Abstract: A device for providing reference information in laser speckle medical imaging of tissue of a subject can include a support that includes a marker for image recognition and a speckle target region that is nontransparent to light in a first illumination wavelength range and that generates a speckle pattern when illuminated with light in the first wavelength range. The support can be configured to be attachable to tissue of the subject.

Abstract: Packaging systems and surgical kits for a tool that has a working portion and a shaft. A casing includes a distal section defining a cavity to receive the working portion of the tool. A proximal section is coupled to the distal section and receives the shaft of the tool. The proximal section is detachable from the distal section. In one implementation, at least a portion of the distal section comprises a colored indicator to provide a visual indication of a location of the working portion of the tool. In another implementation, instructions are provided on the proximal section and the instructions illustrate one or more steps for installing the tool to a surgical device.

Abstract: A surgical drill bit for bone drilling and for determining a characteristic of a drilling medium from a characteristic of fluid flow. The surgical drill bit includes a shank portion for coupling to a drill chuck. The shank portion defines a proximal opening. The surgical drill bit also includes a drilling portion for drilling through bone. A distal cutting region (62) of the drilling portion includes a rake surface (66), a clearance surface (68), and a flank surface (70). The flank surface (70) defines a distal opening (72) and is configured to abut the bone such that the distal opening is occluded by the bone while the rake surface is cutting into the bone. The shank and drilling portions collectively define an inner channel in fluid communication with the proximal and distal openings. The distal opening is occluded by the bone during drilling to establish fluid pressure within the inner channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for providing guidance to a user on where to arrange an object of interest in an operating room. The method includes obtaining a spatial pose of an item arranged within the operating room and obtaining a requirement on a spatial relationship between an object of interest and the item. The method also includes determining (a) a first spatial portion in which the object of interest is recommended to be arranged, the first spatial portion being larger than the object of interest, and/or (b) a second spatial portion in which the object of interest is not allowed to be arranged. Moreover, the method includes triggering display of a visualization of the first and/or second spatial portion to guide a user on where to arrange the first object of interest in the operating room.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surgical navigation system for the alignment of a surgical instrument and methods for its use, wherein the surgical navigation system may comprise a head-mounted display comprising a lens. The surgical navigation system may further comprise tracking unit, herein the tracking unit may be configured to track a patient tracker and/or a surgical instrument. Patient data may be registered to the patient tracker. The surgical instrument may define an instrument axis. The surgical navigation system may be configured to plan one or more trajectories based on the patient data. The head-mounted display may be configured to display augmented reality visualization, including an augmented reality position alignment visualization and/or an augmented reality angular alignment visualization related to the surgical instrument on the lens of the head-mounted display.

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: An implantable medical device includes an elongate member having a cross-sectional dimension that is less than 0.00085 inch, wherein the elongate member is made from a material comprising a platinum-tungsten alloy having a percentage of tungsten that is at least 10% by weight or alternatively the implantable medical device includes an elongate member made from a material comprising an alloy containing rhenium.

Abstract: A technique of providing user guidance for surgical navigation is provided. A method implementation of the technique includes obtaining a predetermined spatial relationship between an optical tracking pattern and a through-hole extending through an implant, obtaining image data of the optical tracking pattern acquired by an imaging unit attached to a surgical instrument, obtaining a spatial relationship between the surgical instrument and the imaging unit at a point in time when the image data have been acquired, determining a spatial relationship between the surgical instrument and the through-hole, obtaining a plurality of predefined spatial relationships between the surgical instrument and the through-hole, and triggering simultaneous display of an indication of the plurality of predefined spatial relationships and an indication of the spatial relationship between the surgical instrument and the through-hole.

Abstract: Packaging systems and surgical kits for a tool that has a cutting bur and a shaft. A casing includes a distal section defining a cavity to receive the cutting bur of the tool. A proximal section is coupled to the distal section and receives the shaft of the tool. The proximal section is detachable from the distal section. At least a portion of the distal section comprises a colored indicator to provide a visual indication of a location of the cutting bur of the tool. Instructions are provided on the proximal section and the instructions illustrate one or more steps for installing the tool to a surgical device.

Abstract: A surgical arm is presented. The surgical arm comprises a first interface configured to receive a device for performing or assisting a surgical procedure and multiple adjustment members configured to adjust the surgical arm relative to a respective adjustment axis. The surgical arm further comprises at least two operating members configured to operate different ones of the adjustment members wherein the operating members are marked with different visual codings. Further a method for providing visual guidance for operating the surgical arm according to a pre-determined surgical approach is presented.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a housing assembly for accommodating printed circuit boards (PCBs). The housing assembly comprises a first housing portion configured to accommodate a first PCB, a second housing portion configured to accommodate a second PCB, and a separating portion for separating the first housing portion from the second housing portion. The separating portion comprises a first separating region in which the first housing portion and the second housing portion overlap and a second separating region that extends beyond the second housing portion and covers the first housing portion. The second separating region comprises one or more convection openings.

Abstract: A technique is presented for computer-assisted planning of fastener placement in vertebrae that are to be stabilized by a pre-formed spinal rod, wherein two or more fasteners are to couple the rod to the vertebrae. At least one of a target shape of the spine and a shape of the pre-formed rod is defined in patient-specific shape data, a bone density of at least one of the vertebrae is defined in patient-specific bone density data, and patient-specific anatomical data are provided. A force distribution along a length of the rod may be calculated based on the shape data and the anatomical data. A planning result for fastener placement may be generated based on the bone density data of a given vertebra and the calculated force distribution.

Abstract: A braided vaso-occlusive member formed out of first plurality of filaments interwoven with a second plurality of filaments, wherein filaments of the first plurality are helically wound in a first rotational direction along an elongate axis of the braided member, and filaments of the second plurality are wound in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, such that filaments of the first plurality cross over and/or under filaments of the second plurality at each of a plurality cross-over locations axially spaced along the elongate axis of the braided member, wherein at each cross-over location, the filaments of the first plurality cross over at least two consecutive filaments of the second plurality, then cross under only a single filament of the second plurality, and then cross over at least two additional consecutive filaments of the second plurality.

Abstract: A rasp for use with a powered surgical handpiece comprises opposed proximal and distal ends and a rasp region. The proximal end includes a mount portion. The mount portion defines a pivot axis. The rasp region extends between the mount portion and the distal end and includes the distal end. The rasp region has opposed first and second surfaces connecting at a common edge. The first surface is convex and the second surface is concave. The rasp region has a plurality of cutting projections disposed on at least one of the first surface and the second surface. The rasp region has a center axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surgical navigation system for the alignment of a surgical instrument and methods for its use, wherein the surgical navigation system may comprise a head-mounted display comprising a lens. The surgical navigation system may further comprise tracking unit, herein the tracking unit may be configured to track a patient tracker and/or a surgical instrument. Patient data may be registered to the patient tracker. The surgical instrument may define an instrument axis. The surgical navigation system may be configured to plan one or more trajectories based on the patient data. The head-mounted display may be configured to display augmented reality visualization, including an augmented reality position alignment visualization and/or an augmented reality angular alignment visualization related to the surgical instrument on the lens of the head-mounted display.

Abstract: A balloon catheter which allows for faster preparation and effective purging of air. The balloon catheter includes an elongated, flexible catheter having an inner lumen. A balloon member is secured to an outer surface of a distal portion of the catheter such that an inner surface of the balloon member and an outer surface of the catheter define an inflatable balloon interior. The catheter has an inflation lumen connected to an inflation port and extending distally to a distal end in fluid communication with the inflatable balloon interior. One or more purge apertures are provided in a wall of the catheter, each forming a fluid path between the inflatable balloon interior and the inner lumen of the catheter to allow for purging air from the catheter prior to use in a medical procedure.

Abstract: A method to visualize, display, analyze and quantify angiography, perfusion, and the change in angiography and perfusion in real time, is provided. This method captures image data sequences from indocyanine green near infra-red fluorescence imaging used in a variety of surgical procedure applications, where angiography and perfusion are critical for intraoperative decisions.

Abstract: A stent configured for implantation in a body lumen, includes: a tubular structure having a first end, a second end, and a tubular body, the tubular body comprising a plurality of elongate portions, the first end of the tubular structure having a plurality of crown elements; and a plurality of tabs coupled to the first end of the tubular structure; wherein the elongate portions comprise a first zigzag portion forming a first ring element, the first ring element having a first ring end, and a second ring end opposite from the first ring end, wherein the first ring end of the first ring element has a first set of peaks, and wherein the second ring end of the first ring element has a second set of peaks; and wherein the peaks in the first set are flat or are rectilinear.