Disclosed are a self-switching transmission assembly, a balloon, and a prosthesis for use in a shoulder joint. The self-switching transmission assembly comprises: a communicating tube (11, 11′, 11″) comprising an input end (111, 111′, 111″) and an output end (112, 112′, 112″); an external connection tube (12, 12′, 12″), an end portion thereof being insertable into the communicating tube (11, 11′, 11″) from the input end (111, 111′, 111″) and removable from the communicating tube (11, 11′, 11″) from the input end (111, 111′, 111″); and a sealing tube (13, 13′, 13″), which can be placed in a tube body of the communicating tube (11, 11′, 11″) and moved axially relative to the tube body of the communicating tube (11, 11′, 11″). The sealing tube (13, 13′, 13″) comprises a connection end (131, 131′, 131″) and a sealing end (132, 132′, 132″), the connection end (131, 131′, 131″) being detachably connected to the end portion of the external connection tube (12, 12′, 12″) by means of a connection driving mechanism, and the sealing end (132, 132′, 132″) being provided with a pass-through region, wherein, when the pass-through region is exposed outside of the output end (112, 112′, 112″), the self-switching transmission assembly is in a pass-through state, and when the pass-through region is placed inside the tube body of the communicating tube (11, 11′, 11″), the self-switching transmission assembly is in a sealed and blocked state.

An apparatus for treating obesity comprises a volume filling device formed by at least two segments and is provided and following implantation, the device is placed resting against the stomach wall of the patient to reduce the inner volume of the stomach, thereby affecting the patients appetite.

The present teachings provide systems, devices, and methods for reshaping the heart and reducing valve regurgitation. A device can be positioned proximate the heart and have a delivery profile and an inflated profile. The device can have a primary cavity and a secondary cavity, and an adhesive inside the secondary cavity. An injectable medium can be injected to the primary cavity of the device. As the primary cavity is filled, the adhesive is forced out of the secondary cavity to adhere the device. The inflated device can exert pressure on the heart, change the shape of a valve annulus, and allow a better coaptation of the valve leaflets.

A delivery system (10, 110) is provided for delivering and deploying an implantable balloon-based occlusion device (20) including an inflatable balloon (22). The delivery system (10, 110) includes a delivery handle (11), which includes a fluid-retaining chamber (41, 141); a plunger, which is slidingly disposed in the fluid-retaining chamber (41, 141); and a proximal rotatable user-control knob (31). A fluid-conveyance lumen catheter (18) defines a catheter fluid-conveyance lumen (19) in fluid communication with the fluid-retaining chamber (41, 141) and the inflatable balloon (22). A catheter lumen shaft (26) is in reversible connection with the balloon-based occlusion device (20), longitudinally slidable with respect to the delivery handle (11). The delivery handle (11) is configured such that rotation of the proximal rotatable user-control knob (31) in a first rotational direction concurrently (a) expels at least some of the fluid from the fluid-retaining chamber (41, 141) into the inflatable balloon (22), via the catheter fluid-conveyance lumen (19), and (b) shortens a length of the balloon-based occlusion device (20) by proximally pulling the catheter lumen shaft (26). Other embodiments are also described.

A balloon catheter system includes a tube and a dilator detachable from the tube after the tube is inserted into a cavity in the patient. The cavity may be filled with gas or liquid to expand the viscera surrounding the cavity and the guidewire may be inserted using a trochar, for example. The tube includes one or more lumen to expandable balloons that are inflatable by fluid inserted through the lumen and into the balloon or balloons, which are formed by elastic film sealed on opposite ends to the external diameter of the tube. The dilator is held in place during insertion, such as by a stainless steel shaft and a sheath portion of the dilator extending over the end of the tube being inserted into the cavity. A portion of the sheath may extend over and protect the balloon. A retractor net may be used to capture and remove the dilator or the dilator may be designed as a bioabsorbable or digestible material or of a material that passes safely through the digestive tract of a patient.

Methods, devices and systems for delivering a device assembly using a shaped body allowing for ease of ingestion of a gastric device into a gastric space, allowing the gastric device to expand to occupy volume within the gastric space and, after an effective period of time release from the body.

An apparatus includes a shaft, an expandable dilation member, and a bulbous tip. The shaft has a first outer cross-sectional dimension. The dilation member is positioned proximal to the distal end of the shaft. The dilation member is operable to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The dilation member is sized to pass through a passageway associated with drainage of a paranasal sinus or a Eustachian tube when the dilation member is in the non-expanded configuration. The bulbous tip is positioned at the distal end of the shaft. The bulbous tip is distal to the dilation member. The bulbous tip has a second outer cross-sectional dimension. The second outer cross-sectional dimension is larger than the first outer cross-sectional dimension. The bulbous tip is removably secured to the distal end of the shaft.

Method and system for treating a patient using an inflatable device. A removal device may be used to remove the inflatable device from the body. The removal device can have at least one manually-actuatable member and at least two opposing jaws at a distal end. At least one of the at least two jaws can be movable by actuation of the at least one manually-actuatable member. At least one of the at least two jaws can have a puncturing member.

Procedural methods are provided that are capable of forming a protuberant region, in which the surface of a living body protrudes, in a less-invasive manner and a medical device capable of forming the protuberant region in a less-invasive manner. A procedural method for forming a protuberant region, in which a surface of a living body protrudes, includes an introduction step of introducing a container having flexibility into the living body, a protuberant region forming step of forming the protuberant region, in which the surface of the living body protrudes, by filling the container with a filling material to expand the container, and a placement step of placing the expanded container in the living body.

A method and apparatus for suture-less placement of an occluding patch in which release of the device can be accelerated. In one embodiment, an inactive form of an adhesive is applied on the area of the patch that will come into contact with cardiac tissue; this allows for the introduction and necessary manipulation of the catheter system until activation of the adhesive occurs. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the adhesive properties of certain polymeric materials are relied upon rather than their ability to cure or harden into a specific shape. In another embodiment, the patch is immediately released utilizing a detaching mechanism on the balloon or the balloon catheter which supports the patch; the patch along with the inflated balloon remain on the cardiac structure occluding the opening.