Described herein are systems and methods from delivering prosthetic devices, such as prosthetic heart valves, through the body and into the heart for implantation therein. The prosthetic devices delivered with the delivery systems disclosed herein are, for example, radially expandable from a radially compressed state mounted on the delivery system to a radially expanded state for implantation using an inflatable balloon of the delivery system. Exemplary delivery routes through the body and into the heart include transfemoral routes, transapical routes, and transaortic routes, among others.

A method of making an implantable prosthesis includes applying a gelling enhancer layer over an inner surface of a wall of a silicone shell having anterior and posterior walls surrounding an interior volume. The method includes filling the interior volume of the shell with a silicone gel and curing the silicone gel. The cured silicone gel that is located within a zone that is in the vicinity of the gelling enhancer layer has a higher level of cohesiveness than the cured silicone gel that is located outside the zone. The zone of the silicone gel having the higher level of cohesiveness has a thickness of 2-10 mm. The silicone gel located outside the zone has a first concentration level of a gelling enhancer and the silicone gel located within the zone has a second concentration level of the gelling enhancer that is 5%-300% greater than the first concentration level.

This invention is a system for the treatment of body passageways; in particular, vessels with vascular disease. The system includes an endovascular graft with a low-profile delivery configuration and a deployed configuration in which it conforms to the morphology of the vessel or body passageway to be treated as well as various connector members and stents. The graft is made from an inflatable graft body section and may be bifurcated. One or more inflatable cuffs may be disposed at either end of the graft body section. At least one inflatable channel is disposed between and in fluid communication with the inflatable cuffs.

The present invention relates to an intraocular lens, in particular capsular intraocular lens, with at least an anterior, a posterior optic element, a haptic element connecting both optic elements, wherein a cavity is formed by the optic element, and haptic elements, which are opened by circumferentially arranged openings. The object of the present invention is to provide an intraocular lens that allows a symmetrical deformation of one or more optic elements of the intraocular lens as well as a relative displacement of these optic elements relative to each other on their optic elemental axis, so that a sufficient change in refractive power is obtained. This object is met by an intraocular lens, wherein it is provided that the area of the cavity between the optic elements comprises a filling that is at least partially enclosed by a membrane that a) is formed as a bag and completely encloses the filling, b) is ring-shaped and is connected to the anterior and posterior optic element or c) closes the openings The present invention further relates to an intraocular lens having at least an anterior and a posterior optic element and a haptic element interconnecting both optic elements. According to the invention the haptic element forms an overhang at the transition to the anterior optic element, wherein the anterior surface of the haptic element anterior extends beyond the edge of the anterior optic element or the haptic element forms an overhang at the transition to the posterior optic element, whereby the posterior surface of the haptic element posterior protrudes over the edge of posterior optic element, wherein the anterior or the posterior optic element is preferably embodied as a pinhole.

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.

Endoluminal prosthetic devices having fluid-absorbable compositions for repair of vascular tissue defects, such as an aneurysm or dissection, are disclosed herein. A prosthesis for repairing an opening or cavity within a target vessel region configured in accordance herewith includes a tubular body sized to substantially cover the opening or cavity, and having channels formed in a wall thereof. The channels can include a fluid-absorbable composition deposited therein and which is configured to absorb fluid (e.g., blood) and swell within the channels, thereby providing radial expansion of the tubular body in situ.

A tissue expansion device can be implanted temporarily beneath skin of a patient and removed upon expansion of overlying tissue. The device can include an expandable shell having a smooth or glossy outer surface and an injection port. The expandable shell can form an expandable chamber and have an anterior portion and a posterior portion. The injection port can be coupled to the anterior portion of the shell and be in fluid communication with the chamber and configured to permit injection of fluid into the chamber from a hypodermic needle. The device can have a plurality of tabs coupled to the posterior portion of the shell having one or more colors or attributes. The device can also include an orientation indicator visible along the anterior portion of the shell for assisting a clinician and orienting the device during the implantation procedure.

A method of inserting a stent includes inserting a unitary, monolithic catheter assembly into a cardiac artery. The catheter assembly includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end, a distal balloon mounted on the distal end, and a proximal balloon mounted on the body, proximally of the distal balloon. A balloon expandable stent is mounted on the distal balloon. The method further includes the steps of advancing the catheter assembly to a blockage in the artery until the distal balloon and the stent both extend across the blockage; inflating the distal balloon and expanding the stent; deflating the distal balloon; advancing the catheter body distally until the proximal balloon extends within the stent; expanding the proximal balloon to post-dilate the stent; deflating the proximal balloon; and withdrawing the catheter body from the artery.

A method of forming an implant includes providing a preformed shell formed from at least one cured elastomeric layer. The shell includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and an opening for accessing an interior volume of the shell. The method further includes expanding the shell to an expanded state, in which the interior volume is greater than the interior volume of the shell at a time of forming the shell and forming an inner zone having at least one inner elastomeric layer on at least a portion of the inner surface of the shell, while the shell is in the expanded state, thereby forming a multi-zone shell. The method further includes reducing the interior volume of the multi-zone shell, thereby contracting the at least one inner elastomeric layer of the inner zone and causing texturing of the at least one inner elastomeric layer.

A stent graft system includes a stent graft an inflatable fill structure, and a cuff. The inflatable fill structure at least partially surrounds the stent graft. In various arrangements, the inflatable fill structure has a cavity that is bifurcated. A portion of the cavity is configured to receive a branch stent graft for connection to the stent graft. The cuff is fillable and is located outside of the inflatable fill structure, and allows for providing a seal with a wall of a blood vessel. The cuff and the inflatable fill structure are separately fillable from each other to different pressures with fill medium. In various arrangements, the cuff has a tapered shape such that it is wider at one end than at an opposite end when filled with a fill medium. A method includes filling the cuff to a higher pressure than a pressure of the inflatable fill structure.