A composite scaffold having a highly porous interior with increased surface area and void volume is surrounded by a flexible support structure that substantially maintains its three-dimensional shape under tension and provides mechanical reinforcement during repair or reconstruction of soft tissue while simultaneously facilitating regeneration of functional tissue.

A prosthetic heart valve may include a collapsible and expandable stent extending in a flow direction between a proximal end and a distal end, a cuff attached to an annulus section of the stent, a plurality of prosthetic valve leaflets each having a belly attached to the cuff between a first location and a second location downstream of the first location in a flow direction, and a sealing structure attached to the annulus section of the stent. The annulus section of the stent may be adjacent the proximal end. The stent may include a plurality of struts shaped to form a plurality of cells connected to one another in a plurality of annular rows around the stent. The sealing structure may have a deployed condition with a diameter greater than a diameter of the proximal end of the stent when the stent is in an expanded use condition.

Various embodiments of a seal for a stent-valve, and methods of production, are described. In some embodiments, the seal or a skirt comprises a fabric wall portion and a polymeric material fused to the fabric wall portion, the polymeric material having a melting temperature that is lower than that of the fabric wall portion. The fibres of the fabric may remain unmelted at the interface with the polymeric material, the polymeric material being attached to material to the fibres of the fabric wall portion by fusion. The polymeric material may provide a welded joint to another fabric wall portion and/or may reinforce the fabric and/or may occlude pores of the fabric.

Example medical stents are disclosed. An example stent includes a tubular framework including an inner surface, an outer surface and a lumen extending therethrough. Additionally, the stent includes a tissue ingrowth scaffold extending along a portion of the outer surface of the tubular framework, wherein the tissue ingrowth scaffold is spaced radially away from the outer surface of the tubular framework to define an expansion cavity therebetween and wherein the tissue ingrowth scaffold permits tissue ingrowth along a portion thereof. Further, the stent includes an expandable member positioned within at least a portion of the expansion cavity.

A composite scaffold having a highly porous interior with increased surface area and void volume is surrounded by a flexible support structure that substantially maintains its three-dimensional shape under tension and provides mechanical reinforcement during repair or reconstruction of soft tissue while simultaneously facilitating regeneration of functional tissue.

An intravascular stent having a stent body and at least one cover overlying the stent body to cover the first portion of the stent body. The cover has a first region attached to the stent body and a second region unattached to the stent body. Multiple covers can be attached to the stent body in overlapping arrangement, each cover having a free unattached end. The free ends reduce the overall stiffness of the stent.

An intravascular stent having a stent body and at least one cover overlying the stent body to cover the first portion of the stent body. The cover has a first region attached to the stent body and a second region unattached to the stent body. Multiple covers can be attached to the stent body in overlapping arrangement, each cover having a free unattached end. The free ends reduce the overall stiffness of the stent.

An intravascular stent having a stent body and at least one cover overlying the stent body to cover the first portion of the stent body. The cover has a first region attached to the stent body and a second region unattached to the stent body. Multiple covers can be attached to the stent body in overlapping arrangement, each cover having a free unattached end. The free ends reduce the overall stiffness of the stent.

Packaging for hydrated articles are generally provided. In some embodiments, packaged articles are provided. For example, in some embodiments, a container contains an article such as a catheter and/or polymeric material. The disclosed packaged articles may be useful for, for example, providing controlled humidity conditions for contained components, maintaining consistent hydration levels of the packaged articles, and/or improved sterilization conditions. Advantageously, the packaged articles described herein may, in some embodiments, create an environment with minimum relative humidity for long-term storage of a catheter or polymeric material, increase shelf life of the catheter or polymeric material, and/or facilitate hydration of a catheter such that e.g., the catheter hydrates to intended dimensions within a specified amount of time. Methods for preparing such packaged article are also provided.

An intravascular emboli capture and retrieval system for intravascular embolism protection and embolism removal or maceration. Guidewire mounted proximally and distally located multiple opening filters are deployed within the vasculature and used to part, divide and macerate embolic debris and to capture such embolic debris within the confines thereof. A deployable flexible preformed memory shaped capture sleeve is alternatively used to collapse one or more filters and embolic debris therein for subsequent proximal withdrawal from the vasculature.