Abstract: A device for removing hair is disclosed. The device comprises a container, filled with an impedance matching medium, and an ultrasound transducer element coupled to the container, such that ultrasound waves are generated by the transducer element in the impedance matching medium. The device further comprises a hair receiving element having at least one opening for receiving hair shafts, wherein a height of the opening is approximately an integer multiplication of half a wavelength of the ultrasound waves.

Abstract: A dermatome having a main body, a blade assembly and a blade guard, where the blade assembly has a blade edge and the blade guard has a base and a fence extending from the base toward the blade assembly so as to face the blade edge. The blade guard may include at least one blade assembly locator to facilitate the alignment of the blade guard with the blade assembly. A blade guard assembled on the blade assembly may operate so as to prevent unintended contact between the blade edge and objects.

Abstract: A fluid injection device includes a fluid supply unit that accommodates and supplies fluid, a fluid injection unit that injects fluid supplied from the fluid supply unit, and a driving waveform generating device which is equipped with at least one adjusting device, a one-input multiple-control parameter changing unit that simultaneously changes plural control parameters for determining a fluid injection condition of the fluid injection unit on the basis of a signal from the at least one adjusting device, and a driving waveform generator that generates and outputs a driving waveform of the fluid injection unit on the basis of the control parameters set by the one-input multiple-control parameter changing unit.

Abstract: A surgical staple remover apparatus includes a handle located at a rear of the apparatus, an upward sloped jaw element comprising a pair of parallel jaws, an arm having a hook element on a first end, a pivot point located along the arm, such that the arm pivots about the pivot point, a lever coupled to the arm, wherein moving the lever closer to the handle results in the arm pivoting about the pivot point, the hook element moving downwards towards the jaw element and the arm retracting toward the rear, thereby resulting in the hook element pressing against a crown of a surgical staple and moving the surgical staple towards the rear, and a strip element located on top of the jaw element, such that the surgical staple is moved under the strip element and held in place by same.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing needle guided interventions and especially needle guided dilations of tissue to create a therapeutic conduit between two luminal organs or structures. The device is particularly useful for creation of an artificial lumen between two hollow body organs using the working lumen of an endoscope.

Abstract: A clot and foreign body removal device is described which comprises a catheter with at least one lumen. Located within the catheter is a clot capture coil that is connected to an insertion mandrel. In one embodiment, the clot capture coil is made out of a solid elastic or superelastic material which has shape memory, preferably nitinol. The elasticity or superelasticity of the coil allows it to be deformed within the catheter and to then reform its original coil configuration when the coil is moved outside of the catheter lumen. In another embodiment the coil is a biphasic coil which changes shape upon heating or passing an electric current. Once the coil configuration has been established, the coil can be used to ensnare and corkscrew a clot in a vessel. A clot is extracted from the vessel by moving the clot capture coil and catheter proximally until the clot can be removed or released into a different vessel that does not perfuse a critical organ.

Abstract: A dermatome having a main body, a blade assembly and a bottom member, where the main body includes a bottom surface and at least one capture extending from the bottom surface. The bottom member may be inserted into the at least one capture and fastened to the main body, where the blade assembly may be mounted between the fastened bottom member and the bottom surface of the main body. The captures of the main body may limit the movement of the inserted bottom member in at least three general directions and the fastener may limit the movement of the bottom member in at least a fourth general direction.

Abstract: A sanitary product includes a substrate having a binder, at least one of a cross-linking agent and a curing agent, and an active ingredient.

Abstract: A surgical staple remover apparatus includes a handle, an upward sloped jaw element, an arm having a hook element on a distal end, and a channel cut out of a surface of the arm. The apparatus further includes a rigid element having a first portion movably coupled to the channel such that the first portion moves within the channel, and a lever mechanically coupled to the rigid element, wherein moving the lever closer to the handle results in the rigid element moving upwards and proximally within the channel, thereby resulting in the hook element pressing against a crown of a surgical staple, deforming the surgical staple for removal and moving the surgical staple proximally. The apparatus further includes a strip element located, such that when the hook element moves the surgical staple proximally, the surgical staple is moved under the strip element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument including an ultrasonically actuated blade or end effector having a treatment portion. The blade can define a central axis and at least one axis which is transverse to the central axis, wherein the transverse axis can lie within a plane which is perpendicular, or normal, to the longitudinal axis and can define a cross-section of the treatment portion. Such a cross-section can include a central portion and a step extending from the central portion, wherein the central portion can comprise a width, and wherein the step can comprise a cutting edge. In at least one embodiment, the cutting edge can be defined by first and second surfaces which define an angle therebetween. In various embodiments, the position of the cutting edge and/or the angle between the cutting edge surfaces can be selected in order to balance the blade with respect to the transverse axis.

Abstract: A stent delivery system, a core assembly, and methods of operating the same are provided. The delivery system can comprise a catheter and the core assembly. The core assembly can comprise a constraining member, protruding member, a core member, and a stent extending along the core member. The tubular constraining member can be spaced apart from the core member and define a capture area. The protruding member can be disposed along the core member at least partially distal of the capture area. The stent can have a first portion disposed within the capture area and a second portion, distal to the first portion, extending across or over an outer surface of the protruding member so that the protruding member and the constraining member cooperate to inhibit expansion of the first portion of the stent.

Abstract: The present invention provides an instrument for anorectal surgery, comprising a hollow main body, a suture junction disposed at a rear end of the main body and an inserting guider disposed at a front end of the main body. At an operating position, all or part of mucosa and tissues can get through the main body. At least one opening is made in the wall of the main body, and all or part of the mucosa and tissues can get into a hollow interior of the main body through the opening. Because of the openings on the wall of the main body, the present invention can be operated to perform the anorectal surgery of local and non-annular cutting, which facilitates a quick surgical operation, further allays the pain of the patients, and a better operation effect is obtained.

Abstract: A surgical tool has a handle from which a carriage is extendable and retractable responsive to the movement of handle leaf segments. Squeezing the leaf segments together extends the carriage from one end of the handle. A guide tube is attached to the carriage and a pair of opposed spring steel segments are positioned within the guide tube. One end of each spring steel segment is attached to the interior of the handle. The spring steel segments are biased to normally move away from each other when unrestrained. As the tube is extended from the handle it contacts the spring steel segments and forces them toward each other, thereby operating a tool formed at the tips of the spring steel segments. Different operating feels are imparted to the handle by varying the size and number of the leaf segments.

Abstract: A surgical staple remover apparatus includes a handle located at a rear of the apparatus, a housing having an interior volume and a distal opening, and an insert element located in the distal opening, wherein the insert element comprises at least two sidewalls and an upward sloped jaw element comprising a pair of parallel jaws. The apparatus includes an arm having a hook element and a lever mechanically coupled to the arm, wherein moving the lever closer to the handle results in the hook element pressing against a crown of a surgical staple, deforming the surgical staple for removal and moving the surgical staple towards the rear. The surgical staple remover apparatus further includes a strip element, such that when the hook element moves the surgical staple towards the rear, the surgical staple is moved under the strip element and held in place by same.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft extending distally therefrom. The elongated shaft includes a proximal portion, a distal portion and a flexible portion supported therebetween. The flexible portion permits pivotal movement of the distal portion of the elongated shaft and an end effector supported thereon. A locking mechanism is operatively associated with the flexible portion of the elongated shaft to selectively impede pivotal motion of the distal portion. The locking mechanism includes a locking coil disposed about an axis defined by the flexible portion of the elongated shaft. A distal end of the locking coil is coupled to the distal portion of the elongated shaft, and a proximal end of the locking coil is rotatable about the longitudinal axis to laterally approximate the locking coil to flexible portion, and thus frictionally engage the flexible portion of the elongated shaft to selectively impede articulating motion thereof.

Abstract: A resection device includes an elongated probe shaft and a tissue resection member disposed at a distal end of the elongated probe shaft. The tissue resection member has a cutting surface configured for being placed in contact with tissue. In one aspect of the invention, at least one ejection port is located adjacent to the cutting surface of the tissue resection member, wherein the at least one ejection port is coupled to a source of a polymerizable hemostasis-promoting material that is delivered to the resection site of interest. In certain embodiments, polymerization of the hemostasis-promoting material may be accelerated by application of heat, radiofrequency energy, or ultra violet light.

Abstract: A natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) device is provided with a puncture needle including a puncture end, an intermediate protruding safety stud, and a positioning projection on an outer surface; dilator sheaths each including tapered first diameters, an insert member at one end, a limiting shoulder at the other end, a positioning protrusion on an outer surface, and a groove on an inner surface; working sheaths each having a plurality of tapered second diameters and including a positioning protuberance on an outer surface and a trough on an inner surface; and a tool member including a shaft having a graduation on an outer surface, and an operating head threadedly secured to the shaft.

Abstract: A method of deploying an ocular implant into Schlemm's canal of a human eye including the following steps: inserting a distal tip of a delivery tool within an anterior chamber of the eye through trabecular meshwork of the eye into Schlemm's canal of the eye; and advancing an ocular implant through a curved portion and a distal opening of the delivery tool to place a body portion of the ocular implant in Schlemm's canal and an inlet portion of the ocular implant in the anterior chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for interventional navigation within a subject's body is provided in which a medical device having at least one electrostrictive element is adapted to cause the distal end of the medical device to bend in a given direction for improving navigation. The medical device may further comprise at least one magnetically responsive element on the distal end, which may be oriented in the approximate direction of a magnetic field that is applied to the subjects body. At least one method for navigating a medical device though a subject's body is provided, by changing the direction of an applied magnetic field to align a magnetically responsive element on the distal end for orienting the distal end, and by applying a voltage to at least one electrostrictive element disposed in the distal portion of the device for causing the distal end to change orientation from that achieved by application of the magnetic field alone.

Abstract: Hydraulic vitrectomy probes and methods and systems associated therewith are discussed. Example hydraulic vitrectomy probes may include a pressure multiplier that is operable to output a hydraulic pressure at a multiple of a received pneumatic pressure. Because of the incompressible nature of liquid, hydraulic vitrectomy probes are, among other things, more responsive, may be operated at higher cutting rates, provide improved patient safety, and have a form factor (e.g., size and/or shape) that may be more easily maneuvered by a surgeon.