Abstract: A handle for a medical instrument comprises a first connecting means for connecting a shaft of said instrument of said handle, said shaft defining a longitudinal axis of said instrument. The handle further comprises a second connecting means for connecting a force transmission element of said instrument to said handle, said second connecting means being movable relative to said first connecting means for moving said force transmission element relative to said shaft for moving at least one tool disposed at the distal end of said shaft. The handle further comprises a first grip element and a second grip element, said first grip element and said second grip element being movable relative to each other, at least one of said first grip element and said second grip element being operatively connected with said second connecting means.

Abstract: A porous tube suitable for use as a vascular graft prosthesis and a method of making it is disclosed. It has a structure of porous polytetrafluoroethylene having a fibrous structure of nodes and fibers connecting the nodes together and an integrated intrawall circumferential support adjacent to areas of variable porosity. This invention provides a polytetrafluoroethylene polymer in a porous form useful as artificial internal organs for, for example vascular bypass, vascular access, and endovascular prosthesis. PTFE walls are found with radial zones of differing porosity are described.

Abstract: A knitted surgical mesh formed from a yarn. The knitted mesh has from 18 to 24 courses per inch and from 5 12 to 16 wales per inch, a flexibility of from 400-950 mg-cm/cm, a burst strength greater than 175 pounds per square inch, and a pore size percentage greater than 37%.

Abstract: A radial impacting technique involves using a set of progressively larger radial impactors to pack a medullary canal in a radial direction toward the cortex. For revision cases, graft material, which may be either synthetic or bone graft material, is added into the medullary canal after the previously installed implant has been removed. Packing the medullary canal in the radial direction, as opposed to the conventional approach of packing in a distal direction, provides superior results. The radial impactors are preferably cannulated and may also have holes to assist in the removal of fluids from within the medullary canal. The profile impactors may be either cannulated or non-cannulated and prepare the medullary canal for receipt of the implant.

Abstract: A cannula includes a tubular body having a proximal end and distal blunt end, at least one lumen extending the length of the body, an endoscope having a lighted, viewing end disposed in the lumen near the distal end of the body, and a transparent, tissue-separating tip substantially covering the distal end of the body. The tissue-separating tip is slightly blunted to inhibit avulsion of tissue and lateral vessels along the dissected cavity formed thereby. Endoscopic viewing through the tip is enhanced by tapering the inner walls thereof to a cusp adjacent the blunt tip in order to reduce visual distortion. Alternatively, a cannula includes a dissection probe and a removable or deflectable tip for exposing the probe and endoscope to facilitate viewing and the dissection of connective tissue and lateral vessels along the dissected cavity. Methods of using such cannulas produce an elongated cavity along the course of a blood vessel for subsequent harvesting or other treatment of the isolated blood vessel.

Abstract: A deformable sheath is attached to a catheter and introduced intravascularly to be expanded against an arterial wall and entrap plaque therebetween. A stent is subsequently deployed within the expanded sheath and the sheath is then withdrawn from within the vasculature to leave the stent expanded against the arterial wall with the plaque entrapped therebetween.

Abstract: Medical forceps for vascular surgery are presented. The forceps serve as vascular clamps, allowing a vascular surgeon to close torn or ruptured veins, both laterally and transversely, and to allow the clamp to remain in place without damaging the veins. The forceps are constructed of flexible stainless steel stems, having a two clamps defined at one end thereof in the form of interengaging rows of teeth. At an opposite end of the stems, a pair of grips are presented for use by the surgeon. Maintained in close proximity to the grips are a pair of locking tabs, one associated with each of the stems, the locking tabs being configured to allow for selective locking engagement of either of the clamps defined at the opposite end of the forceps. The forceps are preferably manufactured of 420 stainless steel, appropriately heat treated such that the flexibility of the stems dissipates much of the force imparted through the grips, such that a clamped vein is not damaged thereby.

Abstract: An endoluminal repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms at the aortic and iliac bifurcation. In particular, a deployment system and graft are disclosed for deploying the bifurcated graft within both iliac branches, as well as the aortic trunk, from a single vascular access. The disclosed deployment system includes a delivery catheter having a releasable restraint for the main body section of the graft and separate releasable restraints for each of the first and second branch sections of the graft.

Abstract: A surgical thread cutter (10) has a blade (18) movable via an actuation mechanism (30) relative to an anvil (20) toward and away from the latter, and a spring by way of which the blade (18) can be acted upon by spring force in one movement direction. In the interest of better and safer handling, it is proposed that the spring act upon the blade (18) in the cutting direction, that a retention system be provided by means of which the blade (18) can be locked in a position remote from the anvil (20); and that the force of the spring be set in such a way that after the retention system is released, the blade (18) can be moved onto the anvil (20) in the manner of a guillotine (FIG. 1).

Abstract: Improved methods of treatment of diseased or occluded vascular grafts in patients having undergone coronary artery bypass or other bypass surgery are disclosed. Deployment of a conduit in the myocardium at a site distal to the site of attachment of the coronary artery bypass graft allows oxygenated blood to flow from a chamber in the heart directly into the coronary artery, bypassing blockages in the coronary artery and the graft originally used to bypass the coronary artery. To ensure proper positioning, the conduit is delivered through the graft to the myocardium. A new lining for the existing vein graft and methods of delivery are also disclosed.

Abstract: A microkeratome for use with a handpiece and a microkeratome blade, the microkeratome having a positioning assembly and a head portion with a base portion and an insert portion. The positioning assembly has a platform with a corneal opening and a suction ring for application to the surface of the patient's eyeball. The positioned assembly has two spaced apart guide walls that are high enough to prevent a patient's eyelids from passing over the upper surface of the positioning assembly. The base portion has a lower planar face with a base slot extending therethrough through which the microkeratome blade will extend, and opposing sides with skates to slidably engage with inner sliding surfaces of guide walls. The insert portion lockably fits into the base portion. Stops are present to control the amount of uncut corneal flap.

Abstract: An at least partially bioabsorbable surgical fastener or device formed in the shape of a screw and washer system and the methods for manufacturing and using the same. The surgical fastener is particularly but not solely intended to be used to attach rotator cuff tendons to bone.

Abstract: Endoscopic surgery nippers have a proximal end body to which is detachably affixed the proximal end zone of a tube forming the nippers' shank, the end zone being detachably fixed in the axial position while rotatable about the axis of the end body. A grip is fixed in place on the end body and another grip is pivotally supported on the first grip and has a swivel socket along the tube axis on the proximal side of the end body. A nipper head supports nipper arms and is detachably connected in rotatably and in axially geometrically interlocking manner with the distal tube end. A rod driving the nipper arms and affixed in axially displaceable and non-rotatable manner to the nipper head extends through the tube and is detachably supported at its distal end in the swivel socket.

Abstract: A catheter-deliverable filter assembly deployable in a vessel of the body in alternatively a temporary configuration enabling the filter to be removed from the vessel or a permanent configuration, and a method for its use. The filter assembly comprises an elongated support carrying spaced along its length a filter element and a anchoring element with the filter element being spaced distally from the anchoring element. Each element comprises a core mounted to the elongated support and a plurality of flexible, resilient wires extending distally from the core, the wires having proximal portions attached at one end to the core and distal portions. The wires of the anchoring element include gripping elements for gripping the walls of a vessel. The wires are so configured as to support the apices of the filter and anchoring elements substantially in the center of the vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for hip replacement stability includes a connector which is adapted to be connected between at least one of an acetabular cup, or a component of an acetabular cup, or the adjacent bone, and at least one of a replacement femur or a femur. The connector is flexible and allows for uninhibited movement between an acetabular cup and replacement femur up to a limit in order to prevent dislocation. The connector is in one embodiment comprised of a net. The method of the invention for preventing dislocation between an acetabular cup and replacement femur includes the steps of securing the connector to at least one of an acetabular cup, or a component thereof, or bone located adjacent to an acetabular cup, and securing the connector to at least one of a replacement femur or a femur.

Abstract: This invention is a vertebral triplaner alignment facilitator to enable a surgeon to make minute vertebrae adjustments during spinal surgery. The vertebral triplaner alignment facilitator includes a support device which is adapted to support a tensioning device. The support device includes a support structure and a gurney. The gurney is adapted to support the tensioning device, while the support structure supports the gurney above a patient. The support structure typically includes a support rod, a sacral bridge, and adjustment rods. The support rod may be adapted to connect to a retractor. The sacral bridge may be adapted to sit on the iliac spines or crests of the pelvis. The adjustment rods movably engage the support rod and the sacral bridge such that the adjustment rods can move laterally over the patient and longitudinally relative to the retractor. A plurality of gurneys engage the adjustment rods such that they may move along the adjustment rods and may pivot about the adjustment rods.

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 device for fixing bone sections relative to each other, comprises a support bar for lateral application along the bone sections to be fixed. The support bar includes at least two sliding pieces slidable and fixable on the support bar and each being provided with a spherical part. A bone pin locking block is provided with a cup-shaped portion which is fittingly received on the spherical portion of the sliding piece, in such a way that the bone pin locking block, after having been pivoted into the desired position, can be fixed onto the sliding piece. Each of the two opposite sides of a bone pin locking block is provided with a protruding portion for fastening pivotably adjustable clamping beds cooperating with clamping plates fixable thereon and thus clamping the bone pins in their positions.

Abstract: A rotary shaver blade assembly having a laterally facing and end facing cutting window enabling it to resect tissue presented end-wise or at relatively small angles. The assembly is provided with a stationary elongated outer tube and a rotatable inner tube, both having laterally facing and end facing cutting windows and both having planar transverse end walls at their distal tips. The transverse end walls are abutting and are sharpened into edges by being tapered in opposite directions. The end wall of the outer tube is tapered into a concave surface to allow the inner and outer transverse edges to be situated close to target tissue. The edge on the end wall of the inner tube is transversely arcuate and has a point at each end to enable it, in cooperation with the outer edge, to resect tissue presented axially or at shallow angles to the axis of the shaver blade.

Abstract: The handle has a blade mounting portion with a raised boss forming a slot. The blade has a boss receiving recess with a portion defined by an edge. The cartridge has a transparent top so that the presence of a blade within the cartridge can be observed and an opening at one end into which the blade mounting portion of the handle can be inserted. The bottom of the cartridge includes a spring platform with a recess into which the blade is received. The platform is integral with the cartridge bottom and is mounted in cantilever-like fashion, by a living hinge, to permit it to flex. When the top and bottom of the cartridge are assembled, ribs on the top cause the platform to move to a spring loaded position, where the forward end of the handle boss can enter the blade recess. As the blade mounting portion of the handle is inserted further into the cartridge, the flexibility of the platform permits the boss to be fully seated within the recess, mounting the blade on the handle.