Abstract: An apparatus for interconnecting a pair of longitudinal members connectable with vertebrae of a spinal column comprises first and second connector members connectable with the longitudinal members. An elongate plate extends transverse to the longitudinal members and interconnects the first and second connector members. The first connector member includes a hook portion extendable around a portion of the longitudinal member. A set screw clamps the longitudinal member to the hook portion of the connector member. A nut threadably engages the set screw to clamp the elongate plate to the connector member. The elongate plate includes surfaces defining a recess for receiving the connector member. The surfaces defining the recess engage the connector member to prevent the elongate plate from pivoting relative to the connector member.

Abstract: An incising trocar and cannula instrument for incising the walls of a body cavity to facilitate inserting the cannula through the wall into the cavity including a trigger operated incising blade and means for driving the blade through body tissue; and, a cannula having a sealing assembly for sealing the instrument during the incising procedure and thereafter when the trocar is removed.

Abstract: A device for expanding the connective fatty tissue and correcting inverted nipples and improving symmetry of the human breast by means of gentle suction generated by respiratory means. The hollow dome is constructed of tinted, low-density, polyethylene which enables the user to monitor the degree of expansion she desires. The surrounding rim assures an air tight seal with the skin tissue. The pliable, high tensile quality of the hollow dome allows the user to squeeze and change the shape of the hollow dome on various locations on the breast to uplift and improve cleavage. A threaded nipple extends from top center of the exterior of the hollow dome which is attached to a pliable breathing tube and is fitted with a removable mouthpiece to facilitate orally evacuating the air surrounding the breast. A valve-timer controls the input and output of atmospheric pressure which creates a vacuum around the breast, and can be maintained for a selected number of seconds and minutes by the individual needs of the user.

Abstract: A closed end surgical cryoprobe instrument may have a probe shaft diameter of 3 millimeters or less and can achieve and maintain freezing zone temperatures close to that of the liquid cryogenic refrigerant. Using sub-cooled liquid nitrogen at approximately -208.degree. C. freezing zone temperatures as low as -206.degree. C. can be achieved in under 1 minute. The liquid nitrogen supply tube is provided with a plurality of small vent holes to vent gas formed or present in the refrigerant supply tube to the return refrigerant flow channel. The vent holes also allow small amount of liquid nitrogen to vent into the return flow channel to further reduce the temperature differential between the sub-cooled liquid nitrogen supply and the counter current flowing return refrigerant. Heat transfer is maintained through nucleate boiling. In place of vent holes, narrow slits may be provided in the supply tube. Alternatively, a sintered porous metal supply tube can be used as the vent means.

Abstract: An osteosynthetic fastening device, preferably in the form of a pedicle screw or a spinal column hook, has a channel in its upper section for receiving a support rod and a retaining element which clamps the rod in the socket through a spherical contact element.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting a positioning of a stent for widening or keeping open a stenosis, in blood vessels, the urethra, the ureter, etc. The apparatus includes a guide part slidably housing an elongated wire part provided at a forward end thereof with radially expandable wire portions having structures for grasping the stent.

Abstract: A surgical manipulator arm has a first and a second control ball rotatably mounted and disposed at a proximal end and a distal end of an outer-shaft tube, respectively. The control balls are coupled to each other through coupling elements such, for example, as control wires so that rotational movements of the first control ball can be transmitted correspondingly to the second control ball or vice versa. The manipulator arm has an actuator portion connected to the first control ball and a follower portion connected to the second control ball for selectively and detachably mounting a handling part and an effector part of an instrument. The first and second control balls are mounted in such a way so as to permit their respective actuator and follower portions to rotate and pivot about the longitudinal axis of the outer-shaft tube. The central bore defines a connective passage from the actuator portion, through the outer-shaft tube, and to the follower portion.

Abstract: A laparoscopic suturing device includes an elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and an arcuate tissue piercing element permanently fixed to the shaft at the distal end, the arcuate tissue piercing element lying in a plane disposed substantially transversely to the shaft. The tissue piercing element is provided at a free end, spaced from the shaft, with an eyelet, and the device has a suture thread extending through the eyelet. A distal end portion of the device is inserted through a laparoscopic trocar sleeve and the shaft of the device is turned in one direction to insert the tissue piercing element with a first end portion of the suture thread into internal tissues of the patient, a second end portion of the suture thread remaining disposed outside the patient. The first end portion of the suture thread is grasped upon insertion through the tissues and then the shaft of the suturing device is turned in the opposite direction to remove the tissue piercing element from the internal tissues.

Abstract: A probe for medical use includes a tip portion having a light energy input region for receiving light energy from a light source and a predetermined light energy output region whereby tissue subtended by the region may be irradiated by the light energy. The tip portion consists essentially of light propagating material having inclusions distributed therein and generally throughout the tip portion between the light energy input region and the light energy output region for interacting with the light energy to produce a predetermined light energy output pattern. The light propagating material is a light propagating inorganic compound.

Abstract: In order to destroy vascular deformations in the human body, a clamp is provided which is made from titanium. The clamp is expanded in the relieved state and is transferable into the clamping position by a clamping ring, which is displaceable along the clamp in the attached state. The clamp is introduced into the body by a probe, which has a tubular casing and a positioning bar guided therein. The clamp is transferred into the region of the deformation and applied at the application location as a result of the clamping ring being transferred into the clamping position. The transfer is caused by a relative movement between tubular casing and positioning bar. The probe is then released from the positioned clamp.

Abstract: A stapler device includes a manually grippable handle containing a drive and a trigger to activate the drive mechanism, a barrel fixed to the handle, a guide for holding a staple to be ejected and formed to accommodate a suture thread fixed to the staple, and an ejector driven by the drive through the barrel for ejecting a staple out through the guide into a bone to enable the suture, so anchored to the bone, to be used for various medical operations.

Abstract: A vertebral auxiliary fixation device comprises an auxiliary fixation piece and a double-threaded self-locking screw. The auxiliary fixation piece has a coupling element located at one end thereof and a threaded through hole located at another end thereof. The screw is composed of a head, a second threaded portion engageable with the threaded through hole of the auxiliary fixation piece, and a first threaded portion intended to fasten onto a vertebra to be fixed or vertebrae contiguous to the vertebra. The vertebral auxiliary fixation device is employed in conjunction with a vertebra fixation device.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a device for clamping and cutting an umbilical cord so as to enable blood samples from the umbilical cord to be collected and/or tested. The device provides for the clamping of a severed end of an umbilical cord and the automatic ejection of that clamped end. The device also provides for the cutting of an umbilical cord without using excessive force regardless of the size of the umbilical cord. Additionally, the device provides for the valved use of vacuum tubes to collect umbilical cord blood samples. Furthermore, the device enables the measurement of blood values at the moment of cutting the umbilical cord. Finally, the device also provides for the protection of users and others from exposure to sharps and blood.

Abstract: A transurethral radio frequency apparatus for ablation of the prostate gland through the urethra formed by a wall, a probe consisting of a flexible elongate tubular member with proximal and distal extremities and sized so as to be adapted to be inserted into the urethra, and an ablation electrode carried by the distal extremity of the flexible elongate member. The flexible elongate tubular member is provided with first and second flow lumens for delivering a cooled fluid to the ablation electrode to cool the same. Means are connected to the probe to supply a coolant solution to the probe, to supply radio frequency energy to the electrode while it is being cooled, and to monitor the temperature of the ablation electrode so that the ablation electrode is maintained at a temperature below a predetermined temperature to spare the urethral wall from irreversible damage from the radio frequency energy delivered to the ablation electrode.

Abstract: An elongated relatively thin longitudinally arcuately bowed disposable tongue depressor having the major portion of its length characterized by a transverse wide substantially V-shape and having a flesh adhesive texture on the respective end portions of its ventral surface.

Abstract: The invention herein described involves a clamp placed over the bridge of the nose to apply pressure over the fossa of the nasolacrimal sac, prior to ocular medication, to seal the nasolacrimal sac, and thereby prevent drainage of medicament away from the eye.

Abstract: An intravascular puncturing nozzle with an automatic no blood reflux mechanism. The mechanism includes a part (3) resiliently biased towards a position closing the passage (6) of the plastic nozzle (2), which position is automatically reached when the needle (4) puncturing the blood vessel is removed from such passage. The connector (5) on the serum equipment automatically opens the passage (6) when the said equipment is connected. The mechanism is applicable to intravascular puncturing nozzles to prevent the patient's blood from refluxing and coming into contact with the operator, thereby avoiding contagion, and in order not to put the sterility of the material used at stake.

Abstract: An endoscopic gripper consists of a guide tube with an operating device arranged at the proximal end and a pair of gripper jaws located at the distal end, which pair of gripper jaws are connected to each other by joint means in such a way that an opening and closing of the gripper jaws via tension or pressure means is made possible. Each of the gripper jaws is formed from segments and the segments are linked together by joints in such a way that a swivelling of the individual segments among each other between an unfolded position guaranteeing the operability of the gripper and a folded-together position is made possible. The segments are unfoldable by another tension means or by a pressure means after the positioning of the gripper at the surgical object.

Abstract: An endoscopic surgical apparatus is provided for enabling the surgeon to access directly the surgical site during an endoscopic procedure. The apparatus includes an opening extending longitudinally through the apparatus and being configured and dimensioned to receive a hand therethrough. A first plate engages against the outer surface of the abdominal wall. A second plate is spaced from the first plate and is movable between a first position and a second position wherein the second plate is in close cooperative alignment with the inner surface of the abdominal wall. An adjustment member is mounted to the second plate and actuates movement of the second plate between its first position and its second position. A first sealing member inhibits the flow of gas through said opening and is formed by a pair of overlapping seals. A flexible sleeve extends between the first and second plates and adjusts in length to accommodate various thicknesses of the abdominal wall.

Abstract: The surgical clip applicator has a pusher bar which positions the foremost clip from a clip carrier into a ready-to-fire position between the jaws prior to squeezing of the handles together. When the applicator is fired, the previously positioned surgical clip can be crimped about a vessel and when the jaws are released, a new clip is placed between the jaws for the next firing. A channel assembly moves over the jaws to close the jaws while the pusher bar is retracted into the clip carrier for delivering the foremost clip from the carrier upon release of the handles. A latch arrangement is provided for locking the channel asesmbly in place and the handles against movement should the clip carrier be empty.