Patents Examined by Linda C. Dvorak
  • Patent number: 11305096
    Abstract: A medical device system may include a structure including a first elongate member, a line including a plurality of flexible members, and an actuator coupled to the line to selectively transmit force to at least the first elongate member. The structure may include a delivery configuration in which at least a portion of the structure is arranged to be percutaneously delivered to a bodily cavity. Respective portions of the flexible members may be intertwined together to form a braided portion of the line, and the line may include an unbraided portion secured at least to the first elongate member. The braided portion of the line may be located between the actuator and the first elongate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: KARDIUM INC.
    Inventors: Calvin Dane Cummings, Peter Josiah Hawes
  • Patent number: 11304754
    Abstract: A circular microwave ablation antenna is provided with a chamber for accommodating the coaxial cable and the conduit, the chamber and the conduit extend forward to the front end of the antenna. An emission window of the antenna is at least partially located in the conduit to enable the cooling medium to cool the emission window area of the antenna. The conduit of the microwave emission area is made of an insulation material, so that the microwave can radiate outward, and the rest of the conduit is made of a microwave shielding material. The choke ring located at the rear side of emission area is hermetically fixed to the conduit, so that the choke ring acts to block the microwave. A gap exists between the choke ring and the needle bar, and the gap is used for the backflow of the cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Mima-Pro (Nan Tong) Scientific Inc
    Inventors: Peng Zhang, Ting Yang
  • Patent number: 11298039
    Abstract: A biometric information measuring sensor is provided that includes a base comprising a plurality of bio-marker measuring areas and a plurality of electrodes. Each of the plurality of electrodes is disposed on a respective one of the plurality of bio-marker measuring areas, and each of the plurality of electrodes includes a working electrode and a counter electrode spaced apart from the working electrode. The biometric information measuring sensor also includes a plurality of needles. Each of the needles is disposed on a respective one of the plurality of electrodes. Two or more of the plurality of needles have different lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventors: Seung-min Lee, Seong-je Cho, Hyoung-seon Choi, Young-jae Oh, Chul-ho Cho, Sun-tae Jung, Jae-geol Cho
  • Patent number: 11298173
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices allow intravascular or percutaneous mapping, orientation and/or ablation, in bodily cavities or lumens. A device includes elongate members, moveable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded or fanned configuration. The elongate members form a stack in the unexpanded configuration to fit through a catheter sheath. The elongate members follow respective arcuate or curvilinear paths as advanced from the sheath into the bent or coiled stack configuration, adopting volute, scroll or rho shapes, and may be nested. The elongated members are fanned or radially spaced circumferentially with respect to one another into the expanded or fanned configuration. Transducer elements carried by elongate members sense various physiological characteristics of or proximate tissue, and/or may apply energy to or proximate tissue. The elongate members are rotatable in groups or as a group in the expanded configuration. The device is retractable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: KARDIUM INC.
    Inventors: Fernando Lopes, Saar Moisa, Jorge Jaramillo, Douglas Goertzen, Peter Hawes, Ashkan Sardari, Aldo Antonio Salvestro
  • Patent number: 11291495
    Abstract: In some aspects, a surgical system configured to limit or prevent capacitive coupling and its effects is presented. The surgical system may include: an energy generator; a surgical instrument electrically coupled to the energy generator and configured to transmit electrosurgical energy to tissue of a patient at a surgical site; at least one sensor configured to detect energy an energy anomaly; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, and configured to: receive data from the at least one sensor that energy is being emitted at an unintended location within the surgical system; transmit an alert indicating that parasitic capacitive coupling is occurring; and transmit an interrupt to the energy generator to temporarily interrupt energy generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: David C. Yates, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11284935
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a housing, energizable member, first activation switch, cable assembly, and second activation switch. The housing is operatively associated with the energizable member. The first activation switch is coupled to the energizable member and is selectively transitionable from an open condition to a closed condition. The cable assembly is coupled to the housing at a first end and includes a plug at a second, opposite end, the plug housing a second activation switch selectively transitionable from an open condition to a closed condition. The plug is adapted to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy, wherein transitioning of the first activation switch from the open condition to the closed condition transitions the second activation switch from the open condition to the closed condition such that the second activation switch communicates with the source of electrosurgical energy to initiate the supply of energy to the energizable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Daniel A. Joseph, Gene H. Arts, Tony Moua
  • Patent number: 11278243
    Abstract: A repositionable surface electrode for patient monitoring includes an active electrode layer having a top surface and a bottom surface and a leadwire connected to the active electrode layer. A first substrate has a top side, a bottom side, and a hole there through. The first substrate is positioned below the bottom surface of the active electrode layer such that the hole is aligned with the active electrode layer. An electrode gel channel is configured to conduct potentials from the patient's skin to the active electrode layer, the electrode gel channel extending through the hole in the first substrate. A silicone layer on the bottom side of the first substrate, avoiding the hole and the electrode channel, is configured to adhere the surface electrode to the patient's skin and to be removed from the patient's skin without becoming saturated with skin cells such that the electrode repositionable on the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert Filip Arnold Santala
  • Patent number: 11272975
    Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods relate to controlling the application of electrosurgical energy by an electrosurgical instrument. An electrosurgical generator in accordance with the present disclosure includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The instructions when executed, cause the generator to receive signals from the instrument over time relating to whether tissue is grasped by the instrument, receive an indication to provide an indicated treatment power to the instrument where the indicated treatment power is set by a user, determine based on the signals that tissue is currently grasped and that, for at least a predetermined length of time prior, no tissue had been grasped, and based on the determination, provide a treatment power surge to the instrument for a surge time period. After the surge time period, the generator provides the indicated treatment power to the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Donald L. Tonn, James E. Dunning, William D. Faulkner, Jennifer R. McHenry, Devon E. Scott-Drechsel, Eric M. Westra
  • Patent number: 11272972
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes identifying a nerve extending across a transection path; administering a cooling therapy to the identified nerve at a location proximal to the transection path so as to degenerate the identified nerve across the transection path prior to or during surgical transection along the transection path, wherein cooling the identified nerve prevents or reduces neuroma formation at a transected end of the nerve after transection of the nerve. In some embodiments, a method includes degenerating a portion of a nerve while preserving a connective tissue framework of the nerve. During or after the degeneration, the preserved connective tissue framework may be transected at a transection location distal to the treatment location. The regeneration of the nerve may be repeatedly disrupted for a period of time to reduce a regenerative rate of the nerve and delay neuroma formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Pacira CryoTech, Inc.
    Inventors: John Allison, Jessica Preciado Dummett, Michael Hsu
  • Patent number: 11266458
    Abstract: A surgical cryoablation system comprising a valve having a valve inlet and a valve outlet the valve inlet connectable to a source of cryogenic fluid at a pressure of greater than 4000 psi and the valve outlet connectable to a cryoablation probe, such that the valve outlet is in fluid communication with the cryoprobe such that the source of cryogenic fluid is in fluid communication with the valve inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Ted Jerome Perron, Sean M. Morgan
  • Patent number: 11266462
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a medical instrument for minimally invasive tissue ablation by means of an HF electrode, with a hollow shaft, wherein the HF electrode is electrically insulated from the hollow shaft, is arranged at a distal end of the latter and, in order to ablate tissue, protrudes axially beyond the hollow shaft at least in part. The angle orientation of the HF electrode relative to the hollow shaft is adjustable in a controlled manner to a working position in which the HF electrode, protrudes radially beyond an outer circumference of the hollow shaft in order to ablate tissue. In the working position, by means of suitable adjustment of the shaft and of the HF electrode, a position can always be found in which the distal end of the HF electrode sufficiently reaches or touches tissue portions that are to be ablated in the region of the bladder neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KARL STORZ SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Löffler, Stefan Rehbein, Uwe Wittke, Frank Doll, Rainer Hermle, Udo Nagele
  • Patent number: 11259863
    Abstract: Electrosurgery blades including electrosurgery blade assemblies having argon beam capability. The electrosurgery blade includes a thin conductive member having a lead sharp cutting end and an opposite noon-cutting end and a non-conductive coating covering the thin conductive member such that at least a portion of the lead cutting end and at least a portion of the opposite non-cutting end of the thin conductive member remain exposed. An electrosurgery blade assembly having argon beam capability includes the previously described electrosurgery blade, a non-conductive tube member having a hollow tubular shaped opening positioned on top of the electrosurgery blade, and a conductive hollow tubular member contained within at least a portion of the non-conductive tube member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: L.C. Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Ioan Cosmescu
  • Patent number: 11259831
    Abstract: Various devices related to a therapeutic ultrasound device for use during a medical procedure to cauterize tissue are disclosed. The therapeutic ultrasound device can include an inner tube assembly and an outer tube assembly. The device can further include a tissue engagement assembly that is secured to the distal end of the inner tube and the distal end of the outer tube. The tissue engagement assembly includes a plurality of transducers configured to provide therapeutic ultrasound. The device can include a housing assembly that is secured to the proximal end of the inner tube and the proximal end of the outer tube. The housing assembly can include a handle configured to actuate the inner tube relative to the outer tube to engage and disengage the tissue engagement assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Novuson Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart B. Mitchell, Eric Hadford, Daniel Baker
  • Patent number: 11253315
    Abstract: In some aspects, a surgical system for taking advantage of capacitive coupling is presented. The surgical system may include: a monopolar energy generator; a surgical instrument configured to transmit electrosurgical energy through the electrode to tissue of a patient at a surgical site; and at least one detection circuit configured to: measure an amount of conductivity in a return path of the electrosurgical energy; determine that the amount conductivity in the return path falls below a predetermined threshold; and transmit a signal to cause the monopolar generator to increase current leakage in the surgical system by increasing alternating current frequency in the electrosurgical energy generation. The monopolar energy generator may further include a sensor configured to determine that a monopolar energy circuit is completed by detecting that the current leakage has reached a ground terminal in the monopolar energy generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: David C. Yates, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11254926
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices for electroporation-based therapies (EBTs). Embodiments provide patient-specific treatment protocols derived by the numerical modeling of 3D reconstructions of target tissue from images taken of the tissue, and optionally accounting for one or more of physical constraints or dynamic tissue properties. The present invention further relates to systems, methods, and devices for delivering bipolar electric pulses for irreversible electroporation exhibiting reduced or no damage to tissue typically associated with an EBT-induced excessive charge delivered to the tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Neal, II, Paulo A. Garcia, Rafael V. Davalos, John H. Rossmeisl, John L. Robertson
  • Patent number: 11253732
    Abstract: The invention provides a therapeutic system comprising: a console, wherein the console comprises a controller and an energy generator; a therapeutic device comprising: an operational head configured for transmitting the energy output from to a biological tissue; and a memory device comprising control instructions, wherein said control instructions comprise instructions for controlling the console; a reversible memory operable linkage linking the memory device to the controller; and a reversible connector configured for operably linking the energy generator to the operational head. Optionally, the energy generator is a generator of ablation energy or heat energy (e.g. RF generator) and the control instructions comprise instructions for controlling the output of the energy generator. Optionally, the control instructions comprise one or more parameters of energy output or an algorithm configured for controlling the energy output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Energize Medical LLC
    Inventors: Carl Mayer, John Ellenz
  • Patent number: 11246658
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, a high-thermal-sensitivity ablation catheter tip including a thermally-insulative ablation tip insert supporting a plurality of temperature sensors positioned within longitudinally-extending sensor channels and a radially-extending sensor channel within the tip insert. The sensor channels position the temperature sensors in thermal communication with a conductive shell that encapsulates, or essentially encapsulates, the ablation tip insert and the plurality of temperature sensors. Also disclosed is a method of controlling the temperature of an ablation catheter tip while creating a desired lesion using various ablative energies and energy delivery methodologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett A. Hillukka, Troy T. Tegg
  • Patent number: 11246670
    Abstract: A robotic surgical arm can include a puck containing motors to drive an end effector. A tool assembly attached to the puck generates ultrasonic and/or radio frequency energy to apply between the jaws of the end effector. The tool assembly can include modular components such as a modular shaft that can include an ultrasonic transducer, nonvolatile memory, wireless interface, and/or a power source. The power source allows the tool assembly and modular shaft to communicate wirelessly with the robotic arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Swayze, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Jason L. Harris, Kevin L. Houser
  • Patent number: 11246648
    Abstract: An endoscopic bipolar forceps includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom with an end effector disposed at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly includes a first and second jaw members having cam slots defined therein with distal and proximal sections at different angles relative to a longitudinal axis. Upon initial actuation of a handle, a cam pin engages the distal cam section of the first jaw member causing it to move relative to the second jaw member while the second jaw member remains stationary. Upon continued actuation of the handle, the cam pin engages the proximal cam section of the first jaw member causing the first jaw member to remain stationary while the second jaw member cams relative to the first jaw member to close against tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: Zachary S. Heiliger
  • Patent number: 11246649
    Abstract: A resecting probe includes a shaft assembly having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has an axial bore and an outer window in a distal side thereof, and the inner sleeve has an axial extraction channel and inner window in a distal side thereof. The inner sleeve is rotationally disposed in the axial bore of the outer sleeve to allow the inner sleeve window to be rotated in and out of alignment with the outer sleeve window, and the shaft assembly forms a flow aperture in a distal portion when the inner cutting window and the outer cutting window are out of alignment. An electrode is carried on the inner sleeve, and a motor drive is coupled to rotate the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve. A controller is coupled to the motor drive and controls rotation of the inner sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Relign Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Germain, Jeff Norton, Kyle Klein, Michael D. Walker