Patents Examined by Todd Manahan
  • Patent number: 8986318
    Abstract: A method for measuring the depth for installing a pedicle screw comprises utilizing a pedicle depth measuring apparatus which comprises an outer tubular member comprising a first end and a second end. A head member is joined to the second end. The head member comprises a base surface comprising an opening. An inner member is slidable within the outer tubular member. The inner member comprises a first end and a second end, the second end being slidable through the opening. The second end further comprises a marker disposed at a distal end. The marker comprises a material that is radiographically distinguishable, in which a placement of the marker within a cannulation of a patient's pedicle is observable. An indicator member is operable for indicating a distance between the marker and the base surface, in which the distance indicates a choice of a size of a pedicle screw for mitigating damage to the patient's nerve root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventor: Jeffrey Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 8986385
    Abstract: An expandable implant for treating bone preferably in a minimally invasive manner includes a preferably cylindrical core element extending along a longitudinal axis and preferably a plurality of nestable, expandable sleeves extending along a longitudinal axis for placement radially about the core element. The plurality of nestable sleeves are sequentially insertable over the core element in such a manner that a first nestable sleeve is inserted over the core element and each subsequently inserted nestable sleeve is received between the core element and the previously inserted nestable sleeve such that the insertion of each additional sleeve causes each previously inserted sleeve to outwardly expand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, LLC
    Inventor: Harry Thomas Hall
  • Patent number: 8979880
    Abstract: An endoscopic surgical device comprising a slotted clear cannula, a blade and a housing, wherein the cannula is attached to the housing, and wherein the blade is enclosed in the housing and is slidable into the cannula is disclosed. The blade is enclosed within the housing and cannula, and has a horizontally-oriented pushing component and a vertically-oriented cutting component that protrudes through the slot of the cannula. A method for a performing an operative procedure on a target tissue in a subject using the endoscopic surgical device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: A.M. Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Romi Mirza, Ather Mirza
  • Patent number: 8979934
    Abstract: An orthopedic implant comprising a substrate material adapted to provide the orthopedic implant. The implant has a primary friction area located on or integral with the substrate material. The primary friction area defining an engagement surface having a primary frictional feature. A secondary friction area is located on or integral with the engagement surface and defining a second frictional feature. The primary friction area and the secondary friction area defining a friction interface zone between the orthopedic implant and at least one bone. The secondary friction area increases a friction of the engagement surface and modulus of elasticity to enhance the frictional engagement between the engagement surface and the at least one bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: X-spine Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David Louis Kirschman
  • Patent number: 8974506
    Abstract: A medical device is provided, the device, for example, being implantable into a human or animal body or being an augmentation device for strengthening human or animal hard tissue for subsequent implantation of a separate implant. The device includes a sheath element suitable of being brought into contact, during a surgical operation, with live hard tissue and/or with hard tissue replacement material. The sheath element has a, for example, generally elongate shape and a longitudinal bore defining a longitudinal opening reaching from a proximal end of the sheath element into a distal direction, and a plurality of holes in a wall of the opening. Further, the device includes a liquefiable element that is insertable or inserted in the longitudinal opening and at least partly liquefiable by the impact of energy impinging from the proximal side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: SpineWelding AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wenger, Jörg Mayer
  • Patent number: 8968371
    Abstract: Devices and systems for repairing bone fractures and more specifically a fracture repair plate that provides for fixation of a metaphysis to the diaphysis of a long bone, for instance a fracture between the proximal humerus and the diaphysis of the humerus. The fracture repair system includes an implantable repair fracture repair plate and a bone anchor for fixing the fracture repair plate to a bone. In one embodiment, the fracture repair plate may also be adapted to serve as an anchor for a suture. The fracture repair system may also include a fracture reduction mechanism attachable to the fracture repair plate for imparting a controlled translational movement between two bone segments along a plane that lies substantially parallel to the surface of the bone to which the fracture repair plate is attached and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bone shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Shoulder Options, Inc.
    Inventor: C. Scott Humphrey
  • Patent number: 8968324
    Abstract: A targeting jig apparatus for targeting interlocking holes of an intramedullary nail. The targeting jig includes a support-arm extending substantially parallel to the intramedullary nail. A targeting mechanism including a pair of targeting mechanism drill-guide orifices is adjustably disposed on the support arm for aligning the targeting mechanism drill-guide orifice with the interlocking holes of the intramedullary nail. The targeting mechanism includes a saddle having a U-shape including a base and parallel legs that are slidable along the support-arm. A connection mechanism includes a horizontal slot on the support-arm aligned with a vertical slot on the targeting mechanism and a pivot screw extending through the slots for facilitating adjustment of the targeting mechanism relative to the support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kettering University
    Inventors: Patrick Atkinson, Adam Nicholas Garlock
  • Patent number: 8968191
    Abstract: An access assembly is provided. The access assembly includes a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular member including a threading extending at least a portion of an internal length of the tubular member. The access assembly further includes a first ring secured at the proximal end of the tubular member and a second ring secured at the distal end of the tubular member. The first ring and the second ring are expandable rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Russell Pribanic
  • Patent number: 8968356
    Abstract: A surgical instrument is disclosed. A rotation mechanism is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a handle assembly and effects rotation of an end effector. The rotation mechanism includes a first member including at least one magnet, and a second member including at least one magnet. The first member and the second member define a space therebetween. The articulation mechanism is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the handle assembly and effects articulation of the end effector. The articulation mechanism includes a plurality of tendons. Each tendon extends longitudinally through the space between the first member and the second member of the rotation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Peter M. Mueller
  • Patent number: 8968349
    Abstract: An acupressure appliance to apply pressure to body parts. The acupressure appliance includes a pair of curved rod-like pressure units and a connector connecting the pair of curved rod-like pressure units in a lateral direction. Each pressure unit includes a convex-curved segment of a chevron shape curved continuously in an axial direction, and the pair of curved rod-like pressure units are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Masao Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8961573
    Abstract: A fracture fixation system serves in repairing a comminuted humeral head of a humeral bone. The fracture fixation system includes a plate having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, one of a screw and a post, and at least one aperture for receiving the one of the screw and the post therethrough. The plate is secured to a portion of a humeral shaft of the humeral bone, and the one of the screw and the post is inserted through the at least one aperture through the plate. The portion of the comminuted humeral head is attached to the one of the screw and the post using at least one suture. The one of the screw and the post is rotated to wind the at least one suture therearound to reposition the portion of the comminuted humeral head relative to the portion of the humeral shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toby Orthopaedics, Inc.
    Inventor: Eduardo Gonzalez-Hernandez
  • Patent number: 8961528
    Abstract: An orthopaedic prosthetic inserter used for the implantation of double mobility cup implants is described. The inserter consists of a drive train, a C-shaped housing, and a prosthetic cup engaging subassembly. The subassembly comprises an impaction plate, a grasping plate and a domed nose. When activated by the drive train, a plurality of hook ends extending from the grasping plate latch onto the cup of the prosthetic to hold and manipulate the prosthetic cup during implantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Greatbatch Medical S.A.
    Inventor: Jonas Burgi
  • Patent number: 8956415
    Abstract: An implant and method for attaching to vertebral members with the implant including a plate and a cage. The plate is configured to be positioned against and anchored to the bodies of the vertebral members. The plate may also extend into the intervertebral space between the vertebral members. The cage extends outward from the plate and is positioned within the intervertebral space. The implant provides a low profile that is positionable between the bodies of the vertebral members and the lamina/pars/facet joint. The implant may be implanted utilizing a lateral access to the spine. The implant and method may further include just the plate without the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Cowan
  • Patent number: 8950410
    Abstract: A comb has a function for preventing slippage occurring when the comb is gripped, and allowing a user to remove a liquid adhered to the fingertips promptly. Further, the comb can be deformed flexibly. The comb has a concave-convex surface formed in a back face part of a comb main body, and the holes are formed in concave parts of the concave-convex surface. Curving surfaces are formed in side face parts on both sides of the comb main body, and through-holes communicating with the holes are formed in concave parts of the curving surface. When the user applies his/her fingers onto the back face part, the concave-convex surface and the holes function as a slippage preventing part. When applying the fingers onto the side face parts, the curving surface and the through-holes function as the slippage preventing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: PARK WAY Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-soo Park
  • Patent number: 8945233
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating a hip joint of a human patient by providing at least one hip joint surface, said hip joint comprising a caput femur and an acetabulum, said method comprising the steps of: cutting the skin of said human patient, dissecting an area of the pelvic bone on the opposite side from said acetabulum, creating a hole in said dissected area, said hole passing through said pelvic bone and into said hip joint of said human patient, and providing at least one hip joint surface to said hip joint, through said hole in said pelvic bone of said human patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventor: Peter Forsell
  • Patent number: 8945130
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tool attachment for medical applications, comprising: a connecting section which is at rest relative to the part of the bone while the part of the bone is being machined; at least one machining section for machining a part of the bone; a fastening facility for fastening the tool attachment to a control device, wherein the connecting section is designed to connect the tool attachment, such that it is stationary, to a tool attachment guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventor: Gregor Tuma
  • Patent number: 8945181
    Abstract: A suture retention device includes a stack of suture engaging members which can be provided by coils or other segments of a spring. A suture engages with the stack so as to permit travel of the retention device along the suture in one direction more facilely than travel along the suture in the other direction. The retention device can include a housing that encloses the spring or other stack structure, and the suture can pass from a first hole in the housing, through the suture engaging members, and to a second hole in the housing. A suture anchor can be attached to the suture, and the resulting assembly can be combined with a needle designed to introduce the anchor and suture into patient tissue, e.g. in the conduct of a gastropexy procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventors: James Taylor, Benjamin Fisher
  • Patent number: 8945227
    Abstract: A system and method for substantially simultaneous co-insertion of an implant, such as a cage and plate. An inserter is secured to the cage and plate and is used to hold the components while implanting the components during a surgical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: X-spine Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David Louis Kirschman
  • Patent number: 8945193
    Abstract: A system comprising a screw element having a generally cylindrical body having a bore or lumen therethrough and a plurality of fenestrations or windows through which biological material may be provided. The system comprises a tool for inserting the biological material into the screw element so that the biological material may extrude through the plurality of fenestrations or windows and through an aperture in the tip of the screw element thereby enabling providing a fusion mass across two adjacent facet bones or a facet joint wherein the screw itself provides both a fixation component and a screw component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: X-spine Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David Louis Kirschman
  • Patent number: 8940032
    Abstract: An orthopedic connection assembly is described that comprises a housing member for receiving an implant that is operably connected to a receiving member for receiving an anchor member. The connection assembly is configured to have a locking mechanism that secures and fixes the relative orientation between the implant and the anchor member. The connection assembly can comprise a plate member receivable within the housing member. When a securing member such as a set screw is introduced downwardly into the housing member to secure the implant, the securing member applies a lateral force to the plate member, which presses against an interference member within the receiving member. The interference member presses against the anchor member, such that the anchor member is fixed in a position relative to the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Harper