The present invention relates to surgical or laparoscopic method of creating and maintaining an opening in the thoracic diaphragm of a patient. In said method, an incision in the thoracic diaphragm is created, thereby creating an opening in the thoracic diaphragm. Further a diaphragm passing part is placed in said opening created in the thoracic diaphragm, passing from the abdomen, through the thoracic diaphragm at the pericardial contacting section, into the pericardium; When placing the diaphragm passing part a force transferring part of the diaphragm passing part is placed in contact with the thoracic diaphragm, the force transferring part being adapted to, by motion of the force transferring part, transfer force between the abdominal side of the thoracic diaphragm and the thoracic side of the thoracic diaphragm or the pericardium while sliding against the thoracic diaphragm.

The present technology relates to power management for interatrial shunting systems. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a system for shunting blood between a left atrium and a right atrium of a patient. The system can include a shunting element and a plurality of active electronic components operably coupled to the shunting element. At least some of the active electronic components have different power consumption characteristics. The system also includes a plurality of energy storage components, with some of the energy storage components have different characteristics. During operation, the system is configured to receive a signal indicating that an active electronic component is to be operated, and select an energy storage component associated with power output characteristics capable of accommodating the power consumption characteristics of the active electronic component. The system is further configured to instruct the selected energy storage component to power operation of the active electronic component.

A direct sodium removal (“DSR”) infusate regimen and methods of use are provided for removing sodium and reducing fluid overload in patients with severe renal dysfunction and/or heart failure, in which a patient has at least a first DSR session with a first DSR infusate having no or low sodium that is instilled into a patient's peritoneal cavity for a first dwell period to cause sodium and excess fluid to migrate to the patient's peritoneal cavity, and thereafter, the patient may undergo conventional dialysis to rebalance the patient's fluid and sodium levels.

Various systems, devices, and methods for endovascular implants and placement thereof are disclosed. The implants include a proximal implant segment, a distal implant segment, connector struts connecting the proximal implant segment to the distal implant segment, and a side opening between the proximal implant segment and the distal implant segment. The implants can be used to create an arteriovenous fistula or connect one vessel of the body to another by placement of the proximal implant segment and the distal implant segment within the vessels to be connected. The implants can include one or more anchors for securing the implant in place with respect to the vessels of the body it is connecting. The implants can also include a continuous strut or ring at a distal edge of the proximal implant segment. Also disclosed are methods for percutaneous placement of the implants, and a device for percutaneous delivery.

A stent delivery system including an elongate shaft of a medical device, a stent selectively coupled to a distal portion of the elongate shaft, and a coupling mechanism for selectively coupling the stent to the elongate shaft by inserting a tab on one of the stent or the elongate shaft into an opening in the other of the stent or the elongate shaft. The tab may be deflected from a first position to a second position to disengage the tab from the opening.

An ocular implant for treating glaucoma is provided, which may include any number of features. More particularly, the present invention relates to implants that facilitate the transfer of fluid from within one area of the eye to another area of the eye. One feature of the implant is that it includes a proximal inlet portion and a distal inlet portion adapted to be inserted into the anterior chamber of the eye, and an intermediate portion adapted to be inserted into Schlemm's canal. Another feature of the implant is that it can be biased to assume a predetermined shape to aid in placement within the eye.

The principles and embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for using terlipressin to treat a patient having impaired renal function associated with liver disease. A method of improving kidney function in an adult patient with hepatorenal syndrome with rapid reduction in kidney function may include determining the patient's acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) grade and baseline serum creatinine level; obtaining a baseline oxygenation saturation (SpO.sub.2) of the patient; administering a dose of terlipressin acetate to the patient by intravenous (IV) injection; and monitoring the patient's oxygenation saturation with pulse oximetry.

An imaging probe comprises a camera or endoscope with an external detector array, in which the probe is sized and shaped for surgical placement in an eye to image the eye from an interior of the eye during treatment. The imaging probe and a treatment probe can be coupled together with a fastener or contained within a housing. The imaging probe and the treatment probe can be sized and shaped to enter the eye through an incision in the cornea and image one or more of the ciliary body band or the scleral spur. The treatment probe may comprise a treatment optical fiber or a surgical placement device to deliver an implant. A processor coupled to the detector can be configured with instructions to identify a location of one or more of the ciliary body band, the scleral spur, Schwalbe's line, or Schlemm's canal from the image.

The invention relates to a balloon catheter, in particular for the widening of stents in fenestrations and for T-branch protheses, being provided with a balloon (4), a supply line in the catheter (2) leading to the balloon (4), which allows the balloon (4) to be pressurized, and a central lumen (3) for a guidewire, with the balloon (4) in the expanded state having at least two areas (P, D, M) of different diameter, with these areas merging into one another by forming a step.

A glaucoma shunt for draining a fluid from an eye to a tissue surrounding the eye, the glaucoma shunt being implantable within tissue of the eye, the glaucoma shunt includes a shunt body that is formed from a microporous material that is arranged so as to form a reservoir within the shunt body; and a conduit in fluid communication with the reservoir, the conduit being insertable into the eye such that the fluid at a distal end of the conduit is allowed to flow through the conduit and accumulate within the reservoir, wherein the microporous material transitions from a hydrophobic state to a hydrophilic state as the fluid that is accumulated in the reservoir diffuses to the tissue surrounding the eye through the microporous material so as to provide a variable flow resistance as the microporous material transitions from the hydrophobic state to the hydrophilic state.