A method is provided for implanting a valve having at least one valve leaflet within the cardiovascular system of a subject. One step of the method includes preparing a substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve and then providing an expandable support member having oppositely disposed first and second ends and a main body portion extending between the ends. Next, the substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve is attached to the expandable support member so that the substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve is operably secured within the main body portion of the expandable support member. The expandable support member is then crimped into a compressed configuration and placed at a desired location within the cardiovascular system of the subject. Either before or after placement at the desired location, fluid or blood re-hydrates the substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve.

Devices for imparting vibration to implanted devices to reduce accumulation of biofilm thereon including a vibration tip, the vibration tip being sized and shaped to couple to a vibrator and receive a vibration therefrom, wherein the vibration tip is sized and shaped to conduct the vibration from the vibrator to an implanted device are disclosed. Methods of inhibiting biofilm formation including abutting a vibration source against an implanted device, and activating the vibration source to impart vibration to the implanted device thereby inhibiting a formation of biofilm on the implanted device are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a delivery catheter and the stepwise release of a stent from the catheter into the vasculature of a patient, as well as a loading device for a transcatheter heart valve (THV) prosthesis.

A method is provided for implanting a valve having at least one valve leaflet within the cardiovascular system of a subject. One step of the method includes preparing a substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve and then providing an expandable support member having oppositely disposed first and second ends and a main body portion extending between the ends. Next, the substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve is attached to the expandable support member so that the substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve is operably secured within the main body portion of the expandable support member. The expandable support member is then crimped into a compressed configuration and placed at a desired location within the cardiovascular system of the subject. Either before or after placement at the desired location, fluid or blood re-hydrates the substantially dehydrated bioprosthetic valve.

A tool for processing an inner surface of a seamlessly drawn tube is sized and configured to be inserted into the interior of the tube. The tool has an outer side defining multiple flow channels in the form of grooves arranged adjacently to each other in a circumferential direction of the tool, wherein each groove on the outer side forms a cutting edge and preferably at least two cutting edges. The tool is moved along a longitudinal axis (x) of the tube while simultaneously rotating the tool in the circumferential direction (U) of the tool by applying a gaseous medium (G) to the tool and/or by acting on the tool with an alternating magnetic field to remove contaminations of the tube which protrude from the inner surface.

The present disclosure relates to a delivery catheter and the stepwise release of a stent from the catheter into the vasculature of a patient, as well as a loading device for a transcatheter heart valve (THV) prosthesis.

The present invention provides for a squeeze handle for an ophthalmic instrument having elongate body with resiliently-biased squeeze elements, wherein a conduit is provided within the elongate body to allow for fluid communication between an opening provided in an outer wall of elongate body and a tool to be in operative engagement with the handle and the squeeze elements, and to a related method of cleaning an ophthalmic instrument having resiliently biased squeeze elements on an elongate handle body, and including the steps of introducing, by way of an opening provided in an outer wall of the elongate body, fluid under pressure into a conduit provided within the elongate body; and allowing for flow of the fluid along the conduit to a tool in operative engagement with the elongate handle and squeeze elements; for cleaning the tool.

The subject matter described herein relates to a process suitable for the production of an implantable medical device by means of a 3D printer. The process includes identifying an intended implant area for the medical device, collecting, in a non-invasive manner, a set of physiological data corresponding to the local anatomy of said intended implant area of the patient, noninvasively taking measurements from the set of physiological data of the patient with the aid of an analysis tool, and adding the characteristics of the medical device, which are specific to additive manufacturing, to thus generate a 3D model of the medical device to be produced. The process further includes exporting the 3D model of the medical device to be produced to the 3D printer suitable for printing a shape-memory material in which the parameters of the 3D printer are adapted to the geometry of the medical device.

An open, seal-less intraocular lens is disclosed herein. An example intraocular lens may include an annular substrate including an oil electrode disposed in or on an inner sidewall of the annular substrate to electrostatically manipulate a volume of electrowetting oil, an optical window coupled to the substrate, where a side of the optical window adjacent to the inner sidewall and the inner sidewall of the annular substrate define a region for constraining the volume of electrowetting oil, and a saline electrode coupled to the annular substrate, the saline electrode positionable within an aqueous humor of an eye upon implantation

A heart valve prosthesis is proposed, including a housing, at least one leaflet installed within the housing, at least one sensor and/or valve performance monitoring device. The sensor and/or monitoring device is built into the housing and/or leaflet. In an embodiment, the housing and/or leaflet has an oscillating circuit including an inductor coil connected to the sensor and/or monitoring device. One such coil can be built into the housing, and another coil can be built into the leaflet. In another embodiment, one coil can be built into a first leaflet, and another coil can be built into a second leaflet, wherein the sensor and/or monitoring device determines a degree of opening/closing the leaflets by measuring inductive interconnection between the coils, and operation timing characteristics of the valve. In an embodiment, the valve may include an emission sensor disposed within the leaflet and/or housing capable of detecting the valve's open/closed positions.