A medical device for joining materials is provided. The device comprises a piercing element configured to penetrate materials to be joined. The piercing element is sufficiently sharp to penetrate materials to be joined and comprises a hollow interior along at least a portion of its length configured to distal advancement of a fastener therethrough; and an open tip through which the fastener can be pushed. The device can be used for fastening materials including tissue, synthetic mesh, and biologic mesh (e.g., ADM).

According to the aspect of the present disclosure, various forms of medical 3D threads produced using ultrasonic waves are provided. Thus, we can expect high satisfaction with the medical 3D threads having high tensile strength and holding power. The medical 3D threads can be produced to have about twice as many barbs as conventional medical threads and can be produced using ultrasonic waves without damaging yarn or making knots. Thus, it is possible to overcome the cause of a decrease in physical strength.

An apparatus for forming a weld between a first portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material and a second portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and a structure for holding said first and second electrodes in opposition to one other with a space therebetween for receiving said first portion and said second portion in contact with one another. The structure is electrically non-conductive and an electrical circuit comprising a power source and a switch arranged such that closure of said switch applies a voltage potential across said first electrode and said second electrode so as to generate heat via electrical resistance, the heat being sufficient to melt regions of said first and second portions.

Disclosed herein are an implant with an attachment feature and a method for attaching to the same. The implant may include a cavity with a porous layer disposed within a non-porous layer wherein the non-porous layer defines a chamber. The chamber may receive and confine liquefiable material and direct liquefiable material to permeate through the porous layer. A method of attaching a device to the implant may include liquefying a liquefiable portion of the device and allowing the liquefied material to interdigitate with the second layer and then solidify to prevent pullout.

A suture includes an outer sheath with color marks and a background visually distinguishable from the color marks. Each color mark has exposed portions of at least two colored yarns of first and second different colors. The background includes exposed portions of background yarns of a background color. The background yarns and the colored yarns are braided to each other. The first and second colors are different from the background color. The color marks are arranged in at least one row along a longitudinal direction of the suture. Each color mark is longitudinally shifted with respect to a subsequent color mark in a same row by a first shift, and the exposed portions of the colored yarns of each color mark are substantially parallel to each other and arranged in a sequence along the longitudinal direction of the suture.

In one embodiment, the present invention is a braided filament including a plurality of strands each having at least one ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber and at least one polyester fiber wherein the quantity of certain types of fibers in a first strand is the same as the quantity of the same type of fibers in a second strand. In a variant, one additional strand of the braided filament is a monofilament strand. In another variant, each strand is homogeneous with respect to the other strands and is made exclusively from ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers and polyester fibers such that each strand has the same distribution and quantity of fiber types.

Systems, devices and methods for securing tissue including the annulus of a mitral valve. The systems, devices and methods may employ catheter based techniques and devices to plicate tissue and perform an annuloplasty.

An active anvil assembly for use in forming a looped suture is provided. The active anvil assembly includes an anvil member, a first sensor operably connected to the anvil member, and a control assembly. The first sensor is configured for measuring at least one of force, torque, and distance feedback. Also provided are systems and methods for forming a looped suture including an active anvil assembly.

This disclosure concerns suburethral and pelvic support structures which utilize tissue soldering materials instead of, or in addition to, traditional tissue anchors and suture knots. It further concerns methods of treating patients that includes implanting these structures and activating the tissue soldering materials to attach the structures to a tissue in the body of the patient.

A system including a bone punch tool and a needle guide. The bone punch tool can include a support arm having a support arm proximal portion and a support arm distal portion, a pivot arm having a pivot arm proximal portion and a pivot arm distal portion, and an arcuate punch configured to punch through bone. The pivot arm distal portion can be pivotably coupled to the support arm distal portion, such that the pivot arm proximal portion is configured to be moved away from the support arm proximal portion to extend the arcuate punch into a punch position to punch an arcuate hole through bone. The needle guide can be configured to guide a needle through the arcuate hole.