Abstract: A rotation knob assembly for a surgical instrument includes an outer knob, an intermediate collar, an inner sleeve, a retaining clip, and screws. The outer knob defines a knob lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and longitudinal apertures disposed in radially spaced relation relative to a distal lumen portion of the knob lumen. The intermediate collar is disposed within the knob lumen and defines a collar lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. The inner sleeve is disposed within the knob lumen and extends through the collar lumen. The retaining clip includes a curved body disposed within an annular groove defined in an exterior surface the inner sleeve and prongs disposed at opposed ends of the curved body that are aligned with the longitudinal apertures of the outer knob. The screws extend through the prongs and into the longitudinal apertures to secure the outer knob and the inner sleeve with one another.

Abstract: An implantable prosthetic device includes a spacer member configured to be disposed between leaflets of a native heart valve that is located between a first chamber and a second chamber of the heart. The prosthetic device further includes a plurality of anchor members coupled to the spacer member and configured to capture the leaflets between respective anchor members and the spacer member such that the prosthetic device is retained between the leaflets. The spacer member is configured to provide a flow path through the prosthetic device between the first chamber and the second chamber when the leaflets are captured between the anchor members and the spacer member such that blood can flow regurgitatively from the second chamber to the first chamber through the spacer member.

Abstract: There is disclosed a control system for controlling the inflation of a balloon in a balloon stent catheter arrangement including (i) a transducer adapted to receive a source of intracoronary arterial pressure in a patient's coronary artery and to provide arterial pressure waveform data indicative of the status of a patient's cardiac cycle based upon the intracoronary arterial pressure, (ii) a processing system adapted to process the arterial pressure waveform data, and (iii) an inflation pump adapted to inflate the balloon. The processing system is adapted to cause the inflation pump to inflate the balloon in diastole, corresponding to about 55% to about 85% of a single R-R interval of the cardiac cycle, by an amount sufficient to achieve fixation of the stent at a target site in the coronary artery.

Abstract: To provide simple yet accurate stent graft fenestration, a patient-specific fenestration template is used as a guide for graft fenestration. To generate the fenestration template, a patient's medical imaging data such as CT scan data may be used to generate a 3-D digital model of an aorta lumen of the patient. The aorta lumen may encompass one or more branch vessels, which may be indicated on the 3-D digital model. Based on the 3-D digital model or a segment thereof, the fenestration template may be generated, for example, using 3-D printing technology. The fenestration template may include one or more holes or openings that correspond to the one or more branch vessels. To fenestrate a stent graft, the fenestration template is coupled to the stent graft so that the holes or openings on the fenestration template indicate the fenestration locations.

Abstract: A surgical string applicator for anastomosis surgery is provided. The surgical string applicator includes an elongate shaft; a string applying assembly including a pair of opposing jaws connected to the elongate shaft, each jaw having an opening at its distal end, one or more surgical strings housed in the jaws in a form of an open loop with one end of the surgical string at the distal end of one jaw and an opposing end of the surgical string at the distal end of the other jaw, and a string fastening mechanism adapted to engage and fasten the surgical string around a tubular organ; and a handle portion including control mechanisms adapted to open and close at least one of the jaws and to actuate the string fastening mechanism. Further provided is an intra-lumenal position guide to be used together with the surgical string applicator.

Abstract: An ear cleaning device is provided for removing debris from an ear. In one form, the ear cleaning device includes a shaft, a head connected to the shaft, and a contiguous pocket structure of the head. The contiguous pocket structure includes a plurality of pockets that may be configured to receive debris. In another form, the ear cleaning device has a handle, a bulbous cleaner connected to the handle, and a solid inner core of the bulbous cleaner. The bulbous cleaner has two or more spaced, longitudinal walls disposed outward of the inner core that are configured to remove debris with turning of the ear cleaning device about a longitudinal axis of the device.

Abstract: A tool operable with a catheter in an interventional medical system retrieves a medical device from an implant site, wherein the device includes an attachment feature that forms an annular recess to be engaged by a lasso of the tool for snaring the device, and a distal-most sidewall of the catheter defines a receptacle into which the snared device is retrieved. A guide of the tool includes a sidewall defining a lumen in which the lasso extends for deployment out from a distal opening thereof, to snare and retrieve the implanted device. The sidewall establishes a radial offset between the guide lumen distal opening and the distal-most sidewall of the catheter, when the guide lumen distal opening and a distal opening of the receptacle are located in close proximity to one another, which radial offset is greater than a length of the annular recess formed by the device attachment feature.

Abstract: Embodiments of assemblies used for bending spinal needles and method for producing bent spinal needles used in medical procedures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a straight needle is placed in position for a fulcrum to apply pressure onto a designated spot on the needle and apply a bending pressure to bend the needle while the needle is supported at both ends. A barrier wall is configured to limit the movement of the needle resulting from the bending force to prevent overbending of the needle. In two other embodiments, a dual angle bending member enables selecting the bending angle desired by the user to be applied onto the needle. The angle of the bent needle is considerably reduced due to metal relaxation; however, the angle reduction is predictable and is taken into account in calculating the target bending angle.

Abstract: Described herein is a shock wave device for the treatment of vascular occlusions. The shock wave device includes an outer covering and an inner member inner connected at a distal end of the device. First and second conductive wires extend along the length of the device within the volume between the outer covering and the inner member. A conductive emitter band circumscribes the ends of the first and second wires to form a first spark gap between the end of the first wire and the emitter band and a second spark gap between the end of the second wire and the emitter band. When the volume is filled with conductive fluid and a high voltage pulse is applied across the first and second wires, first and second shock waves can be initiated from the first and second spark gaps.

Abstract: A connection mechanism and manufacturing method for a surgical instrument includes an inner shaft member that extends at least partially through an elongated shaft member of the instrument and defines proximal and distal ends and is selectively movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the elongated shaft member and includes at least one aperture that extends partially along the longitudinal direction and disposed distally from the proximal end. The inner shaft member enables a drive collar member to slide on the inner shaft member and reciprocate along the longitudinal direction. A drive collar stop member slides on the inner shaft member and moves along the longitudinal direction. The drive collar stop member then moves in a direction relative to the longitudinal axis to engage the aperture and limit further longitudinal motion of the drive collar member. An inner shaft stop member limits movement of the inner shaft.

Abstract: A gear arrangement including two drive units (210, 220, 310, 320, 410), and two translatory transmission elements (151, 152, 251, 252, 351, 352), to each of which a rotationally movable function unit (141, 142) of a distally arranged two-part end effector (140) can be coupled. The first drive unit (210, 310, 410) has at least one proximally arranged rotation element (311, 411) or a thrust element (210) for opening or closing the end effector (140) by rotation of at least one function unit (141, 142). The second drive unit (220, 320), with which the translatory transmission elements (151, 152, 251, 252, 351, 352) are movable in opposite directions, has at least one proximally arranged rotation element (224, 320, 421) for simultaneous and unidirectional pivoting of the function units (141, 142) of the end effector (140). A surgical instrument includes the gear arrangement (200, 300, 400) in the handle (180).

Abstract: Systems and methods for soft tissue to bone repairs, without knot tying. The soft tissue repair systems include self-cinching constructs with splices, loops and inserts that are pre-loaded onto knotless anchors to position the self-locking, adjustable construct at the repair site. The splice incorporates an insert in the form of a flexible strand with at least one barb, or simply in the form of a cut length of suture or braid that is inserted into the center of the cinching loop to create a thicker portion. When the cinching loop is tightened, the insert prevents loosening of the loop, locking in the cinching loop and preventing movement of the loop.

Abstract: An anastomosis device may include an anchor including a base with an opening and a riser portion securably associated with the base. The base is configured to be disposed within a body lumen. The riser portion includes at least one attachment point with a tubular and hollow graft secured directly to the at least one of attachment point of the riser portion. The at least one attachment point of the riser portion is free of sutures or pins traversing portions of the graft proximal the riser portion. The at least one of attachment point of the riser portion may be in the form a tip of a hook. The anastomosis device may further include at least two additional attachment points for securing the graft to the riser portion.

Abstract: A medical device may include a handle having a first portion and a second portion angled with respect to the first portion. The handle may further include a rail extending along the first portion of the handle. The rail may include a groove. The handle may also include a first actuator longitudinally moveable with respect to the handle along the rail and a second actuator rotatable about an axis collinear to a longitudinal axis of the first portion. Further, the handle may include a shaft longitudinally fixed relative to the first actuator.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for surgical suturing are provided. In general, a loading element can be configured to facilitate loading of a plate into a surgical instrument configured to facilitate passage of a suture through tissue. The surgical instrument can be configured to advance the suture through a tissue of a patient, to capture a free end or looped end of the suture after the suture's advancement through the tissue, and to pull the captured suture out of the patient's body with a portion of the suture remaining passed through the tissue within the patient's body.

Abstract: A docking system for a mechanical telemanipulator is provided, optionally to be used with a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration. The docking system is configured to allow for safe and secure immobilization of a handle or master manipulator of a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration so as to prevent movement of a slave manipulator or instrument. While the docking element can be deployed on any mechanical telemanipulator, it can advantageously be used on a surgical platform comprising a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration. In this context, the docking system can be used to secure the handle portion or master manipulator of the surgical platform to safely prevent undesirable movement of a slave manipulator or surgical instrument.

Abstract: A sleeve for enforcing the end of a hollow organ so that it can be connected with a further end of a hollow organ, the sleeve comprising a cylindrical shape and being configured to be pushed over the end of the hollow organ and for turning-over the end of the hollow organ projecting from the sleeve around an end of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve has an adjustable diameter.

Abstract: Several embodiments disclosed herein relate to compositions and methods for treating or repairing damage to ocular tissue. In particular, several embodiments relate to patches that interact, e.g., by way of an adhesive, with damaged retinal tissue to repair or mend a hole, tear or detachment of the retina from underlying ocular tissue. Still additional embodiments relate to self-assembling patches.

Abstract: Various surgical tools with bailout mechanisms are provided that allow direct engagement with one or more actuators to provide rapid and effective bailout (such as release, reversal, and/or retraction) of surgical tools while minimizing the amount of force and/or time to complete the bailout. Robotic surgical tools generally have a housing and an elongate tool shaft extending from the housing and having an end effector on a distal end thereof. The housing has a plurality of actuators for causing various functions of the end effector, such as rotation, articulation, clamping, firing, stapling, etc. The housing attaches to a tool driver on a robotic arm that electromechanically drives the actuators to control the end effector. A bailout mechanism can extend from the housing into the elongate shaft and directly engage the actuators to apply a force thereto to retract an actuator.

Abstract: A balloon catheter includes a balloon coupled to a shaft. The shaft includes a proximal perfusion portion disposed proximal of the balloon and a distal perfusion portion disposed distal of the balloon. The proximal and distal perfusion portions each are formed by a respective plurality of wire members woven together to form a respective proximal and distal braided shafts. The plurality of wire members are woven together such that a plurality of perfusion openings are formed between the wire members. The plurality of perfusion openings extend from an outer surface of the respective proximal or distal braided shaft to a lumen of the respective proximal or distal braided shaft. A perfusion lumen extends between the proximal perfusion portion and the distal perfusion portion.