Patents Examined by Gene B. Kartchner
  • Patent number: 4784637
    Abstract: A flow control apparatus for providing selective fluid communication with physiological organs includes a nozzle structure for multiple conduits, a syringe having a fluid chamber for containing and discharging fluids in communication with the nozzle structure, two valve members having respective engaged surfaces relatively rotatable to provide valving action, and a clamp structure which forces the valve members together to establish fluid-tight seal between their engaged surfaces. The first valve member has a plurality of through apertures respectively communicating with separate fluid ports in the nozzle, and the second valve member has a through passageway communicating with the syringe chamber; the passageway is further selectively communicatable with at least one of the apertures in the first valve member to enable fluid flow between the respective nozzle port and the syringe chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Ryder International Corporation
    Inventors: Francis E. Ryder, Rowland W. Kanner
  • Patent number: 4782834
    Abstract: Dual lumen dilatation catheter and method of manufacture in which the catheter shaft is formed in a plurality of sections of different stiffness to provide optimum strength and flexibility at different points along the length of the catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Maguire, Lambert J. Diettrich, Nitin P. Matani
  • Patent number: 4781704
    Abstract: An enhanced non-occluding feeding assembly for the administration or aspiration of fluids to a patient comprising a tube having an enlarged, resilient bolus near its distal end to which a weighted tip is connected is provided. The bolus defines an opening for the tube outlet minimizing occlusion or clogging of the opening. The feeding assembly provides advantageous peristaltic or stylet intubation and minimizes possibility of injury to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Entech, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurence A. Potter
  • Patent number: 4781187
    Abstract: A method and implant for refractive keratoplasty or improved radial keratotomy. The improved radial keratotomy comprising making a plurality of radial corneal incisions in accordance with prior practices to correct the detected impaired vision. A piece of donor corneal tissue having a preselected geometric configuration and dimensions is inserted into keratotomy incisions and fixed in position by suturing. The corneal tissue implant may be rectangular or triangular in shape. When the implant is triangular in shape, it is inserted either base down or base up in accordance with the type of vision problem to be corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Inventor: Robert S. Herrick
  • Patent number: 4779614
    Abstract: An implantable axial flow blood pump maximizes the blood flow while minimizing the dimensions of the pump. By magnetically suspending a rotor of relatively small diameter coaxially in a cylindrical blood conduit of substantially larger inner diameter, an adequate flow area through the pump is provided, and the need for bearings, lubrication and seal purging fluid is eliminated. This is made possible by the use of neodymium-boron-iron rotor magnets which allow a substantial gap between the static motor armature and the rotor. The rotor is simultaneously torqued and maintained in a position coaxial with the blood conduit by individually varying the current in the armature windings while they are being commutated. The position of the rotor axis is accurately sensed by placing magnetically permeable strips into opposite ends of the pump stator blades in such a manner that they transmit to Hall sensors variations in an annular magnetic field surrounding the rotor adjacent the ends of the pump stator blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Nimbus Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Moise
  • Patent number: 4777947
    Abstract: An endoservical curette is disclosed which has a detachable tip portion which includes a scraper for removing tissue from the cervical canal and a well for retaining the tissue. The tip portion is secured to a shaft portion when in use to collect tissue and then detached from the shaft before being sent to a laboratory for analysis of the collected tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Roland J. Zwick, Inc.
    Inventor: Roland J. Zwick
  • Patent number: 4776337
    Abstract: An expandable intraluminal vascular graft is expanded within a blood vessel by an angioplasty balloon associated with a catheter to dilate and expand the lumen of a blood vessel. The graft may be a wire mesh tube, having a biologically inert coating thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Expandable Grafts Partnership
    Inventor: Julio C. Palmaz
  • Patent number: 4775370
    Abstract: A ventilation and drainage tube for a child's ear drum having a preferably tapered lumen increasing toward the ear canal side of the tube for relieving middle ear pus and other pressure build-up and automatically washing out crusts and other plugging materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Inventor: Yale J. Berry
  • Patent number: 4772268
    Abstract: A dual lumen hemodialysis catheter. The catheter includes a tube having a circular external cross section which is rotatably received within a fitting. The fitting may be attached to the patient by sutures or the like and rotatably mounts the tube of the catheter. Stop means are provided on opposite sides of the fitting preventing the tube of the catheter from moving longitudinally relative to the fitting. The catheter may be rotated relative to the fitting in order to readjust the rotational position of the tube inside the patient's blood vessel without longitudinal movement of the tube. The catheter is cut off at its distal end perpendicularly to the length of the tube in order to define the mouth of one lumen. The tube is tapered from the cut off distal end to a point proximal of the distal end, said point being approximately 3 cm from the distal end. The taper of the tube defines at least a portion of the mouth of the second lumen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Cook Incorporated
    Inventor: Brian L. Bates
  • Patent number: 4771776
    Abstract: Angled balloon dilatation catheter having a flexible elongate tubular member with first and second lumens extending therethrough and with proximal and distal extremities. An angled balloon is carried by the distal extremity of the tubular member. The elongate tubular member has a tubular element extending through the balloon. The first lumen extends through the tubular element and is capable of receiving a guide wire so that the guide wire extends therethrough. The second lumen is in communication with the interior of the angled balloon for inflating and deflating the balloon. The balloon subtends a predetermined interior angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Powell, Andree L. Barker
  • Patent number: 4771778
    Abstract: Steerable low profile dilatation catheter having a flexible elongate tubular member with proximal and distal extremities and with a flow passage extending therethrough. An adapter is secured to the proximal extremity of the tubular member. A separate balloon having proximal and distal extremities is provided. The balloon has its proximal extremity mounted on the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member. A core wire extends through the flow passage of the tubular member and through the balloon and beyond the distal extremity of the balloon. A tip coil is provided which is formed of a radiopaque material and has proximal and distal extremities. The proximal extremity of the tip coil is secured to the distal extremity of the balloon. The distal extremity of the core wire extends into the tip coil but is spaced from the distal extremity of the tip coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig E. Mar
  • Patent number: 4771772
    Abstract: In combination with a device adapted for at least partial implantation in a living body to perform a function with respect to that body such as introducing a material into the body, relieving the body of a material, monitoring a condition within the body, or introducing electrical stimulus into the body, servicing apparatus is provided in association with the device for maintaining the device in effective operating condition. The device and servicing apparatus may be arranged in a single housing such that a portion of the device extends from the housing into operable position in the body, in separate but operably connected housings, or the servicing apparatus may be split between the device and a separate housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. DeWitt
  • Patent number: 4771777
    Abstract: Perfusion-type balloon dilatation apparatus having a guiding catheter with proximal and distal extremities and with a flow passage extending therethrough. A balloon dilatation catheter is disposed in the guiding catheter. The balloon dilatation catheter is comprised of a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a first lumen extending therethrough. First and second inflatable balloons are carried by the tubular member and having their interiors in communication with the first lumen in the tubular member. The first balloon is positioned within the guiding catheter. The second balloon is positioned adjacent the distal extremity of the tubular member. A second lumen is carried by the tubular member and extends through the first and second balloons and through the distal extremity of the tubular member. The second lumen has an opening proximal of the first balloon and opens into the interior of the guiding catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Horzewski, Richard L. Mueller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4772263
    Abstract: An implantable infusion pump (20) for infusing drugs or other chemicals or solutions into the body. A flexible spring diaphragm (25) forms an outer back wall portion (26) of a housing (22) of the infusion pump (20). The spring diaphragm (25) applies substantially constant force over a range of displacement and communicating internal body pressure to the drug chamber (30) so as to maintain a substantially uniform pressure difference between the drug chamber (30) and the internal body pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Frank D. Dorman, Henry Buchwald
  • Patent number: 4770175
    Abstract: An occlusive cuff which is useful for safety occluding blood flow into the digit of a human subject distal to the cuff for the duration of a surgical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Western Clinical Engineering Ltd.
    Inventor: James A. McEwen
  • Patent number: 4769021
    Abstract: Inclusion of salt of non-toxic divalent magnesium cation in absorptive pads, e.g., catamenial tampons, inhibits production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventor: Edward H. Kass
  • Patent number: 4769017
    Abstract: An elastomeric member having one or more preformed, self-sealing slits and which and dilate at predetermined pressures to form a fluid flow path. In an undilated condition, reverse flow is prevented.In various embodiments, an elastomeric infusion manifold is disclosed having a plurality of self-sealing slits formed therein relative to either a center lumen, a center slit or in independent relation to one another. Individual, hole mounting, fingered compression-type clamps permit a one-handed connection to the manifold.In other embodiments, catheters are disclosed having lengthwise co-extensive self-sealing, flow channels, comprising slit containing core members, integral slit containing solid portions or solid core members mounted within the catheter lumen such that flow occurs in the space between the core and the catheter walls. Conventional leur lock connectors or compression-type clamp connectors are useable therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Inventors: John J. Fath, Jorgen A. Jorgensen, Alex L. Darbut
  • Patent number: 4769027
    Abstract: Prills of pharmaceutically acceptable material are coated first with a water-permeable polymeric matrix containing a water-soluble pharmaceutically beneficial agent and then overcoated with a water-permeable film containing dispersed therein a water-soluble, particulate pore-forming material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Burroughs Wellcome Co.
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Kelly L. Smith, James W. Brooke
  • Patent number: 4769006
    Abstract: A hydrodynamically propelled pacing catheter primarily intended for use in the placement of permanent pacemaker leads into the heart of a patient. The cephalic end of the catheter is constructed to define a plurality of nozzle orifices for the expulsion of a pressurized fluid so that the catheter will be propelled through the patient's vascular system into the heart. Dependent upon whether placement of the pacemaker lead is intended for the right atrium or the right ventricle, the catheter cephalic end will be curved or straight, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: KOS Medical Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Apostolos C. Papantonakos
  • Patent number: 4769007
    Abstract: Present disclosure relates to an automatic shutting-off and alarming device for dripping injection use, which comprises of a closed container, a buoyant cylinder, a ring magnet, a magnetically actuated contactor, and an alarming system. The ring magnet is furnished on the bottom end of the buoyant cylinder and the buoyant cylinder is placed into the closed container, the magnetically actuated contactor is pivotally clamped to the bottom edge of the closed container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Inventor: Shun-Fa Hsu