The present disclosure relates to techniques for restricting luminary organs. More specifically, a constriction device is provided, having one or several constriction elements configured to be inflated and thereby expand in a first direction towards the luminary organ to constrict a first portion of the luminary organ for restricting the flow of fluid therethrough.

During a process of refractive index modification of an intraocular lens (IOL) using an ophthalmic laser system, optical position monitoring of the IOL is performed by a video camera system viewing the top surface of the IOL. Fiducials are incorporated into the IOL at manufacture, or created in-vivo with laser. The monitoring method employs a defined area of interest (AOI) to limit the number of pixels to be analyzed, to achieve adequately high acquisition speed. In one example, the AOI contains 5 camera scan line segments, each line segment having sufficient pixels to create a stable amplitude signature. Successive frames of the AOI are analyzed to detect movement of the fiducial and/or to determine whether the fiducial has been lost.

A valve prosthesis and methods for implanting the prosthesis are provided. The prosthesis generally includes a self-expanding frame and two or more engagement arms. A valve prosthesis is sutured to the self-expanding frame. Each engagement arm corresponds to a native mitral valve leaflet. At least one engagement arm immobilizes the native leaflets, and holds the native leaflets close to the main frame. The prosthetic mitral valve frame also includes two or more anchor attachment points. Each anchor attachment point is attached to one or more anchors that help attach the valve prosthesis to the heart.

Fixation device for fixation of leaflets of a heart valve includes an elongate central member defining a longitudinal axis of the fixation device and first and second arms rotatable about at least one arm hinge point between an open position and a closed position. The fixation device further includes a first gripping element rotatable about a first gripping element axis of rotation to capture a first leaflet of a heart valve between the first gripping element and the first arm. The fixation device further includes a second gripping element rotatable about a second gripping element axis of rotation to capture a second leaflet of a heart valve between the second gripping element and the second arm. At least one of the first gripping element axis of rotation and the second gripping element axis of rotation is variably offset from the arm hinge point by an axis offset distance defined along the longitudinal axis.

This application relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for replacing native heart valves with prosthetic heart valves and treating valvular insufficiency. In some implementations, a heart valve leaflet clipping mechanism includes a delivery apparatus and clipping arms. The clipping arms are coupled to the delivery apparatus. The clipping arms are movable between an open position and a closed position. The two clipping arms are biased to the closed position. The delivery apparatus is configured to hold the clipping arms in the open position. The delivery apparatus is configured to allow the clipping arms to move to the closed position to engage native heart valve leaflet tissue.

The invention relates to a device for use in the transcatheter treatment of mitral valve regurgitation, specifically a coaptation assistance element for implantation across the valve; a system including the coaptation assistance element and anchors for implantation; a system including the coaptation assistance element and delivery catheter; and a method for transcatheter implantation of a coaptation element across a heart valve.

A prosthetic heart valve configured to replace a native heart valve and having a support frame configured to be reshaped into an expanded form in order to receive and/or support an expandable prosthetic heart valve therein is disclosed, together with methods of using same. The prosthetic heart valve may be configured to have a generally rigid and/or expansion-resistant configuration when initially implanted to replace a native valve (or other prosthetic heart valve), but to assume a generally expanded form when subjected to an outward force such as that provided by a dilation balloon or other mechanical expander.

There is provided herein a breast implant comprising: a base having a first diameter, the base is configured to rest against a subject's chest wall when implanted; a dome having a second diameter, the dome is configured to be positioned within breast parenchyma underneath a nipple-areola complex when implanted; and an elongated projecting structure extending between the base and the dome, wherein the implant is configured to be inserted into a subject's breast as an internal supporting skeleton and to affect the projection of breast.

This application relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for replacing native heart valves with prosthetic heart valves and treating valvular insufficiency. In a representative embodiment, a support frame configured to be implanted in a heart valve comprises a main body formed by formed by a plurality of inner members forming an inner clover and a plurality of outer members forming an outer clover. The support frame can include gaps located between inner members of the plurality of inner members and outer members of the plurality of outer members. The inner clover can be radially inside the outer clover, and the outer clover can have larger dimensions than the inner clover. The support frames herein can be radially expandable and collapsible.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include an implantable assembly for a native heart valve that includes a prosthetic heart valve and a braided support structure. The prosthetic valve includes a frame and prosthetic leaflets. The braided support structure has an inner braided layer and an outer braided layer. The outer braided layer is disposed over the inner braided layer. The outer braided layer is less porous to blood than the inner braided layer. The braided support structure defines a plurality of arms that are angularly spaced around the prosthetic heart valve such that each arm extends radially outwardly from the prosthetic heart valve. Other embodiments are also described.