Abstract: An improved suture needle retention device suitably adapted to be removably attached to the end of a surgical instrument for convenient placement proximate to the surgical field yet out of the way of the surgeon, said device having a needle pervious retention member to accept the sharp end of a suture needle, with said retention member encased by a needle impervious protective sheathing to prevent inadvertent pass-through of the suture needle.

Abstract: An endoluminal prosthesis having an unsupported or flexible region and a delivery system for delivering the endoluminal prosthesis is provided. The delivery system includes a prosthesis delivery catheter with stiffening elements that provide longitudinally rigid support to a flexible or unsupported portion of an endoluminal prosthesis as the prosthesis is being deployed. A prosthesis is removably coupled to the stiffening elements. The endoluminal prosthesis can be a stent or a stent graft or graft.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for introducing a medical device deployment system into the vasculature of a human body and then using the deployment system for placing a medical device at a preselected position within a vessel, and an apparatus and method for introducing a medical device deployment system into the vasculature of a human body and then subsequently retrieving the deployment system, where the apparatus and method include an introducer having a detachable and reattachable sheath disposed about a deployment catheter.

Abstract: The present invention, the screw-device, is a mechanical device for anastomosing hollow tube-like structures in the human body, such as blood vessels, bowels and ureters. It is thus not restricted to (micro-) vessels. It can be used in every surgical operation dealing with anastomosis and bypass operations. It allows anastomosing end to side or side to side. The screw-device is very easy to apply onto the vessel wall. Screwing is a fast technique saving operating time and requiring only basic microsurgical skills. The manufacturing is easy. Another advantage is that the screw-device can be mounted onto the receptor vessel without first opening and/or occluding this vessel. Later on, the receptor vessel wall can be opened with laser or scalpel. It should be understood that the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting, and that modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Abstract: Described are devices, methods and systems useful for achieving occlusion of vascular vessels. Percutaneous procedures can be used to occlude and obliterate the greater saphenous vein, for example in the treatment of varicose vein condition caused by venous reflux. Certain embodiments encompass the deployment and filling of an inflatable occlusion device via a percutaneous procedure, so as to occlude or obliterate a portion of a vascular vessel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the endoscopic application of self-closing medical clips (3), in particular, for arresting internal bleeding. The distal end of a catheter tube (1) is introduced into the body of a living being to be treated. Several clips (3), arranged successively in the catheter tube (1), are pushed forward in the direction of the tube distal end by a user device located at the proximal end of the catheter tube (1). The foremost clip (3) to be applied is pushed out of the distal end and opened by an actuation device. The actuation device includes an actuation element (21) which can be actuated by the user device, moved longitudinally into the catheter tube (1), and acts on the first front clip (3), as well as a control part (25) which converts the actuation force of the actuation element into an opening movement of the legs (5) of the clip (3).

Abstract: A hemostatic forceps for an endoscope has a support section for supporting the pair of clamp pieces and so that they can rotate and change their distal parts direction. The pair of clamp pieces and are formed in tapered shape so that widths of the pair of clamp pieces gradually decrease in a direction from a side of the support section to a side of the distal parts. Length of the pair of clamp pieces at arbitrary location along the direction from a side of the support section to the distal sides, times the width of the pair of clamp pieces at the same location, is set to be substantially constant.

Abstract: A modular elongated stent having an overlap region where two modular components fit together, the overlap region being relatively stiff as compared to another more flexible region of the stent when the stent is in an assembled configuration, the stent further comprising a mimic region that has a stiffness essentially equivalent to the stiffness of the overlap region, to provide kink resistance. A stent having such a mimic region or otherwise stiff region and a flexible region may have a transition region between the stiff and flexible regions, also to provide kink resistance. A stent may have relatively stiff regions and relatively flexible regions positioned to align the flexible regions with curved regions of a body lumen when deployed within the body lumen. The stiffness of the stiff, flexible, and transition regions may be controlled by varying the cross-sectional area of the stent components and/or by varying the stent architecture.

Abstract: A method for suturing a perforation of the present invention comprises the steps of: inserting an observation device into the hollow organ and confirming a proposed incision line for incising the hollow organ; determining a position to be sutured before incising the hollow organ along the proposed incision line; and suturing the perforation by tightening up a suture thread that penetrates through the hollow organ via the position to be sutured after incising the hollow organ along the proposed incision line and performing a medical treatment in an abdominal cavity through the perforation.

Abstract: Drug eluting vascular closure devices and methods for closing a blood vessel puncture site disposed at a distal end of a tissue tract are described. The devices and methods rely on a combination of the body's own natural mechanism to achieve hemostasis with bio-chemical agents to accelerate the hemostatic process. One method includes the steps of introducing a closure device through the tissue tract and deploying an expansible member at a distal end of the device within the blood vessel to occlude the puncture site. A bio-chemical sealing member disposed proximal the expansible member is then displaced so as to expose a bio-chemical region or release region of the device. At least one bio-chemical agent is thereafter released from the device and into the tissue tract to accelerate the occlusion process in the tract.

Abstract: A single-wire expandable cage for an embolic filtering device includes a single cage wire coupled to an elongated member, such as a guide wire, and adapted to expand from an unexpanded position to an expanded position in a patient's body vessel. The wire includes a first end and a second end which are coupled to the guide wire. A filter element is attached to the single-wire cage. The single-wire cage may be rotatably mounted to the guide wire or may be slidably disposed on the guide wire to allow the composite cage and filter element to be slid over the guide wire in an over-the-wire fashion once the guide wire is delivered to the target location in the patient's vasculature. One embodiment of the single-wire cage utilizes an offset arrangement in which the guide wire remains extended along the wall of the body vessel once the single-wire cage is deployed. Another embodiment of the device centers the guide wire within the body vessel.

Abstract: A stent delivery system which has a stent, a catheter, and a tether. The catheter has a balloon with at least one fold. The balloon and the stent both have unexpanded configurations with smaller diameters and expanded configurations with greater diameters. The tether defines a length and has a first end connected to the unexpanded stent and a contacting span enwrapped within the fold of the unexpanded balloon. The tether holds the unexpanded stent to the unexpanded balloon and releases the expanded stent from the expanded balloon.

Abstract: Clip appliers to apply a surgical clip and methods concerning the same are provided. One provided applier has a cartridge and an actuator. The rack mechanism causes a feeder to move proximally as a closure member moves distally, such that jaw members move together to crimp a clip there between. The rack mechanism also causes the feeder to move distally as the closure member moves proximally, such that a crimped clip is released and another clip is fed into the jaw members. The rack mechanism further includes a rack connected to the closure member in which the closure member and the rack are arranged to move synchronously throughout the releasing of a crimped clip and feeding of another clip, e.g., an opening stroke.

Abstract: Forming a proximal anastomosis on an aortic wall includes method and instrumentation and apparatus for forming an aortic puncture and inserting a fluid-impervious sealing element with a lateral flange and central stem into the vessel through the puncture. An anastomosis of a graft vessel over the puncture is partially completed with the central stem of the sealing element protruding through the partial anastomosis. A removal instrument attaches to the central stem and retrieves the sealing element that disassembles in helical disassociation of the flange and stem into a continuous strand that is withdrawn from the partial anastomosis prior to completion of the procedure.

Abstract: A deployment system for introducing stent grafts which have a side arm or into which a side arm can be deployed. For instance the stent graft can be deployed into the thoracic arch of a patient. The deployment system including an introducer (1), an auxiliary catheter (13) disposed within the introducer and an auxiliary guide wire (14) disposed within the auxiliary catheter. The auxiliary guide wire extends to adjacent the proximal end (6) of the introducer and can be extended from the proximal end of the introducer so that it can be snared from a side branch artery (56) to assist with deployment of a side arm (23) of the stent graft into the side artery or for the deployment of a side arm stent graft into the stent graft.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a user's ear includes a hand held appliance with an attached cleaning tool. A first mechanism provides motion to the cleaning tool, a second is included to store one or more cleaning tools within the appliance, and a third mechanism is provided for automatically replacing the attached cleaning tool with another cleaning tool stored within the appliance. A charging stand for holding the device between uses is also included. Such a charging stand is connected to an active power source via a power cord.