Abstract: An apparatus for use in minimally invasive surgery includes an actuator slidably attached to the non-endoscopic housing, the actuator being movable between a distal position and a proximal position along the longitudinal axis of the instrument in response to user applied pressure.

Abstract: The invention is a physical therapy table having moveable sections allowing the patient to be placed in different physical positions as part of an individual physical therapy regimen wherein the patient himself applies and controls extension, traction and mobilization therapy.

Abstract: A hand-held surgical instrument with an improved handle, the instrument being of the type generally comprised of a handle and a tool with a body member having at least one articulated member thereon, is provided. The handle has an elongated base, an elongated lever with a downwardly projecting actuator arm and a member for connecting the lever and base at a rearward pivot point, which mimics the natural pivot point of the surgeon's hand. A member for actuating the surgical tool by moving an actuator rod distally by closing the handle lever, and a member for biasing the lever in an open position longitudinally positioned around the actuator rod within the base, are provided. The instrument includes a member for securing the handle at selected points throughout a range of motion or, alternatively, allowing motion that is not locked at any position. Also provided is a collar for allowing rotation of the tool to a desired radial orientation and adjustably securing the tool in that orientation.

Abstract: An arterial catheter system for removing plaque from the aorta and other arteries is disclosed. The system typically includes an elongate catheter member, a filtration apparatus disposed within the distal region, and an atherectomy assembly which includes a mechanism for trapping and holding mobile or fixed plaque and an excising mechanism for removing the plaque. In use, the catheter is positioned so that the atherectomy assembly lies within a region of interest, the filtration apparatus is deployed downstream of the region of interest, the plaque is trapped and held by a snare, vacuum, or other trapping means, and then the excising mechanism is activated to remove the plaque. Methods are also disclosed for removing plaque from the aorta and other arteries.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing pacifier comprising a body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a nipple base defining the proximal end. A resilient nipple is affixed to and extends outward from the nipple base. An aperture base defines the distal end of the body, and an aperture is affixed to and extends from the aperture base. A reservoir is located within the body, and is in fluid communication with the resilient nipple. A plurality of pleats are disposed along the body which permit the body to collapse and compress in response to an infant withdrawing fluid from the reservoir via the resilient nipple.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for fastening together opposing portions of a body organ. The instrument comprises a first support for supporting the first opposing portion of the body organ, a second support opposing the first support, for supporting the second opposing portion of the body organ, and a displacement-preventing member connected to the first or second support for preventing the supports from displacing relative to each other. The member comprises a pin protruding from one of the supports and a hole formed in the other of the supports. The pin is made of thermoplastic resin. When heated, the pins is softened and deformed, whereby the first and second supports are secured to each other, fastening together the opposing portions of the body organ.

Abstract: A medical device for use in the interior of a body lumen including a catheter and a radially expandable stent mounted on the catheter. The radially expandable stent is in the form of a hollow cylinder defined by a sequence of spaced apart wire elements with each of the wire elements extending 360 degrees around the cylinder and the wire elements having extendible, sinusoidal zig-zags lying flat with respect to the cylinder. The zig-zags are shaped in a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder at one point and then reverse their direction so that the zig-zags may open as the wire element is expanded. The adjacent wire elements are flexibly connected together in an end-to-end fashion by helical winding.

Abstract: This is an implantable vasoocclusive device. It is constructed of a primary helically wound coil, which primary coil is further wound into secondary shapes which are at least partially substantially conical. Other portions of the secondary shape may have sections of constant diameter or of other conical shapes. The primary coil may be made in such a way that it has regions of differing flexibility. Fibrous materials may be placed on the coils in tufted, streamer, or woven configurations so to increase the thrombogenicity of the overall assembled device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing a balloon angioplasty procedure and for exchanging a guide wire and an intravascular catheter during the procedure. An intravascular balloon catheter includes an elongated shaft having a proximal portion adapted to extend outside the body of a patient during use, a distal portion adapted for connection to a dilation balloon and adapted for positioning intravascularly during use, and an inflation lumen extending therethrough in fluid flow communication with the balloon. In one aspect of the invention, an elongated guide lumen is connected to the catheter such that the guide lumen and catheter are movable relative to each other during use. A proximal portion of the guide lumen is adapted to extend outside the body of a patient during use, and a distal portion of the guide lumen is adapted to extend distally of the balloon during use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thoracoscopic surgery uses a hinged, ring-handled forceps having a length of approximately 12-13 inches inserted through a small incision without a cannula. Portions of the forceps extending from the hinge are straight and substantially parallel to each other when the jaws are closed. The forceps is then inserted into the patient's thoracic cavity through the incision until the hinge axis is approximately at the location of the incision. The jaws are then spread apart without significantly expanding the incision. Straight, side-curved, C-shaped and S-shaped instruments are described. Ratchet teeth disposed at a pitch of less than 0.1 inch are used to achieve small steps in jaw positioning.

Abstract: An eardrum perforation patch and an eardrum undersurface scraper for application of the patch. The eardrum perforation patch comprises double plates connected together with a coupler and these elements are made of artificial material. The plates comprise a supporting piece and a closure piece. After being inserted into the tympanic perforation the closure piece pinches the perforation margin and it stays steadily in place until it changes to a new part of the tympanic membrane. The eardrum undersurface scraper comprises a shaft, a neck and a head with a blade edge. The neck is curved at an angle of more than 90 degrees, twisted and rotated, so that the blade edge gains access to target points behind the tympanic membrane and scrapes and entirely rakes out the mucosal barrier on the undersurface grafting bed of the tympanic membrane through the tympanic perforation. The combination of the eardrum perforation patch and the eardrum undersurface scraper is useful in repairing the tympanic perforation.

Abstract: A urine tube extends through a balloon which is inflatable in the neck of a bladder to form a seal around the urine tube. The balloon has a shape corresponding to the shape of the bladder chamber at the urethra orifice to facilitate establishing a seal. A valve is provided on the outlet end of the urine tube and an air tube extends along the substantial length of the urine tube into the balloon. A hypodermic syringe or the like may be inserted into the inlet end of the air tube for inflating the balloon. A hydrogel collar is positioned around the urine tube against the body at the outlet end of the urethra to hold the balloon in tight engagement with the bladder neck at the urethra orifice.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying liquid to a body cavity during an endoscopic procedure includes a feedback loop-controlled liquid supply device inherently capable of supplying liquid at a substantially constant pressure substantially independent of the flow rate of liquid delivered by the liquid supply device within a relatively wide range of flow rate. Also disclosed are a disposable plastic pump cassette having an inflow pump in a housing, and an operative cannula. The surgical procedure is performed with continuous control over the body cavity pressure, regardless of the outflow flow rate.

Abstract: A retracting tip trocar assembly including a trocar tube and a shaft having a piercing tip at one end thereof. The device includes a retracting mechanism which allows the piercing tip to be held in a cutting position upon application of an insertion force such as when the piercing tip is pressed against a wall of a human body cavity. Upon release of the insertion force, such as when the piercing tip passes through the wall, the retracting mechanism causes the piercing tip to be retracted into the trocar tube.

Abstract: A stent for reducing a diameter of a duct in a body of a living creature. The stent includes a sleevelike part having walls provided with perforations, enlarged ends as well as an intermediate area reduced in diameter by a constriction. Thrombogenic threads are provided on an exterior of the sleevelike part between the enlarged ends.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are described for selective cutting of the transverse carpal ligament of a patient. The instrument includes spaced-apart teeth which are supported on a first arm and a press member which is carried by a second arm. The teeth are prevented from contacting tissue when the first arm is inserted into, or retracted from, the carpal tunnel. After insertion of the first arm into the carpal tunnel, the teeth are exposed to the transverse carpal ligament and the first and second arms are moved towards each other to force the teeth into the transverse carpal ligament to perforate the ligament and enable it to elongate.

Abstract: An apparatus for calibrating the blade extension of a microkeratome includes a magnifying device and a fixture for holding the microkeratome assembly adjacent thereto. The magnifying device defines a line of sight and includes a reticle visible in the line of sight. The fixture supports the bottom surface of the shim of the microkeratome in a plane parallel to the line of sight of the magnifying device. In measuring the blade extension, the reticle is first aligned with either the cutting edge of the blade or the bottom surface of the gauge member. Relative movement between the reticle and the fixture is effected until the reticle is aligned with the other of the cutting edge and bottom surface of the gauge member. A measuring device monitors the relative movement. The reading of the measuring device equals the blade extension of the microkeratome.

Abstract: An ultra-thin iridium source is used for the treatment of cancerous tissue, particularly in areas of the human body, such as the brain, where minimization of trauma to adjacent tissue is a high priority. The source is formed of a relatively pure iridium seed encapsulated in the end region of a relatively pure unitary platinum delivery wire. The relatively pure iridium source is irradiated to a high activity level (e.g. 10 curie) even though having a short overall length (e.g. 10 millimeter) and ultra-thin diameter (e.g. about 1/8 millimeter ). The platinum delivery wire defines a substantially uniform ultra-thin cross section of approximately 0.5 millimeter diameter. The iridium source is formed within the unitary platinum delivery wire without resort to welding or other inherently unreliable attachment systems. Delivery of the high activity pure iridium source to treatment area is achieved using remote afterloader equipment.

Abstract: Unused towel rolled up in a shell (4) is guided between a roller (38) and a tracer (40) for detecting the towel end and via a transport roller (6a), forms a loop and runs via a transport roller (6b) to a roller (13) guided in slots (14a,b) and intended for receiving used towel. To ascertain whether the loop is being used or not, there is a movement sensor (20) with a bar (22) which is suspended rotatably about a horizontal axis and to which is attached a batten (23) via which the towel (5) is guided. Clamped in the bar (22) is the upper end of a piezoelectric element which at its lower end is clamped between parts connected to a sensor housing (21). Since a distinction can be made between use and non-use, it is possible for released unused towel to be retracted again. Various programs can be selected for operating the towel dispenser, and in particular the loop can be formed from unused and used towel or only from unused towel.

Abstract: A multi-use infant-feeding nipple system that enables an infant to drink liquid from various types of containers, including conventional baby bottles, cans, glasses, and the like. The nipple system includes a flexible, elastomeric nipple having a base end and a tip end. The base end includes a reduced diameter opening for sliding, sealed receipt of one end of a tubular conduit which may be extended at its other end into a container that need not be held in an elevated position in or in close proximity to the infant's mouth. The tip end has a normally closed slitted opening through which liquid is enabled to flow when the infant sucks on the nipple, and which closes when the infant ceases sucking, thereby functioning as a check valve and preventing ingress of air into the nipple and preventing the liquid from draining out of the nipple and any conduit attached to it. This, in turn, avoids ingestion of air when the infant resumes feeding.