Abstract: An arterial clamp has opposed clamping posts arranged to lie at opposite sides of an artery to clamp the artery between opposed clamping faces of the posts. The posts are carried by a pair of arms pivotally movable one relative to the other to move the posts into clamping relationship with the artery. A ratchet device releasably locks the arms in a selected clamping position. The clamp including posts, arms, and ratchet device is formed as a one-piece plastics moulding.

Abstract: The invention provides a femoral compression device (11; 21) for compressing a femoral artery of a patient. The femoral compression device (11; 21) comprises a pressurizing means (12; 22), a compression plate (13; 23) for compressive bearing against a puncture site, a base portion (14; 24) provided with two opposing extensions (15, 16; 25, 26), to the ends of which a belt, which is adapted to be arranged around the patient's body, can be fixed. According to the invention, the pressurizing means is in the form of a spring (12; 22), such as a coil spring (12; 22), the first end of which is connected to the compression plate (13; 23) and the second end of which is operatively connected to a handle (19; 29), which can be operated to adjusting the compression of the spring (12; 22).

Abstract: Tourniquet padding and methods of its use with a tourniquet are provided. The tourniquet padding comprises a cover sheet with at least one surface having anti-slip properties, and can be made with and without a compressible padding material disposed on the cover sheet. The tourniquet padding has a length sufficient to be wrapped around a limb of a person, and a width wider than the tourniquet. The cover sheet can be gathered along the proximal edge to accommodate a range of circumferences of extremities, and include an elastic member for wrapping around the extremity. The surface of the cover sheet to be placed in contact with the skin can include one or more adhesive elements to provide an interrupted adhesive surface. The adhesive elements can comprise an adhesive material that is adherable to skin, or a frictionally adhesive material having anti-slip properties to maintain the padding device in place on the skin during use.

Abstract: An improved device for closing an opening in a blood vessel includes a cannula holding a first wire group, a second wire group, and a wire fixation device. The positions of the first wire group and second wire group are independently adjustable. The first wire group is deployed from the cannula into an interior region of the blood vessel and retracted to a desired position in contact with an intimal surface of the blood vessel around the opening. The second wire group is deployed from the cannula and moved to a desired position in contact with an adventitial surface of the blood vessel around the opening. The fixation device is adapted to affix the first and second wire groups in their desired positions to thereby effectuate closure of the opening in the blood vessel.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, examples of a shunt passer or like surgical instrument configured for receiving different-sized positioning locators of an image guided surgical system. In one example, the surgical instrument includes portions having different diameters for receiving the different-sized affixation mechanisms for the positioning locators.

Abstract: An angioplasty device and particle trap for use in removal of a particle from a small diameter vessel or vessel-like structure is disclosed. One embodiment includes a catheter for insertion into a vessel-like structure, the catheter having a catheter wall and a movable member, a trap operably connected to the catheter wall and to the movable member, wherein relative motion between the catheter wall and the movable member actuates the trap. In one embodiment, the expanded trap is formed from struts in a spiral-shaped configuration. In one embodiment, the contracted trap forms a waist to creates a pinch-point to trap particles. In one embodiment, the contracted trap forms a cocoon-like structure to further trap particles. In one embodiment, the angioplasty device includes a handle to actuate the trap from a contracted position to an expanded position and return to a contracted position. The handle provides rotational or longitudinal or both types of movement to actuate the trap.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a lumen defined by the walls of a vessel in a patient's body comprising a filter element. The filter is expandable from a collapsed configuration when the filter element is restrained to an expanded configuration when the filter element is unrestrained, and the filter element comprises a self-expanding material having pores. When the filter element is in the expanded configuration, the average pore size is from 30 to 300 microns and the standard deviation of the pore size is less than 20 percent of the average pore size.

Abstract: An emboli extraction catheter and vascular filter system comprising a guidewire, a vascular filter attached near the distal end of the guidewire, and an emboli extraction catheter. The vascular filter has a smaller first diameter for insertion into the lumen of a vessel, and a second larger diameter for expanding to substantially equal the diameter of the lumen and to be placed in generally sealing relationship with the lumen. The emboli extraction catheter is a flexible catheter comprising a hub attached to the proximal end of the catheter. The hub further comprises a sideport and means for maintaining a seal on the guidewire. The emboli extraction catheter can be used to aspirate embolic particulates, so as to avoid their accidental release after they are captured in a vascular filter, and can also be used to empty full vascular filters of embolic particulates which may block distal flow.

Abstract: A surgical retrieval device, and related method, for removing material, such as calculi, from a patient's body has the ability to capture and release the material. The surgical retrieval device has a handle, a sheath, and a retrieval assembly that includes a plurality of legs. At least one of the legs of the retrieval assembly has a hollow passageway. In one embodiment according to the invention, a prong is disposed within the hollow passageway of the leg.

Abstract: An automatic suturing device including: a body for insertion into an opening in tissue; a plurality of hooks movably disposed in the body between retracted and extended positions; a suture holder having sutures disposed therein, the suture holder having a mechanism for engaging a portion of the hooks when in the retracted position and for attaching the sutures to a portion of the plurality of hooks; and an actuator for actuating the plurality of hooks from the retracted position to the extended position and for embedding the exposed plurality of hooks with the attached sutures into the tissue surrounding the opening.

Abstract: A device for the implantation of electrolytically severable occluding spirals in body cavities or blood vessels comprising a source of electrical power, a cathode, a catheter and an occluding spiral adapted to serve as an anode and able to slide in the catheter in the longitudinal direction, wherein the occluding spiral (3) is designed to be electrolytically corrodible at several spaced apart points so that when in contact with a body fluid one or more variably dimensioned lengths of the occluding spiral (3) may be severed by electrolysis.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for performing an anastomosis includes a housing having proximal and distal ends and a shaft extending from the distal end of the housing. The instrument also includes an actuator attached to the housing and a disposable loading unit configured for selective attachment to the shaft. The disposable loading unit includes a fastener support member configured and dimensioned to support an array of surgical fasteners thereon and a fastener pusher member which is movable through a firing stroke in response to movement of the actuator to deform the surgical fasteners.

Abstract: A catheter can be formed from an elongate shaft and a distal tip. The catheter can be formed by flaring a proximal end of the distal tip to form a flared proximal end and positioning the distal tip such that the flared proximal end of the distal tip overlaps a distal end of the outer layer. Heat and pressure are applied to melt and flow together a portion of the outer layer proximate the distal end of the shaft and the overlapped portion of the flared proximal end of the distal tip, thereby forming a joint between the elongate shaft and the distal tip.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering stents to body lumens include one or more tubular prostheses carried at the distal end of a catheter shaft, a sheath slidably disposed over the prostheses, and a guidewire tube extending from within the sheath to the exterior of the sheath through an exit port in a sidewall thereof. A guidewire extends slidably through the guidewire tube. The sheath can be moved relative to the catheter shaft and the guidewire tube to expose the prostheses for deployment. Methods of delivering stents are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an obturator tip having a rigid, elongated, distal section having a blunt, rounded, distal end designed to separate tissue. The distal section is connected to a proximal section by a central section having tapered outer surfaces. The obturator tip of the present invention is equipped with arc shaped blades positioned on opposite sides of the tip and 180 degrees apart from each other. In one embodiment, the arc shaped blades are positioned rearwardly with respect to the distal section of the obturator. This feature of the present invention allows the elongated distal section to create a small, non-cutting tissue separating track prior to blade contact with the patient.

Abstract: A semi-stationary balloon in the gastric antrum provided with an anchoring rod for inducing weight reduction in human beings is disclosed, a device for inducing a lesser appetite and early prandial satiety, said balloon being made of inflatable per-os medical grade silicone having a volume of up to 240 ml, with an average space of 120 ml to be filled with non-elastic fluid provided with radio-opaque contrast and dye, preferably methylene blue, so that the maximum diameter of 8 cm is reached after it is filled up with a volume of up to 240 ml and the average diameter of 6 cm with a volume of 120 ml, to be endoscopically placed inside the stomach (E); said intra-gastric balloon (1) being positioned in a semi-stationary way in the gastric antrum (GAC) and provided with an anchoring or duodenal rod (2) having a distal counter-weight (5) installed in the duodenum (D); particularly, the inner face of the pear-shaped medium portion of lesser diameter is coated with a malleable ribbon (f) that provides said balloon (

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft having a working end, a proximal end, and a shaft axis between the working end and the proximal end; and an end effector. A wrist member has a flexible tube including an axis extending through an interior surrounded by a wall. The wall of the flexible tube includes a plurality of lumens oriented generally parallel to the axis of the flexible tube. The wrist member has a proximal portion connected to the working end of the elongate shaft and a distal portion connected to the end effector.

Abstract: The apparatus includes at least two skin-contacting elements, the elements having narrow end faces and a mounting assembly for holding the elements closely adjacent to each other. A driving assembly reciprocally moves one element relative to the adjacent element(s) at a frequency that produces an action on the pores of the skin to loosen sebaceous plugs present in the pores, by permitting their ready removal from the skin.

Abstract: A toggling suture anchor, insertion tool, and method for anchoring at least one suture thread to a bone are provided. The toggling suture anchor is anchored by operation of the insertion tool, the suture anchor including a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, at least one eyelet hole to receive the suture thread, and at least one suture groove to provide a location to guide the suture thread while inserting the suture anchor into the bone; and at least one locking wing extending radially from the shaft, the locking wing being provided on one side of a first plane, the first plane including the longitudinal axis of the suture anchor.

Abstract: An angioplasty device with emboli pull-in mechanism is provided that includes an infusion catheter with a proximal end and a distal end. A balloon catheter having an inflatable cavity formed by an inner wall and an outer wall is disposed coaxially with the infusion catheter. The balloon catheter has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the balloon catheter is sealingly attached to the infusion catheter. And the balloon catheter has at least one communicating channel disposed from the outer wall to the inner wall of the balloon catheter. A suction catheter is disposed between the balloon catheter and the infusion catheter. The suction catheter is in fluid communication with the at least one communicating channel in the balloon catheter.