Patents Examined by Elizabeth Houston
  • Vaso-occlusive devices with textured surfaces
    Patent number: 9622751
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are vaso-occlusive devices for forming occluding the vasculature of a patient. More particularly, disclosed herein are vaso-occlusive devices having a textured outer surface for promoting tissue in-growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Porter, Like Que, Tri D. Tran
  • Instrument for minimally invasive surgery
    Patent number: 9622763
    Abstract: The invention relates to an instrument, preferably for minimally invasive surgery, comprising a frame (27) having a proximal end and a distal end, a first working element (4) having a first origin located at the distal end and a second working element (5) having a second origin and being arranged at the distal end cooperating with the first working element, a force sensor for measuring a force exerted on at least one of the said the first and the second working elements, wherein the distal end of the frame comprises an opening (23) between the first origin and the second origin, the force sensor being arranged on the frame in a vicinity of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO, Vleugels Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Teunis Cornelis van den Dool, Geerten Frans Ijsbrand Kramer, Erik Tabak, Michiel Peter Oderwald
  • Carotid artery occluding apparatus with first and second occluding balloons
    Patent number: 9597084
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing stroke by occluding blood flow through a right carotid artery and a left carotid artery of a patient is provided. The apparatus has a first occluding catheter that carries a first occluding balloon that has an inflated configuration that occludes either the right carotid artery or the left carotid artery. The apparatus also includes a second occluding catheter that carries a second occluding balloon that has an inflated configuration that occludes the other one of the right carotid artery or the left carotid artery that is not occluded by the first occluding balloon. An insertion device may also be present to allow for insertion of the first and second occluding catheters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Zhadkevich
  • Fluid ejection device and method of controlling fluid ejection device
    Patent number: 9592073
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a fluid chamber; a volume varying unit configured to vary the volume of the fluid chamber; a fluid supplying unit configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure; and an ejection command switching unit configured to switch a fluid ejection between a pulsed flow ejection which ejects the fluid in a pulsed manner by activating the volume varying unit and varying the volume of the fluid chamber and a continuous flow ejection which ejects the fluid with a fluid supply pressure from the fluid supplying unit higher than that in the case of the pulsed flow ejection in a state in which the volume varying unit is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Kojima, Shigeo Sugimura, Kunio Tabata
  • Rectal expander
    Patent number: 9585550
    Abstract: There is disclosed medical apparatus of the type for use in surgery such as transanal endoscopic microsurgery, as well as methods of providing access to, inspecting and enabling surgery within a body passage. In one embodiment of the invention, medical apparatus in the form of a rectal expander (10) is disclosed, the expander (10) being adapted for location at least partly within a body passage such as the rectum (12) of a patient (14), the expander (10) having a leading end (18) and an access area in the form of an opening (20) for access from the expander (10) into the rectum (12), at least part of the opening (20) being spaced from the leading end (18), and the expander (10) being controllably movable between collapse and expansion positions, for expanding the rectum (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: University of Dundee
    Inventors: Eric Abel, James R. Hewit, Alan P. Slade, Zhigang Wang
  • Endoscopic suture systems
    Patent number: 9585652
    Abstract: A surgical instrument for applying sutures to tissue includes a needle deployment mechanism and a catch mechanism. In some embodiments, the needle deployment mechanism employs a linear path. Alternatively, it can employ a curved needle. The surgical instrument may include a rotatable head, a bend, and/or a malleable elongated body member formable into various shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Juergen A. Kortenbach, Ghaleb Sater, Michael Sean McBrayer, Barry N. Gellman
  • Closure tape dispenser
    Patent number: 9572580
    Abstract: A surgical portal apparatus includes a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end that extends along a longitudinal axis, and a surgical tape. The sleeve includes an inner wall defining an internal longitudinal passageway dimensioned for permitting passage of a surgical object therethrough and an outer wall configured for positioning against tissue. The inner and outer walls define at least a partial annular space therebetween, the annular space being in fluid communication with an opening in the outer wall. The surgical tape includes a body portion retained within the annular space of the sleeve and a leading tab extendable through the opening in the outer wall of the sleeve. The surgical tape has a first surface and a second surface, each of the first and second surfaces having at least one of tissue reactive functional groups and self-reactive functional groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Timothy Sargeant, Arpan Desai, Joshua Stopek, Atu Agawu, Saumya Banerjee, Frank Viola
  • Methods of self-aligning stent grafts
    Patent number: 9561124
    Abstract: A method for automatic endovascular alignment of a prosthesis includes loading the prosthesis in a distal delivery assembly, positioning a guidewire into a curved implantation site, and threading a guidewire lumen over the guidewire with the delivery assembly and into an implantation site to at least approximately align the curved distal portion to a curve of a curved implantation site and, thereby aligning the prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Bolton Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Arbefeuille, Humberto A. Berra, Gerry Ouellette
  • Inserter cap and related features
    Patent number: 9549813
    Abstract: A cap configured and dimensioned to sweep or fold one or more haptics when removed from an insertion device. The cap may further have a pin, one or more snaps and/or one or more locks. The cap may also have one or more ports and/or one or more windows. An insertion system having a handpiece, a cartridge, and a cap configured and dimensioned to sweep or fold one or more haptics when the cap is removed from the insertion system. The cap is configured and dimensioned to couple with the distal end of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: ABBOTT MEDICAL OPTICS INC.
    Inventors: Steven R. Anderson, Mark S. Cole
  • Medical device and method
    Patent number: 9498604
    Abstract: A vessel-occluding medical device for the use in diagnosis and/or treatment of cardiovascular disease in the human body includes an outer tube, an inner tube slidably housed within the outer tube, and a tubular sleeve comprising a generally U-shaped, direction reversing region, which moves along the length of the tubular sleeve, to assume radially contracted and radially expanded state as the inner and outer tubes move between the first and second positions. When the tubular sleeve is in the radially expanded state, the inner portion of the tubular sleeve has a funnel-shaped surface and a longitudinally-extending opening to permit material to pass therethrough for receipt of material into the inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: GENESIS TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: William R. Dubrul, Brent D. Seybold, Mark L. Mathis, Philip M. Leopold, Richard E. Fulton, III
  • Embolic protection device and method of use
    Patent number: 9480548
    Abstract: There is disclosed a porous emboli deflector for preventing cerebral emboli while maintaining cerebral blood flow during an endovascular or open surgical procedure. The device prevents the entrance of emboli of a size able to cause stroke (greater than 100 microns in the preferred embodiment) from entering either the right or left carotid arteries by deflecting emboli downstream in the blood flow. The device can be placed prior to any manipulation of the heart or aorta allowing maximal protection of the brain during the index procedure. The device has a low profile within the aorta which allows sheaths, catheters, or wires used in the index procedure to pass. Also disclosed are methods for insertion and removal of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences AG
    Inventor: Judith T. Carpenter
  • Device and method for establishing an artificial arterio-venous fistula
    Patent number: 9468441
    Abstract: A shunt rivet for implementation in the aorta and inferior vena cava to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a method of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: ROX Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Rodney A. Brenneman
  • Embolic protection devices with an improved filter membrane
    Patent number: 9452040
    Abstract: Embolic protection filtering devices and methods for making and using the same. An example embolic protection filter device may include an elongate shaft. A filter may be coupled to the shaft. The filter may include a filter frame and a filter membrane having a plurality of apertures formed therein attached to the filter frame. The filter may be configured to shift between a first collapsed configuration and a second expanded configuration. The apertures may have a first shape when the filter is in the first configuration and a second shape when the filter is in the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC.
    Inventors: Ben Arcand, Greg Dallman, Jim Anderson, Erin Guest, Kyle Hendrikson, Al Utke
  • Percutaneous intragastric balloon device and method
    Patent number: 9345604
    Abstract: Intragastric balloon devices and methods for performing percutaneous gastronomy in the stomach of a patient are disclosed. The intragastric balloon device can include a support catheter, a main balloon member for use in reducing the functional gastric capacity of the patient's stomach, a support balloon member for anchoring the intragastric balloon device to the gastric wall of the patient, and an inflation mechanism for use in selectively inflating the main and support balloon members. In certain embodiments, an optional insertion device can be provided to facilitate percutaneous insertion and implantation of the intragastric balloon device within the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventor: Almuhannad Alfrhan
  • Medical adhesive for medical devices
    Patent number: 9339403
    Abstract: A medical treatment device that includes a medical adhesive and a medical device. The medical adhesive is formulated to at least partially physically retain the medical device in a particular form until the medical device is at least partially deployed to a treatment area and/or to at least partially physical connect the medical device to a deployment device until the medical device is at least partially deployed to a treatment area. The medical adhesive can include at least one biological agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: ICON MEDICAL CORP.
    Inventors: Joseph G. Furst, Ravish Sachar
  • Front-end loader for prosthetic occluders and methods thereof
    Patent number: 9326758
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a system, and related methods, for the percutaneous transluminal delivery and retrieval of a prosthetic occluder through a front-end loader. The prosthetic occluder may be, for example, an intracardiac occluder for a patent foramen ovale. The system includes, in one embodiment, a front-end loader having a beveled distal end. In another embodiment, the system includes a front-end loader having a chamfered rim at the beveled distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig M. Carpenter, Paul A. Garant, Lee A. Core
  • Locator and closure device and method of use
    Patent number: 9289198
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for sealing a puncture in a wall of a lumen of a body comprising the steps of deploying a deployment member of a sealing device through an elastic membrane adjacent the wall of the lumen and the puncture, wherein the sealing device includes a sealing element; positioning the sealing element adjacent the wall of the lumen; retracting the deployment member relative to the sealing element to stretch the membrane away from the wall of the lumen; retracting the deployment member relative to the sealing element to allow the elastic nature of the membrane to force the sealing element against the puncture; and retracting the device from the puncture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventors: Richard S. Ginn, Thomas J. Palermo
  • Accommodative intraocular lens and method of improving accommodation
    Patent number: 9220590
    Abstract: The present invention provides an accommodative intraocular lens (AIOL) system and method for improving accommodation with an intraocular lens. The method involves insertion into the capsular bag of a flexible optic holder comprising a plurality of haptics configured to allow the capsular bag to be sectioned at regular intervals following fusion of the capsular bag. The haptics of the optic holder are designed to allow maximum fusion of the anterior and posterior leaves of the capsular bag following placement of the optic holder in the capsular bag. Following introduction of the optic holder into the capsular bag, the natural or assisted process of fibrosis/fusion of the capsular bag occurs, thereby sealing and securely capturing the haptics within the capsular bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Z Lens, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Marius Beer
  • Stacked plate suture anchor
    Patent number: 9192369
    Abstract: A surgical anchor comprises a plurality of plates configured into a stack with successive plates within the stack being vertically arrayed with respect to the stack. The stack has an undeployed configuration, and a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration one or more of the plates is positioned outwardly more laterally with respect to the stack than in the undeployed configuration so as to retain the anchor in a bone hole. A biasing member between the plates in the stack biases the one or more plates toward the deployed configuration. The biasing member can provide a torsional force to induce the plates to rotate and fan outwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: DePuy Mitek, LLC
    Inventor: Steven N. Bittenson
  • Reinforced biocompatible ceramic implant and manufacturing method thereof
    Patent number: 9192475
    Abstract: A cranial implant designed to fill a cranial defect of the skull of a mammal or a human, wherein the cranial implant is made of biocompatible ceramic and includes an implant body having a shape and size substantially matching the shape and size of the cranial defect to be filled, wherein the implant body includes an outer face facing outside the skull and an inner face facing inside the skull when the implant disposed on the skull, characterized in that the implant includes one or more reinforcing members protruding from the inner face of the implant body. A method of manufacturing the cranial implant is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: 3DCERAM
    Inventors: Christophe Chaput, Richard Gaignon, Joël Brie