A nickel-titanium alloy with an average grain size of between 0.2 and 10 microns and a recoverable strain of greater than 9% is disclosed herein, in which the alloy is formed using a method which involves applying a shape set heat treatment to the nickel-titanium alloy. The heat treatment includes applying heat at a temperature between 225° C. and 350° C. for a period of time between 20 and 240 minutes.

A compression garment having one or more flex frames that can be shortened or lengthened to apply or release a compressive force to the limb or other anatomical feature of a user. The compression garment can have a wire made of shape memory material (shape memory alloy). A controller of the compression garment can supply an electrical input to the wire, generating heat that can cause the wire to contract such that the flex frame deflects to a shorter length to apply a compressive force to the limb or other anatomical feature of the user. The one or more flex frames can be contracted in unison or in sequence to direct the flow of bodily fluids in the limb or other anatomical feature of the user.

The present invention generally relates to the use of small particles, such as micro particles or nanoparticles, to produce a therapeutic scar such as “trans-mural” scarring or other desired “deep tissue” scarring. In one preferred embodiment, these particles can be delivered to a target location by an implant. More specifically, these particles can be incorporated into the structure of implants or into the coatings on implants. In another preferred embodiment, these small particles can be delivered directly with a catheter by electrophoresis or hydraulic pressure.

A compression garment having one or more flex frames that can be shortened or lengthened to apply or release a compressive force to the limb or other anatomical feature of a user. The compression garment can have a wire made of shape memory material (shape memory alloy). A controller of the compression garment can supply an electrical input to the wire, generating heat that can cause the wire to contract such that the flex frame deflects to a shorter length to apply a compressive force to the limb or other anatomical feature of the user. The one or more flex frames can be contracted in unison or in sequence to direct the flow of bodily fluids in the limb or other anatomical feature of the user.

The present invention relates to a photo-cross-linkable shape-memory polymer and a preparation method therefor. The shape-memory polymer according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a photo-cross-linkable functional group, and thus a shape-memory polymer having a melting point suitable for a physiological or medical application device can be provided. Particularly, a method for preparing the shape-memory polymer, according to one embodiment of the present invention, uses a catalyst for inducing the simultaneous ring-opening polymerization of two monomers (CL, GMA) during synthesis of the shape-memory polymer, thereby enabling the synthesis time of the shape-memory polymer to be reduced, and shape-memory polymers having various melting points can be readily prepared by controlling the introduction amounts of CL and GMA.

Examples relate to systems, devices, and methods for removing fluid from a fluid collection device using a vacuum source operably coupled thereto. The fluid collection devices include urine collection devices having shape memory material that may be selectively shaped to complement the female or male anatomy near the respective urethras.

A self-expanding wire frame for a pre-configured compressible transcatheter prosthetic cardiovascular valve, a combined inner frame/outer frame support structure for a prosthetic valve, and methods for deploying such a valve for treatment of a patient in need thereof, are disclosed.

Catheters including thermoplastic polyurethane polymer tubing with improved shape recovery after storage in a substantially coiled configuration are provided.

Thin-film mesh for medical devices, including stent and scaffold devices, and related methods are provided. Micropatterned thin-film mesh, such as thin-film Nitinol (TFN) mesh, may be fabricated via sputter deposition on a micropatterned wafer. The thin-film mesh may include slits to be expanded into pores, and the expanded thin-film mesh used as a cover for a stent device. The stent device may include two stent modules that may be implanted at a bifurcated aneurysm such that one module passes through a medial surface of the other module. The thin-film mesh may include pores with complex, fractal, or fractal-like shapes. The thin-film mesh may be used as a scaffold for a scaffold device. The thin-film scaffold may be placed in a solution including structural protein such as fibrin, seeded with cells, and placed in the body to replace or repair tissue.

The present invention provides a device and method for monitoring bioelectrical signals in cells, tissues, and/or organs. The invention makes use of a unique and innovative retractable mapping catheter and electrode array system that has maximum flexibility to conform to the shape of the tissue substrate upon which it is placed. The flexible nature of the catheter and electrode array system allows the electrodes to adapt to the configuration of the tissue upon which it is placed, thus each electrode in the array is in continuous contact with the substrate.