An implant for the replacement and regeneration of biological tissue in the shape of a plug, comprising a base section (2) configured for anchoring in bone tissue, a middle section (3) configured for replacing cartilage tissue, and a top section (4) configured for growing cartilage tissue onto and into, wherein the middle and top sections comprise the same thermoplastic elastomeric material, which is porous in the top section, and non-porous in the middle section, and wherein the base section comprises a substantially non-porous polyaryletherketone polymer with a porosity of less than 20%, relative to the total volume of the polyaryletherketone polymer.

A medical sling for supporting an anatomical feature having ends that are tapered using a folding fixture and then thermoset. The thermoset ends hold the bunched or folded shape thus allowing the ends to be removed from the fixture and placed into a mold assembly where anchors are molded over the ends.

An implant or endoprosthesis suitable to be implanted in human or animal tissue includes two (or more than two) parts to be joined in situ. Each one of the parts includes a joining location, the two joining locations facing each other when the device parts are positioned for being joined together, wherein one of the joining locations includes a material which is liquefiable by mechanical vibration and the other one of the joining locations includes a material which is not liquefiable by mechanical vibration and a structure (e.g. undercut cavities or protrusions) suitable for forming a positive fit connection with the liquefiable material. The joining process is effected by pressing the two device parts against each other and by applying ultrasonic vibration to one of the device parts when the two parts are positioned relative to each other such that the two joining locations are in contact with each other.

Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

The present invention relates to a bellows framework having a concave-convex structure on at least one of outer and inner sides using three-dimensional printing technology and a method of producing thereof, and an artificial tracheal replacement comprising an epithelium part formed on the inner side of the bellows framework and an annular cartilage part formed along the circumference of concave-convex grooves on the outer side and a method of producing thereof.

The disclosure provides a device and method for managing urinary incontinence. The device includes a platform, a balloon, and a valve. The platform and balloon can include a silicone material, a thermoplastic material, and an adhesive and/or a cement for sealing the urethra. The thermoplastic and silicone materials can soften at the body temperature so that their shape can be adapted to fit the three-dimensional contour of surfaces of the urethra. The balloon seals the internal orifice of the urethra, and the platform can block the leakage associated with the balloon. The valve permits selective urine voiding. The method includes inserting the device into the urethra and the bladder. The method can also include inflating the balloon. The method can further include pulling the balloon so that the balloon is in sealing contact with the neck of the bladder and moving the platform to a suitable position for sealing the urethra.

An intra-annular mounting frame for an aortic valve having native aortic cusps is provided which includes a frame body with native leaflet reorienting curvatures and interconnecting points; the curvatures shaped to be received inside the valve below the native aortic cusps and to reorient the native aortic cusps within the aortic valve, where each of the curvatures extends concavely upward from a reference latitudinal plane tangential to each curvature's base.

An intraocular lens (IOL) with a shape-changing optic is provided. The IOL includes an anterior face and/or a posterior face that is fabricated from a poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer having a durometer between about 30 Shore A to about 50 Shore A. A chamber is located between the anterior face and the posterior face and includes a silicone oil including diphenyl siloxane and dimethyl siloxane units. The silicone oil has a maximum viscosity of about 700 mm.sup.2/s at 25° C. and has a mean molecular weight of less than about 3,000 Daltons. An IOL is also provided that includes an anterior face and/or posterior face that is fabricated from a polysiloxane that is at least 99% poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer.

An intraocular lens (IOL) having an optical axis extending in an anterior-posterior direction and an equator extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis is described. The IOL includes: an elastic anterior face located anterior to the equator; a posterior face located posterior to the equator, wherein the anterior face, the posterior face, or both comprises a poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer having a durometer between about 20 Shore A to about 50 Shore A; and a chamber located between the anterior face and the posterior face comprising a silicone oil comprising polysiloxanes comprising diphenyl siloxane and dimethyl siloxane units, the silicone oil having a maximum viscosity of about 800 cSt at 25° C.

Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.