Abstract: A system includes a handpiece and a removable tool assembly including a holder body, a shaft, a medical tool, a guard, and a sleeve. The body engages the handpiece and defines a bore. The shaft extends within the bore and the tool is provided to the distal end of the shaft. The guard is coupled to the body via a snap fit connection at the bore and may be friction fit to a bearing sleeve located between the guard and the shaft, such that longitudinal translation of the guard relative to the body longitudinally displaces the guard. The shaft extends within the bore of the body and the guard. The guard is positioned relative to the body by a distance to define a working length of the tool between the distal end of the guard and the distal tip of the tool. The working length of the tool may be used to cut tissue, without concern that cutting will be deeper than intended.

Abstract: A cleaning system includes a surgical tool assembly having a longitudinal shaft and a sleeve surrounding the longitudinal shaft. The system includes an injector head and body that receive the assembly. The head has an inlet coupling that fluidly couples to a pressurized fluid source. The body couples to the head to house the assembly between the head and the body. The body has an outlet coupling to fluidly couple to a vacuum source. When the assembly is housed between the head and the body, at least one fluid pathway is formed between the inlet coupling, the head, the shaft and the sleeve, the body, and the outlet coupling. A positive pressure fluid source is coupled to the inlet coupling and a vacuum source is connected to the outlet coupling to establish a pressure differential across the fluid pathway sufficient to draw the fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A system includes a handpiece and a removable tool assembly including a holder body, a shaft, a medical tool, a guard, and a sleeve. The body engages the handpiece and defines a bore. The shaft extends within the bore and the tool is provided to the distal end of the shaft. The guard is coupled to the body via a snap fit connection at the bore and may be friction fit to a bearing sleeve located between the guard and the shaft, such that longitudinal translation of the guard relative to the body longitudinally displaces the guard. The shaft extends within the bore of the body and the guard. The guard is positioned relative to the body by a distance to define a working length of the tool between the distal end of the guard and the distal tip of the tool. The working length of the tool may be used to cut tissue, without concern that cutting will be deeper than intended.

Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis is adjustable in length and temporarily and resiliently adjustable in angular orientation. The prosthesis includes a head for contacting a tympanic membrane, and a resilient sleeve is mounted within the head. An elongate shaft extends through the sleeve, and includes a distal end adapted to engage a footplate or stapes. The sleeve forms a resilient joint that allows the shaft to undergo an angular motion relative to the sleeve when subject to a non-axial force, and then subsequently return to its original position after the force is removed. The sleeve may also be longitudinally displaceable within the head of the prosthesis such that the shaft can undergo a damped linear motion. Also as a result of the arrangement of the sleeve, the prosthesis is adjustable to a very short length.

Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis is adjustable in length and temporarily and resiliently adjustable in angular orientation. The prosthesis includes a head for contacting a tympanic membrane, and a resilient sleeve is mounted within the head. An elongate shaft extends through the sleeve, and includes a distal end adapted to engage a footplate or stapes. The sleeve forms a resilient joint that allows the shaft to undergo an angular motion relative to the sleeve when subject to a non-axial force, and then subsequently return to its original position after the force is removed. The sleeve may also be longitudinally displaceable within the head of the prosthesis such that the shaft can undergo a damped linear motion. Also as a result of the arrangement of the sleeve, the prosthesis is adjustable to a very short length.

Abstract: A cleaning system includes a surgical tool assembly having a longitudinal shaft and a sleeve surrounding the longitudinal shaft. The system includes an injector head and body that receive the assembly. The head has an inlet coupling that fluidly couples to a pressurized fluid source. The body couples to the head to house the assembly between the head and the body. The body has an outlet coupling to fluidly couple to a vacuum source. When the assembly is housed between the head and the body, at least one fluid pathway is formed between the inlet coupling, the head, the shaft and the sleeve, the body, and the outlet coupling. A positive pressure fluid source is coupled to the inlet coupling and a vacuum source is connected to the outlet coupling to establish a pressure differential across the fluid pathway sufficient to draw the fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A system includes a handpiece and a removable tool assembly including a holder body, a shaft, a cutting bur, a guard, and a sleeve. The body engages the handpiece and defines a bore. The shaft extends within the bore and the bur is provided to the distal end of the shaft. The guard is coupled to the body via a threaded mating at the bore, such that rotation of the guard relative to the body longitudinally displaces the guard. The extends within the bore of the body and the guard. The guard is positioned relative to the body by a distance to define a working length of the bur between the distal end of the guard and the distal tip of the bur. The working length of the bur is used to cut tissue, without concern that cutting will be deeper than intended.

Abstract: A system includes a handpiece and a removable tool assembly including a holder body, a shaft, a cutting bur, a guard, and a sleeve. The body engages the handpiece and defines a bore. The shaft extends within the bore and the bur is provided to the distal end of the shaft. The guard is coupled to the body via a threaded mating at the bore, such that rotation of the guard relative to the body longitudinally displaces the guard. The extends within the bore of the body and the guard. The guard is positioned relative to the body by a distance to define a working length of the bur between the distal end of the guard and the distal tip of the bur. The working length of the bur is used to cut tissue, without concern that cutting will be deeper than intended.

Abstract: A suction activated instrumentation system for use in implanting an ossicular prosthesis into the middle ear includes a suction handpiece and a vacuum source. A removable suction tip is coupled to the handpiece for engaging an ossicular prosthesis. The suction tip includes a distal portion with an elongate slot opening at an end face, and two arms defined at the end face. When suction is applied through the suction tip, the prosthesis is drawn against the end face and retained between the arms. In the event the prosthesis is inadvertently contacted during implantation, the suction tip provides for self-correction, causing a prosthesis to re-orient into the prior intended configuration.

Abstract: A system is provided for stabilized total ossicular replacement in a middle ear having an intact stapes with a capitulum and a footplate. The system includes an ossicular replacement prosthesis including with elongate shaft and a head coupled to the shaft, and a stabilizer that couples the prosthesis to the stapes. The stabilizer has a first portion with a first opening and a second portion with a second opening, said first opening sized to stably engage the shaft of the prosthesis, and said second opening sized to stably engage the capitulum. When the shaft and capitulum are engaged they are retained in an side-by side configuration. The stabilizer may be constructed of an elastic polymer, an elastic metal alloy, a plastic material or a shape memory material.

Abstract: A suction activated instrumentation system for use in implanting an ossicular prosthesis into the middle ear includes a suction handpiece and a vacuum source. A removable suction tip is coupled to the handpiece for engaging an ossicular prosthesis. The suction tip includes a distal portion with an elongate slot opening at an end face, and two arms defined at the end face. When suction is applied through the suction tip, the prosthesis is drawn against the end face and retained between the arms. In the event the prosthesis is inadvertently contacted during implantation, the suction tip provides for self-correction, causing a prosthesis to re-orient into the prior intended configuration.

Abstract: A medical instrument for use on a patient. The medical instrument includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, an electric motor mounted to the housing having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis, a drive magnet fixed to the drive shaft of said motor which rotates with the drive shaft about the drive axis, and a tool assembly coupled to the housing via a tool mount. The tool mount orients the tool assembly relative to the housing whereby guided rotational, translational, and/or oscillary motion of a tool within the tool assembly is achieved via the structure of the tool mount in conjunction with a magnetic coupling between magnets attached to both the motor and the tool.

Abstract: A method of altering a medical implant having a shape memory portion includes the use of a probe having a tip provided with an induction coil. The induction coil is electrically coupled to an induction power supply. The induction coil is inserted into the mammalian body. The power supply is activated at a suitable frequency to cause the induction coil to generate a magnetic field, wherein such magnetic field induces eddy currents in the shape memory portion of the implant which are sufficient to heat the shape memory portion of the implant to a phase transformation temperature to effect shape change of the implant.

Abstract: A system is provided for stabilized total ossicular replacement in a middle ear having an intact stapes with a capitulum and a footplate. The system includes an ossicular replacement prosthesis including with elongate shaft and a head coupled to the shaft, and a stabilizer that couples the prosthesis to the stapes. The stabilizer has a first portion with a first opening and a second portion with a second opening, said first opening sized to stably engage the shaft of the prosthesis, and said second opening sized to stably engage the capitulum. When the shaft and capitulum are engaged they are retained in an side-by side configuration. The stabilizer may be constructed of an elastic polymer, an elastic metal alloy, a plastic material or a shape memory material.

Abstract: A middle ear prosthesis comprises a body of deformable material capable of retaining different shapes. The body comprises a slotted wall defining a cavity for receiving a bone of the middle ear. The wall is deformable proximate slots in the wall between an open position for receiving the bone and a closed position wherein the body is reshaped to grasp the bone.

Abstract: A method of altering a medical implant having a shape memory portion includes the use of a probe having a tip provided with an induction coil. The induction coil is electrically coupled to an induction power supply. The induction coil is inserted into the mammalian body. The power supply is activated at a suitable frequency to cause the induction coil to generate a magnetic field, wherein such magnetic field induces eddy currents in the shape memory portion of the implant which are sufficient to heat the shape memory portion of the implant to a phase transformation temperature to effect shape change of the implant.

Abstract: A middle ear prosthesis comprises a body of deformable material capable of retaining different shapes. The body comprises a slotted wall defining a cavity for receiving a bone of the middle ear. The wall is deformable proximate slots in the wall between an open position for receiving the bone and a closed position wherein the body is reshaped to grasp the bone.

Abstract: A middle ear prosthesis comprises a body of deformable material capable of retaining different shapes. The body comprises a slotted wall defining a cavity for receiving a bone of the middle ear. The wall is deformable proximate slots in the wall between an open position for receiving the bone and a closed position wherein the body is reshaped to grasp the bone.

Abstract: A medical instrument for use on a patient. The medical instrument includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, an electric motor mounted to the housing having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis, a drive magnet fixed to the drive shaft of said motor which rotates with the drive shaft about the drive axis, and a tool assembly coupled to the housing via a tool mount. The tool mount orients the tool assembly relative to the housing whereby guided rotational, translational, and/or oscillary motion of a tool within the tool assembly is achieved via the structure of the tool mount in conjunction with a magnetic coupling between magnets attached to both the motor and the tool.

Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis delivery system having an ossicular prosthesis including an enlarged head and a shaft axially, moveably mounted to the head to adjust shaft length. An elongate main body having an operating portion, including a cylindrical through bore, connected to an adjusting portion, including a generally semi-cylindrical upwardly opening channel coaxial with the bore. An end wall at a distal end of the adjusting portion includes a through passage coaxial with the channel and an upwardly opening cavity. An elongate cylindrical plunger has a claw at one end. The plunger is received in the bore with the claw in the channel and an opposite end extending outwardly of the operating portion. The ossicular prosthesis' shaft is positioned in the channel with the head received in the cavity and the plunger is rotatable in the bore to capture the shaft and is reciprocally moveable in the bore to adjust shaft length of the ossicular prosthesis.