Patents Examined by Christina Lauer
  • Patent number: 9295551
    Abstract: A catheter insertion system for inserting an expandable valve stent into the body of a patient and a method of implanting a valve stent. The catheter insertion system includes a catheter having a handle for manipulating a catheter tip, and enables the implantation of a valve prosthesis attached to a valve stent. The handle is configured to enable a pre-set sequence of steps to manipulate the catheter tip and sequentially release the valve stent. The catheter tip is configured to sequentially release the valve stent from a first collapsed mode to a second expanded mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: JenaValve Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Straubinger, Johannes Jung
  • Patent number: 9277989
    Abstract: A preloaded intraocular lens injection device includes a retainer for releasably holding an IOL in an unstressed state. The retainer and IOL are removably attached to an injector body and are sealed in the same package for delivery to a surgeon. In an alternate embodiment, the retainer and IOL are coupled together and sealed in one package and the injector body is sealed in a separate package with the surgeon attaching the retainer to the injector body at the time of surgery. To deliver the IOL through the injector body, the retainer is removed from the injector body causing the IOL to release from the retainer and become located in an unstressed state in the injector body. A compressor is moved to the closed position to compress the IOL, the injector tip is inserted through a small incision in an eye and a plunger is advanced to push the IOL through and out the injector body tip and into an eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
    Inventors: Edward Vaquero, Brian D. Rathert, Thomas M. Heyman, Aaron M. Torp, Martin P. Schooping, Philip L. Bryan
  • Patent number: 9277909
    Abstract: An anchor device and system for coupling soft tissue to osseous tissue includes a stopper member that supports a loop of suture material. A fixing member includes features that allow it to be rigidly coupled to surrounding bone and thus hold the stopper member in a cavity within the bone. The loop of suture material, in turn, supports a second suture device, which is coupled to, and thus retains, the soft tissue. In certain embodiments, the stopper member includes a mechanical linkage for coupling it to the fixing member, and surface features that resist withdrawal of the fixing member from the bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Parcus Medical, LLC
    Inventor: Mark D. Brunsvold
  • Patent number: 9271714
    Abstract: An elongate rigid suture anchor is provided which is driven and impacted directly into bone. It has two ends: a distal end, which forms a hole in the bone, and a proximal end that penetrates the sidewall of the bone hole as the anchor is displaced proximally in the hole. A proximal force is applied to the suture anchor to displace the anchor proximally and cause tilting of the anchor. As the anchor is displaced proximally, the proximal end of the anchor enters obliquely into the sidewall of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SYNTORR, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Martin
  • Patent number: 9265505
    Abstract: A system (1) for delivering a staple (9) to the locus of an artery (2) comprises a delivery conduit (5) for inserting into the lumen of an artery through which conduit a staple can be delivered to the locus, and an elongate element (6) such as a catheter for a balloon (7) for translating axial advancement of the delivery conduit through the artery into movement of the distal end of the delivery conduit away from the longitudinal axis of the artery and towards the artery wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Anson Medical Limited
    Inventors: Anthony Jones, Duncan Keeble
  • Patent number: 9254346
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a device are shown and disclosed for closing a vascular access puncture site following percutaneous diagnostic or therapeutic interventional procedures. The vascular closure device is configured to safely and accurately deploy a sealing material that undergoes a phase change when deployed inside the tissue tract. The sealing material may be a solid at room temperature and a liquid or gel at body temperature. Also, the sealing material may change from a liquid or gel to a cubic phase when it comes into contact with bodily fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL PUERTO RICO LLC
    Inventors: Catherine A. Pipenhagen, Melissa K. Gardner, Jyue Boon Lim, William R. Fiehler, Gary J. Schorr, Janet L. Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 9247937
    Abstract: A needle attachment for a surgical sewing instrument has a proximal-side connector for connecting to a sewing instrument. The needle attachment has a hollow shaft-like body which has a curved hollow needle on the distal side. A thread can be guided through the needle attachment. The cross-section of the curved hollow needle is oval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Bodo Kreidler
  • Patent number: 9211118
    Abstract: A suturing device for grasping soft tissue and placing stitches in soft tissue during endoscopic procedures is described. An elongate housing with a stationary jaw and a movable jaw disposed at the distal end are configured for grasping and releasing soft tissue. A movable needle disposed within the housing is actuated to engage a length of suture and drive the suture into and through the grasped soft tissue. A suture capture member is disposed on the movable jaw and is configured to allow passage of the needle therethrough while securing a portion of the stitched length of suture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation
    Inventors: David Gregoire, George W. White
  • Patent number: 9211125
    Abstract: A clip applier includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. Further, the distal end of the shaft includes a flexible tool having at least two rails connected to each other by at least one jointed connection, and the at least two rails configured to rotate about the jointed connection. Additionally, a pair of jaws may be provided at a distal end of the flexible tool. Further, an actuator may be provided at the proximal end of the shaft to advance the surgical clip within the flexible tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: MICROLINE SURGICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Boulnois, Tomohiro Kawano, Masayasu Sato
  • Patent number: 9211175
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to self-detachable medical devices containing a detachable film layer and polymeric film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Joshua Stopek, Daniel Broom, Amin Elachchabi, Thomas Casasanta, Garrett Ebersole
  • Patent number: 9198648
    Abstract: A wound closure assembly and method for its use. The wound closure assembly includes a curved inserter having a distal end and a proximal end, a filamentary element extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the proximal end of the curved inserter, a first anchor coupled to the filamentary element between its first and second ends, and a second anchor positioned at the distal end of the filamentary element. The filamentary element is configured to form a slip knot between the first and second anchors so as to enable the distance between the first and second anchors to be decreased by pulling on the proximal end of the filamentary element. The distal end of the curved inserter is received within a channel in the first anchor that extends along its longitudinal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ETHICON, INC.
    Inventors: John Stephen Crombie, James A. Fleming, III, Jessica Liberatore, Jie Jenny Yuan, Robert Nering
  • Patent number: 9192363
    Abstract: A closure device includes a delivery member, a sealing material applicator, and an expandable member. The delivery member is insertable through a tissue tract to a vessel puncture. The sealing material applicator is configured to supply a volume of sealing material to the delivery member and includes first and second multi-chamber devices and a valve assembly. Each chamber of the first and second multi-chamber devices holds a component of the sealing material, and operating the valve assembly permits mixing of at least some of the components prior to connecting the sealing material applicator to the delivery member. The expandable member is positionable within the vessel to temporarily seal closed the vessel puncture from within the vessel. The closure device is operable to deliver the sealing material from the sealing material applicator, through the delivery member, and to the tissue tract to seal closed the vessel puncture from outside the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Vidlund, Douglas P. Killion
  • Patent number: 9173645
    Abstract: An anchor assembly can include at least one anchor member, such as a pair of anchor members that are configured to be implanted in a target anatomical location in a first configuration, and can subsequently be actuated to an expanded configuration that secures the anchor members in the target anatomy. The anchor assembly can further include a connector member that attaches the pair of anchor members together across a gap so as to approximate the anatomical defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Overes, Daniel Vennard, Jamie Manos, Kevin Henrichsen, Wamis Singhatat, Scott Larsen, James Talbot
  • Patent number: 9138318
    Abstract: Implants for repairing tissue defects, such as cartilage tissue defects, and methods of their preparation and use are disclosed. A mold of a tissue defect is prepared by pressing upon the defect a substrate having shape memory, such as aluminum foil. The mold, which has contours substantially conforming to those of the defect, is removed from the defect, and tissue particles are added to the mold ex vivo. A biological carrier such as biocompatible glue is also added to the mold. The combination of tissue particles and the biological carrier thereby form an implant, which retains its shape after separation from the mold. The implant can be transferred to the tissue defect, with contours of the mold matching corresponding contours of the defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Q. Yao, Ben Walthall, Jizong Gao, Victor Zaporojan
  • Patent number: 9125742
    Abstract: Papillary muscle position control devices (900) systems and methods are provided. According to an exemplary embodiment, a papillary muscle position control device generally comprises a first anchor (905), a second anchor (920), and a support structure (915). The first anchor can be configured to fixedly connect to an in situ valve of a heart ventricle. The second anchor can be configured to fixedly connect to a muscle wall of the valve. The support structure can be configured to have an adjustable length and be coupled to the first anchor and second anchor such that adjusting the length of the support structure varies a distance between the first anchor and the second anchor. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ajit P. Yoganathan, Jorge Hernan Jimenez
  • Patent number: 9113860
    Abstract: An endoscopic stitching device is provided including a handle assembly and an end effector operatively connected to the handle assembly. The handle assembly includes a housing; a trigger operatively supported on the housing; and an actuation cable operatively connected to the trigger and extending from the housing in such a manner that an actuation of the trigger imparts axial translation and rotation to the actuation cable. The end effector includes a tool assembly configured and adapted to perform at least a pair of operations. The actuation cable is operatively connected to the tool assembly in such a manner that the actuation cable is capable of effecting a first operation of the pair of operations of the end effector upon the axial translation thereof and/or effecting a second operation of the pair of operations of the end effector upon the rotation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Frank Viola, Eric J. Taylor, Peter Hathaway, Kenneth W. Horton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9107750
    Abstract: An implantable device system for controlling the dimensions of internal anatomic passages corrects physiologic dysfunctions resulting from a structural lumen which is either too large or too small. Implantable devices are disclosed which employ various mechanisms for adjusting and maintaining the size of an orifice to which they are attached. Systems permit the implants to be implanted using minimally invasive procedures and permit final adjustments to the dimensions of the implants after the resumption of normal flow of anatomic fluids in situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard G. Cartledge, Leonard Y. Lee, James I. Fann
  • Patent number: 9101340
    Abstract: A medical apparatus (100; 200; 300) is provided, comprising a closure device (21; 102; 202; 302) comprising a first or distal member or portion adapted to be placed on one side of an opening in a wall of a bodily organ, and a second or proximal member or portion adapted to be placed on the opposite side of the opening in the wall of the bodily organ, an insertion assembly (101; 201; 301) comprising at least one actuator operatively connected to at least one of said first or second members, wherein the insertion assembly further comprises at least one motor (105; 106; 205; 306) adapted to maneuver said at least one actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL COORDINATION CENTER BVBA
    Inventor: Fredrik Preinitz
  • Patent number: 9101756
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a burr hole plug assembly offer significant improvements for allowing lead and/or cannula access through a burr hole drilled through a patient's skull in connection with a Deep Brain Stimulation system, and subsequent sealing of such burr hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Anne M Pianca, Carla M Mann, Tom Xiaohai He, Michael Dogali
  • Patent number: 9095336
    Abstract: A knotted suture device is disclosed. The device may have a surgical needle attached to one or both ends of the suture. The device has a plurality of loops formed by knots. An anchor member is attached to the device. The device when used in a surgical procedure can be secured without the need to tie a knot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Meng Deng, David Stoloff, Robert Nering, Lisa Baryschpolec, Robert Vetrecin