Biodegradable magnesium alloy implantable medical devices are protected to delay onset of corrosion, and thus biodegradability, or to corrode more uniformly. The protection allows for extended effective use of the devices while maintaining biodegradability. Examples of protective coatings include conversion coatings that at least partially remove exposed second phases from a surface of the magnesium alloy and coatings that provide a barrier between water and the surface of the magnesium alloy.

Biodegradable magnesium alloy implantable medical devices are protected to delay onset of corrosion, and thus biodegradability, or to corrode more uniformly. The protection allows for extended effective use of the devices while maintaining biodegradability. Examples of protective coatings include conversion coatings that at least partially remove exposed second phases from a surface of the magnesium alloy and coatings that provide a barrier between water and the surface of the magnesium alloy.

A guide is disclosed that operates to guide in the creation of a bone spur to facilitate harvesting a quadriceps tendon and includes an end having a width equal to a desired graft width with a terminal slope equal to a cutting angle desired. In use, the guide may be initially positioned parallel to the femur to form guide cuts in the patella. The guide is then rotated ninety degrees to allow an angled cut at the guide cut. The guide is again rotated, this time one hundred eighty degrees and a second angled cut made on the other guide cut. A final lateral cut is made and the bone spur may be lifted from the patella.

An implant comprises a substrate and a coating on a surface of the substrate, and the coating comprises silicon nitride and has a thickness of from about 1 to about 15 micrometer. A method of providing the implant comprises coating a surface of the implant substrate with the coating comprising silicon nitride and having a thickness of from about 1 to about 15 micrometer by physical vapour deposition.

An end effector including an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly is disclosed. The staple cartridge assembly comprises a deck having steps defined thereon for compressing tissue positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge assembly to different pressures. The staple cartridge assembly further comprises staples having different unformed heights removably stored therein. The staples are deformed against the anvil to different formed heights.

There is disclosed a method of improving the reliability of coating an implantable medical device, such as a stent, with bioactive material in the absence of a carrier material such as a matrix or polymer layer. The method involves cleaning volatile components from the exposed surfaces of the medical device, removing carbon deposits and then applying a uniform carbon layer in a controlled environment. The deliberately applied carbon layer masks impurities of the underlying native oxide layer and leads to more uniform bioactive material coating not only a over the surfaces of a single medical device but also from device to device within a batch and between batches of devices. This improves production as well as optimising the amount and release of drug on the medical device without the need for a carrier material.

Disclosed are a material with supercapacitance modified surface and a preparation method and application thereof. Specifically, the present disclosure introduces a material having a controllably supercapacitive surface. The surface is chargeable, the full-charged modified surface can interact with bacteria disturbing the electron transfer of respiratory chain of bacteria and inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria in a short-term. The antibacterial rate can be improved by cyclically charging-discharging without losing capacitance, and prevent formation of biofilm of bacteria. The antibacterial system can quantitatively control the antibacterial process without affecting the biocompatibility of the material, and has the advantages of environmental protection and controllability.

Certain embodiments are directed to methods and compositions for inhibiting, stabilizing or preventing fungal infections by yeast on a surface using an agent comprising one or more types of quantum dots sufficient to regulate the growth of fungal cells or biofilms thereof.

Provided are a magnesium alloy stent with improved corrosion resistance, and a method for producing same. The bioabsorbable stent including a core structure of a magnesium alloy, the stent is composed of: a first anticorrosive layer containing magnesium fluoride as a main component formed on the core structure, and a second anticorrosive layer coated with a diamond-like carbon on the first anticorrosive layer.

The present disclosure is generally related to a stent with one more layer of graphene added to a stint that will be inserted into the body of a patient. Such a stint may be inserted into a vein or artery of a patient in order to increase blood flow, to maintain blood flow, or to prevent a vein or artery from collapsing. The graphene added to the stint provides improved biocompatibility of the stint and reduces risks associated with conventional stints. Stints consistent with the present disclosure may also include growth factors that help bind the stint to specific receptors or target cells. Stints of the present disclosure may include a monolayer, a bilayer, or multi-layers of graphene adhered to the surface of the stent. The stint may then coated with a growth factor.