A method of connecting an expansion ring to at least one end of a braided implant, the method including positioning the braided implant about a tube; everting an end portion of the braided implant over a first end of the tube; assembling an expansion ring to the braided implant, the expansion ring being a multi-leaved expansion ring comprising clips terminating with an open-ended coupling opening, wherein the openings are pushed over a set of intersecting wires of the braided implant at respective circumferential locations on or adjacent the first end of the tube; closing the openings over the set of intersecting wire; trimming ends of the braided implant; and reversing eversion of the braided implant thereby positioning the expansion ring internal to the braided implant.

A push-in earplug is provided. The push-in earplug comprises an elongate core comprising a first material and a second material. The push-in earplug also comprises an outer layer comprising a foamable material, the outer layer covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the elongate core. The second material is configured to thermally bond to the outer layer during activation of the foamable material.

A stent system is disclosed. The stent system includes a balloon catheter having a balloon with a proximal zone, a transition zone and a distal zone including progressively decreasing diameters respectively. The stent of a pre-defined length includes a main branch segment, a transition segment and a side branch segment. The stent includes an expanded state and a crimped state. The stent is mounted over the balloon in the crimped state such that the main branch segment is mounted over the proximal zone, the transition segment is mounted over the transition zone and the side branch segment is mounted over the distal zone. In expanded state, the main branch segment, the transition segment and the side branch segment of the stent correspond to the respective zones of the balloon. The transition segment includes plural rows of elongated members connected to each other.

Systems and methods for tissue engineered synthetic support structures, such as grafts and patches are provided. The systems and methods can be used to make tissue engineered planar sheathes or meshes that can be fashioned into substantially planar or non-planar 3D tissue/organ structures adaptable to structure and organs within a human or mammalian body. The systems and methods can use bioink deposited on a material having specified properties and matured under specified conditions to create the tissue engineered planar sheathes or meshes having biomechanical and biological properties tailored to a particular tissue.

A scaffold includes a radiopaque marker connected to a strut. The marker is retained within the strut by a head at one or both ends. The marker is attached to the strut by a process that includes forming a rivet from a radiopaque bead and attaching the rivet to the marker including deforming the rivet to enhance resistance to dislodgement during crimping or balloon expansion. The strut has a thickness of about 100 microns.

Disclosed herein are medical products, including an implantable device coated with a crosslinked extracellular matrix comprising at least one of Type IV collagen and laminin, wherein the crosslinked extracellular matrix contains no more than 0.024 mg/ml total concentration of glucose, amino acids and salts having a molecular weight of 2000 daltons or less. Corresponding systems and method also are disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to repair devices for repair of regurgitant mitral valves. A repair device includes a body having a perimeter defining an upper side and a lower side. An annular groove is disposed along a posterior section of the perimeter of the device and is configured to receive posterior rim tissue of a mitral valve annulus. First and second anchors extend from the body in an anterior direction. The first and second anchors are configured to engage with respective commissures of the mitral valve to assist in securing the repair device in position. The repair device is structured to minimize or eliminate imparting or transmitting radially outward forces along an anterior section so as to avoid imparting forces to the septum to avoid hindering the function of the aortic valve and the left ventricular outflow tract.

The present disclosure relates to tissue engineering, and more particularly to a method for treating or repairing rotator cuff or other tendon tears or damage using scaffold-free, 3-dimensional engineered tendon constructs.

A capsule for a delivery apparatus and associated methods are disclosed. As one example, a capsule can include at least one end portion, arranged at a proximal end or distal end of the capsule, that narrows in diameter from a wider outer diameter of a middle portion of the capsule to a narrower outer diameter at an end of the at least one end portion, the end spaced away from the middle portion, where the at least one end portion is configured to expand to the wider outer diameter in response to a radially outward pressure from the prosthetic medical device during removal of the prosthetic medical device from inside of the capsule.

A method for fabricating a cornea includes affixing a frame to at least one cell culture insert comprising a generally cylindrical structure having a proximal end and a distal end, a base disposed at the proximal end, and a porous membrane disposed between the proximal end and the distal end; affixing a dome-shaped member to the porous membrane within the frame, the dome-shaped member comprising a crown, a dome base, and a surface connecting the crown and the dome base; depositing a material comprising a matrix-forming compound on the frame such that the crown and at least a portion of the surface of the dome-shaped member is coated with the material comprising the matrix-forming compound; and removing the dome-shaped member to produce a fabricated cornea attached to the frame. A system for fabricating a cornea and a cornea scaffold are also described herein.