A replacement valve has an expandable frame configured to engage a native valve and a valve body mounted to the expandable frame. The valve body can have a plurality of valve leaflets configured to open to allow flow in a first direction and engage one another so as to close and prevent flow in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

A radiopaque marker having a frame and a radiopaque cuff joined to the frame. The frame includes first and second end frame members and lateral frame members. The radiopaque cuff is joined to the frame such that the radiopaque cuff is substantially co-planar with the first and second end frame members. The radiopaque marker may be joined to a stent, such as for vascular interventions. Variants of the stent include bare metal stents and drug-eluting stents. Embodiments of the stent include end projections for radiopaque markers or a discontinuous partial radiopaque coating on low-stress or low-strain regions of the peripheral stent. The stents are characterized by having thin walls, nested rows of struts, high expansion ratio, high and uniform radial force over entire diametric size and length of device, crush resistance up to and including about 90% of its fully expanded diameter, high fatigue resistance and high corrosion resistance.

Methods and devices for performing transjugular carotid flow reversal are provided. A flow reversal sheath is advanced through a transjugular carotid fistula. An occlusion balloon is inflated, causing carotid inflow to be diverted through the sheath and through a flow reversal region positioned in the jugular vein. After reversal of blood flow, a carotid intervention is performed.

A bile duct stent and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The bile duct stent having a backflow preventing means according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cylindrical body having a mesh structure formed by zigzagging metal wires of a shape memory alloy on a plurality of pins each disposed in a circumferential direction X and a longitudinal direction Y of a cylindrical jig; a film portion coated on cells of the metal wires of the mesh structure; and a backflow-preventing pattern film in which a hole is formed in the film portion of each cell formed at an outlet end of the cylindrical body and threads (Lasso) fixed by zigzagging to the cells of the metal wires in the circumferential direction by passing through any one hole (h) cross the outlet end one time or more to form a network structure.

A biodegradable stent prosthesis formed from a degradable material, having a plurality of luminal, abluminal, and side surface regions, wherein a surface portion extending between the abluminal and luminal surface region of at least some structural elements is convex.

An endoprosthesis configured to shift between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration may include a tubular scaffold formed from a single filament knitted about a central longitudinal axis and defining a length from a proximal end to a distal end, the tubular scaffold including a plurality of rows of loops and a plurality of rows of rungs arranged around the central longitudinal axis in an alternating fashion; and a polymeric covering extending along the tubular scaffold. Each row of loops and each row of rungs extends longitudinally along the tubular scaffold between the proximal end and the distal end. The tubular scaffold includes a first cutout region extending along a majority of the length of the tubular scaffold and a second cutout region extending along a majority of the length of the tubular scaffold. The polymeric covering is uninterrupted along the first cutout region and the second cutout region.

This implant (1) has a frame (2) and a membrane (3) covering this frame; —the frame (2) has: —an elongated base portion (5) formed by two curved or chevron branches being connected to connecting areas (7) of the implant (1) for connecting to the annulus of the mitral valve (100); —a longitudinal hoop (8) extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane in which extends said base portion; —the membrane (3) is flexible and extends from one branch to the other while passing near the hoop (8), this membrane being connected to said branches without being stretched between these branches and this hoop so that the two thereby formed lateral portions (3a) of the membrane (3) on both sides of the implant are able to adopt either a concave shape, outwardly convex, or a recessed shape, outwardly concave.

A prosthetic assembly for repairing a target tissue defect within a target vessel region configured includes an exclusion structure sized to substantially bypass target tissue defect, and includes a branch assembly. The branch assembly can include a self-expanding outer branch prosthesis having an inflow region configured to deform to a non-circular cross-sectional-shape when deployed, and a support structure at least partially disposed within the inflow region. The support structure preserves blood flow to the branch vessel while the deformed inflow region inhibits blood leakage between and/or around the prosthetic assembly.

An apparatus for partially supporting a leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve includes at least one subvalvular device including a subvalvular supporting portion and an anchor portion. The subvalvular supporting portion and anchor portion are each at least partially formed from at least one of braided mesh strands of a first configuration, braided mesh strands of a second configuration, a balloon, a plurality of longitudinally extending struts, and a plurality of laterally extending struts. A connector neck is interposed longitudinally between, and is attached to both of, the subvalvular supporting portion and the anchor portion. The connector neck penetrates longitudinally through at least one of a base of the leaflet and an annulus of the heart valve at a manufactured puncture site.

Apparatus for percutaneous access to a patient's body comprising a first steerable tube (12), shaped to define a first lumen, and a first coupling (152) at a longitudinal site of the first tube; and a second steerable tube (14), shaped to define a second lumen and a second coupling (154), the second coupling being intracorporeally couplable to the first coupling, the apparatus having (A) an unlocked state in which the second tube is rotatable within the first lumen, and (B) a locked state in which the second coupling is coupled to the first coupling, and rotation of the second tube is inhibited. The apparatus is configured such that when the second coupling becomes disposed at the longitudinal site in a given rotational orientation of the second tube, the apparatus moves into the locked state by the second coupling automatically coupling to the first coupling. Other embodiments are also described.