Patents Examined by Christian Knauss
  • Patent number: 10238416
    Abstract: A surgical apparatus comprises a body, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft, and an end effector. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft couples the end effector and the body together. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic blade includes a recess region having a plurality of recesses. The recess region is tapered such that the cross-sectional area of the recess region decreases along the length of the recess region. The ultrasonic blade is also curved such that a central longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic blade extends along a curved path. A reference circuit is used to account for voltage drops of unknown values during operation of the surgical apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Foster B. Stulen, John B. Schulte, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Jeffery T. Kirk, Randal T. Byrum, Douglas J. Turner, John M. Sarley, David A. Witt, William A. Olson, Kyle P. Moore
  • Patent number: 10231857
    Abstract: Method for sealing a stent graft in an endovascular aneurysm repair. Includes following steps/procedures. Positioning the stent graft to extend across an aneurysm in aneurysmatic host vessel. Introducing and placing a balloon catheter in the host vessel at a location distal to the graft distal end. Inflating balloon to pressure configured for unconstrained balloon expansion with maximal balloon diameter equal to or greater than smallest inner diameter of host vessel, thereby occluding normal blood flowing thereacross. Infusing contrast enhancing material through balloon catheter for allowing radiographic visualization of endoleakage between stent graft and a host vessel wall. Deflating and repositioning balloon to another location within stent graft. Pressurizing balloon to another pressure configured for plastically expanding selected section of stent graft from a smaller diameter to a fixed enlarged diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: A.V. MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventor: Michael Gabriel Tal
  • Patent number: 10226254
    Abstract: An assembly including an adapter assembly and an extension assembly for connecting an end effector to an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The adapter assembly includes first and second pusher assemblies configured for converting rotational motion into linear motion and a drive member for transferring rotational motion. The extension assembly includes at least one flexible band assembly for transferring the linear motion from the adapter assembly and a trocar assembly configured for converting rotational motion into linear motion. Also provided is a connection assembly for connecting a first tubular member to a second tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Ramiro Cabrera, Anne Nelson
  • Patent number: 10219904
    Abstract: Medical devices, systems, and methods reduce the distance between two locations in tissue, often for treatment of congestive heart failure. In one embodiment an anchor of an implant system may reside within the right ventricle in engagement with the ventricular septum. A tension member may extend from that anchor through the septum and an exterior wall of the left ventricle to a second anchor disposed along an epicardial surface. Deployment of the anchor within the right ventricle may be performed by inserting a guidewire through the septal wall into the right ventricle. The anchor may be inserted into the right ventricle over the guidewire and through a lumen of a catheter. An anchor force may be applied within a desired range to secure the anchors about the septum and epicardial surface. The anchor force may inhibit migration of the anchors relative to the septum and epicardial surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: BioVentrix, Inc.
    Inventors: William Butler, Kevin Van Bladel, Ernie Heflin, Lon Annest, Rovil Arcia, John Bower
  • Patent number: 10213329
    Abstract: The present disclosure comprises devices, systems, and methods having an inverted sheath configured to cover, and in some instances constrain, a medical device and to retract through eversion, thus enabling the deployment of medical device at the treatment site. A constraining sheath can evert hydraulically. A constraining sheath can be configured to neck down a medical device to achieve a lower delivery profile. Furthermore, a constraining sheath can comprise a balloon to expand or positionally or structurally adjust a medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward H. Cully, Craig W. Irwin, James D. Silverman
  • Patent number: 10201336
    Abstract: A device and method for delivering a vascular device to a target site is provided that allows an orientation of the vascular device at the target site to be adjusted by a user. In general, the delivery device includes an outer tubular member, an intermediate tubular member within the outer tubular member, and an inner member that can move axially within the intermediate tubular member. Each of the members defines a proximal end and a distal end. The intermediate and outer tubular members are fixed at their respective proximal ends, but are not fixed at their distal ends. Thus, a torque applied to the proximal end of the intermediate tubular member is at least partially transmitted to the distal end of the intermediate tubular member, allowing the user to rotate an attached vascular device by rotating the proximal end of the intermediate tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Douglas Kariniemi, Mathias C. Glimsdale
  • Patent number: 10201445
    Abstract: Systems for the delivery of endoluminal devices are disclosed. An illustrative system may include a delivery sheath having an inner sheath and an outer sheath. The delivery sheath may be configured to restrain a stent in a compressed delivery configuration. The outer sheath may cover the entire length of the stent and the inner sheath may cover a portion of the length of the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Jan Weber, James M. Anderson, Timothy A. Ostroot, Derek C. Sutermeister, Cass A. Hanson
  • Patent number: 10194898
    Abstract: Suture anchors are disclosed having suture locking features able to lock multiple suture ends extending from a body tissue, such as from a bone tunnel, with a single device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: VentureMD Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Kwan-Ho Chan, James Murphy, T. Wade Fallin, Patrick Michel White
  • Patent number: 10194890
    Abstract: A device for performing a biopsy on a brain is disclosed. The device includes a mount adapted for attachment to a burr hole on the skull of a patient. The mount has a body with a threaded surface and a cup-shaped surface forming a socket. The surface at the bottom of the socket defines a surgical aperture. A first arm extends away from the body, and has one fiducial marker. A second arm extends away from the body and has two spaced-apart fiducial markers. An instrument guide has a tubular body with a ball joint at one end with and an instrument insertion opening at an opposite end, configured to receive an instrument therethrough. The ball joint inserts into the socket, allowing the instrument guide to be positioned to a desired angle. A locking cup is attached to the body to secure the instrument in a fixed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brown University
    Inventors: G. Rees Cosgrove, Hannah Varner
  • Patent number: 10136885
    Abstract: A vascular closure device includes an anchor, a suture carrying portion, and a plurality of needles. The anchor is positionable through a vessel puncture in a vessel wall and operable between expanded and contracted positions. The suture carrying portion is positioned distal of the anchor and configured to carry at least one suture. The plurality of needles are operable between an advanced position extending through the vessel wall adjacent to the vessel puncture to connect to the at least one suture, and a retracted position in which the plurality of needles position the at least one suture through the vessel wall. At least one of the plurality of needles extends through an aperture in the anchor when in the advanced position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL PUERTO RICO LLC
    Inventor: Zachary J. Tegels
  • Patent number: 10130355
    Abstract: A flexible fixation assembly including a flexible main body and a suture engagement portion of the flexible main body. The suture engagement portion is configured to cooperate with a suture to mate the suture with the flexible main body. The flexible main body is configured to flex outward against walls of a bone hole when implanted therein to retain both the flexible main body and the suture mated therewith within the bone hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory J. Denham, Kevin T. Stone
  • Patent number: 10123891
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for magnetized stent having growth-promoting properties. A stent assembly comprising a tubular elongated body having a magnetized region and a tissue nidus area is inserted beneath the orifice of a vascular aneurysm. The magnetic region can serve to attract and position both residual red blood cells and magnetically nano-treated growth-promoting cells to the orifice area of the aneurysm. The outer circumference of the tubular elongated body can act as a floor or scaffold for regenerated smooth vascular muscle cells. In embodiments, the tissue nidus area can be provided on the exterior stent, while the magnetized region is provided on the interior stent, of a stent-in-stent structure. In embodiments, the exterior stent is made of biodegradable material which gradually dissolves or dissipates in situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: THE HENRY M. JACKSON FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MILITARY MEDICINE, INC.
    Inventor: Teodoro Aclan Tigno, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10123792
    Abstract: Filamentary fixation devices may be used in a variety of surgical procedures to secure soft tissue to bone. The present invention provides various devices, systems, kits and instrumentation for performing such surgical procedures including preparation of soft tissue and bone, preparation and manipulation of such filamentary fixation devices, and insertion and utilization of the fixation devices within a patient's anatomy. In one embodiment, a method for securing soft tissue to bone, the method includes accessing the soft tissue and the bone, passing a filament through the soft tissue, preparing a bore hole in the bone, loading the filament into a filamentary fixation device, implanting the filamentary fixation device, with the filament, into the bore hole, and tensioning the filament so that the filamentary fixation device and filament are secured within the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp.
    Inventor: Kyle Craig Pilgeram
  • Patent number: 10123863
    Abstract: A biodegradable device capable of producing a high radial force is described. Such a force will be created in devices made of relatively inelastic materials that are to be deployed to the vasculature or a body cavity in a patient. As the halves of the devices move together subject to a longitudinal force, at the point where they are in contact and unable to move closer together in the longitudinal direction, a radial force is created. The devices may have a tension element that assists in bringing the device halves together and which may partially and optionally remain within the body of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Kasper Klausen
  • Patent number: 10123801
    Abstract: A wound dressing for use with a closure device is disclosed. The first and second base panels of the closure device are positioned on opposite lateral sides of a wound or incision. The base panels are coupled together to maintain wound or incision closure. A release liner is removed from a bottom surface of the wound dressing. The wound dressing is positioned over the closure device and the wound or incision. Exudate is absorbed by an absorbent material of the wound dressing through a porous strip of the wound dressing. The wound dressing is slightly larger than the closure device so that its perimeter area is adhered to the skin area around the closure device. Alternatively or in combination, the wound dressing is lightly adhered to the closure device and wound or incision area so that it can be removed without harming the underlying device and tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: ZipLine Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Belson, Eric Storne, Jeremy Edinger, Zachary Kimura, Alan Schaer, Keiichiro Ichiryu
  • Patent number: 10111771
    Abstract: A bariatric device 10 for use in inducing weight loss, comprising a cardiac element 12, a pyloric element 26, and a connecting element 25 between the two other elements, wherein the connecting element 25 provides structure between the cardiac 12 and pyloric 26 elements, keeping them largely in place and at least intermittently touching and applying pressure to the stomach's cardiac, adjacent fundic and pyloric regions, respectively, which produces a satiety signal to the user, giving the recipient a feeling of fullness and reducing his or her hunger feelings. Alternatively, the cardiac 12 and pyloric 26 elements may be symmetrical, so that the device can orient itself either way in the stomach and still achieve the weight loss function. Alternatively, the cardiac 12 and/or pyloric 26 elements may have a restriction element to slow gastric filling or emptying, to produce a satiety signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Apollo Endosurgery US, Inc.
    Inventors: Janel Birk, Daniel Dongelmans
  • Patent number: 10058341
    Abstract: An endoscopic treatment instrument includes a sheath; a basket section formed by elastic wires; a manipulation wire connected to the basket section; and a distal end cover attached to a distal end of the sheath. The distal end cover has: a first opening; a second opening; an inner peripheral surface disposed between the first and second opening; and a curved surface bent over the whole circumference in t circumference direction of the distal end cover. Each of the plurality of the elastic wires has: a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a maximum diameter section. A radius of curvature of the curved surface is smaller than a radius of curvature of each of the plurality of the elastic wires. A contact position of the elastic wires and the curved surface moves in accordance with a retraction of the elastic wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsutomu Okada
  • Patent number: 10052218
    Abstract: In an aspect of some embodiments there is provided apparatuses and methods including a sleeve expander capable of covering with an implantable sleeve an exterior of a bodily vessel, along a chosen length thereof, the sleeve expander configured to maintain at least a portion of the implantable sleeve in an expanded size greater than a cross sectional dimension thereof when in apposition to the exterior. In some embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus further includes a cutting mechanism configured to cut down the implantable sleeve and/or external fixating means configured to fixate a covering section of the implantable sleeve to a corresponding covered section of the bodily vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Vascular Graft Solutions Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronny Winshtein, Eyal Orion
  • Patent number: 10046362
    Abstract: A vibration generating unit includes a proximal side vibration transmitting section extended from a proximal end of the ultrasonic transducer toward a proximal direction. A proximal end of the proximal side vibration transmitting section is placed at a position apart from a reference antinode position toward the proximal direction by an extending dimension equal to an integral multiple of a half wavelength, when the reference antinode position is the closest to the ultrasonic transducer among antinode positions placed on the proximal direction side with respect to the ultrasonic transducer. The vibration generating unit includes an amplitude increasing section increasing an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration transmitted toward the proximal direction in the proximal side vibration transmitting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsunetaka Akagane
  • Patent number: 10045792
    Abstract: A tool for surgical operation using ultrasonic waves is provided. The tool includes a transducer generating ultrasonic waves, a cylindrical bar-shaped transmitting rod for transmitting the ultrasonic waves, an end effector for cutting a surgical site using the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the transmitting rod, extended from one end of the transmitting rod, in which a part of the circular cross-sectional area thereof is flatly formed from the point corresponding to a second vibration node so as to allow gain step to start at the second vibration node, a rod cover for encompassing the transmitting rod using, as connection points, a plurality of vibration nodes formed when ultrasonic waves are transmitted through the transmitting rod, and a jaw for holding the surgical site while engaged with the end effector, is combined to one end of the rod cover in a pivotable manner, and is positioned to face the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Inventors: Song Yee Kim, Sa Im Kim, Soo Jung Kim