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 method and system provide an ophthalmic lens including a lens body having a chamber therein, a reservoir module coupled with the lens body and an optical fluid. At least part of the lens body is flexible. The reservoir module includes a reservoir and a heat sensitive portion bordering the reservoir. The reservoir has a reservoir volume and is fluidically connected with the chamber. The heat sensitive portion has a shape responsive to a temperature of at least forty five degrees Celsius such that the reservoir volume changes in response to at least part of the heat sensitive portion reaching the temperature. The optical fluid resides in the chamber and the reservoir. A change in the reservoir volume flows a portion of the optical fluid between the reservoir and the chamber such that the flexible portion of the lens body undergoes a shape change corresponding to a base power change.

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.

A prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible stent and a valve assembly disposed within the stent. A first cuff is disposed adjacent the stent. A second cuff having a distal edge facing the outflow end of the stent is disposed about the stent radially outward of the first cuff and the stent. The stent may include a plurality of fingers each having a first end coupled to a corresponding cell of the stent and a free end adapted to extend radially outward of the corresponding cell. The distal edge of the second cuff may be coupled to the fingers at spaced locations around the circumference of the stent to position the distal edge radially outward from the corresponding cells at the spaced locations. Various stent struts may be tapered to reduce the stent circumference in the collapsed condition, and to improve the fatigue resistance and/or bendability of the stent.

The invention relates to a method for producing a storable molded body made of bacterial cellulose and a molded body produced according to the method. A preferred method includes providing a molded body made of bacterial cellulose. Optionally, mechanically pressing the entire molded body or parts of the molded body at temperatures in the range of 10° C. to 100° C. and pressures in the range of 0.01 to 1 MPa for a pressing time of 10-200 min. Treating the molded body with a solution of 20% by weight to 50% by weight of glycerol and 50% by weight to 80% by weight of a C1-C3-alcohol/water mixture. Drying the treated molded body.

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 and having an outer surface facing in a radial direction orthogonal to the flow direction, a plurality of prosthetic valve leaflets attached to the cuff, and a sealing structure attached to the annulus section of the stent at an inner edge of the sealing structure. The flow direction may be defined from the proximal end toward the distal end. The sealing structure may have an outer edge remote from the inner edge. The sealing structure may have a collapsed condition with the outer edge disposed adjacent the outer surface of the cuff and an expanded condition with the outer edge spaced apart from the outer surface of the cuff.

A primary stent-graft is deployed into a primary vessel to exclude an aneurysm. To maintain perfusion to a branch vessel covered by the primary stent-graft, a gutter filling stent-graft is deployed in parallel to the primary stent-graft. The gutter filling stent-graft includes a balloon that is pressurized and inflated by the patient's own blood thereby sealing any gutters formed around the gutter filling stent-graft. By sealing the gutters, the chance of type I endoleaks, migrations, and overall failure to exclude the aneurysm is minimized.

The invention relates to a medical implant, comprising an expandable structure (100) which is designed to be expanded from a crimped state into an expanded state, wherein the structure (100) forms a tubular scaffolding in the expanded state, and wherein the structure (100) comprises a plurality of first struts (101) arranged along a periphery of the structure in said expanded state. According to the invention, the first struts (101) each comprise a recess (O), wherein the medical implant (1) further comprises a sealing member (200) arranged in said recesses (O), wherein said sealing member (200) is formed annularly in said expanded state.

A special tube is disclosed for the insertion of materials inside the maxillary sinus in order to displace the Schneiderian membrane. The tube is connected to a source of a flowable material. The tube is inserted through the alveolar ridge beneath the maxillary sinus and when the flowable material is advanced through the tube the Schneiderian membrane is lifted. The tube can be part of a dental implant which is screwed inside the alveolar ridge.

Spinal implants are described that may be surgically implanted into the spine to replace damaged or diseased discs using a posterior approach. The implants are prosthetic devices that can approach or mimic the physiological motion and reaction of the natural disc. The implants are adapted to be used in minimally invasive surgical procedures.