A graft or prosthetic element suitable e.g. for replacing a tendon or ligament is fastened in a bone tunnel or blind opening with the aid of a fastener. In a first step, the graft or prosthetic element is press-fitted in the tunnel or opening by forcing the fastener into the opening or by positioning the fastener in the opening and then expanding it, wherein the fastener is in contact with the graft or prosthetic element and with the bone wall of the tunnel or blind opening. In a second step, the fastener is anchored in the bone wall of the tunnel or blind opening with the aid of a liquefiable material which is liquefied in the vicinity of the bone wall where it is in contact with the fastener and by making the liquefied material penetrate into the bone wall.

Methods and devices for treating a luminal pathology affecting an anatomical lumen of a patient comprising forming, in situ, a continuous cohesive layer of covalently-crosslinked hydrogel in a luminal wall of the anatomical lumen.

Additive manufacturing techniques are used to form an artificial intra-ocular lens (IOL) directly inside the human eye. Small openings are formed in the cornea and lens capsule of the eye, and the crystalline lens is broken up and removed through the openings; then, a material is injected into the lens capsule through the openings, and the focal spot of a pulse laser beam is scanned in a defined pattern in the lens capsule, to transform the material in the vicinity of the laser focal spot to form the IOL in a layer-by-layer manner. In one embodiment, stereolithography techniques are used where a pulse UV laser source is used to photosolidify a photopolymer resin. The liquefied resin is injected into the eye through the openings, after which only part of the resin, having the shape of the desired IOL, is selectively cured with the UV laser beam, via progressive layer formation.

A Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) Tracker comprises an Imaging System, for creating a LAL image by imaging a LAL implanted into an eye; and an Image Recognition System, coupled to the Imaging System, for determining a disk cross-correlator with the LAL image; determining an edge cross-correlator with the LAL image; and determining a LAL position by determining a combined cross-correlator from the disk cross-correlator and the edge cross-correlator. A Tracking-based Illumination Control System comprises the LAL Tracker for tracking a LAL implanted in an eye, including an Imaging System, and an Image Recognition System; and an Illumination Controller, coupled to the LAL Tracker, configured for determining a LAL misalignment factor, corresponding to a LAL misalignment that characterizes a misalignment of the LAL position with a LAL illumination pattern, and generating an illumination control signal in relation to the determined LAL misalignment factor.

A graft or prosthetic element suitable, e.g., for replacing a tendon or ligament is fastened in a bone tunnel or blind opening with the aid of a fastener. In a first step, the graft or prosthetic element is press-fitted in the tunnel or opening by forcing the fastener into the opening or by positioning the fastener in the opening and then expanding it, wherein the fastener is in contact with the graft or prosthetic element and with the bone wall of the tunnel or blind opening. In a second step, the fastener is anchored in the bone wall of the tunnel or blind opening with the aid of a liquefiable material which is liquefied in the vicinity of the bone wall where it is in contact with the fastener and by making the liquefied material penetrate into the bone wall.

Various spinal implants and methods for stabilizing the spine are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a spinal implant is provided having an expandable container with an interior volume that is selectively expandable between a compressed condition and an expanded condition. The expandable container is coupled to a superior endplate member having a bone-contacting surface and an engagement surface effective to mate with a superior surface of the expandable container, and an inferior endplate member having a bone-contacting surface and an engagement surface effective to mate with an inferior surface of the expandable container. In addition, at least one inlet port is formed in the expandable container and is effective to communicate a fluid to at least one cavity disposed within the interior volume of the expandable container.

An orthopedic device for implanting between adjacent vertebrae comprising: an arcuate balloon and a hardenable material within said balloon. In some embodiments, the balloon has a footprint that substantially corresponds to a perimeter of a vertebral endplate. An inflatable device is inserted through a cannula into an intervertebral space and oriented so that, upon expansion, a natural angle between vertebrae will be at least partially restored. At least one component selected from the group consisting of a load-bearing component and an osteobiologic component is directed into the inflatable device through a fluid communication means.

Methods, devices and systems for anchoring and/or sealing a heart valve prosthesis and, in particular, a mitral valve prosthesis (202). Inflatable elements (204, 206) are used to seal and anchor the mitral valve prosthesis (202) and/or other elements associated with repairing a native mitral valve.

A method and prosthesis is provided for percutaneous repair of an anatomical defect, such as an inguinal hernia. The method involves percutaneously accessing the inguinal canal of a patient. Following hernia reduction, if required, the hernia defect may be accessed and repaired percutaneously from within the inguinal canal. An implantable prosthesis may be percutaneously delivered into the inguinal canal. The prosthesis may be advanced along the inguinal canal from the percutaneous entry location to the defect site, where it may be deployed over and/or within the defect. A biocompatible foam material may be percutaneously delivered into the inguinal canal to reduce and/or repair the hernia defect. The foam may fill and solidify in the canal to prevent abdominal viscera from reentering the canal. Ablative therapy may be performed within the inguinal canal to cause a fibrotic response resulting in scar tissue formation and/or tissue shrinkage that narrows the canal.

The present invention provides an anchor system for musculoskeletal applications, e.g., for anchoring tendons or ligaments to bone or anchoring two or more bone sections. The anchor system comprises a substantially solid pre-manufactured distal portion (i.e., anchor component) and a settable, biodegradable composite. The biodegradable composite is flowable at the time of delivery and is introduced into the fixation site before or after the anchor component. Both the anchor component and the biodegradable composite may be manufactured from citrate-based polymers.