A gastroesophageal reflux preventer and related methods are provided. A gastroesophageal reflux preventer is configured to be positioned around the exterior of a body organ and may include an elongate portion including a plurality of nodes positioned along at least a portion of the length of the elongate portion.

A T-shaped anchorable mesh having a reticular structure with an intertwining mesh material, forming a tissue contact surface. The T-shaped anchorable mesh includes a long arm and a fixation part. The long arm has two lateral ends spaced from each other in an X direction and two marginal edges extending between the two lateral ends. The fixation part extends from one of the two marginal edges in a Y direction. The fixation part includes a plurality of protrusions emerging from the tissue contact surface.

A valve prosthesis (10), comprising a stent (1), a leaflet (2), and a skirt (3); the stent (1) comprises an inflow end, an outflow end, and a plurality of wavy segments axially connected; the wavy segments comprise a plurality of reticular structure units disposed circumferentially; the leaflet (2) and the skirt (3) are fixed on the stent (1) respectively; the upper portion of the skirt (3) is provided with indentations (321); the skirt (3) is fixed with the leaflet (2) by means of the indentations (321); the skirt (3) further comprises first protrusion portions (323) extending toward the direction of the outflow end of the stent; one ends of the first protrusion portions (323) are connected with the indentations (321), and the other ends of the first protrusion portions are fixed to the stent (1); by such a way, the connection strength of the skirt (3) and the stent (1) is enhanced; and besides, when the valve prosthesis (10) is implanted at a lower position, perivalvular leakage preventing height can be increased by means of the first protrusion portions (323), thereby avoiding the leakage of a part of blood from the stent (1) and further improving the perivalvular leakage preventing effect.

A hybrid prosthetic heart valve configured to replace a native heart valve and having a support frame configured to be expanded post implant in order to receive and/or support an expandable prosthetic heart valve therein (a valve-in-valve procedure). The prosthetic heart valve may be configured to have a generally rigid and/or expansion-resistant configuration when initially implanted to replace a native valve (or other prosthetic heart valve), but to assume a generally expanded form when subjected to an outward force such as that provided by a dilation balloon or other mechanical expander. An inflow stent frame is expandable for anchoring the valve in place, and may have an outflow end that is collapsible for delivery and expandable post-implant to facilitate a valve-in-valve procedure.

A stent comprises a framework that includes a sequence of cells that each occupy a discrete segment of the stent length, and each of the cells includes a plurality of struts with ends connected at respective vertices. In some forms the hollow cylindrical shape of the framework is moveable among a loading diameter that is smaller than a tube diameter, which is smaller than an expanded diameter, and every strut of the framework is oriented parallel to the stent axis when the hollow cylindrical shape is at the tube diameter. In other forms the framework includes T-bars that connect adjacent cells, where the T-bars have a column that has a minimum width perpendicular to the long axis that is wider than a maximum width of each of the struts, and the column defines at least one slot. In still other forms, the framework exhibits geometries that facilitate a high packing density for the framework when the stent is in a compressed tube or loading configuration.

A method for treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) utilizes an RF ablation electrode needle system that has an RF ablation generator, and an electrode needle. The electrode needle is introduced to puncture within myocardium and to reach the hypertrophic area of the interventricular septum. The RF ablation generator is then turned on to implement single-point or multi-point ablation on the hypertrophic area of the interventricular septum, and then the RF electrode needle is withdrawn from the patient.

A fluidic bridging tube (1), for bridging membranes in the human or animal body allowing the passage of fluid, has a proximal flange (2), an inter lumen connector (3) with a lumen (5) and a distal flange (4). The tube comprises a metal skeleton or scaffold structure (51) and a surrounding polymer which is softer than the scaffold structure. The scaffold structure (51) has a tubular mesh providing structural strength to the inter lumen connector. The tubular mesh has members (61) defining substantial rectangular mesh apertures, and distal crowns (64). At its proximal end the scaffold structure comprises spines (68) extending from a proximal tubular mesh rim (63). The spines provide structural strength to the proximal flange (2). In the preferred embodiment the tube is a tympanostomy tube. A method of manufacturing the tube comprises providing the scaffold structure and over-moulding the outer material to form the shape of the proximal flange, the inter lumen connector with a lumen, and the distal flange.

A stent comprises a framework that includes a sequence of cells that each occupy a discrete segment of the stent length, and each of the cells includes a plurality of struts with ends connected at respective vertices. An adjacent pair of the cells are attached to one another by a plurality of T-bars that each include a column defining a long axis that extends parallel to the stent axis, and a top bar attached to one end of the column. An opposite end of the column is attached to a first cell, and the top bar is attached at opposite ends to a second cell of the adjacent pair of cells. The column has a minimum width perpendicular to the long axis that is wider than a maximum width of each of the struts, and the column defines at least one slot. The top bar includes a curved edge on an opposite side from the column, and the curved edge straddles the long axis.

Disclosed is a self-expandable atrioventricular valve prosthesis device, including a main body portion of a frame structure, wherein the main body portion is implanted at a primary annulus of a heart and the main body portion includes an inflow segment, an outflow segment and a transition segment, wherein the inflow segment is located at an atrium end, the outflow segment is located at a ventricle end, and the transition segment is located between the inflow segment and the outflow segment. The device further includes at least one prosthetic valve leaflet fixed to the transition segment of the main body portion, and the prosthetic valve leaflet is configured with a connecting portion. The device further includes a chordae tendineae portion with one end fixed and the other end connected to the prosthetic valve leaflet via the connecting portion. In the present invention, by limiting the movement range of the prosthetic valve leaflet via the chordae tendineae portion, and by preventing the shear stress and the stress concentration on the valve leaflets exerted by the chordae tendineae portion via the connecting portion, the endurance of the prosthetic valve leaflet is increased.

A method for transcatheter delivery to a native heart valve needing replacement. A first component is attached to the native annulus upstream of the native leaflets maintaining native leaflet function, and is held to the native annulus by barbs that are activated by a torus balloon after the first component is fully expanded. The torus balloon can be implanted along with the support frame. A limiting cable restricts further expansion of the first component and holds a second component that contains the replacement leaflets.