A surgical method for placing an implantable medical device for constricting at least one of a patient's rectum, anal channel, anal sphincter or colon. The surgical method comprises creating an incision in a vaginal wall of a patient, inserting a surgical instrument through said incision. The instrument comprising an elongated main part, an elongated member having a proximal end fixed to a distal end of the elongated main part by means of a first adjustable joint having a pivotal axis, for adjusting a first angle between the main part of the instrument and the elongated member between 0 and 180 degrees, wherein the elongated main part and the elongated member lie in a first plane extending perpendicularly to the pivotal ax-is. The surgical method further comprises a flexible tip attached to a distal end of the elongated member and exhibiting a conformation which is reversibly changeable from an essentially straight conformation to a loop or hook conformation, wherein the flexible tip, when in the loop or hook conformation, defines an opening with an axial hole going there through, and wherein a second plane extends perpendicularly to the axial hole through said loop or hook, so that the flexible tip, in its loop or hook conformation, lies in the second plane. The surgical method further comprises using said flexible tip for placing the implantable medical device encircling the patient's rectum, anal channel, anal sphincter or colon.

An apparatus for treating obesity comprises a volume filling device formed by at least two segments and is provided and following implantation, the device is placed resting against the stomach wall of the patient to reduce the inner volume of the stomach, thereby affecting the patient's appetite.

Apparatus and methods are described, including a stent configured to be placed in a lumen. The stent includes a generally cylindrical stent body including a plurality of struts, at least one electrode post protruding from the stent body, and a plurality of antenna posts protruding longitudinally from an end of the stent body. The antenna posts are longitudinally separated from the electrode post. An antenna is disposed annularly on the antenna posts, such that the antenna posts separate the antenna from the end of the stent body, and at least one electrode is coupled to the stent by being placed on the electrode post. Additional embodiments are also described.

A flow control device (2) having: an outer wall; a static part (10) enclosed by the outer wall and at least partially defining a fluid path (42); a movable element which is movable relative to the static part (10) and arranged such that movement of the movable element relative to the static part (10) causes the fluidic resistance of the fluid path (42) to change; and an actuator arrangement (30″) arranged such that when energy is supplied to the actuator arrangement it causes the movable element to move relative to the static part, wherein the actuator arrangement (30″) and/or movable element are arranged such that the movable element does not move relative to the static part (10) when no energy is supplied to the actuator arrangement, and further wherein the actuator arrangement (30″) and the movable element are positioned within the fluid path (10).

A valve monitoring assembly, constituted of: a prosthetic valve, constituted of a frame and leaflets positioned at least partially within the frame, that regulate blood flow through the prosthetic valve; and a monitoring apparatus constituted of: at least one sensor associated with the prosthetic valve, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of: flow sensor, pressure sensor, and temperature sensor; a local control circuitry; at least one communication component configured to wirelessly transmit signals; and an energy harvesting power source, configured to be secured to a patient and comprising a self-powered energy harvesting mechanism and an energy storage member, wherein the energy storage member is configured to store energy generated by the self-powered energy harvesting mechanism, and wherein the energy harvesting power source is configured to supply power to the at least one sensor, the local control circuitry and/or the at least one communication component.

A gastroscopic method and instrument for treating obesity of a patient, using a device adapted to stretch a part of the stomach wall of said patient. The method comprises the steps of: inserting the device into the stomach through the esophagus, placing the device in contact with the stomach wall, and fixating the device to the stomach wall such that the device can stretch a part of the stomach wall.

The invention relates surgical abdominal methods of treating obesity in a patient by implanting a volume filling device that, when implanted in a patient, reduces the food cavity in size by a volume substantially exceeding the volume of the volume filling device. Also disclosed is a laparoscopic instrument for providing a volume filling device to be invaginated in the stomach wall of a human patient to treat obesity.

A method of nonsurgical orbital fat reduction includes providing an electromagnetic energy system that includes an electromagnetic energy source and a patient interface coupled to the electromagnetic energy source. The patient interface includes an elongate member configured to deliver electromagnetic energy generated by the electromagnetic energy source to tissue of a medical patient. The method also includes inserting at least a distal portion of the elongate member into an orbital fat pad of the medical patient and delivering a sufficient amount of electromagnetic energy from the electromagnetic energy source to the orbital fat pad to cause the orbital fat pad to shrink in volume.

Systems and methods for percutaneous, transcatheter heart valve repair are disclosed. A system may include a catheter, an adjustable ring, and a stabilizer. The adjustable ring may include a body member that is transitionable from an insertion geometry to an operable geometry. The insertion geometry may be configured to allow percutaneous passage of the ring into the heart. The operable geometry may have an expanded state to conform to an annulus of a target valve and a contracted state to reduce a diameter of the annulus. The adjustable ring may also include a plurality of anchors deployable in the operable geometry to engage the annulus. The stabilizer may include a plurality of prongs configured to engage the ring in the operable geometry within the heart to enable percutaneous manipulation of the ring to orient and position the ring in intimate contact with the annulus.

Lens support structure for supporting an intraocular lens (IOL) is provided, the lens support structure being configured and operable to be securely implanted in a lens capsule of a human eye and hold the IOL in one of a plurality of positions, the support structure comprising a repositioning assembly configured and operable to be activated remotely by a remote energy source and controllably displace the IOL in at least one of directions along and around an optical axis of the IOL, thereby enabling moving the IOL between the plurality of positions. Lens control system is also provided, the control system comprising the lens support structure and a source energy for activating parts thereof. Intraocular lens system is also provided, the system comprising the lens support structure and a lens integrated therein.