Apparatus, including an enclosure, a fluid-tight bag located within the enclosure, and a fluid-tight valve connected to the fluid-tight bag. The apparatus also has a tube, having a first end connected to the fluid-tight bag via the fluid-tight valve, and a second end connected to a balloon within a breast implant fitted to an implantee. The apparatus further includes a spindle, located within the enclosure, connected to the fluid-tight bag, and configured to rotate under control of the implantee so as to roll the fluid-tight bag onto the spindle or to unroll the fluid-tight bag from the spindle, and thus transfer a fluid, contained in the balloon, the tube, and the fluid-tight bag, therebetween.

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.

An implantable device includes an outer tubular member defining a longitudinal axis and a lumen. The outer tubular member includes: an outer wall portion having a plurality of first strands defining a plurality of first openings therebetween, the outer wall portion having a first porosity; and an inner baffle portion disposed within the lumen, the inner baffle portion including a plurality of second strands defining a plurality of second openings therebetween, the inner baffle portion having a second porosity that is lower than the first porosity of the outer wall portion.

A product for implantation within a soft tissue site of the human or animal body comprises a matrix of pulverized or morselized substantially non-mineralized native soft tissue (NSTM) of the human or animal body, provided in a therapeutic amount to induce growth of native tissue or organs and healing at the tissue site. The NSTM is composed of at least one soft tissue selected from the group consisting of cartilage, meniscus, intervertebral disc, ligament, tendon, muscle, fascia, periosteum, pericardium, perichondrium, skin, nerve, blood vessels, and heart valves or from organs such as bladder, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, thyroid, or thymus. Preferably, the NSTM is composed of a soft tissue of the same type of tissue native to the repair site.

An implantable device system includes an implantable device, such as an annuloplasty ring, for controlling at least a shape and/or size of a heart valve annulus. The implantable device includes an arcuate body and an adjustment system configured to adjust the shape and/or size of the arcuate body. An adjustment tool is configured to be coupled to the adjustment system so that the adjustment tool can be used to activate and control adjustment of the arcuate body. A sensor system is configured to be coupled to the implantable device. The sensor system includes a first sensor configured to measure physiological data at an inflow portion of the valve annulus when the implantable device is implanted into the valve annulus, and a second sensor configured to measure physiological data at an outflow portion of the valve annulus when the implantable device is implanted into the valve annulus.

A facet joint replacement system includes an inferior implant with an inferior articular surface, a superior implant with a superior articular surface and may include a crosslink extending across a vertebral sagittal plane. The inferior implant may comprise an inferior strut, and a polyaxially adjustable, lockable mechanism which may couple the inferior articular surface with a first end of the inferior strut, and couple the inferior articular surface with the crosslink. A second end of the inferior strut may be secured to a polyaxially adjustable, lockable fixation assembly securable in a vertebra. The superior implant may be secured to a polyaxially adjustable lockable fixation assembly securable in a vertebra. The positions of the inferior articular surface and the first end of the inferior strut are independently translatable along a medial-lateral axis of the vertebra prior to lockout by the lockable mechanism. The crosslink may be placed into the lockable mechanism from a posterior approach.

The present invention includes a device and method for measuring skin elasticity that comprises: a probe, wherein the probe comprises one or more holes, a vacuum source, a pressure sensor, and one or more proximity sensors aligned about the one or more holes; and a processor for recording the deformation of the skin using a control unit comprising a microcontroller connected to the proximity and the pressure sensors, wherein the proximity sensor and the processor is adapted to automatically initiate a test when the sensor is positioned at a pre-determined distance from the skin, wherein a vacuum in the probe is capable of pulling skin into the one or more holes and the proximity sensor is capable of measuring an amount of skin drawn into the one or more holes to determine an elasticity of the skin.

The present invention includes a device and method for measuring skin elasticity that comprises: a probe with one or more holes, a vacuum source, a pressure sensor, and one or more infrared or optical proximity sensors aligned about the one or more holes, wherein the probe further comprises a raised area surrounding the one or more holes; and a processor for recording the deformation of the skin using a control unit comprising a microcontroller connected to the one or more infrared or optical proximity sensors and the one or more pressure sensors, to measure an amount of skin drawn into and out of the one or more holes to determine the distance between the one or more proximity sensors and the skin both inside and outside the probe.

A prosthetic assembly for repairing a target tissue defect within a target vessel region configured includes an exclusion structure sized to substantially bypass target tissue defect, and includes a branch assembly. The branch assembly can include a self-expanding outer branch prosthesis having an inflow region configured to deform to a non-circular cross-sectional-shape when deployed, and a support structure at least partially disposed within the inflow region. The support structure preserves blood flow to the branch vessel while the deformed inflow region inhibits blood leakage between and/or around the prosthetic assembly.

Procedural methods are provided that are capable of forming a protuberant region, in which the surface of a living body protrudes, in a less-invasive manner and a medical device capable of forming the protuberant region in a less-invasive manner. A procedural method for forming a protuberant region, in which a surface of a living body protrudes, includes an introduction step of introducing a container having flexibility into the living body, a protuberant region forming step of forming the protuberant region, in which the surface of the living body protrudes, by filling the container with a filling material to expand the container, and a placement step of placing the expanded container in the living body.