Abstract: A surgical instrument for use in placing suture or fasteners in tissue at a remote location such as a laproscopic surgery is comprised of an elongated handle having a coiled projection at its distal end. The coiled projection is employed in penetrating and positioning a length of suture or fastener in tissue, for example, as in tissue proximation.

Abstract: In a method of making a surgical valve, a sealing body is attached inside one end of a braided sleeve, the other end of which is threaded through the bore of a toroidal body. The braided sleeve, toroidal body, and sealing body are inserted into the bore of a substantially cylindrical valve body. The sealing body generally has an axial passage extending through it which is axially aligned with the toroidal body. The braided sleeve is also typically coaxial with the axial passage and extends from the sealing body, and a device that selectively changes the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the extended part of the braided sleeve elongates the braided sleeve. This causes the braided sleeve to contract radially, which compresses the axial passage of the sealing body radially.

Abstract: An apparatus formed of a flexible coil concentrically disposed around a flexible wire includes one or more radially expansible, helically configured wire loops. The loops grip deposits within a vessel and allow the deposits to be sheared from the interior wall of the vessel when the apparatus is withdrawn from within the vessel.

Abstract: An adjustable surgical valve has a sealing body with an axial passage extending through it, a toroidal body axially aligned with the sealing body, and a device that selectively changes the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the toroidal body. The sealing body and the toroidal body have mating surfaces which radially compresses the axial passage of the sealing body when the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the toroidal body are changed. This causes the axial passage to seal with an instrument inserted into it, or the seal with itself if no instrument is inserted. Alternatively, or additionally, the sealing body may include a braided sleeve coaxial with the axial passage and extending from the sealing body, and a device that selectively changes the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the extended part of the braided sleeve to elongate the braided sleeve.

Abstract: An expansible tunneling apparatus for tunneling bluntly to a desired location within the human body and for creating an anatomic working space for the performance of a surgical procedure by utilizing an inflatable balloon to dissect tissue along natural separation planes once the desired space has been reached. In a disclosed embodiment, a tubular member has a bore extending therethrough to provide an open distal end. A rigid tunneling shaft is insertable into the bore of the tubular member to provide a blunt tipped obturator. A balloon associated with the apparatus is disposed such that it surrounds the tunneling shaft when the balloon is deflated, as it would be when tunneling bluntly through tissue. A sheath surrounds the balloon and has a weakened region that permits the sheath to be released thereby permitting the balloon to expand to dissect tissue layers and create the anatomic working space.

Abstract: An adjustable sensor retainer and method for adjustably securing and retaining a sensor (e.g. a piezoelectric pulse sensor) against a skin region of a person includes the use of a primary retainer tape and an adjustable secondary retainer tape. The primary retainer tape is an adhesive tape to which the sensor can be attached. The adhesive primary retainer tape has strips of protective film with blind pull tabs attached thereto. This allows simplified one-handed application of the primary retainer tape while initially positioning and holding the sensor in place with the other hand. The secondary retainer tape is a tape strip removably attached to the top of the primary retainer tape and disposed over the sensor. After the initial positioning of the sensor with the primary retainer tape, the sensor can be finally positioned and the secondary retainer tape re-attached to the top of the primary retainer tape, thereby securing the sensor in the final desired location.

Abstract: An adjustable surgical valve has a sealing body with an axial passage extending through it, a toroidal body axially aligned with the sealing body, and a device that selectively changes the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the toroidal body. The sealing body and the toroidal body have mating surfaces which radially compress the axial passage of the sealing body when the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the toroidal body are changed. This causes the axial passage to seal with an instrument inserted into it, or to seal with itself if no instrument is inserted. Alternatively, or additionally, the sealing body may include a braided sleeve coaxial with the axial passage and extending from the sealing body, and a device that selectively changes the relative axial positions of the sealing body and the extended part of the braided sleeve to elongate the braided sleeve. This causes the braided sleeve to contract radially, which compresses the axial passage of the sealing body radially.

Abstract: Radially expansible, helically configured wire loops are employed to grip and shear arteriosclerotic deposits from the lumen of an artery wall. Shearing action is achieved by pulling the loops through the artery by means of a handle which is freely rotatable to avoid the application of torsional forces to the loops. A shear force gauge may be provided to measure and limit the pulling force applied to the loops.