Stents comprising a first region and a second region are provided, where at least the second region comprises one or more phase transforming cellular materials configured to move the outlet between an open configuration and a closed configuration in response to certain triggers. Such stents can also comprise one or more analog for a shape memory alloy (ASMA) unit cells on an inner surface of the first region such that, in response to resistive forces, the ASMA unit cells exert controllable motion to clear the stent. Methods of treatment of cancer, jaundice, and other diseases are also provided.

In a method of making a breast prosthesis for use by a wearer having a body temperature, a plurality of dissolvable beads is placed into an open back of a breast-shaped mold. The open back of the mold is sealed. A suspension of an uncured silicone rubber liquid and a plurality of phase change material pellets is injected into the mold around the beads. The uncured silicone rubber is allowed to cure, thereby forming a breast shape. The phase change material has a latent heat of fusion at a melting point so as to remove heat from the wearer when the body temperature is at least at the melting point. The breast shape is removed from the mold and the dissolvable beads are dissolved from the breast shape.

Disclosed are methods, devices and materials for the in situ formation of a nerve cap and/or a nerve wrap to inhibit neuroma formation following planned or traumatic nerve injury. The method includes the steps of identifying a severed end of a nerve, and positioning the severed end into a cavity defined by a form. A transformable media is introduced into the form cavity to surround the severed end. The media is permitted to undergo a transformation from a first, relatively flowable state to a second, relatively non flowable state to form a protective barrier surrounding the severed end. The media may be a hydrogel, and the transformation may produce a synthetic crosslinked hydrogel protective barrier. The media may include at least one anti-regeneration agent to inhibit nerve regrowth

An incontinence treatment system includes a urethral support extending between a first end and a second end, a first connector attached to the first end of the urethral support and a second connector attached to the second end of the urethral support, and an energy source. At least one of the first connector and the second connector is a cross-linked polymer connector having a glass transition temperature between 40-70 degrees Celsius. In this regard, the cross-linked polymer connector is stretched to provide a stretched cross-linked polymer connector having a product length. The energy source is adapted to provide energy from an extracorporeal location through intact skin to shorten the stretched cross-linked polymer connector to an implant length that is less than the product length.

A tubular medical instrument which can be easily ejected from a transfer device and accurately placed in a case the tubular medical instrument is released from the transfer device and placed at an affected area is provided. A tubular medical instrument includes ends portions, and a central portion, wherein each of the end portions is a region including one axial end of the tubular medical instrument and having a length of 10% with respect to an axial length L.sub.1 of the tubular medical instrument, the central portion is a region including an axial center of the tubular medical instrument and having a length of 10% with respect to the axial length L1 of the tubular medical instrument, and a ratio (difference V/difference W) is 3 or more.

This orthopedic implant includes a polymer substrate with an outer surface intended to be secured to a bone tissue. The outer surface is covered with metal particles including titanium. The particles include large primary particles and small secondary particles. The primary particles and the secondary particles are evenly distributed over the outer surface.

Devices and methods for providing localized pressure to a region of a patient's heart to improve heart functioning. The devices include a cardiac jacket made of a flexible biocompatible material and at least one inflatable bladder disposed on an interior surface of the jacket. Inflation of the bladder causes the bladder to expand to exert localized pressure against a region of the heart. In some cases, a phase-change material is filled into the bladder as a liquid and the material solidifies at body temperature. In some cases, a positioning tool is used prior to the implantation of the jacket in order to determine effective positions for the inflatable bladder(s) to be located on the heart to improve heart functioning.

Disclosed are adjustable intraocular lenses and methods of adjusting intraocular lenses post-operatively. In one embodiment, an adjustable accommodating intraocular lens comprises an optic portion and at least one haptic. At least part of the haptic can be made in part of a composite material comprising an energy absorbing constituent and a plurality of shrinkable and/or burstable microspheres. At least one of a base power of the optic portion can be configured to change in response to an external energy directed at the composite material.

A penile prosthesis has an energy assembly coupled to a proximal end of a tubular body. The energy assembly has a housing enclosing a piston, a heating element, and a liquid phase change material (PCM) sealed between an interior surface of the housing and the piston. When the heating element heats the liquid PCM to a gaseous state, the piston moves in a distal direction to increase pressure in the tubular body and provide the prosthesis with erection.

The disclosure describes a heat delivery medium and composition for biomedical applications with controlled conversion of energy from an exogenous source to heat.