Some embodiments described herein include a heart valve replacement system that may be delivered to a targeted native heart valve site via one or more delivery catheters. In some embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve of the system includes structural features that securely anchor the prosthetic heart valve to the site of the native heart valve. Such structural features can provide robust migration resistance. In particular implementations, the prosthetic heart valves occupy a smaller delivery profile, thereby facilitating a smaller delivery catheter for advancement to the heart.

A braided stent having a plurality of retrieval and/or repositioning levers includes a stent body formed of a plurality of wires interbraided in a braided pattern. The repositioning and/or retrieval levers have a loop portion extending radially away from the stent body and first and second legs extending along the stent body. The levers are configured to be actuated radially inward toward the central longitudinal axis of the stent by a radially inwardly directed force to radially collapse the stent.

A vascular filter system for deploying a vascular filter utilizes a plurality of tensors that extend radially outward from a deployment sheath. The ends of the tensors are coupled with an attachment ring of the vascular filter and a plurality of attachment barbs are coupled with the attachment ring for securing the filter to the vessel wall. A method for retrieving the vascular filter from the vessel utilizes a reverse curve catheter, a guidewire that extends therethrough and an intravascular snare. The guidewire is advanced around the filter and into the snare which secures the guidewire around the filter for retrieval. A vessel distention device utilizes one or more distention tensors having a distention feature on the extended end, such as a blunt tip, to press on the inside vessel wall. The distention tensors extend out radially from a sheath to press on the vessel wall.

The present invention is directed toward prosthetic heart valves that include an expandable frame provided with expansion and locking assemblies, which can be kept in a locked state by a twist formed along a portion of a wire of each expansion and locking assemblies. The present invention is further directed toward delivery assemblies that include actuation assemblies configured to actuate the expansion and locking assemblies, and to methods of utilizing the actuation assemblies and the expansion and locking assemblies.

A method of implanting a prosthetic mitral heart valve includes advancing a guidewire through a femoral vein, an atrial septum, and a native mitral valve. A guide catheter is advanced over the guidewire and a delivery catheter is advanced through the guide catheter. A mitral valve assembly is disposed along a distal end of the delivery catheter. The mitral valve assembly includes a stent and a valve having three leaflets. The stent has a flared inlet end, an outlet end, and an intermediate portion with a plurality of prongs disposed along its outer surface. The mitral valve assembly is deployed with the flared inlet end positioned in a left atrium and the intermediate portion positioned between native mitral valve leaflets. The prongs penetrate surrounding tissue for preventing upward migration of the mitral valve assembly and the flared inlet end is shaped for preventing downward migration.

A holder for a hybrid heart valve prosthesis that can be quickly and easily implanted during a surgical procedure is provided. The hybrid heart valve includes a non-expandable, non-compressible prosthetic valve and a self-expandable anchoring stent, thereby enabling attachment to the annulus without sutures. A first suture connects the holder to the valve and constricts an inflow end of the anchoring stent. A second suture connects the holder to the valve and extends down three holder legs to loop through fabric on the valve. Both sutures may loop over a single cutting well on the holder so that severing the first and second sutures at the single cutting well simultaneously releases the tension in the first suture, permitting the inflow end of the anchoring stent to expand, and disconnects the valve holder from the prosthetic heart valve.

A vascular stent assembly includes at least a first and a second strut, each including a thickness and a depth. The assembly includes a pair of end radii, with each of the first and second struts extending from one of the pair of end radii. A thickness of at least one of the first and second struts includes a tapering profile extending from one of the end radii to another of the end radii, the tapering profile following a continuously increasing or decreasing function through at least half a length of the at least one strut.

An intraluminal support structure having a delivery configuration that is a crimped open configuration to increase flexibility while maneuvering in the anatomy and having a small scarring signature.

Disclosed herein is a unique family of medical implants which are engineered outside of a subject's body into a form which may be manipulated in vivo. The implants comprise a region of at least one weldable material which allows welding of the implant to a polymeric material introduced into the body prior to, together with or after the implant has been positioned.

A method for manufacturing a tubular medical instrument transfer device which includes a tubular medical instrument and a tubular tube body comprise a step S1 for accommodating at least a part of the tubular medical instrument into a lumen of the tubular tube body and a step S2 for cooling the tubular medical instrument to a temperature of a martensitic phase transformation start temperature of the shape memory alloy+7° C. or less and a tubular medical instrument transfer device characterized in that a sliding load under 50° C. warm water and a sliding load under 25° C. warm water satisfy a relationship represented by Expression (1).

increase rate of sliding load [%]=(sliding load under 50° C. warm water [N]−sliding load under 25° C. warm water [N])/sliding load under 25° C. warm water [N]×100≤30[%]  (1)