Abstract: An ear-piercing device of a gun shape that can pierce an ear lobe quickly with less pain. The ear-piercing device includes a frame, a handle, and a plunger unit coupled to the frame. The plunger unit includes a plunger and a compression spring. A cartridge can interchangeably be coupled to the frame, wherein the cartridge includes a piercing member that can be driven by the plunger and protrudes from the housing into a compression module. The housing and compression module can clamp the ear lobe, and the piercing member can make a hole in the ear lobe. The compression module can include a cutter to snip off the portion of the piercing member inserted into the compression module. The piercing member includes a sleeve part and a needle part. The needle part makes the hole and the needle part and portion of the sleeve get snip off, while a portion of the sleeve is retained in the ear lobe.

Abstract: An operation system, a surgical system, a control device, a distortion generating body, a surgical instrument and the like for detecting a force acting on an end effector are provided. The surgical system includes an arm including one or more links, an end effector arranged at a tip end of the arm, a first distortion detecting unit that detects distortion generated in the end effector, a second distortion detecting unit that detects distortion generated in the link, and a processing unit that calculates a force acting on the end effector in a living body on the basis of detection results of the first distortion detecting unit and the second distortion detecting unit.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices and methods to assist in the introduction of an instrument into a patient, and more particularly to medical devices for measuring and/or monitoring forces applied during introduction of an access sheath through a body lumen.

Abstract: A vascular filter system for deploying a vascular filter utilizes a plurality of tensors that extend radially outward from a deployment sheath. The ends of the tensors are coupled with an attachment ring of the vascular filter and a plurality of attachment barbs are coupled with the attachment ring for securing the filter to the vessel wall. A method for retrieving the vascular filter from the vessel utilizes a reverse curve catheter, a guidewire that extends therethrough and an intravascular snare. The guidewire is advanced around the filter and into the snare which secures the guidewire around the filter for retrieval. A vessel distention device utilizes one or more distention tensors having a distention feature on the extended end, such as a blunt tip, to press on the inside vessel wall. The distention tensors extend out radially from a sheath to press on the vessel wall.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

Abstract: A bio-absorbable implant is configured to bear radially outwardly against a Eustachian tube of a patient. The implant includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion includes an array of dilating bodies and a tether assembly. The dilating bodies are formed of a bio-absorbable material and are dimensioned to bear radially outwardly against the Eustachian tube of the patient. The tether assembly connects adjacent dilating bodies of the array of dilating bodies. The tether assembly is configured to allow restricted movement of the array of dilating bodies to thereby change the longitudinal profile of the proximal portion. The distal portion includes an anchor assembly that is configured to secure the bio-absorbable implant in the Eustachian tube of the patient.

Abstract: A clot capture catheter comprises an elongate tubular shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and an inflatable expansile member at the distal end. The expansile member is inflatable from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the expansile member extends to define a funnel shape having an enlarged distal clot entry mouth at the distal-most end of the catheter. In the expanded configuration, the expansile member may extend distally beyond the distalmost tip of the shaft. The expansile member may be integral with the distal tip of the catheter shaft.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices, systems, and methods for tissue resection in a body lumen of a patient, and may include an elongate body having a cavity at a distal end and a tissue retractor extendable distally from the distal end of the elongate body. The tissue retractor may include an expansion mechanism. The expansion mechanism may include a plurality of arms each having a first end coupled around a distal cap and expandable radially outward from the distal cap such that an anchoring mechanism on a second end of the arms is engageable with selected tissue for resection of the body lumen. The tissue resection device may further include a tissue resecting device.

Abstract: A medical elongated body is disclosed that suppresses elongation in an axial direction while maintaining high flexibility and has high torque transmission capability even in a bent state. The medical elongated body includes a tube shaped body. The tube shaped body has a slit extending in a spiral shape while meandering, the slit is formed from a pair of a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface, the first opposing surface forms a first convex portion, the first convex portion has a first wide portion having a width wider in a circumferential direction Y, the second opposing surface forms a first concave portion which surrounds and accommodates the first wide portion, the first convex portion has a first plane portion and a first side portion connected to both end portions, and in a circumferential developed view, the first side portion and the first plane portion have tangential discontinuity.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include device for chordae tendineae repair. The device may include a flexible cord having a first end and a second end; and a helical wire configured to attach to one of the first end and the second end of the flexible cord and anchor the flexible cord to a leaflet of a heart valve; and a capture device having a channel and configured to clamp the leaflet of the heart valve and deliver the flexible cord through the channel to anchor the helical wire to the leaflet.

Abstract: A tissue-resecting end effector assembly includes an outer shaft having a hub housing disposed about a proximal end portion thereof, an inner shaft rotatably disposed within the outer shaft and having a distal driver disposed about a proximal end portion thereof, a proximal driver, a retainer cap, and an RFID chip. The proximal driver is slidably coupled to the distal driver in fixed rotational orientation. The retainer cap is fixedly engaged with the hub housing, thereby fixing the retainer cap relative to the hub housing and the outer shaft. The retainer cap is configured to selectively lock the proximal driver in fixed rotational orientation, thereby selectively locking the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft. The RFID chip is disposed within a pocket of the retainer cap that is closed upon engagement of the retainer cap with the hub housing, thereby retaining the RFID chip therein.

Abstract: A medical device system may include an elongate shaft having a lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end, a release wire disposed within the lumen of the elongate shaft configured to releasably attach a medical device to the distal end of the elongate shaft, and a securement member releasably coupled to the proximal end of the elongate shaft and fixedly attached to a proximal end of the release wire. A proximal portion of the securement member may be configured to translate proximally away from the proximal end of the elongate shaft upon application of a proximally-directed force to the proximal portion of the securement member and radially inward directed force to the distal portion of the securement member while the elongate shaft is maintained in a fixed position.

Abstract: Disclosed are puncture sealing systems and methods of locating a puncture site within a vessel. The systems can include elongated dilators and access sheaths that are configured to locate the puncture site within a vessel so that the position of the puncture site relative to a distal end of the access sheath is known during a puncture sealing procedure.

Abstract: A computer-assisted medical system comprises a flexible elongate instrument. The flexible elongate instrument comprises a plurality of wires extending from a proximal end of the flexible elongate instrument to a distal end of the flexible elongate instrument. Each wire of the plurality of wires may be used to steer the distal end. The system also comprises a control system coupled to the flexible elongate instrument. The control system is configured to monitor movement of the flexible elongate instrument along a longitudinal central axis and determine an extent of motion of the flexible elongate instrument in a first direction along the longitudinal central axis based on the monitoring. The control system is also configured to alter a rigidity of the flexible elongate instrument based on a rigidity profile relative to the extent of motion by adjusting one or more forces applied by the plurality of wires to the distal end of the flexible elongate instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus including a frame, where the frame includes a user handle, a motor receiving area, and a first aperture through the frame into the motor receiving area, where the motor receiving area is configured to removably receive a cannulated motor assembly therein; and a first seal located proximate the first aperture through the frame, where the first seal is configured to form a seal between the cannulated motor assembly and the frame when the cannulated motor assembly is in the motor receiving area.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating heart disease by increasing the pulmonary vascular compliance and thereby decreasing the right ventricular afterload are disclosed. Devices may include a means for reducing the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary artery during diastole and allowing the cross-sectional area to increase during systole.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved suction catheter that increases the effectiveness of clearing the airway by way of non-limiting example, reducing the need for separate suctioning and foreign body grasping instruments. The embodiments described herein provide medical personnel the ability to use one hand and catheter to selectively grasp an anatomically lodged foreign body while reducing the likelihood of lumen blockage and interruption of suction.

Abstract: An automated suturing adapter is disclosed. The automated suturing adapter has a target and a snare loop supported by the target. The automated suturing adapter also has a ferrule and a snare extension between the snare loop and the ferrule. An assembly is also disclosed. The assembly includes a cassette. The cassette has a housing defining a suturing gap. The cassette also has a needle stored in the housing proximal to the suturing gap. The cassette further has a ferrule holder distal to the suturing gap. The assembly also includes a target and a snare loop supported by the target. The assembly further includes a ferrule held in the ferrule holder and a snare extension between the snare loop and the ferrule.

Abstract: A robotic surgical assembly includes a drive assembly and a shaft assembly. The drive assembly is detachably mountable to a surgical robot and includes roll, pitch, and clamp/fire inputs configured to drivingly couple with respective outputs of the surgical robot. The shaft assembly is mounted to the drive assembly and configured to detachably couple with a stapler reload assembly that includes a reload roll shaft, a reload pitch shaft, and a reload clamp/fire shaft. The shaft assembly includes a roll shaft, a pitch shaft, and a clamp/fire shaft. The roll shaft is drivingly coupled with the roll input and configured to detachably couple to the reload roll shaft. The pitch shaft is drivingly coupled with the pitch input and configured to detachably couple to the reload pitch shaft. The clamp/fire shaft is drivingly coupled with the clamp/fire input and configured to detachably couple to the reload clamp/fire shaft.

Abstract: A stent delivery system includes a self expanding stent positioned about a distal support segment of a catheter, which includes a proximal segment. A constraint has a wrapped configuration, which has a hollow elongated shape, and an unwrapped configuration, which is a continuous length of a strip. The stent is in contact with, and held in a compressed state by, the constraint in the wrapped configuration, and the stent is in an expanded state out of contact with the constraint in the unwrapped configuration. The constraint may move from the wrapped configuration toward the unwrapped configuration responsive to tension in a control line connected to one end of the strip.