A medical device is provided including an artificial contractile structure which may be used to assist the functioning of a hollow organ. The medical device includes an artificial contractile structure including at least one contractile element configured to contract an organ, in such way that the contractile element is in a resting or in an activated position, at least one actuator configured to activate the contractile structure, and at least one source of energy to power the actuator. The medical device includes a corrosion reducing system configured to reduce corrosion of the medical device.

Methods and devices are provided for the use of thin-film cuffs on endovascular grafts. A method includes forming a fenestrated thin-film Nitinol sheet, expanding the fenestrated thin-film Nitinol sheet to expand the fenestrations, and attaching the expanded thin-film Nitinol sheet to a longitudinal end of a cover for an endovascular graft to form a cuff for the endovascular graft. The method may further include implanting the endovascular graft into a blood vessel. An endovascular graft may include a cover having a proximal and distal end, a proximal thin-film mesh cuff extending from the proximal end, and a distal thin-film mesh cuff extending form the distal end.

Synthetic chord devices and methods for using the same for connecting tissues are provided. Aspects of the synthetic chord devices include a first flexible connector having first and second ends. Located at the first end is an attachment element that includes a tissue piercing member coupled to a securing member. The securing member includes an elongated shape memory coil that is present in a removable sheath configured to maintain elongation of the shape memory coil. A reinforcing element is located at the second end. The devices and methods of the invention find use in a variety of applications, such as cardiac valve, e.g., mitral valve, repair.

The invention relates to a device for use in the transcatheter treatment of mitral valve regurgitation, specifically a coaptation assistance devices for implantation across the valve; a system including the coaptation enhancement element and anchors for implantation; a system including the coaptation enhancement element, and one or more of the following: transseptal sheath, anchor delivery catheter, implant delivery catheter, and clip delivery catheter; and methods for transcatheter implantation of a coaptation element across a heart valve.

A method of making a valve structure includes a step of rotating a mandrel and an electrodeposition target attached to the mandrel about a rotational axis of the mandrel. The target includes an exterior surface having at least one conductive surface portion and at least one non-conductive surface portion. The method also includes a step of electrodepositing a polymer matrix of a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer composition onto the at least one conductive surface portion and the at least one non-conductive surface portion of the exterior surface of the rotating electrodeposition target to form the valve structure.

An embodiment includes an artificial chordae tendineae system comprising: a first needle; a flexible first chord coupled to a proximal end portion of the first needle; a first proximal pledget coupled to a proximal end portion of the first chord; a first distal conduit coupled to the first chord between the first proximal pledget and the first needle; wherein: the first distal conduit includes first and second faces; one of the first and second faces includes a first aperture; a sidewall of the first conduit, located between the first and second faces, includes a sidewall aperture that does not directly connect to the first aperture; the sidewall aperture is configured to include a portion of the first chord when the first distal conduit is permanently implanted adjacent tissue but not when the first distal conduit is traversing the tissue before being permanently implanted adjacent the tissue.

A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter-reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter-reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

A prosthetic heart valve having a cuff attached to a stent provides a seal for preventing paravalvular leakage. The cuff may be constructed from known sealing materials to fill in and around paravalvular leakage gaps, while continuously collapsing down into a low profile volume within the stent. The cuff is coupled circumferentially about the stent by members which may be in the nature of dimension and/or shape memory material having a tensioned and relaxed state. The members may be in the form of elongated elastic members or coiled members. When in the tensioned state, the cuff is located within the stent volume to provide a low profile prosthetic heart valve. Upon relaxing of the members, the cuff is pulled over the abluminal surface of the stent to form a cuff seal circumscribing the stent for preventing paravalvular leakage.

A spiral-based thin-film mesh for medical devices and related methods is provided. The spiral-based thin-film mesh may be used as a stent cover for a stent device. The thin-film mesh may include a plurality of spirals. The spirals allow the thin-film mesh to expand omni-directionally. In one or more embodiments, the spirals may be logarithmic spirals, golden spirals, approximated golden spirals, box Phi spirals, or Fibonacci spirals. The thin-film mesh may be formed from thin-film Nitinol (TFN), and may be fabricated via sputter deposition on a micropatterned wafer.

An example medical device is disclosed. The example medical device includes a tubular scaffold. The scaffold includes a longitudinal axis, an inner surface and an outer surface. The medical device also includes a flexible valve extending radially inward from the inner surface of the scaffold. The valve includes an annular chamber extending circumferentially around the inner surface of the scaffold and is configured to shift from a closed configuration to an open configuration.