Abstract: An end effector assembly of a tissue-resecting device includes an outer shaft, a drive wire, the distal cutting tip, a hub housing, and a driver. The outer shaft includes a distal end portion defining a window therethrough. The drive wire extends through the outer shaft. The distal cutting tip is disposed within the outer shaft and engaged with the distal end portion of the drive wire. The distal cutting tip at least partially overlaps the window. The hub housing is engaged with the proximal end portion of the outer shaft. The driver is disposed within the hub housing and engaged with the proximal end portion of the drive wire to driver rotation of the drive wire and distal cutting tip within and relative to the outer shaft. The driver defines an internal lumen and at least one lateral opening disposed in communication with the internal lumen.

Abstract: An endoscopic tissue resecting system that includes a reciprocating rotary surgical instrument for cutting tissue that includes a planetary gear assembly to vary rotational speed. A method of cutting and detaching tissue includes positioning an outer member such that tissue is located within a window in the outer member, engaging the tissue with an inner member, and simultaneously rotating at an increased speed relative to a rotary driver and translating the inner member to cut the tissue. A tangential cutting force is applied to the tissue with the inner member to mechanically cut and detach the tissue.

Abstract: Identifying a specular surface, such as a mirror, in a captured scene includes extracting, from one or more images of the scene, a set of natural features and generating, from the image, a set of synthesized “mirrored” features. One or more correspondences may be determined between the set of natural features in the image and the set of synthesized mirrored features. A first set of features are identified based on the determined one or more correspondences as representing a specular surface (e.g., a mirror) located in the scene, and then a geometry and/or location of the specular surface within the scene may be determined. For example, in some embodiments, the feature from a determined pair of corresponding features in a scene that is determined to be farther away from the device that captured the image(s) of the scene may be determined to be the feature lying on the specular surface.

Abstract: A medical device is disclosed that can help prevent an object existing in a body lumen from clogging a lumen of an elongated member. The medical device including an elongated member having a lumen extending in an axial direction; an insertion member inserted in the lumen of the elongated member on a distal side of the lumen; and a breaking member fixed on an inner surface of the elongated member such that a gap is formed between the insertion member and the breaking member in the lumen of the elongated member on the distal side, and wherein the breaking member exerts a shearing force or a stretching force to the object by rotating relative to the insertion member while the object is between the insertion member and the breaking member.

Abstract: A clot retrieval device that includes a proximal scaffolding section with a closed proximal end and an open distal end; an inner elongate member; and a distal scaffolding section with a closed proximal end and an open distal end element.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods and apparatus of treating the prostate. In many embodiments, at least a portion of the prostate is enucleated with a water jet, in order to decrease the invasiveness of the surgery. The access to the prostate can be provided with one or more of open surgical access, percutaneous access, or urethral access. The prostate can be enucleated such that an inner portion of the prostate comprising adenomatous tissue of the prostate is separated from a portion an outer the prostate comprising the capsule. In many embodiments, the patient is treated with energy of the water jet configured to separate the capsule from the inner tissue of the prostate and to inhibit cutting of blood vessels.

Abstract: A treatment system includes a guide sheath provided with a pre-curved portion that has been preliminarily curved in a direction intersecting a longitudinal axis at a distal end of a tubular sheath body having the longitudinal axis, and an overtube forming a first lumen through which the guide sheath is passed and a second lumen through which an endoscope is passed, in which a cross-sectional shape of an inner peripheral surface defining the first lumen has a shape configured to house the guide sheath in a state where the pre-curved portion remains curved.

Abstract: The disclosure provides valve prostheses and methods of installation. One embodiment of the prosthesis has a generally tubular body adapted for placement proximate a mitral annulus. The tubular body has a generally tubular upper portion adapted to substantially reside in the left atrium above the mitral annulus. The generally tubular upper portion has a first circumferential wall that is outwardly biased to urge against cardiac tissue of the left atrium. The tubular body also includes a lower portion extending downwardly from the generally tubular upper portion, the lower portion being configured to substantially reside in the left ventricle below the mitral annulus. The lower portion of this embodiment can be defined by an generally circumferential wall that extends downwardly from the generally tubular upper portion. The generally circumferential wall has a first circumferential end and a second circumferential end, and defines a circumferential extent therebetween.

Abstract: An articulating ultrasonic surgical end effector includes a clevis, a transducer housing pivotably coupled to the clevis, an ultrasonic transducer disposed within the transducer housing, a waveguide extending distally from the ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic blade disposed at the distal end of the waveguide, a shaft extending distally from the transducer housing about at least a portion of the ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm pivotably coupled to the shaft and movable relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a clamping position. Ultrasonic energy produced by the ultrasonic transducer is transmitted along the waveguide to the ultrasonic blade for treating tissue therewith.

Abstract: A method of providing retrograde perfusion of a patient's brain includes occluding a jugular vein of a subject at a jugular occlusion location, and passively shunting arterial blood from an artery of the subject to a location in the jugular vein distal to the jugular occlusion location.

Abstract: A suture passer includes a first shaft comprising a hollow tube and a distal portion located distally of a distal end of the hollow tube; a needle comprising a needle tip and a needle shaft translatably mounted in the hollow tube for passing a suture loaded holder through tissue positioned between the distal end of the hollow tube and the distal portion of the first shaft; an actuatable engagement located in the distal portion of the first shaft for retaining the suture loaded holder after the suture loaded holder has passed through the tissue; a sheath extending around an exterior of the needle shaft and translatable with the needle shaft for at least a portion of a stroke of the needle, wherein the sheath is moveable relative to the needle for actuating the engagement to an unlatched position to release the holder from the distal portion of the first shaft.

Abstract: A pacifier comprising a reusable suction part and at least one exchangeable housing part which are releasably connectable to each other, wherein said suction part comprises a nipple and a shield connected to each other, wherein said suction part comprises a passageway through which a fluid can pass from outside a mouth of a user of the pacifier to inside the mouth of the user of the pacifier, and wherein said suction part comprises at least one first connection device, and wherein said housing part comprises a housing and at least one second connection device which is releasably connectable to the at least one first connection device, wherein said housing comprises at least one heat and moisture exchanger (HME) device and/or at least one filter device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems are described for stent delivery and positioning to cover an access site. A stent delivery system may include a tubular member configured to advance through an access site and a primary constrainment member configured to releasably couple the stent to the tubular member. The stent delivery system may further include a secondary constrainment member at least partially disposed around the primary constrainment member, the stent, and the tubular member. In some cases, the tubular member and the primary constrainment member may be configured to reposition the stent within the body lumen after removal of the secondary constrainment member such that at least a portion of the stent covers the access site after withdrawal of the tubular member, the primary constrainment member, and the secondary constrainment member from the body lumen through the access site.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for removing a vascular occlusion, such as a clot, from a blood vessel. A tubular sheath is inserted into the vessel and a self-expanding Nitinol mesh filter is deployed from a distal end of the tubular sheath at a location proximal to a clot. An inner catheter is advanced through the tubular sheath and through the mesh filter for contacting the clot. An expandable agitation element is provided along a distal end portion of the inner catheter for cutting or chopping the clot, thereby facilitating removal of the clot and improving blood flow through the vessel. Resulting clot particles are captured by the mesh filter. Negative pressure may be applied along a proximal end portion of the sheath for aspirating remaining particles. Certain embodiments of the method are well-suited for treating deep vein thrombosis and do not require the use of thrombolytic drugs.

Abstract: A delivery system for a transcatheter heart valve (THV) to a subject is provided, the delivery system includes a delivery catheter housing the THV therein; an elongated member for receiving the THV thereon and having an accessory extending from the distal portion thereof, the accessory comprising a plurality of components for alignment with commissures of the THV during delivery of the THV, and a rotational member connected to the elongated member to rotate the accessory and THV together to align with a native or bioprosthetic valve commissure or valve leaflet at a desired angle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the intravascular treatment of clot material within a blood vessel of a human patient are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, engaging an interventional device of a catheter system with clot material in a blood vessel and withdrawing the interventional device and the portion of the clot material through a guide catheter. In some embodiments, the catheter system can include an attachment/valve member coupled to a proximal portion of the guide catheter, and the method can include unsealing the attachment/valve member to facilitate withdrawing the interventional device through the attachment/valve member without significant retention of clot material within the attachment/valve member. The method can further include resealing and aspirating the guide catheter before advancing another interventional device to the clot material to again engage and remove clot material from the blood vessel.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to systems and methods for artificially rendering images using viewpoint interpolation and extrapolation. According to particular embodiments, a method includes moving a set of control points perpendicular to a trajectory between a first frame and a second frame, where the first frame includes a first image captured from a first location and the second frame includes a second image captured from a second location. The set of control points is associated with a layer and each control point is moved based on an associated depth of the control point. The method also includes generating an artificially rendered image corresponding to a third location outside of the trajectory by extrapolating individual control points using the set of control points for the third location and extrapolating pixel locations using the individual control points.

Abstract: System and method for texturing a 3D surface using 2D images sourced from a plurality of imaging devices. System and method for applying a realistic texture to a model, based on texture found in one or more two-dimensional (2D) images of the object, with the texture covering the entire 3D model even if there are portions of the object that were invisible in the 2D image. System and method which does not require machine learning, is not incapable of blending between images, and which is not incapable of filling in portions of a 3D model that are invisible in the 2D image.

Abstract: An endoluminal access device including an outer sheath defining a lumen and a guide assembly. The guide assembly includes an expandable portion configured to be transitioned between a collapsed configuration having a first diameter and an expanded configuration having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter. The expandable portion includes a first arm defining a first lumen and an aperture in communication with the first lumen. The expandable portion is configured to expand outwardly from a central longitudinal axis when the expandable portion transitions to the expanded configuration and to deflect inwardly toward the central longitudinal axis when the expandable portion is transitioned to the collapsed configuration. The endoluminal access device further includes an endoluminal tool deliverable from the first lumen of the first arm and outwardly from the aperture of the first arm.

Abstract: A method and device for anchoring a length of self-retaining suture. The method of anchoring includes providing for an assembly having a length of self-retaining suture and a suture insertion device. The length of suture includes at least a portion of the length having a plurality of retainers thereon extending in a first direction. The insertion device has a length and a recess to receive a portion of the suture length. The method further includes placing a portion of the suture length in the recess and inserting the device into the body of a mammal until the recess reaches a predetermined location thereby forming an insertion pathway. The method further includes retrieving the insertion device from the body by moving the insertion device in a direction substantially opposed to the insertion pathway.