Abstract: The invention is directed to a medical device for endoscopically ligating and cutting a body vessel. The device may be percutaneously inserted into a patient to perform several possible procedures. The improvements to the device include a hinged jaw capable of grasping and crimping body vessels. An improved clip delivery system and an improved clip which ligate body vessels are also described. The instrument includes a rotating cutting member which provides more efficient body vessel cutting means. Furthermore, the entire system allows a simplified and more efficient method of operation.

Abstract: A suturing device consists of a needle and a turning mechanism that drives the needle. A handle of the device drives the turning mechanism. The device receives suturing material needed for suturing tissue; and a surgeon may operate it by squeezing the handle. This action may move the needle from zero to 360 degrees.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making vascular prostheses from ePTFE said prostheses having a diameter which is larger, and a wall thickness which is smaller than previously achievable using ram extrusion techniques. The method consists of extruding a PTFE tube, finish processing the tube into an ePTFE tube, laterally dilating it by expansion in incremental steps, calendering the tube after each dilating step, while the tube is being maintained at an elevated temperature. Once the tube is dilated it can be sintered with another tube to form a laminate. Alternatively, a wire stent may be joined with one or more tubes, thereby biasing the laminate to a cylindrical configuration.

Abstract: A novel approach to mitral or tricuspid valve repair involves the performance of an edge-to-edge fastening/securing of opposing heart valve leaflets through a catheter entering the heart. Thus, a device is introduced including a leaflet fastener applicator through a cardiac catheter or other suitable catheter. The leaflet fastener applicator and cardiac catheter can be formed into a kit. A gripper can be used to hold the heart valve leaflets while they are fastened.

Abstract: An aortic graft and method for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms by inserting into the aorta and into the iliac arteries of the patient the graft in a way to exclude the aneurysm from the blood circulatory system, the graft comprising a tubular hollow fabric material including a trunk portion and at least one leg portion capable of being accommodated to any rotation of the graft resulting from the installation of the graft and to any varying ratio between the diameters of an aortic neck and the iliac arteries, the graft being also adapted to different shapes of the aorta, thus diminishing and even avoiding the risks of misplacing the graft inside the aorta. The trunk also includes an inelastic edge to retain a stent in an expanded condition to attach the trunk and the leg portions together.

Abstract: Two embodiments for a stent delivery device are disclosed. In the first embodiment, the stent delivery device comprises an outer sheath and an inner tubular member which distally ends in a tongue having an arcuate cross section. In a second embodiment, the stent delivery device further comprises a housing having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the lumen holding the inner tubular member. A guide pin attached to the outer sheath is slidably disposed within the housing wherein the guide pin may be longitudinally displaced with respect to the lumen. In addition, an endoscope mounting plate may be slidably disposed along the housing. Detents may be used to releasably prevent a proximal displacement of the guide pin within the lumen of the housing as well as to releasably prevent the proximal displacement of the endoscope mounting plate with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A stent is formed in a tube like grid structure which consists of at least one sequence (i.e., one tubular segment) of closed loop elements which are connected to each other at at least one connecting point per loop (the loop contact point) wherein either the opposing ends of each sequence are circumferentially connected or one sequence is helically wrapped around the longitudinal axis of the stent.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for suturing of body lumens allow the suturing of vascular puncture sites located at the distal end of a percutaneous tissue tract. An elongated articulated foot near a distal end of a shaft is inserted through the penetration and actuated so that the foot extends along the lumenal axis. The foot carries suturing attachment cuffs, and needles are advanced from the shaft through the vessel wall outside of the penetration and into engagement with the needle cuffs after the foot has been drawn proximally up against the endothelial surface of the blood vessel. The cross-section of the shaft within the tissue tract can be minimized by laterally deflecting the needles as they leave the shaft, while tapered depressions within the foot can guide the advancing needles into engagement with the cuffs. The cuffs lockingly engage the needles and can be withdrawn proximally along the needle paths and through the tissue tract so as to form a loop of suture across the puncture.

Abstract: An orthopaedic fixation frame apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart support members such as circular rings, plates, or the like supported by a plurality of struts that span therebetween. One end of the struts adjacent the upper ring is provided with a position adjusting member that forms an interface between the support member and one end of the struts. The position adjusting members include joints (e.g., universal joints) for enabling angular change between the position of the struts and the support members.

Abstract: A surgical procedure is disclosed utilizing a cordless surgical handpiece powered from a sterile battery pack that contains a battery in condition for immediate use without further charging or sterilization. The battery chemistry is based upon lithium/manganese dioxide, and the battery after a single use may be disposed of into non-hazardous waste. The compact surgical handpiece has a brushless DC motor and a manually operated external trigger for activating and controlling the motor operations. Interengaging sets of contacts on the handpiece and battery are adapted to become lockingly and conductively interengaged upon rotation of the battery pack relative to the handpiece, in a manner that rapidly achieves correct alignment of the parts and also ensures stable mechanical attachment and support during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: An instrument for manipulating anatomical tissue and a method of using the instrument. A barrel has two drivers therein which can be manipulated from a proximal end of the barrel. The end effector of each driver are offset from a shaft by a transverse arm. In an insertion position, the end effectors are confined within the diametrical dimension of the barrel at a distal end thereof. After insertion, the end effectors can be manipulated by rotationally or arcuately moving the shafts to extend beyond the diametrical dimension of the barrel to provide a large working span in which a tissue procedure can be accomplished.

Abstract: A device for providing or enhancing hemostasis at a vascular puncture site disposed at the distal end of a tissue tract comprises a shaft having a non-compliant surface at its distal end. The non-compliant surface is oriented at an angle which allows it to lie flat over tissue puncture when the tissue tract is oriented obliquely, e.g., as the result of the Seldinger catheter introduction technique. The device may be used by itself or in combination with suturing of the vascular puncture, where the device enhances hemostasis and prevents blood leakage through the primary suture closure.

Abstract: A catheter and subassemblies for catheters having improved proximal regions, and mid-regions including hypotube having distally increasing flexibility. One catheter has a kink resistant proximal shaft not including hypotube and including an outer tube disposed over a braid disposed over an inner tube. One catheter includes a proximal shaft having a 12-inch long strain relief disposed about a tubular region formed of hypotube. Another catheter includes a proximal hypotube shaft having a set curve imparted through bending and annealing, resulting in a catheter hypotube shaft having reduced spring and decreased kink radius. A catheter subassembly includes a hypotube shaft having a helical cut into the hypotube wall to increase flexibility over the length of the cut. One helical cut extends through the hypotube wall and includes a polymeric sleeve thereover to allow the cut hypotube to function as an inflation fluid delivery tube.

Abstract: Two embodiments for a stent delivery catheter are disclosed. In the first embodiment, the stent delivery catheter comprises an outer sheath, a peel-away sheath, and an inner sheath. In the second embodiment, the stent delivery catheter comprises an outer sheath and an inner tubular member which distally ends in a tongue having an arcuate cross section.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus includes a body configured for insertion into a bore of a surgical handpiece and a latch that includes a resilient member connected to the body. The resilient member has a latching structure configured to latchingly engage a surface of the surgical handpiece within the bore.

Abstract: A device including a teething structure having a set of ridges formed thereon that is positionable into the molar region of the infant's gums and a second set of massaging ridges that is positionable between the front teeth region of the infant's gums.

Abstract: A medical punch having a plurality of cutting edges. The fact that the medical punch has a plurality of cutting edges provides, for example, that the medical punch can be used to achieve a clean and accurate cut, and provides that an excessive amount of hand pressure need not be employed to effect the cut.

Abstract: A modular orthopaedic clamping tool system includes a clamp and a plurality of modular tools. The clamp has a handle having substantially parallel first and second actuation members with a jaw member integral with the first actuation member and a modular attachment element integral with the second actuation member. A linkage connects the first and second actuation members and operates to maintain a substantially parallel orientation between the actuation members while the clamp moves between open and closed positions. In addition, the orthopaedic clamping tool may be locked without causing an excessive clamping force on a clamped bone.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling the pressure within a surgical tourniquet so as selectively to occlude blood flow within a portion of a limb of a patient, wherein the pressure within an inflatable cuff surrounding a portion of a limb of a patient is changed by automatically opening a first valve connected to a controller and located within a first conduit between an inflatable bladder and the inflatable cuff, when the pressure in the inflatable cuff is different from that in the inflatable bladder. In another aspect, a system and method of controlling the pressure within a surgical tourniquet so as selectively to occlude blood flow within a portion of a limb of a patient within five seconds. In another aspect, a system and method of detecting a leak in a surgical tourniquet. In another aspect, a surgical tourniquet that, from an inflated state, may enter a deflated state, a set state, a default display state, or an off state.

Abstract: A surgical knot manipulator device is presented for facilitating the tying and untying of surgical knots through an access portal such as an arthroscopic cannula or an endoscopic trocar. The surgical knot manipulator device includes an elongated, cylindrical body member having a handle at its proximal end and a circular loop located at its distal end where the circular loop may contain a slot to facilitate the engagement of a suture.