a cylinder for receiving the saline solution. The cylinder is formed from a multilayered material having an inner layer comprising polyester and an outer layer comprising silicone.

A biodegradable in vivo supporting device is disclosed. The in vivo supporting device comprises a biodegradable metal scaffold and a biodegradable polymer coating covering at least a portion of the biodegradable metal scaffold, wherein the biodegradable polymer coating has a degradation rate that is faster than the degradation rate of the biodegradable metal scaffold.

A method of making a pressure sensor to be positioned in fluidic connection with a fluid passageway of a housing of an implantable fluid operated device includes: providing a flexible metal diaphragm to a metal housing of the pressure sensor, where the metal housing defines an interior cavity of the metal housing; and attaching the flexible metal diaphragm to the metal housing. The flexible metal diaphragm has a first portion that is unattached to the metal housing and that, when positioned in fluidic connection with the fluid passageway of the housing of the implantable fluid operated device, is configured to move inward and outward with respect to the interior cavity in response to a fluid pressure in the fluid passageway. The first portion of the flexible metal diaphragm has a thickness of less than 40 m, and characteristic metal grain sizes of the first portion are smaller than 10 m.

A pressure sensor is configured to be positioned in a receptacle of a manifold of a fluid control system and in fluidic connection with fluid in a fluid passageway defined by the manifold. The pressure sensor includes: a metal housing including one or more interior cavities, the metal housing being configured to fit entirely within the receptacle; a flexible metal diaphragm attached to the metal housing and having a first portion positioned between an interior cavity of the one or more interior cavities and the fluid passageway and the first portion being configured to move inward and outward with respect to an interior cavity in response to a fluid pressure in the fluid passageway; and electrical circuitry configured for converting a pressure of fluid in the fluid passageway into an electrical signal.