Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument includes a body, an actuation assembly, a shaft assembly, and an ultrasonic blade. The body defines a longitudinal axis and is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer. The actuation assembly includes at least one annular activation member and at least one circuit. The at least one annular activation member extends angularly about the body along a 360 degree angular range. The at least one annular activation member is configured to move laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the body. The at least one circuit corresponds to the at least one annular activation member. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The at least one activation circuit is configured to activate the ultrasonic blade in response to lateral movement of the activation member relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Abstract: Devices and methods provide accurate targeting, placement, and/or stabilization of an electrode or other instrument(s) into the brain or other body organ, such as to treat severe tremor or other neurological disorders. Targeting is performed using any form of image-guidance, including real-time MRI, CT, or frameless surgical navigation systems.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument for use during a surgical procedure includes a body, a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and an actuation assembly. The body is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer for selectively generating a first or a second predetermined oscillation. The shaft assembly projects from the body and includes an acoustic waveguide connected to the ultrasonic blade. The actuation assembly includes an activator ring and an activation mechanism. The activator ring is selectively movable along the body such that the activator ring is accessible to be gripped by an operator around an entirety of an outer circumferential surface of the activator ring. The activation mechanism is connected to the activator ring such that the activation mechanism selectively moves along the body in conjunction with the activator ring. At least a portion of the activation mechanism is configured to selectively direct the ultrasonic transducer to oscillate the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: A tool for manipulating a foreign body (e.g., a deployed medical device) can include an operative portion. The operative portion can be used to move the foreign body in the proximal and/or distal directions with respect to the removal/repositioning tool and/or the tissue surrounding the foreign body. In some embodiments, the tool can include a compressing portion that can be used to compress the foreign body as the foreign body is pulled by the operative portion in the proximal direction. The tool can further include a sleeve that can be used to transition the operative portion and/or compressing portion between an opened configuration and a closed configuration. In some embodiments, the tool can be used in conjunction with an endoscope to navigate the tool to the site of a foreign body within the body of a patient.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a phacoemulsification tip may include a shaft and a cutting edge portion having at least a first and second bend. The geometry of the tip may be configured to result in a lateral displacement (ux), perpendicular to the shaft during torsional vibration of the tip at frequencies between 10 kHz and 60 kHz, of less than approximately 5% to 25% (e.g., 15%) of the lateral displacement at the distal end point of the tip throughout a portion of the shaft extending from the end of a conical portion of the tip through to the first bend in the cutting edge portion of the tip. Software and/or physical modeling may be used to determine the tip geometry.

Abstract: A device and method for removing atheroma. An expandable atherectomy device comprises a rotatably motor-driven flexible hollow shaft that is slidable over a guidewire introducible through a flexible catheter tube and is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the guidewire, an expandable cutting unit connected to a distal end of the hollow shaft, and an actuator which is operable to induce selective expansion of the cutting unit. The cutting unit, when expanded, is eccentrically rotatable about the longitudinal axis to cut and remove atheromous material from a blood vessel. In one embodiment, the method also includes the step of drilling an occlusion present in the lumen of a blood vessel by a drill unit connected to the cutting unit.

Abstract: A device to extract elements contained in cavities that uses a bag for their extraction that folds onto itself and an applier provided with an air chamber, which bag has pockets into which tentacles of the applier are introduced; and that is provided with means to pull from same; an applier that is comprised by a first piece called outer tube, that is hollow and of rigid material which, at its distal end, turns into at least two tentacles that allow its radial flexibility, and in its proximal end, means are provided to fix the second piece, called inner tube, which is a hollow tube, open at its ends, that slides into the body of the outer tube and that provides a funnel at its distal end. The device may have grade scale either on the tentacles, the inner tube as well as on the bag. Additionally, this provides two rings used as reference, on each of the folds of the bag.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus comprises a handle portion and at least one rotatable drive shaft. The handle portion has an actuation mechanism and a display. The actuation mechanism includes a motor and one or more actuators. The rotatable drive shaft has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion is coupled to the motor, and the distal end portion is configured to be releasably coupled to a prosthetic heart valve. The actuation mechanism is configured to control and monitor expansion of the prosthetic heart valve, and the display is configured to display a diameter of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating on tissue includes a body, a shaft, an ultrasonic blade, and an acoustic assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body. The blade is disposed at the distal end of the shaft. The acoustic assembly comprises an acoustic waveguide coupled with the blade, a piezoelectric transducer element, a fastener, and a coupling member. The transducer element defines an inner diameter surface and an outer diameter surface. The fastener is configured to secure the transducer element relative to the waveguide. The coupling member is configured to provide electrical continuity between the fastener and the inner diameter surface of the transducer element. The outer diameter surface of the transducer element includes an annular recess. Another coupling member is configured to provide electrical continuity between the annular recess of the piezoelectric transducer element and a power source while permitting the piezoelectric transducer element to rotate relative to the body.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating obesity comprises a volume filling device formed by at least two segments and is provided and following implantation, the device is placed resting against the stomach wall of the patient to reduce the inner volume of the stomach, thereby affecting the patients appetite.

Abstract: A treatment instrument is that a maximum dimension of the loop portion in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in a state where half of a total length of the loop portion in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the loop portion is pulled into the sheath is 40% to 60% of a maximum dimension of the loop portion in the orthogonal direction in a state where the whole loop portion protrudes from a distal end of the sheath.

Abstract: A device for cranial implantation includes a ferrule and a plate for placement in the ferrule. Furthermore, a neurological implant system includes a probe and a device for cranial implantation.

Abstract: An ear cleaning device is provided for removing debris from an ear. In one form, the ear cleaning device includes a shaft, a head connected to the shaft, and a contiguous pocket structure of the head. The contiguous pocket structure includes a plurality of pockets that may be configured to receive debris. In another form, the ear cleaning device has a handle, a bulbous cleaner connected to the handle, and a solid inner core of the bulbous cleaner. The bulbous cleaner has two or more spaced, longitudinal walls disposed outward of the inner core that are configured to remove debris with turning of the ear cleaning device about a longitudinal axis of the device.

Abstract: A stent graft includes a graft sleeve, a bare stent and at least one stent at the proximal end of the graft sleeve distal to the bare stent. The at least one stent includes proximal apices that are nested between adjacent distal apices of the bare stent, and an amplitude defined as a distance extending along the longitudinal length of the stent graft. The at least one stent has a relaxed diameter greater than that of a diameter of the graft sleeve and is secured along its entirety to the graft sleeve. The amplitude of the at least one stent is less than that of the bare stent amplitude. An outward radial force of the at least one stent against the graft sleeve at any given diameter of the stent graft is greater than that of the bare stent. Stent grafts may be used in methods to treat vascular disease.

Abstract: A delivery device for a prosthetic heart valve includes a shaft, a sheath, and a pull wire. The shaft has a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis. The sheath is attached to the shaft and is rotatable about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The pull wire is mechanically coupled to the sheath such that movement of the pull wire rotates the sheath relative to the shaft. The sheath may be in a first position relative to the shaft when a distal end of the pull wire is in a first position and may be in a second position when the distal end of the pull wire is in a second position. Deflection of the sheath relative to the shaft enables a prosthetic valve to be axially aligned with the native valve annulus for deployment.

Abstract: A contoured forceps handle is presented having a first arm with a contoured surface and a second arm with a contoured surface to provide for rotation in the hand of a user. The forceps handle may be used with a forceps or may have tips attached. Contoured forceps onlays are also presented that may be attached to forceps.

Abstract: A guide member configured for guiding a suture passer through a cannula and tissue surrounding the cannula to facilitate closure of an opening in tissue. The guide member includes a guide housing and an elongated guide shaft. The guide housing is configured for releasably engaging the guide member with the cannula and defines an entry aperture. The elongated guide shaft extends distally from the guide housing and defines an annular exterior surface. An exit aperture is defined through the annular exterior surface. The guide member defines a lumen extending from the entry aperture, through the guide housing and the elongated guide shaft, to the exit aperture. The entry aperture, lumen, and exit aperture cooperating to define a passageway extending through the guide member.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a clip includes an introducer sheath including an outer surface extending between its proximal and distal ends. A clip is carried on the outer surface, e.g., on a carrier assembly that is slidable along the outer surface from the proximal end towards the distal end. A skin overlies the outer surface of the sheath and the carrier assembly that is separable from the outer surface as the carrier assembly is advanced from the proximal end towards the distal end of the sheath. During use, the distal end of the sheath is inserted into an opening through tissue, e.g., into a puncture communicating with a blood vessel. The carrier assembly is advanced towards the distal end of the sheath, causing the skin to separate from the outer surface of the elongate member, and the clip is deployed from the carrier to seal the opening.

Abstract: An intraocular lens insertion apparatus includes an accommodating member integrally or independently formed on an apparatus body which is inserted into an eyeball, allowing arrangement of the intraocular lens in the apparatus body by accommodating the intraocular lens therein, and having a hole through which a needle of a syringe which supplies a lubricant to the intraocular lens passes. Further, the intraocular lens insertion apparatus includes a guide wall member formed on the accommodating member at a position adjacent to the hole, and being configured to guide the needle of the syringe to the hole.

Abstract: A system for delivering an implant including a handle, a trigger, and an actuation assembly. The actuation assembly can include a planet carrier, at least one planet gear operatively coupled to the planet carrier, a sun gear shaft operatively engaged with the planet gear, a ring gear operatively engaged with the planet gear, a first clutch driver, and a second clutch driver. The actuation assembly can be configured to displace the outer tubular member in the proximal direction a distance (d) relative to the handle and to separately move the inner shaft member distally a distance (x) relative to the handle upon deployment of the trigger from a first position to a second position, and move the inner shaft member proximally a distance (y) relative to the handle with no displacement of the outer tubular member upon return of the trigger from the second position to the first position.