Abstract: A suturing apparatus comprises a pair of jaws. A bendable needle housed in one of the jaws is adapted to carry a suture. An optional suture receiver may be disposed adjacent to the opposite jaw. A transition block curves the needle and directs it in a direction generally unparallel to an axis of the carrying jaw. The needle may also be configured to retrieve a suture. A retaining mechanism holds a suture in place to be engaged by the needle. The jaw housing the needle may include a lateral opening through which the suture may be inserted. The needle may also include a lateral notch which may be aligned with lateral opening to receive the suture. An actuator coupled to the needle enables the user to move the needle proximally to align the notch with the lateral slot.

Abstract: This invention is a whole body massage tool with a base to support one or more uprights, which can be set in a multiplicity of configurations to provide adjustability whether intended use is for the body surface muscles or to reach muscles deep within the body structure. Embodiments of the self-massage tool provide a new and improved method of administering therapeutic pressure to the muscles of the body, utilizing gravity or body weight for energy. This invention is used for liberating muscles of pain, fear and memories (i.e. stress).

Abstract: An instrument for applying a suture to a trocar wound includes an obturator coupled to a central shaft and a coaxially disposed skin pressure plate. The obturator and skin pressure plate are movable relative to each other, and function together to position the tissue and needles relative to each other. The skin pressure plate is provided with two spaced apart needle guides. A pair of hollow needles, held in the guides of the pressure plate are coupled to a needle mounting plate which is movable over the central shaft. One of the needles is provided with a suture control mechanism for moving a suture through the needle and the other needle is provided with a snare control mechanism for moving a snare through the needle.

Abstract: A torsional ligation clip applier and method of use for endoscopic or laparoscopic vessel occlusion procedures is provided. The ligation clip includes a hub portion and ligation arms for occluding a vessel. Ligation arms are independently rotatable about a common axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ligation arms. The ligation arms are biased in a first position by a biasing mechanism. The ligation arms of the clip are rotatable through at least one of a plurality of positions wherein it has a larger diameter than an access device. An applier receives at least one ligating clip in a first position and delivers the ligating clip to a vessel in a second position. Occlusion of the vessel occurs when one of the ligation arms is rotated into a third position.

Abstract: An animal tag application apparatus is provided which comprises a body (1) and a pivoting lever (2). The lever (2) has attached thereto a push rod (3) and actuating member (4) which act as the operating means for both the applicator jaws which apply the tag (8) to the animal and a tag delivery means which pushes subsequent tags into the jaws. The delivery means comprises a toothed gear wheel (11) that is acted upon by ratchet mechanism to rotate the wheel and hence push the tags into the applicator jaws. A guide may also be provided to ensure smooth movement of the tags under the action of the delivery means. Thus, the operating means of the apparatus operates both the application of the tag and the delivery of the subsequent tag from a single operation of the lever (2). Tags adapted for use the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A catheter assembly and method includes a multi-lumen portion having a guide wire lumen and an inflation/deployment lumen. The guide wire lumen includes a distal guide wire lumen portion having a rapid exchange guide wire port, and a proximal guide wire lumen portion rotatable to selectively expose the rapid exchange guide wire port. The inflation/deployment lumen includes a rotatable seal which facilitates rotation of the proximal guide wire lumen portion.

Abstract: A skin resurfacing device for peeling the outermost layer of the skin for renewing the skin surface and repairing skin damage including a housing, a skin sensor, and a skin treater. The skin treater consists of an abrasive tip, a first end, a transparent portion, a first filter, and a second end, all of which are detachable and replaceable. The skin treater is connected to a vacuum source by a tubular hose. The vacuum provides both closeness of contact between the abrasive tip and the user's skin and the suctioning of skin debris peeled off. The skin treater, especially the abrasive tip are made with common material and mass production process so that they are disposable and economic.

Abstract: A minimally invasive surgical procedure is disclosed which includes the steps forming a fold of tissue, extending one or more needles through the fold of tissue, deploying a tissue fastener from an interior lumen of each of the needles, and retracting each of the needles from the fold of tissue such that the tissue fasteners remain deployed in the fold of tissue.

Abstract: A bone fixator for securing a first bone portion in a position relative to second bone portion is disclosed, including at least two clamping assemblies each for receiving at least one bone pin and a main body disposed between the clamping assemblies. The main body includes at least one joint for orienting the clamping assemblies with respect to each other. The at least one joint may permit pivoting or rotation. Some joints permit the articulation of several components to be simultaneously and releasably lockable.

Abstract: An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone are disclosed which permit a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and wherein the suturing material between the connective tissue and the bone anchor is oriented in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bone anchor, so that axial pull-out forces exerted on the bone anchor are minimized. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a substantial length of suturing material around a shaft of the anchor, thereby avoiding an eyelet connection which requires a knot and which concentrates stress on a very small portion of the suturing material. Thus, failure rates are greatly decreased over conventional techniques, and the inventive procedures are significantly easier to perform than conventional techniques.

Abstract: An elongate tubular body extends between a rotatable cutter and a control. The cutter is connected to the control with a rotatable element. A vacuum is applied through an annular passage defined between the tubular body and the rotatable element. The tubular body has a sufficiently small outside diameter and sufficient kink resistance and pushability to navigate through arteries such as the internal carotid artery.

Abstract: Blood removal system for removing blood for diagnostic purposes including a housing, a lancet guide, and a lancet drive with a drive spring. The lancet drive comprises a cocking device, in order to tension the drive spring, a drive rotor that is driven by the drive spring, and an output-side coupling mechanism, by means of which the rotational movement of the drive rotor is converted into the puncturing movement.

Abstract: Sanitary coupling for needle and mechanized punch for micropigmentation and tattooing, having a threaded bolt that can perform shuttle micromovements of the protruding sheaf of the casing of the mechanized punch to which the base of a needle is coupled. The bolt passes through the casing of the mechanized punch through an orifice located in a prolongation and/or sleeve thereof. The base of the needle consists of a disc-like body which on one of its faces presents a threaded orifice for coupling to the thread of the bolt, and its edge is extended to form a complementary overlapping skirt around the form of the prolongation of the sleeve of the casing. On the other face of the disc-like body a protruding portion is centered where the non-dismountable body of the needle is attached. The edges of the disc-like body extend to form a housing for fluid collection.

Abstract: A device for automatically providing needles to a sealing apparatus for sealing a puncture in an anatomical structure, the sealing apparatus including a needle insertion lumen and a needle pusher channel having a needle pusher disposed therein. The device may include a housing coupled to the sealing apparatus and a cartridge disposed in the housing. The cartridge has a first and a second needle slot extending from a distal end of the cartridge to a proximal end of the cartridge. The first and second needle slots have first and second needles disposed, e.g., pre-loaded, therein, respectively. The cartridge is moveable, such as by a biasing element, relative to the housing between a first position in which the first needle slot is aligned with the needle insertion lumen and the needle pushing channel, and a second position in which the second needle slot is aligned with the needle insertion lumen and the needle pushing channel.

Abstract: For suture tying in a medical procedure including the use of an anchor that includes a suture locking device that includes a sliding pin guided by axial side slots formed in the locking device that forces the suture where the two ends thereof are inserted into the interior of the suture locking mechanism to drive the captured suture and pin to fit into a recess on the top of the suture locking mechanism such that the top of the pin binds the suture against the upper inner surface of the recess. The recess can be serrated to enhance the locking capability and the pin is polygonal shaped to provide side surfaces that run parallel to the wall of the recess to assure that the side portion of the pin does not fracture the suture and cause it to weaken. The locking of the suture is automatic upon the deployment of the anchor which actuates the pin into the locking position, thus eliminating the necessity of manually knotting the suture and improving the cinching of the tissue to the bone.