Abstract: A bone fixation assembly and method of fixing bones including a fixation element having a head portion, a unitary coupling element and at least one locking element. The unitary coupling element includes a first bore adapted to slidably receive the head portion of the fixation element. A first locking element is adapted to secure the head portion in the first bore.

Abstract: A medical implant assembly includes a polyaxial bone anchor having a shank, a receiver, a lower compression insert with surfaces for closely receiving an elongate connecting member and a dual closure structure that may include a single flange or helical flange. The dual closure structure independently engages the connecting member and the lower compression insert. A threaded capture connection of the bone anchor includes a shank upper surface exclusively engaging the lower compression insert and a retainer threadably attached to the shank and spaced from the upper surface, the retainer configured for polyaxial motion with respect to the receiver prior to locking.

Abstract: A light delivery system to provide light treatment to a patient includes a catheter assembly having a plurality of light sources that transmit light towards a target site within a patient. In one embodiment, the light delivery system has a plurality of light sources mounted to a flexible transparent base that extends at least partially through a distal tip of the catheter assembly. The light sources can be wire bonded or mounted in a flip chip arrangement onto the base. In one embodiment to produce the distal tip, an array of light energy sources can be held by an array of holders of a fixture device. A vacuum is applied to secure each light energy source in a corresponding holder. While the vacuum is applied, the energy sources are electrically connected by wire bonding. The vacuum can be reduced or stopped thereby permitting removal of the light energy sources from the fixture device.

Abstract: A dental contact matrix system is described for the placement of dental fillings. The dental contact matrix system includes a matrix, a retainer for placing and retaining the 5 matrix and an elastic wedge. The retainer includes two lugs or tines that fit between two teeth on the buccal and lingual sides of the teeth. The lugs are connected by a spring member that presses the lugs against the lingual and buccal sides of the teeth. There is an adaptation to hold the elastic wedge in a stretched condition between the lugs.

Abstract: An open electrosurgical forceps includes a pair of first and second shaft members each having a jaw member disposed at its distal end. The jaw members are movable about a pivot assembly from an open position in spaced relation relative to one another to a closed position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue. Each of the jaw members includes an electrically conductive sealing surface for communicating electrosurgical energy through grasped tissue. One or both of the jaw members includes a knife channel defined along its length. The pivot assembly includes a knife slot and is configured to prevent reciprocation of a cutting mechanism when the jaw members are disposed in the open position and to permit reciprocation of the cutting mechanism when the jaw members are disposed in the closed position. An actuator selectively advances the cutting mechanism from a first position to at least one subsequent position.

Abstract: A scent sampler and air freshener has a wafer of an absorbent resilient material infused with a liquid containing a scent. The wafer is encapsulated in a chamber formed between two panels of sheet material with edges sealed together to form an envelope. An opening in one of the panels enables scent from the liquid to be emitted to the ambient atmosphere. The rate of emission can be increased by squeezing the panels to compress the wafer. The interior surfaces of the panels can be coated with a barrier film to prevent leakage of the liquid from contaminating the sheet material.

Abstract: An implantable, compressible, accommodating intra-ocular lens (IOL) coupled to at least one sensor which detects a signal created by the ciliary muscle. A ciliary sulcus ring can house the at least one sensor, and the sensor can include miniaturized electrodes (ciliary muscle probes) for implanting into the ciliary muscle of the subject. A potentiometer/microcomputer can modulate the ciliary muscle signal detected by the sensor(s) into an electrical signal, and a transmitter sends this electrical signal to a micromotor, which causes compression of the IOL via an annular support ring system, causing a change in the IOL shape. The IOL can be part of an IOL complex including a compressible, accommodating IOL, an external lens membrane, and an annular support ring system. The annular support ring system provides a foundation for the micromotor to compress the IOL.

Abstract: A dental impression tray, a kit, and method of using the same are provided for taking an impression of at least a portion of a dental structure of a patient. The tray can include a tray portion, fiduciary markers, and can also have a holding section with two opposing sides and fasteners disposed thereon. The kit can include the tray and a handle portion. The handle can be removably secured to the holding section of the tray. In some embodiments, the handle can include a pair of handle portions. In other embodiments, a part of the handle can be aligned with a facial feature of a patient from whom a dental impression is to be obtained.

Abstract: Personal cutting devices in the form of hand held punches for producing jewelry display cards include two aligned templates having identical patterns of apertures and being securely mounted in a frame such that a space between the templates accommodates a piece of cardstock. There is a spring biased movable member having elongate cutting elements designed to pass through the apertures in both templates, and an activation lever on which indicia is printed to show the aperture patterns produced by the punches. A housing protects the mechanism. Each punch is specifically designed to produce a display card that can hold and display a single article of jewelry such as a pair of earrings, a necklace or a brooch. The punches vary in size according to the template patterns. The punches enable the jewelry designer to use any card stock, including a business card, to display an article of jewelry.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a locking orthodontic bracket that contains a mechanism that rotationally locks an orthodontic archwire fully or partially within the bracket archwire slot. The orthodontic bracket has a body containing a slot to receive an orthodontic archwire, wings for tying ligature wires, a base that is attachable to an orthodontic band or directly to a tooth surface and a central recess in the front surface of the body that contains the rotating clip device. The rotating clip device is rotated to enclose an orthodontic archwire within the slot.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for fusing vertebrae is disclosed. The implant may have a body with curved, posterior and anterior faces separated by two narrow implant ends, superior and inferior faces having a plurality of undulating surfaces for contacting vertebral endplates, and at least one depression in the anterior or posterior face for engagement by an insertion tool. The implant may also have one or more vertical through-channels extending through the implant from the superior face to the inferior face, a chamfer on the superior and inferior surfaces at one of the narrow implant ends, and/or a beveled edge along a perimeter of the superior and inferior faces. The implant configuration facilitates transforaminal insertion of the implant into a symmetric position about the midline of the spine so that a single implant provides balanced support to the spinal column. The implant may be formed of a plurality of interconnecting bodies assembled to form a single unit.

Abstract: An improved holder and method for implanting a tissue-type prosthetic mitral heart valve that prevents suture looping and may also constrict the commissure posts of the valve. An upstanding or shaft member axially positioned on the holder causes the lengths of attachment sutures to extend axially beyond the commissure post tips to create a tent and prevent looping of any of an array of pre-implanted sutures around the tips during deployment of the valve. The shaft member may be axially movable such that it can be initially retracted and then actuated just prior to valve deployment. The shaft member may have notches on its distal tip for capturing the attachment sutures, which are crossed over along the valve axis to ensure engagement by the notches. The attachment sutures may be strands or filaments, or may be wider bands of flexible biocompatible material. If bands are used, they desirably cover the commissure post tips to further help prevent suture looping thereover.

Abstract: A prophy cup has an outer surface with dimples formed therein. The dimples increase the turbulent flow in a boundary layer proximate to the surface. The increased turbulent flow reduces the separation of fluid (a slurry of saliva, blood and pumice) at the boundary layer to minimize the quantity of fluid ejected from the surface. A dental handpiece housing is configured to split longitudinally so that a wiper is positioned proximate to the outer surface of the prophy cup. The wiper removes slurry as the prophy cup rotates during a dental cleaning procedure to further reduce the quantity of fluid ejected from the surface during the procedure.

Abstract: Methods for (a) preventing hypoxic damage to a potentially transplantable organ or tissue prior to explanation of that organ or tissue from the body of a mammalian transplant donor and (b) preventing rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue in a human or veterinary transplant recipient. The methods comprise placing a heat exchange apparatus in the vasculature of the donor or recipient and using that heat exchange apparatus to cool at least a portion of the body of the donor or recipient to a temperature below normothermia (e.g. below normothermia and sometimes between about 30° C. and about 36° C.).

Abstract: An improved bulkhead and partition system in which at least two panels are independently attached to mounting members such that each panel can be moved independently. In a preferred embodiment, two bulkheads or panels are slidably attached to separate pairs of ceiling-mounted rails in a refrigerated trailer such that each bulkhead or panel can be independently slid toward the front of a trailer or toward the rear of a trailer to define, in cooperation with a removable center partition wall, a plurality of different cargo areas to be maintained at different temperatures. Alternatively, two bulkheads or panels may advantageously operate without a partition wall such that the panels may be placed side-by-side and fastened together to make a full-width bulkhead.

Abstract: A staple remover (10) for removing a staple (100) from a document (102) and simultaneously capturing the thus-removed staple. The staple remover includes a wedge (18) for prying the staple free from a document without the staple snagging to the wedge, a bin (20) into which the freed staple will fall and, when in the form of a handheld device, an enclosed clearance (26) around the wedge's top or bearing surface that lifts the staple and that is in communication with the bin such that when the remover is immediately tilted front end upwardly as the staple is freed, the staple falls through the clearance and into the bin. The surfaces of the wedge that engage or could possibly engage the staple's leg portions, are adapted to prevent snagging of the staple when freed from the document. The bin could include an opening (24) covered by a cap (22) that is removable to permit emptying.

Abstract: A needle cover assembly includes a manually operable member; a rigid needle shield (RNS) provided with an internally arranged resilient cap, in turn arranged to house and protect an injection needle; and a RNS remover assembly including a tubular shaped member surrounding the RNS, in which the tubular shaped member is arranged with at least one grip member capable of gripping the RNS in order to remove the RNS. The RNS remover assembly further includes a spinning attachment member having a distal end fixedly attached to the tubular shaped member and a proximal end rotatably attached to the manually operable member such that the manually operable member can be freely turned in relation to the RNS remover assembly but is locked in an axial direction.

Abstract: Dental preparation uses a tooth preparation guide custom-made for fitting with teeth of a patient. The preparation guide includes one or more guide channels for guiding a cutting tool. The preparation guide enables modification of the teeth as planned with high level of precision. A dental prosthesis for installing onto prepared teeth of the patient is provided before preparation of the teeth. The prosthesis includes features that are complementary to the prepared teeth. The prosthesis can be installed immediately after preparing the teeth using the preparation guide. With the high level of accuracy and precision in the preparation of teeth, no modification of the prosthesis would be needed for installation.

Abstract: A medication delivery device is provided which is switchable between an operational state and a resetting state and which comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a piston rod being moveable in a distal direction with respect to the housing for medication delivery, a conversion element adapted to at least partially convert a rotational movement of the piston rod into an axial movement of the piston rod, coupling means prevented from rotational movement with respect to the housing and adapted to engage with the conversion element in the operational state, a drive assembly comprising at least two drive assembly members and adapted for moving the piston rod in the distal direction, and a resilient member adapted to provide a force on the drive assembly for engagement of the drive assembly members. In the operational state of the device the coupling means is engaged with the conversion element, the conversion element thereby being prevented from rotation with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) assembly and kit therefore has an elongated hollow belt body having open first and second ends and multiple inlet openings along its length for mounting one or more filter canisters, one or more filter canisters for mounting in the inlet openings for supplying purified air to the interior of the belt body, a motor and driven fan assembly having a fan inlet in communication with each filter canister through the hollow belt body and a fan outlet; and a power source operably mounted to the belt body and connected to the motor. The PAPR assembly forms a portion of a belt or bandolier to be worn around the user's waist, back, or other location, and at least the belt body can be made of a flexible rubber material, such as a Butyl and Silicone blend, or any other suitable material to conform the PAPR belt to the user's body.