Patents Examined by Christina Lauer
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Patent number: 9072586Abstract: An implantable prosthesis is provided for repairing an anatomical defect, such as a tissue or muscle defect, that promotes tissue of muscle ingrowth into the prosthesis and subsequently strengthens the area of the defect. The prosthesis is easy to manipulate and may be designed to minimize the incidence of postoperative adhesions between a portion of the prosthesis and surrounding tissue or organs. The prosthesis may include one or more layers of biologically compatible material that is suitable for repairing a defect. The prosthesis may include a support assembly to facilitate manipulation and deployment of the prosthesis. The support assembly may include a stiffening member that is surrounded by material that separates the stiffening member from the layer of material. The stiffening member may be located in a sleeve of material, such as mesh fabric. The stiffening member may be formed from a resorbable material.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2009Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc.Inventors: Debra J. Ranucci, Tami L. Hamlin, Philip A. Tessier, Marianne Staudenmeier, Damian H. Tomlin
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Patent number: 9055942Abstract: Endoscopic plicators are passed transorally into the stomach and used to plicate stomach tissue by engaging tissue from inside of the stomach and drawing it inwardly. The tissue is drawn inwardly into a vacuum chamber, causing sections of serosal tissue on the exterior of the stomach to be positioned facing one another. The plicators allow the opposed sections of tissue to be moved into contact with one another, and preferably deliver sutures, staples or other means for maintaining contact between the tissue sections at least until serosal bonds form between them. Each of these steps may be performed wholly from the inside of the stomach and thus can eliminate the need for any surgical or laparscopic intervention. After one or more plications is formed, medical devices may be coupled to the plication(s) for retention within the stomach.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2006Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Boston Scienctific Scimed, Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Balbierz, Dave Cole, Samuel T. Crews, Brett Swope, Andrew Smith, John Lunsford, Fiona Sander
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Patent number: 9050068Abstract: An apparatus for placement into an opening formed in a wall of a body lumen to deploy a closure element. The apparatus comprising a housing having a handle portion formed at a distal end, the handle portion configured to be engaged by a user when advancing the housing to deploy the closure element. A locator assembly and a carrier assembly are at least partially received in the housing. The locator assembly can have one or more expansion members that can selectably contact the wall of the body lumen and a proximal end configured to cooperate with a portion of a locator control system operable to expand the one or more expansion members. A triggering system cooperates with the locator assembly and is moveable toward the one or more expansion members of the locator assembly upon the locator control system being operated to expand the one or more expansion members.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: ABBOTT LABORATORIESInventors: Erik K. Walberg, Timothy C. Reynolds, Brian A. Ellingwood, Kai Yenkai Jair, Anthony J. Pantages
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Patent number: 9050087Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use in sealing a vascular puncture site. The invention comprises an integrated vascular device having a sheath with a closure component and puncture sealant. The closure component is disposed on and advanceable over the exterior of the sheath and may comprise any of a variety of apparatus suited for closing a vascular puncture. Once the closure component has been actuated to close the puncture, sealant is introduced to seal the puncture. The sheath and closure component are then removed from the patient.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2008Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: INTEGRATED VASCULAR SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Richard S. Ginn, W. Martin Belef
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Patent number: 9039735Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a puncture communicating with a blood vessel includes a porous carrier formed from lyophilized hydrogel or other material. The plug may include at least first and second hydrogel precursors and a pH adjusting agent carried by the porous carrier in an unreactive state prior to exposure to an aqueous physiological environment. Once exposed to bodily fluids, the carrier expands as the lyophilized material hydrates to enhance and facilitate rapid hemostasis of the puncture. When the plug is placed into the puncture, the natural wetting of the plug by bodily fluids (e.g., blood) causes the first and second precursors to react and cross-link into an adhesive or “sticky” hydrogel that aids in retaining the plug in place within the puncture.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Access Closure, Inc.Inventors: Farhad Khosravi, Suresh S. Pai, Celso J. Bagaoisan
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Patent number: 9039783Abstract: The present invention provides a method of fixating a mesh implant to a tissue of a subject comprising attaching said mesh implant to said tissue, covering said mesh implant by an antiadhesive barrier, wherein said antiadhesive barrier is attached to said mesh implant by a biocompatible adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2009Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignees: Baxter International, Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.Inventors: Alexander Petter-Puchner, Heinz Redl
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Patent number: 9028530Abstract: A tissue engageable suture having antimicrobial properties is provided. The suture includes a plurality of thread members. The thread members include a plurality of structural thread members having a structural portion and an antimicrobial portion. The thread members also include a plurality of adhesive thread members. The plurality of structural thread members and the plurality of adhesive thread members are woven together to form a multiple thread-containing cabled suture wherein the adhesive thread members bond the structural thread members within the cabled structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: IM Indiano, LLCInventor: Ignazio Mi Indiano
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Patent number: 9017345Abstract: A coil fastener applier including a housing, a flexible elongated tubular member, a flexible drive member, a fastener assembly and a trigger is disclosed. The housing defines a longitudinal axis and includes a stationary handle affixed thereto. The flexible elongated tubular portion extends distally from the housing. The flexible drive member is rotatably mounted within the flexible elongated tubular portion. The fastener assembly is mounted adjacent a distal portion of the flexible drive member and is configured to releasably mount at least one coil fastener thereon. The trigger is movably mounted on the housing and movement of the trigger rotates the flexible drive member to drive a coil fastener into tissue. The flexible elongated tubular member and the flexible drive member enable off-axis delivery of a coil fastener.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2006Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Eric J. Taylor, Peter Hathaway
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Patent number: 9017381Abstract: Methods of attaching a soft tissue to an adjacent bone at a defect site are provided. An adjustable loop region of a flexible construct contained in a bore defined by a fastener is passed through a tissue. The adjustable loop is passed through the tissue. The fastener is passed back through the adjustable loop to fold the adjustable loop upon itself. The fastener is attached to the bone. An adjusting arm on the flexible construct is engaged to reduce the size of the adjustable loop and secure the soft tissue to the bone.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2007Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLCInventors: Ryan A. Kaiser, Gregory J. Denham, Kevin T. Stone
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Patent number: 9011466Abstract: A bi-directional suture passing instrument configured to approach soft tissues perpendicularly, enables safer and more efficient surgical repairs and minimally invasive techniques to be employed, useful in areas such as annulus repair, meniscal repair, shoulder arthroscopy, hernia repair, laparoscopic repair, and wound closure.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2010Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.Inventors: Ray Adams, David T. Banks, Rudolf Bertagnoli, Joel Helfer, Scott Larsen, Lawton Laurence, Adam Lehman, Jamie Manos, Vincent Mata, Dominique Messerli, Tom Overes, Wamis Singhatat, James Talbot, Ken Underhill, Daniel Vennard
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Patent number: 9011489Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical device includes an elongate member configured to be inserted into a body. The elongate member has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The elongate member includes a retaining member extending from the elongate member. The retaining member is configured to anchor the elongate member with respect to bodily tissue. The first end portion of the elongate member includes a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a filament. The second end portion of the elongate member includes a coupling portion configured to be coupled to the filament.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.Inventors: Isacc Ostrovsky, Hamid Davoudi, Jianmin (Jamie) Li, Jozef Slanda
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Patent number: 9005242Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a device for occluding an aperture in a body, for example, a patent foramen ovale (PFO), including a first side adapted to be disposed on one side of the septum and a second side adapted to be disposed on the opposite side of the septum. The device has an elongated, low-profile delivery configuration and a shortened, radially expanded deployment configuration. The first and second sides are adapted to occlude the aperture upon deployment of the device at its intended delivery location. The device also includes a radially expandable center portion. In some embodiments, the center portion includes a plurality of ribs provided by slits in device. The ribs expand radially when the device is deployed. The expandable center portion facilitates the positioning of the device in the aperture. The device can be secured in the deployed configuration using a catch system.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2008Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.Inventor: Ryan Cahill
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Patent number: 9005265Abstract: A stent made of a material having a low strength and having a main body circumscribing a cylindrical shape and radially expandable from a contracted starting position into a dilated support position, comprising a) a plurality of support segments disposed around the circumference and arrayed on one another in the axial direction each segment being formed by a strut meandering in its coarse structure in its contracted starting position and having alternately opposing meandering curves expandable into the support position made of flexible material; b) a plurality of axial connectors connecting between zenith points of at least a part of the meandering curves in the axial-parallel direction of the support segments; (c) a plurality of x-ray marker projections, and d) at least one stabilizer for stabilizing the strut coarse structure in its contracted starting position against radial expansion and being automatically detachable upon radial expansion.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2010Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: BIOTRONIK VI Patent AGInventors: Daniel Lootz, Bettina Surber, Daniel Wintsch, Johannes Riedmuller
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Patent number: 9005243Abstract: Multilayer structures including a porous layer and a non-porous layer are useful as buttresses when associated with a surgical stapling apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Megan Stopek, Brian Nentwick, Philippe Gravagna, Yves Bayon, Dagmar Dassonville, Alfredo Meneghin, Julie Lecuivre
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Patent number: 8991676Abstract: A surgical staple including a deformable member and a crown, where the deformable member can slide relative to the crown. In at least one embodiment, a staple cartridge can include a cavity and a deck, where the cavity can be configured to receive at least a portion of the deformable member and the crown can be positioned within an opening in the deck. In various embodiments, when soft tissue is captured between an anvil and the staple cartridge, the crown can apply a compressive force or pressure to the soft tissue even before the deformable member is deployed toward the anvil.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Hess, William B. Weisenburgh, II
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Patent number: 8992569Abstract: An insertion device configured to provide access to a treatment site within a body cavity (e.g., an abdominal cavity) is provided herein. In general, the device includes any type of elongate sleeve (e.g., a trocar) having an inner lumen. Further, the device includes a tissue retraction mechanism configured to extend from a distal end of the sleeve wherein the tissue retraction mechanism is configured to securely engage a cavity wall such that in response to a retraction force the mechanism can pull the cavity wall over the distal end of the sleeve thereby positioning the sleeve across the cavity wall. Additionally, various embodiments of a method for providing access to a body cavity are also provided herein.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Paul T. Franer, George Mark Pomeroy
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Patent number: 8986345Abstract: A method and apparatus for reattaching soft tissue to a boney structure using an expanding suture anchor. The method can include providing a suture anchor and forming a cavity in the boney structure for receipt of the suture anchor. The method can also include coupling the soft tissue to a suture and coupling the suture to the suture anchor. The method can further include deploying the suture anchor to fix the suture to the suture anchor and the suture anchor to the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2006Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLCInventors: Gregory J. Denham, Kevin T. Stone, Ryan A. Kaiser, Jason D. Meridew
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Patent number: 8974542Abstract: Provided herein is a biodegradable elastomeric patch that can be implanted on a heart or other portions of the cardiovascular system to repair tissue deficiencies or tissue damage. The biodegradable elastomeric patch may be engineered to have mechanical properties similar to that of soft tissue and to provide mechanical support to the damaged tissue. The biodegradable elastomeric patch also may comprise therapeutic agents to aid in the healing process. Methods also are provided for using a biodegradable elastomeric patch for treating patients suffering from tissue damage or tissue deficiencies in the cardiac or cardiovascular system.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2007Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher EducationInventors: Kazuro Lee Fujimoto, Kimimasa Tobita, Jianjun Guan, William R. Wagner, Bradley Barth Keller
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Patent number: 8961561Abstract: An improved suture anchor has one or more channels formed into the exterior surface of the anchor body. The channels may be used to inject a compound, such as filler material or an adhesive, into the implant site. Preferably, the channels connect to a retainer in the anchor body for a suture to pass through, preventing the suture from being compressed and allowing removal and adjustment of a suture retained by the anchor after the anchor is installed in a bone. The retainer is preferably a slot formed into the distal end of the anchor body. In a method of securing tissue to bone, an insertion tool is used to insert the suture into the anchor and install the anchor into an implant site in the bone. If the suture later fails, the channels may be used to fill the implant site with bone cement for redrilling. Preferably, the suture anchor is made of human cortical bone or a similarly bioabsorbable and osteoconductive material.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2010Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Inventor: Daniel S. Schulman
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Patent number: 8951283Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a puncture communicating with a blood vessel includes a porous carrier formed from lyophilized hydrogel or other material. The plug may include at least first and second hydrogel precursors and a pH adjusting agent carried by the porous carrier in an unreactive state prior to exposure to an aqueous physiological environment. Once exposed to bodily fluids, the carrier expands as the lyophilized material hydrates to enhance and facilitate rapid hemostasis of the puncture. When the plug is placed into the puncture, the natural wetting of the plug by bodily fluids (e.g., blood) causes the first and second precursors to react and cross-link into an adhesive or “sticky” hydrogel that aids in retaining the plug in place within the puncture.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Access Closure, Inc.Inventors: Farhad Khosravi, Suresh S. Pai, Celso J. Bagaoisan