Abstract: A bone harvesting device includes a main body having an internal cavity and a suction port adapted to be coupled to a suction source. The device further includes an outer tube (200) having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the outer tube being coupleable to the main body, an inner tube having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a proximal end and a distal end, the inner tube being in fluid communication with the internal cavity and at least partially disposed within the outer tube such that a venting channel is defined between at least a portion of the inner tube and at least a portion of the outer tube.

Abstract: A method of making a medical device includes: obtaining an assembly having a tubular structure, a polymeric tube, and a stretched rod, wherein the stretched rod is inside a lumen of the polymeric tube, and wherein the polymeric tube is between the tubular structure and the stretched rod; and expanding the stretched rod to urge the polymeric tube radially outward towards an inner surface of the tubular structure.

Abstract: A stent configured for implantation in a body lumen, includes: a tubular structure having a first end, a second end opposite from the first end, and a tubular body extending between the first and second ends, the tubular body comprising a plurality of elongate portions defining a porosity for the stent, at least one of the elongate portions having a zig-zag configuration, the first end of the tubular structure having a plurality of crown elements disposed circumferentially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tubular structure, the crown elements forming a crown configuration for the first end of the tubular body; and a plurality of tabs coupled to the first end of the tubular structure; wherein a number of the crown elements is higher than a number of the tabs; wherein the tabs are coupled to only a subset, and not all, of the crown elements.

Abstract: An adapter for removably coupling a tracker to a surgical handpiece includes a proximal member having an interface configured to engage and prevent rotation of the proximal member relative to the surgical handpiece, a distal member slidably and rotatably coupled to the proximal member, a biasing member disposed between the proximal distal members and configured to urge the proximal and distal members in opposing directions, and a tracking array mount coupled to the distal member. The biasing member is configured to be compressed by a reference feature of the end effector and the surgical handpiece when the distal member is disposed on the end effector and the end effector is coupled to the surgical handpiece, the compressed biasing member creating a frictional force between the distal and proximal members that resists rotation of the distal member relative to the proximal member.

Abstract: A technique for determining an object marker arrangement including a plurality of object markers arranged on at least two non-parallel surfaces or non-parallel surface portions of an object. A reference device with a pre-determined reference pattern is provided. A method includes receiving image data representative of a plurality of images that contain the reference pattern and at least a subset of the object markers. At least some of the images were captured by an imaging device from different viewing angles. The reference pattern and the object markers were arranged in a fixed spatial relationship relative to each other when the images were captured. The method includes determining positions of the object markers relative to the reference pattern. The position of an individual one of the object markers is determined based on at least two images that contain the individual object marker and based on geometrical information about the reference pattern.

Abstract: A tracker, a surgical tracking system, and a method for operating the tracker are provided. The tracker comprises an interface configured to attach the tracker to a surgical object that is to be tracked. The tracker further comprises circuitry comprising a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate a trigger signal upon detection of a change of intensity of electromagnetic radiation by the detector. The circuitry further comprises a plurality of emitters configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the plurality of emitters to emit electromagnetic radiation responsive to the trigger signal.

Abstract: A method of providing user guidance. First patient image data of a patient's body is obtained. A registration instruction indicative of where to acquire a registration point relative to a surface of the body is determined. Second patient image data of the body, having been acquired by an augmented reality device, is obtained. A transformation between coordinate systems of the first and the second patient image data is determined. Based on the transformation, display of the registration instruction on a display of the AR device is triggered such that a user of the AR device is presented an augmented view with the registration instruction being overlaid onto the patient's body. The augmented view guides the user where to acquire the registration point. Also disclosed are a computing system, a surgical navigation system, and a computer program product.

Abstract: A surgical culling assembly with an actuator assembly operable in a first mode and a second mode. A wheel is rotatable in a first axial position to rotate an intermediate tube for orienting a culling window, and rotatable in a second axial position to rotate an outer tube for orienting a bend of a tube assembly. The actuator assembly may be operably coupled to the intermediate tube and operably decoupled from the outer tube in the first mode, and operably coupled to the outer tube and operably decoupled from the intermediate tube in the second mode. The actuator assembly may include a first gear, a second gear secured to the outer tube, and a third gear secured to the intermediate tube. A distal wheel portion and a proximal wheel portion may be discrete components coupled to one another to define a cavity for subcomponents of the actuator assembly.

Abstract: A vaso-occlusive device comprising an elongate main portion (such as a braided portion) having a plurality of openings along a length of the main portion (such as the openings between the strands of a braid). The main portion has a first bending stiffness. An atraumatic distal segment coupled to, and extending distally from, the distal end of the braided portion. The distal segment has a second bending stiffness. The ratio of the second bending stiffness to the first bending stiffness is within a specified range, which alleviates the problem of the distal segment entering and engaging the openings of the main portion while maintaining deployment performance of the device.

Abstract: A guidewire includes: a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a body extending from the proximal end to the distal end; a blunt tip; and a sleeve; wherein the body of the shaft comprises at least a segment that is surrounded by the sleeve, the segment coupled to the blunt tip; and wherein the segment of the body of the shaft comprises a flat portion having one or more openings extending through a thickness of the flat portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a vertebral body. An intravertebral implant includes an anterior end element and a plate comprising a planar bearing surface. The plate may be exactly two plates movable in only a cranio-caudal expansion plane. A pedicle fixation is coupled to the intravertebral implant and includes a hollow sleeve. The pedicle fixation is configured to be secured to the pedicle to control an insertion depth of the intravertebral implant within the vertebral body. A central traction member is movably disposed within the hollow sleeve of the pedicle fixation to deploy the planar bearing surface(s). The central traction member may be rotatable within the hollow sleeve. An expansion instrument may move the central traction member relative to the pedicle fixation. The intravertebral implant may be locked relative to the pedicle fixation in six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A method for aligning an aiming block with respect to a bone includes driving a bone screw into a bone to pass a tip of the bone screw through a hole of an intramedullary nail and to anchor a head of the bone screw in a cortical region of the bone; inserting a pin extending from a surface of an aiming block through a hole of a bone plate; and contacting the pin against the head of the bone screw to align the hole of the bone plate with the head of the bone screw.

Abstract: An implant for restoring height of a vertebral body. The implant includes upper and lower plates configured to be moved away from one another in the craniocaudal direction. A first support and a second support are arranged to crisscross in a proximal-to-distal direction to facilitate increased expansion of the implant, and a third support and a fourth support may be arranged to crisscross in the proximal-to-distal direction. Certain supports may be laterally spaced from one another to define a void space for receiving a retaining element. An upper support fork may include a first pair of supports arranged in a V-shaped configuration and converge at an apex that is coupled to an underside of the upper plate. A lower support fork may include a second pair of supports arranged in a V-shaped configuration and converge at another apex that is coupled to an upper side of the lower plate.

Abstract: A fracture fixation system includes a bone nail configured to be inserted into a canal of a bone, and a bone plate configured to abut a surface of the bone, wherein the bone nail includes first, second, and third nail holes, the second nail hole located between the first and third nail holes, and wherein the bone plate includes first and third plate holes and a slot located between the first and third plate holes. In one embodiment, the slot of the bone plate has a center line extending along an arc of a constant radius from a center point of the first plate hole.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique for determining a surface registration between a first soft tissue surface defined based on mechanically acquired first surface data and a second soft tissue surface defined based on image data is provided. A method implementation of the technique includes obtaining the first surface data. The first surface data include a first set of points mechanically acquired by contacting the soft tissue with a pointing device. The method also includes applying a correction model on the first surface data to obtain corrected first surface data. The correction model is configured to shift relative positions of two or more points in the first set. Further still, the method includes determining a surface registration between the first and the second soft tissue surfaces based at least in part on the corrected first surface data.

Abstract: A neurosurgery system for probing brain tissue of a patient for tumorous tissue. The system including a suction tool, an excitation source, an optical instrument, and a controller. The suction tool including a suction cannula defining a lumen, an optical fiber configured to transmit fluorescence emitted by the brain tissue; and an indicator configured to selectively emit visible light. An excitation source is configured to emit an excitation light having a wavelength to induce the fluorescence in the tumorous tissue. The optical instrument is coupled to the optical fiber. The optical instrument configured to convert the fluorescence emitted by the brain tissue and transmitted by the optical and configured to determine that the brain tissue is tumorous based on the electrical signal and activate the indicator based on the determination.

Abstract: Systems and methods of associating components of a surgical instrument for navigation-assisted surgery, and controlling the surgical instruments. A first association is generated between the end effector and the navigation array from an input based on an arrangement of tracking elements of the navigation array, and an identification signal. A second association is generated between a power source and the navigation array from a battery signal wirelessly transmitted from the power source that is indicative of current being drawn on the power source. The power source may be controlled based on a position and/or an orientation of the end effector and a pose of a patient tracker. Should the position of the end effector cross a predefined virtual boundary, a control signal wirelessly transmitted to the power source may alter the current being supplied to a motor. An inertial sensor may provide a movement signal used for generating an association.

Abstract: Methods and systems for delivering a tubular implant to a target location in a body lumen, wherein the tubular implant has a delivery length when in a radially collapsed, delivery configuration, and a foreshortened length shorter than the delivery length when in a radially expanded, implanted configuration. Respective markers are provided on a delivery catheter and on the tubular implant which provide a visual indication of the landing location of a foreshortened length of a last proximal portion of the tubular implant prior to implanting the last proximal portion. This allows the clinician to determine if the landing location of the last proximal portion is clinically desirable prior to fully implanting the tubular implant.

Abstract: An endovascular management and tracking system comprises a track and at least one shuttle to which at least one elongate medical device can be respectively affixed. Each of the shuttle(s) is configured for being mechanically coupled to the track. Each of the shuttle(s) comprises a sled configured for riding on the track, an axial drive mechanism carried by the sled and configured for being actuated to axially translate the respective shuttle along the track, and a first actuator carried by the sled and configured for actuating the axial drive mechanism.

Abstract: An adapter for removably coupling a tracker to a surgical handpiece includes a proximal member having an interface configured to engage and prevent rotation of the proximal member relative to the surgical handpiece, a distal member slidably and rotatably coupled to the proximal member, a biasing member disposed between the proximal distal members and configured to urge the proximal and distal members in opposing directions, and a tracking array mount coupled to the distal member. The biasing member is configured to be compressed by a reference feature of the end effector and the surgical handpiece when the distal member is disposed on the end effector and the end effector is coupled to the surgical handpiece, the compressed biasing member creating a frictional force between the distal and proximal members that resists rotation of the distal member relative to the proximal member.