Patents Examined by Erich Herbermann
  • Patent number: 9839471
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the housing. The elongated shaft defines a longitudinal axis and a mandrel at the proximal portion. An inner shaft member extends at least partially through the elongated shaft. An actuating mechanism is operably coupled to the mandrel and is configured to selectively cause movement of the elongated shaft in a longitudinal direction with respect to the inner shaft member. The surgical also includes an end effector that is adapted for treating tissue and includes an upper jaw member pivotally coupled to a distal portion of the inner shaft member about a pivot axis and a lower jaw member supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft. Longitudinal movement of the elongated shaft is configured to pivot the upper jaw member relative to the lower jaw member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Sean T. O'Neill, Jessica E. C. Olson
  • Patent number: 9833313
    Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve having an inflow end and an outflow end includes a collapsible and expandable stent, a collapsible and expandable valve assembly disposed within the stent and having a plurality of leaflets, and a deformable frame having a first end and a second end. The frame includes braided wires forming a body having a lumen extending therethrough for receiving the stent and the valve assembly, the body having a plurality of diameters from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie Marie Board, Aaron J. Chalekian, Patrick P. Russo, John Oslund
  • Patent number: 9827142
    Abstract: Provided is a tip for phacoemulsification superior in ability to efficiently and smoothly crush and suck a crystalline lens. A tip (1) of the present invention includes: a shaft (2) having first and second ends (21, 22); a distal part (3) arranged at the first end (21) of the shaft (2) and having an opening (4); and a suction passage (5) extending from the opening (4) of the distal part (3) to the second end (22) of the shaft (2). The suction passage (5) is narrowed in a staircase shape (51) or/and a helical shape (53) from the opening (4) toward the shaft (2). It is preferable that one or a plurality of guide grooves (52) leading from the opening (4) toward the shaft (2) are further formed in an inner wall of the suction passage (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: JMR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sasazaki, Shinya Oganna
  • Patent number: 9820744
    Abstract: A tool to fasten tissue or to fasten a prosthetic to tissue includes a gripper to hold one or more tissue portions, a needle, an actuator to drive the needle, a fastener cartridge to store one or more tissue fasteners, a holder cartridge to store one or more holders, and a holder applier to secure one of the holders on one of the fasteners. The actuator drives the needle and the needle pulls a first fastener from the fastener cartridge. The actuator drives the needle through the one or more tissue portions held by the gripper to form a hole in the tissue portions. The needle pulls a leading portion of the first fastener through the hole without a trailing portion of the first fastener being pulled through the hole. The holder applier secures a first holder from the holder cartridge onto the leading portion of the first fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Children's National Medical Center
    Inventors: Axel Krieger, Peter Kim, Chris Wilson, Stephen Abellera
  • Patent number: 9808274
    Abstract: An endoscopic surgical device having a slotted clear cannula, a blade and a housing, wherein the cannula is attached to the housing, and wherein the blade is enclosed in the housing and is slidable into the cannula is disclosed. The blade is enclosed within the housing and cannula, and has a horizontally-oriented pushing component and a vertically-oriented cutting component that protrudes through the slot of the cannula. The device further has a device for locking a viewing device in place relative to other components of the device. A method for a performing an operative procedure on a target tissue in a subject using the endoscopic surgical device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: A.M. SURGICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Romi Mirza, Ather Mirza
  • Patent number: 9801704
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a prosthesis (200) comprising a flexible mesh (1), which is delimited by a peripheral outer edge (1a), and a reinforcing element for said mesh, characterized in that said reinforcing element comprises at least one sheet of semi-rigid and flexible material defining a continuous vaulted structure (201) that has an inner face (201a) and an outer face (201b), at least the base (201d) of said vaulted structure being fixed to the peripheral outer edge of said mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Sofradim Production
    Inventors: Pierre Bailly, Genevieve Doucet
  • Patent number: 9713657
    Abstract: A catheter balloon exhibiting improved pressure resistance of the entire membrane is formed of a membrane as a laminate of at least two layers including a polyamide elastomer layer and a polyamide layer, in which the polyamide elastomer layer is disposed at the inner side of the polyamide layer, a refractive index nr1 in the circumferential direction of a cross-section perpendicular to the axis in the inner side surface of the polyamide layer is greater than a refractive index nr2 in the circumferential direction of a cross-section perpendicular to the axis in the inner side surface of the polyamide elastomer layer, and the difference between the refractive index nr1 and the refractive index nr2 is 0.01 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yotaro Fujita, Makoto Onishi, Naoyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9700377
    Abstract: Provided is a surgical robot for changing a position of surgical equipment capable of selectively using the surgical equipment appropriate for affected areas by rotating the surgical equipment instead of changing a position of the surgical equipment by detachment, by integrating a plurality of flexible shafts having a surgical equipment attached to a leading end thereof to configure a single shaft assembly and allowing each flexible shaft to perform translation, rotation, and bending motions and rotating the shaft assembly. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the surgical robot for changing a position of surgical equipment includes: a housing 200 coupled with a rear end of the frame fixing part 100; a curved frame 300 coupled with a leading end of the frame fixing part 100; and a shaft assembly 400, wherein the shaft assembly 400 penetrates through the curved frame 300 within the housing 200 to be exposed to a leading end of the curved frame 300 and rotates within the curved frame 300.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: KOH YOUNG TECHNOLOGY INC., INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY ERICA CAMPUS
    Inventor: YoungSik Kwon
  • Patent number: 9687222
    Abstract: Systems and methods for soft tissue to bone repairs, without knot tying. The soft tissue repair systems include self-cinching constructs with a fixation device, a flexible construct having a flexible strand abutting a suture tape, and a shuttle/pull device attached to the flexible strand and provided within the body of the fixation device. A splice is formed by pulling on the shuttle/pull device subsequent to the fixation device being secured into the bone, to allow the wide tape to be positioned over the tissue (for best compression and minimum tissue cut-thru) and suture for the implanted portion (for most efficient and least bone removal).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Arthrex, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Dreyfuss, Derek C. Sullivan, Tara L. Swanlaw
  • Patent number: 9681861
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an improved collapsible medical closure device fabricated from a tubular wire mesh material. The collapsible medical closure device has an expanded preset configuration and an elongated collapsed reduced diameter configuration for delivery through a delivery catheter or other delivery means to a desired treatment site. The collapsible medical closure device is shaped to create short-term and long-term occlusion of an opening, such as an opening in the wall of the heart, and includes a disc shaped portion on a distal end, a cone shaped portion on a proximal end, a middle portion connecting the disc shaped portion and the cone shaped portion, and a means for attaching a delivery cable located in the middle portion. The collapsible medical closure device additionally includes a therapeutic membrane for aiding in occlusion and promoting tissue growth, as well as one or more radiopaque marker bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Marie Heisel, Kevin Joseph Schutt
  • Patent number: 9681883
    Abstract: A forceps comprising: (a) a stylet comprising; (i) a hollow tube having a longitudinal axis; (ii) assemblies, that are extendable through the hollow tube, comprising; (1) support rods; (2) functional attachments at the end of the support rods; (b) a hand piece comprising; (i) housing structures defining a cavity that houses the stylet; (ii) actuating mechanisms, in communication with the stylet, comprising; (1) a bearing fitting located on the stylet; (2) a shuttle in communication with the bearing fitting, and constrained by a plurality of guide ridges so that the shuttle is movable along a longitudinal axis and restricted from rotational movement around the longitudinal axis; (3) a socket housed by the shuttle, the socket receiving the bearing fitting and being rotatable relative to the shuttle; and (4) levers in communication with the stylet that causes movement of the hollow tube and the assemblies are relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: GYRUS ACMI, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan J. Windgassen, Jeffrey Nelson, Dennis G. Lamser, John R. Mensch, Zane R. Ward, Timothy Ozell
  • Patent number: 9670308
    Abstract: A device, system and method for treatment of an opening in vascular and/or septal walls including patent foramen ovale. The device has wings/stops on either end, an axis core covered in a shape memory foam and is deliverable via a catheter to the affected opening, finally expanding into a vascular or septal opening where it is held in place by the expandable shape memory stops or wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignees: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Pooja Singhal, Thomas S. Wilson, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez, Duncan J. Maitland
  • Patent number: 9649223
    Abstract: An inserter is provided for inserting a tubular medical implant device into tissue. The inserter includes a rigid rod extending along a longitudinal axis. The rod has a distal portion that defines an open slot. The open slot extends diametrically through the rod along the longitudinal axis to a base. The open slot is configured to receive and release the tubular medical implant device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: INNFOCUS, INC.
    Inventor: Leonard Pinchuk
  • Patent number: 9629645
    Abstract: An atraumatic microsurgical forceps may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an outer hypodermic tube having an outer hypodermic tube distal end and an outer hypodermic tube proximal end, a surgical blank having a surgical blank distal end and a surgical blank proximal end, and a plurality of atraumatic forceps jaws of the surgical blank each atraumatic forceps jaw of the plurality of atraumatic forceps jaws having an atraumatic forceps jaw distal end and an atraumatic forceps jaw proximal end. A compression of the handle may be configured to gradually close the plurality of atraumatic forceps jaws wherein the plurality of atraumatic forceps jaws initially contact at the atraumatic forceps jaws distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Katalyst Surgical, LLC
    Inventors: Gregg D Scheller, Carl C Awh
  • Patent number: 9622456
    Abstract: Methods and device for marking animals are disclosed. An ear tag configurable for attachment to a rodent ear, e.g., a mouse ear, is presented, wherein the ear tag includes a color-coded image, an alphanumeric character string, a bar code and/or a visual signage. The tag may include the visual identifier and an RFID device. A card may be provided that redundantly displays some or all of the visual identifier. An applicator is alternately or additionally provided that removes separated elements of the tag from a tray force generated by manual compression of a pair of handles of the applicator, and additionally includes jaws that compress towards each other when the handles are initially compressed, yet splay and release the tag elements as additional compressive force is applied to the handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: RapID Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Bretton Mark Swope, Eric Malcomb Ibsen
  • Patent number: 9622893
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for facilitating deployment of an implantable medical device including a stent graft. A restraining device, such as cord or suture, holds at least the proximal end of the stent in a radially inwardly compressed configuration during delivery to a desired location within the lumen of a patient's vessel. Withdrawal of one or more trigger wires facilitates the release and removal of the restraining cord from the proximal end of the stent so as to allow the stent to become fully deployed within vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Matthew S. Huser
  • Patent number: 9610089
    Abstract: An endoscopic surgical device comprising a slotted clear cannula, a blade and a housing, wherein the cannula is attached to the housing, and wherein the blade is enclosed in the housing and is slidable into the cannula is disclosed. The blade is enclosed within the housing and cannula, and has a horizontally-oriented pushing component and a vertically-oriented cutting component that protrudes through the slot of the cannula. A method for a performing an operative procedure on a target tissue in a subject using the endoscopic surgical device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: A.M. SURGICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Romi Mirza, Ather Mirza
  • Patent number: 9597088
    Abstract: A medical implantable occlusion device (100) is disclosed comprising a braiding of at least one thread, an expanded diameter portion (102), and a tubular member (103) having a distal endpoint closest to the expanded diameter portion having a distal rim (107). The braiding comprises a stem (108) having a first end connected to the expanded diameter portion and a second end connected to the distal region, where the stem in a relaxed state is partly sunk into the tubular member beneath the distal rim (107), wherein the proximal region comprises a connecting member (113), wherein ends of the at least one thread are fixed to the connecting member, the expanded diameter portion comprises returning loops of the at least one thread whereby opposite ends of the at least one thread forming the expanded diameter portion are fixed to the connecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Occlutech Holding AG
    Inventor: RĂ¼diger Ottma
  • Patent number: 9585774
    Abstract: An endovascular delivery system includes a bifurcated and inflatable prosthesis including a main tubular body having an open end and opposed ipsilateral and contralateral legs defining a graft wall therein between. A tether is disposed securably disposed to the contralateral leg, and the contralateral leg is releasably restrained towards the ipsilateral leg tether to prevent undesirable movement of the contralateral leg. A release wire within the endovascular delivery system releasably retains the tether near the ipsilateral leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TriVascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Diego Aristizabal, Michael V. Chobotov
  • Patent number: 9579119
    Abstract: A thrombus treatment device includes a support wire, a body frame portion that is disposed about an axis defined by the support wire, one or more tethers that each have a first end and a second end. Each of the one or more tethers is attached at its first end to the body frame portion, and at its second end to a collar that couples the second end of each of the multiple tethers to the support wire. When the collar is advanced to a position substantially within a region interior of the body frame portion, a rotational actuation of the support wire causes a swiveling motion of the one or more tethers. The swiveling motion of the tethers operates to macerate a thrombus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward H. Cully, Nathan L. Friedman, Eric H. Zacharias