Patents Examined by Rachel S Papeika
  • Patent number: 9433428
    Abstract: Described herein are low-profile electrodes for use with an angioplasty shockwave catheter. A low-profile electrode assembly may have an inner electrode, an insulating layer disposed over the inner electrode such that an opening in the insulating layer is aligned with the inner electrode, and an outer electrode sheath disposed over the insulating layer such that an opening in the outer electrode sheath is coaxially aligned with the opening in the insulating layer. This layered configuration allows for the generation of shockwaves that propagate outward from the side of the catheter. In some variations, the electrode assembly has a second inner electrode, and the insulating layer and outer electrode may each have a second opening that are coaxially aligned with the second inner electrode. An angioplasty shockwave catheter may have a plurality of such low-profile electrode assemblies along its length to break up calcified plaques along a length of a vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Shockwave Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Doug Hakala, John M. Adams, Khoi T. Le, Show-Mean Steve Wu
  • Patent number: 9433521
    Abstract: Distal tips for use with delivery catheters are disclosed that are configured to maintain complete engagement between the distal tip and a distal opening of a sheath component of the delivery catheter so as to prevent separation therebetween and/or to prevent fish-mouthing of a distal leading edge of the sheath component during in vivo use. Distal tips so configured realize one or more of the objectives of safer tracking of the delivery catheter through the vasculature, safe crossing of the delivery catheter through structural components of the vasculature and heart, such as through native valves, and safe removal of the delivery catheter post deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Susheel Deshmukh, Siyan Som, Adam Shipley, Matthew Spurchise, Stephen Peter, Shishira Nagesh
  • Patent number: 9421030
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to surgical instruments and methods for extracting hair follicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Cole Isolation Technique, LLC
    Inventors: John P. Cole, Tesfaye H. Gutema, Howard L. Paulk
  • Patent number: 9402630
    Abstract: The invention relates a sheath that is affixed to a body lumen, proximal to an anastomosis site. The sheath includes a sleeve defining a passage. A grasping structure is positioned distally of the distal opening of the sheath to facilitate elongation of the sleeve from a first length to a second longer length. A method for using the sheath is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Joshua Stopek, Jacqueline Jones, Amin Elachchabi
  • Patent number: 9387076
    Abstract: Medical devices and delivery systems for delivering medical devices to a target location within a subject. In some embodiments the medical devices can be locked in a fully deployed and locked configuration. In some embodiments the delivery systems are configured with a single actuator to control the movement of multiple components of the delivery system. In some embodiments the actuator controls the independent and dependent movement of multiple components of the delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC.
    Inventors: David Paul, Benjamin Sutton, Brian McCollum, Brian D. Brandt, Emma Leung, Kenneth M. Martin, Amr Salahieh, Daniel Hildebrand
  • Patent number: 9381114
    Abstract: Vitrectomy probes and system related thereto are disclosed herein. The disclosure describes various example vitrectomy probes having an adjustable cutting port size. Various example features are described for adjusting the size of the cutting port. Further, the disclosure provides examples for adjusting the size of the cutter port while the vitrectomy probe is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: John R. Underwood, Jack Robert Auld, John Christopher Huculak
  • Patent number: 9370341
    Abstract: A surgical retrieval apparatus includes an elongate tubular member having a drive rod slidably disposed therein. A support member is operably coupled to a distal end of the drive rod. A pouch is attached to the support member and has a closed end and an open end. The pouch may be releasably coupled to the support member. An end effector is repositionable with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tubular member. The support member may include an expandable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Anthony L. Ceniccola, Margaret Uznanski, Mark Peter Rogers, Brandon Wesley Craft, Natalie Scott, Nicholas John Collier, Charlotte Adele Clark
  • Patent number: 9370378
    Abstract: A method of retrieving a tissue specimen comprising inserting a surgical retrieval apparatus through an opening in a patient's skin, the surgical retrieval apparatus including a support member and a retrieval bag extending from the support member and having an opening to receive the tissue specimen. A net is introduced into the retrieval bag and placed over the tissue specimen. The net and retrieval bag are removed from the patient's body to remove the tissue specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Cormac O'Prey, Alistair Ian Fleming, Michael J. Bettuchi, Iain Ansell
  • Patent number: 9358032
    Abstract: A water jet surgical device comprises a fluid feed device, which is controllable by control signals from a control device, for delivering a fluid into a connecting line of a surgical instrument with an outlet nozzle. The fluid feed device includes at least one measuring device, which is configured such that following the connection of the surgical instrument to the fluid feed device, the measuring device generates measuring signals to represent a quantity of fluid delivered. The quantity of fluid delivered may be displayed on a display or recorded in a recording unit. This enables improved monitoring of surgical operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Wahl, Alexander Pfaeffle, Ralf Kuehner
  • Patent number: 9345475
    Abstract: A needle removal device is provided for removing needles from suturing devices and/or systems. In an embodiment, the needle removal device may be intended for use with a suturing device having one or more needle lumens. The needle removal device may include a first member having a first plurality of needle receptacles extending therethrough. The first needle receptacles may be configured and positioned to correspond to one or more of the one or more needle lumens of the suturing device. The needle removal device may also include a second member having a second plurality of needle receptacles extending therethrough. At least one of the first member or the second member may be moveable between a first position, wherein the first needle receptacles and the second needle receptacles are substantially aligned, and a second position, wherein the first needle receptacles and the second needle receptacles substantially unaligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ABBOTT CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Laveille Kao Voss, Stephanie Henze, Kristopher M. Konawalik, Leah M. Davis, Wouter E. Roorda
  • Patent number: 9339374
    Abstract: A lens case for storing an intraocular lens contains a housing for storing an intraocular lens and a support member configured to support the intraocular lens. The support member includes a plurality of jaws, the jaws having a closed configuration for holding the intraocular lens and an open configuration for releasing the intraocular lens. The lens case further comprises a passage formed when the jaws are in the open configuration, the passage including an opening in the lens case for transfer of the intraocular lens into an intraocular lens inserter. The lens case may further comprise an intraocular lens that is disposed between the jaws, the intraocular lens comprising an optic and a haptic coupled to the optic. The lens case may be configured to maintain the haptic in either a first position in which a distal portion of the haptic is disposed farther from the optic or a second position in which the distal portion of the haptic is disposed closer to optic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Abbot Medical Optics Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Cole, Nicholas E. Martin, Steven R. Anderson, Rod Peterson
  • Patent number: 9333007
    Abstract: The devices and methods generally relate to treatment of occluded body lumens. In particular, the present devices and method relate to removal of the occluding material from the blood vessels as well as other body lumens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: AtheroMed, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Quentin Escudero, John T. To, Christopher James Danek
  • Patent number: 9327061
    Abstract: The bioabsorbable implant described has a porous body formed of bioabsorbable materials that have an in vivo life span of at least 2 weeks, preferably at least three weeks and not greater than 20 weeks, preferably no greater than ten weeks. The implant has a scaffolding structure which facilitates tissue in-growth and ultimately tissue replacement of the scaffolding structure. The implant has a radiopaque imaging agent at least at the exterior margins and an orientation plurality of radiopaque elements in the interior of implant. The implant preferably has three radiopaque elements within the interior that form a plane within the implant interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SENORX, INC.
    Inventors: Amit Govil, Michael L. Jones, Paul Lubock
  • Patent number: 9314229
    Abstract: A suturing device includes a handle, an elongated body, at least one suture snag, at least one pair of needles, and at least one suture pair. The suture snag is moveable between a deployed position in which two distal arm portions thereof radially extend away from the elongated body and a retracted position in which the two distal arm portions are disposed within the elongated body. The suture pair is slidingly disposed through the needle pair. The suturing device deploys the suture snag within a vessel adjacent to an arteriotomy, extends the needle pair through a vessel wall around the arteriotomy and through the deployed suture snag, extends the suture pair beyond the distal ends of the needle pair, and then utilizes the suture snag to capture the extended suture pair by retracting the suture snag to pull first or distal ends of the sutures back into the suturing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery Argentine
  • Patent number: 9307968
    Abstract: The subject invention pertains to medical apparatuses and methods for reducing or preventing leakage of injected therapeutic agents (including liquid-containing substances, cells) into a solid or hollow tissue/organ after puncturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Barbara Pui Chan, Tsz Kit Chik, Tsz Hang Andrew Choy, Xuanyi Ma, K. M. C. Cheung
  • Patent number: 9301771
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surgical handpiece including an insert removably coupled to the handpiece, wherein the insert is configured to allow aspiration of fluid and tissue through the insert during a surgical procedure. Other surgical handpieces and a method for the removal of tissue during an endoscopic procedure are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventors: Merle I. Auclair, Jr., Paul Robert Duhamel, Gheorghe Mihalca, Yuri E. Kazakevich, Paul C. Young
  • Patent number: 9271667
    Abstract: A medical lancing device including an independent drive core mechanism incorporating all or a substantial portion of the functional components of the lancing device, whereby the independent drive core mechanism can be incorporated into multiple different external housing configurations for more efficient design and manufacture. Axial adjustment of the position of the independent drive core mechanism within the housing provides lancing penetration depth control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: FACET TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Avi M. Robbins, David R. Buenger
  • Patent number: 9247958
    Abstract: A device to extract elements contained in a cavity, additional to patent of invention P060105329, and of preferable application to assistance at childbirth and/or extraction of elements seated in cavities of the human body, facilitating the task of medical professionals. Said device is comprised of a bag having one of its ends open, through which it is possible to introduce the element to be extracted, in which, in a first embodiment and on the outer surface of the bag and along all its circumference line, there is at least one air chamber being able to get in contact with the element to be extracted when receiving inner pressure, being said chamber connected to a pressure generating means; and in a second embodiment, an outward fold is defined on said bag, forming an annular cavity at the time it gets in contact with the cavity containing the element to be extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: AIR BAG ONE SARL
    Inventor: Jorge Ernesto Odon
  • Patent number: 9198562
    Abstract: A needle and suture assembly is provided for use with an endoscopic suturing device with a needle holder arm. The needle assembly includes a needle tip and a needle body. The needle tip has a sharp end, a capture groove, a tab groove and a plug portion positioned between the capture groove and the tab groove. The needle body has first and second ends, tip tabs, retainers for removably retaining the needle body relative to the needle holder arm, and a suture opening. The needle tip is fixed relative to the needle body by plastic deformation of the tip tabs into the tab groove. A suture extends into the suture opening of the needle body and is fixed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Apollo Endosurgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Mitelberg, Donald K. Jones
  • Patent number: 9192406
    Abstract: A catheter for performing a procedure at a treatment site in the lumen of a blood vessel. The catheter includes an elongate tubular shaft having a proximal bend, a distal bend and a hinge element. A distal portion of the shaft includes a window extending through the sidewall of the shaft between the hinge element and the distal end of the elongate tubular shaft. A working element is disposed within the lumen of the elongate tubular shaft and is configured for performing the procedure through the window at the treatment site. The bends and hinge element are configured to urge the window against a wall of the vessel at the treatment site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Darren Doud, Tomislav Huljev, Ralph McNall, Brandon Fell, Priyanshu Gupta, Ryan Olivera, Thomas C. Pham