Mitralign, Inc.

206 Ortho, Inc.

Safepath Medical, Inc.

Other

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Millipore Corporation

Cook Incorporated

Cook Medical Technologies LLC

Sabin Corporation

Joseph P Lane

Aaron M Call

Arthur C Watterson

Jeffrey A D'Agostino

Andrew James Carter

Hiroatsu Sugimoto

Edward I McNamara

Paul A Spence

Jason Robinson

Robert S Whitehouse

Michael W Sutherland

Ian D McRury

Donald S Baim

Samantha Marchetti

Nikole Seil

Thomas D Egan

Steven D Cahalane

David P Dolan

Jacob A Flagle

John DePiano

Mark A Maguire

Werner J Blank

Andrew K Hoffa

Christopher Lee

Christopher G Dixon

Neal E Fearnot

Brian L Bates

Paul Sabin

Richard J Morrill

Charles Hegedus

Mark J Hiatt

Richard Burnham

Kate E Cutuli

Pasquale Ciaglia

Melodee Deckard

Steven D Sheridan

James D Purdy

Gregory A Frankland

Christopher A Scott

John A DeFord

Marc G Apple

Louis L Bonhomme

Sandip Agarwal

Nick Lauder

Stéphane Jean Marie Olivier

Dan Morgan

Kenneth G Desilets

Paul T Modoono

Douglas A Boucher

Joseph A Meranda

Richard J Shafner

Luc Lirot

Delbert C Miller

Kate E Traynor

John Depiano

Arthur Watterson

Samantha Beauregard

A distal end of a guide catheter is transvascularly advanced into a left ventricle of a heart of a subject. While the distal end of the guide catheter remains disposed in the left ventricle, a first tissue anchor of an implant is deployed from the distal end of the guide catheter. Subsequently, the guide catheter is retracted while progressively exposing the implant. Subsequently, a second tissue anchor of the implant is anchored to a posterior annulus of a mitral valve of the heart by deploying at least part of the second anchor within a left atrium of the heart, such that the implant extends from the first tissue anchor, over an atrial side of a posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, and to the second tissue anchor. Other embodiments are also described.

Method to reduce mitral regurgitation

Systems, devices and methods for securing tissue including the annulus of a mitral valve. The systems, devices and methods may employ catheter based techniques and devices to plicate tissue and perform an annuloplasty.

Tissue anchors, systems and methods, and devices

A composite comprising: a barrier, said barrier being configured to selectively pass water, and said barrier being degradable in the presence of water; a matrix material for disposition within said barrier, wherein said matrix material has a flowable state and a set state, and wherein said matrix material is degradable in the presence of water; and at least one reinforcing element for disposition within said barrier and integration with said matrix material, wherein said at least one reinforcing element is degradable in the presence of water, and further wherein, upon the degradation of said at least one reinforcing element in the presence of water, provides an agent for modulating the degradation rate of said matrix material in the presence of water.

Method and apparatus for treating bone fractures, and/or for fortifying and/or augmenting bone, including the provision and use of composite implants, and novel composite structures which may be used for medical and non-medical applications

A composite implant comprising an injectable matrix material which is flowable and settable, and at least one reinforcing element for integration with the injectable matrix material, the at least one reinforcing element adding sufficient strength to the injectable matrix material such that when the composite implant is disposed in a cavity in a bone, the composite implant supports the bone. A method for treating a bone, the method comprising: selecting at least one reinforcing element to be combined with an injectable matrix material so as to together form a composite implant capable of supporting the bone; positioning the at least one reinforcing element in a cavity in the bone; flowing the injectable matrix material into the cavity in the bone so that the injectable matrix material interfaces with the at least one reinforcing element; and transforming the injectable matrix material from a flowable state to a non-flowable state so as to establish a static structure for the composite implant, such that the composite implant supports the adjacent bone.

Method and apparatus for treating bone fractures, and/or for fortifying and/or augmenting bone, including the provision and use of composite implants

A composite implant comprising a bioabsorbable matrix material, an outer sheath of a textile comprising filaments; and a plurality of flexible reinforcing rods held together by the outer sheath; each of the flexible reinforcing rods have a plurality of filaments, and the filaments of the textile and the flexible reinforcing rods include a degradable or resorbable glass. Preferably, the filaments are present in the composite implant in an amount of 20 volume percent to 95 volume percent, based on the total volume of the composite implant.

A device for suturing tissue includes a handle including a housing and a suturing needle for advancing a suture through the tissue. The device also includes a first needle gripper that is configured to both grasp and release the suturing needle. A second needle gripper is also configured to both grasp and release the suturing needle. An actuator is coupled to the housing and is operatively coupled to: (a) a first linkage that pivots the second gripping gripper between a fully extended position and a retracted position relative to the housing; and (b) a second linkage that is operatively coupled to the first and second needle grippers and configured to alter a state of each of the first and second needle grippers. The second linkage can include a one-way clutch.

Systems and methods for suturing tissue

Methods of repairing the mitral valve and reducing mitral regurgitation. One method includes securing a first tissue anchor to a position on a posterior portion of the annular tissue of the mitral valve and a second tissue anchor to a position on an anterior portion of the annular tissue of the mitral valve. At least one tensile member spans between the first and second tissue anchors and across the orifice of the mitral valve. When tension is applied to the at least one tensile member, the posterior portion of the annular tissue is pulled toward the anterior portion.

Method to reduce mitral regurgitation by cinching the commissure of the mitral valve

A composite implant comprising an injectable matrix material which is flowable and settable, and at least one reinforcing element for integration with the injectable matrix material, the at least one reinforcing element adding sufficient strength to the injectable matrix material such that when the composite implant is disposed in a cavity in a bone, the composite implant supports the bone.

A suturing device of the present invention is in the form a compact, light-weight handheld device that includes a needle and suture assembly, a mechanism for gripping and releasing the needle/suture (a 'needle transfer mechanism' or 'needle shuttle mechanism'), safely capturing the needle/suture upon exit from the patient's tissue, and returning the needle to a position such that the process of delivering additional sutures to the patient can be repeated. A safety shield mechanism ensures the user is protected from the needle at all times. The device of the present invention accommodates the right or left-handed user, rests comfortably in the user's hand, allows sufficient visualization of the procedure site, and permits the user to either control penetration depth of the needle or default to a device-determined depth. The present device permits the user to utilize a wrist-rotation (pivoting) suture delivery technique.

Apparatus and method for suturing tissue

A composite implant comprising an injectable matrix material which is flowable and settable, and at least one reinforcing element for integration with the injectable matrix material, the at least one reinforcing element adding sufficient strength to the injectable matrix material such that when the composite implant is disposed in a cavity in a bone, the composite implant supports the bone. A method for treating a bone, the method comprising:

A composite implant comprising an injectable matrix material which is flowable and settable, and at least one reinforcing element for integration with the injectable matrix material, the at least one reinforcing element adding sufficient strength to the injectable matrix material such that when the composite implant is disposed in a cavity in a bone, the composite implant supports the bone. A method for treating a bone comprising: selecting at least one reinforcing element to be combined with an injectable matrix material to form a composite implant capable of supporting the bone; positioning the at least one reinforcing element in a cavity in the bone; flowing the injectable matrix material into the cavity wherein the injectable matrix material interfaces with the at least one reinforcing element; and transforming the injectable matrix material from a flowable state to a nonflowable state to establish a static structure that supports the adjacent bone.

A system is provided for delivering respective anchors into spaced apart locations along an annulus of a mitral valve. The system includes a first catheter member having a first lumen formed therein for receiving a first guide wire and also includes a second catheter member that is configured to move between an expanded position and a collapsed position relative to the first catheter member. The second catheter member has a lumen formed therein for receiving a second guide wire when the second catheter member is in the expanded position. The second catheter member is fixedly connected to the first catheter member by a first connector (that defines first and second living hinges) which is configured to deploy under a select condition to automatically cause the second catheter member to move to the expanded position.

Systems and methods for introducing elements into tissue

Growing community of inventors

Methuen, MA, United States of America

Joseph P Lane