Abstract: Surgical instruments including a shaft, a jaw assembly and an ultrasonic assembly are disclosed. The shaft may extend along a shaft axis. The jaw assembly may be coupled to a distal end of the shaft and may include a first jaw member and a second jaw member. The jaw assembly may be configured to pivot about a first axis between a first location and a second location. The first and second jaw members may be positioned substantially parallel to the shaft axis at the first location and the first and second jaw members may be positioned at an angle from the shaft axis at the second location. The ultrasonic assembly may comprise an ultrasonic blade, a waveguide, and a transducer. The ultrasonic assembly may be positioned substantially parallel to and offset from the shaft axis and may be axially translatable to at least partially retract the ultrasonic blade within the shaft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for piercing an organic tissue, and more particularly to piercing human or animal skin. The device includes a housing, a piercing unit, which is accommodated in the housing, and an actuator device which is arranged and configured in the housing to generate an actuating force in such a way that an actuator component surrounded by the actuator device and functionally connected to the piercing unit, performs an oscillating actuating movement in the housing which is coupled to the piercing unit. The actuating device is designed with a counter component allocated to the actuating component which at least partially compensates for vibrations caused in the housing by the oscillating actuating movement of the actuating component; the counter component oscillates and is moved contrary to the actuating component. The invention also relates to an actuation module for a device for piercing an organic tissue.

Abstract: A balloon catheter assembly including an elongate catheter tube including a lumen having a first cross sectional area, a wire extending through the lumen, and an inflatable balloon mountably associated with the tube and the wire, the tube being formed with a plurality of balloon inflation apertures communicating with the lumen, the apertures having a total aperture cross sectional area which exceeds the first cross sectional area and including at least two apertures being arranged at different azimuthal locations along the tube underlying the balloon and the balloon being characterized by an inflated state having a ratio of maximum inflated diameter to length of more than 0.4 and a corresponding deflated state wherein at least a first portion of the balloon is capable of being twisted relative to at least a second portion thereof, resulting in at least partial blockage of at least one but not all of the apertures.

Abstract: The tissue retrieval system deploys a tissue bag at the surgical site. The bag is supported by the system as tissue is placed within the bag and is closed to isolate the collected tissue and allow the bag and collected tissue to be removed from the body. The bag can be reopened and re-closed as desired through use of a guide bead and cord. The bead also facilitates removal of the collected tissue.

Abstract: An absorbable vascular filter is disclosed for deployment within a vessel for temporary filtering of body fluids. A preferred embodiment is the placement of such absorbable vascular filter within the inferior vena cava (IVC) to filter emboli for the prevention of pulmonary embolism for a limited duration in time. Once protection from PE is complete, the filter is biodegraded according to a planned schedule determined by the absorption properties of the filter components. Hence the temporary absorbable vascular filter obviates the long term complications of permanent IVC filters such as increased deep vein thrombosis, neighboring organ puncture from filter fracture and embolization while also circumventing the removal requirement of metal retrievable IVC filters.

Abstract: A device for introduction into a body vessel includes a shaft, a balloon positioned at the distal end of the shaft, a guidewire disposed longitudinally within the shaft to receive a guidewire during use, a balloon disposed at the distal end of the shaft, and longitudinal scoring wires to score a vascular lesion attached to the distal end of the shaft. The scoring wires are disposed over the balloon and disposed within the shaft. The proximal ends are welded or otherwise affixed to a spring mounted in the handle. The balloon expands when fluid is delivered to the balloon through the inflation lumen. This expansion pushes the scoring wires against the vascular lesion. The scoring wires attach to a source of vibrations. The scoring wires are made of a helical coil.

Abstract: An endovascular catheter combination configured to have multiple capabilities is disclosed. These capabilities include proximal and distal occlusion of a segment of a target blood vessel (such as the carotid artery) thus excluding the segment of the blood vessel from circulation for purposes such as surgical consideration. Another capability includes intravascular shunting of the blood through the excluded portion of the artery during a procedure such as an endarterectomy. Additionally, a microsensor provides a measurement of the rate/volume of blood flow through the distal end of the catheter. In one embodiment, a guidewire is provided with a filtration mesh as an anti-embolic mechanism both at the time of initial positioning of the catheter and after reversing the occlusion.

Abstract: An intraocular lens insertion device and a cartridge which enable the intraocular lens to be inserted into an eye more stably and easily than ever before. A supporting portion 102 of an intraocular lens 100 arranged on a lens-advancing side in a lens-advancing direction x is pressed against a protrusion 21 so as to be bent backward. Thus, releasing the intraocular lens 100 from a nozzle portion 13 is allowed to begin with the releasing of a curved portion of the supporting portion 102 that has become U-shaped and hard to move freely. As a result, there can be provided an intraocular lens insertion device and a cartridge which enable the intraocular lens 100 to be inserted into an eye more steadily and easily than ever before.

Abstract: An anchor assembly configured to locate and anchor body tissue surrounding an opening in the body tissue. The anchor assembly can include a plurality of anchor elements. Each anchor element can include an elongate portion and an anchor portion extending from the elongate portion. The elongate portion can be configured to be manipulated by a user. The anchor portion can have a contracted configuration capable of passing through the opening in the body tissue and can have an expanded configuration capable of anchoring the body tissue surrounding the opening. The anchor portion and the elongate portion can be integrally formed from a single wire.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an extraction device (10) for extracting foreign bodies from a patient, comprising a flexible extractor (11), a stiffening device (12) and connection means (13) for connecting the flexible extractor (11) to said stiffening device (12).

Abstract: Various embodiments of a tissue cutting device are described, such as a device with an elongate tube having a proximal end and a distal end and a central axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end; a first annular element at the distal end of the elongate tube, the first annular element having a flat portion at its distal end perpendicular to the central axis; and a second annular element at the distal end of the elongate tube and concentric with the first annular element, the second annular element having a flat portion at its distal end perpendicular to the central axis, at least one of the first or second annular elements rotatable about the central axis, the rotation causing the first annular element and the second annular element to pass each other to shear tissue.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for performing robotic surgery. In general, a surgical system is provided including an electromechanical tool with a first mode of operation in which the electromechanical tool mimics movement of a controller, and a second mode of operation in which the tool mirrors movement of the controller. A hybrid surgical device is also provided including an adapter matable to a handle assembly such that the adapter is electronically coupled to a motor of the handle assembly and is configured to communicate with the motor. A robotic laparoscopic surgical device is also provided including a motion sensor configured to sense movement of an electromechanical tool and an electromechanical arm that assists movement of the tool. A robotic surgical device is also provided including an electromechanical driver associated with a trocar and being configured to rotate and to translate a tool disposed through a passageway.

Abstract: A medical grasping device is disclosed. The medical grasping device may be configured to retrieve an object from within a body lumen. A medical grasping device assembly, wherein a portion of the medical grasping device is disposed within a lumen of a delivery sheath, and methods of using the medical grasping device assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: The deployment device includes at least one sheath, a dilation balloon, a transparent tip extending between the at least one sheath and the dilation balloon, a prosthesis, an inner tubular member and a camera to allow visualization of the stricture and prosthesis prior, during, and after deployment without the use of an endoscope. The sheath includes a camera extending from one end.

Abstract: Instruments and methods for harvesting a tissue structure such that a tendon graft are provided. In general, the surgical instrument includes an elongate shaft and an end effector pivotally coupled to a distal end thereof. The end effector defines a tissue seating passage configured to seat therethrough a portion of the tendon when the end effector is in use. The end effector is configured to be manipulated such that either its first or second end is positioned as a leading end. A method for using the end effector to harvest a tendon includes using the end effector to strip and cut the tendon at one end thereof when the first end of the end effector is a leading end, manipulating the end effector such that its second end becomes the leading end, and using the end effector to strip and cut the tendon at another, opposite end thereof.

Abstract: Metal foils, wires, and seamless tubes with increased mechanical strength are provided. As opposed to wrought materials that are made of a single metal or alloy, these materials are made of two or more layers forming a laminate structure. Laminate structures are known to increase mechanical strength of sheet materials such as wood and paper products and are used in the area of thin films to increase film hardness, as well as toughness. Laminate metal foils have not been used or developed because the standard metal forming technologies, such as rolling and extrusion, for example, do not lend themselves to the production of laminate structures.

Abstract: An implantable prosthesis includes a scaffold with a plurality of expandable segments axially spaced apart along a substrate, adjacent segments connected by one or more support members when the prosthesis is in a collapsed configuration and disconnected when the prosthesis is in an expanded configuration.

Abstract: A tissue puncture closure assembly including a wire assembly and first and second devices. The wire assembly includes a first wire member and a second wire member that each include a distal end portion and a proximal end portion. At least portions of the second wire member are arranged side-by-side with the first wire member. The distal end portion of the first wire member is connected to the distal end portion of the second wire member, and a proximal end portion of the first wire member is disconnected from the proximal end portion of the second wire member. The first device is operable to advance over the first wire member. The second device is operable to advance over the second wire member.

Abstract: A transparent pressure dressing device enables hemostasis of blood in a perforation of a blood vessel. The transparent pressure dressing device includes a rectangular plate shaped artificial hand component and one or more adhesive fins. The artificial hand component includes a protuberance section positioned proximal to a distal edge of the artificial hand component, and the adhesive fins extend from an upper surface of the artificial hand component. The protuberance section of the artificial hand component is gradually pressed against the perforation on the blood vessel to enable hemostasis of the blood, and the adhesive fins are configured to adhere to a body surface of a user proximal to the perforation on the blood vessel.

Abstract: Balloon catheters and methods are provided for selectively occluding blood flow into a right atrium of a patient's heart communicating with an inferior vena cava (IVC) and superior vena cava (SVC). In one embodiment, a catheter includes first and second balloons adjacent one another on a distal end of the catheter shaft. During use, the distal end is introduced into the right atrium and positioned such that the first balloon is located within the right atrium. The first balloon is expanded within the right atrium and the catheter shaft directed such that the expanded first balloon engages at least a portion of the IVC to prevent substantial inflow into the right atrium from the IVC. The second balloon is then expanded to limit inflow into the right atrium from the SVC, and a medical procedure is performed within the patient's body.