Abstract: Surgical trays and tools for use in hip revision surgery wherein the implanted prosthesis is a reverse prosthesis comprising an acetabular ball and a femoral cup. A set of trays is provided having tools for i) separating a femoral cup from an acetabular ball, ii) separating a femoral cup from a femoral implant and iii) separating an acetabular ball from an acetabular cup. A tool for removing an acetabular cup from an acetabulum is also described. A surgical method is also provided wherein the acetabular ball and femoral cup are separated first followed by, in any order, separating the femoral cup from the femoral implant and separating the acetabular ball from the acetabular cup.

Abstract: Surgical trays, tools and methods for use in hip replacement surgery wherein the hip replacement prosthesis is a reverse hip prosthesis. The trial components, specialized tools and methods of the invention enable a surgeon to identify the optimum components of the reverse hip prosthesis for implantation in a patient based on the sizes and angles best adapted to the patent's anatomy.

Abstract: When an acetabular cup used in hip replacement surgery is to be affixed to the acetabulum using screws, the drill guide instruments of the invention are used to position a drill bit so that the screw holes drilled in the acetabulum are properly placed for optimum implantation of the acetabular cup. The drill guide is locked into the acetabular cup by spring loaded pins which position the guide over holes in the cup which accommodate the screws. The guide is used to position the drill bits and allow drilling. After drilling the guide is removed.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for separating a femoral cup or a femoral ball from a femoral implant wherein the cup or ball is affixed to the implant by means of a Morse taper. A tapered wedge in the form of a two pronged fork is provided at the distal end of the instrument for placement between the cup or ball and the femoral implant. Then the proximal end of the instrument is struck with a hammer to separate the cup or ball from the femoral implant. The surgical instrument of the invention enables a surgeon to remove the cup or ball without pulling on the femoral implant and, thereby, without disrupting any bone ingrowth in the implanted femoral implant.

Abstract: A surgical tool and method used to extract an acetabular cup from an acetabulum with minimal or no bone damage even if there has been significant bone ingrowth prior to the extraction process. The tool is designed for use with a reverse hip prosthesis wherein the acetabular cup comprises a stem extending from its concave surface and an acetabular ball is affixed to the stem. The tool is rotated on the ball and a blade is thereby caused to rotate adjacent or in close proximity to a convex surface of the cup in a position between the acetabular bone and the cup, thereby separating the cup from the bone.

Abstract: Surgical tools which are used to separate from one another a femoral cup and an acetabular ball in an implanted hip replacement prosthesis. At its distal end, elements of the surgical tool engage the femoral cup and the acetabular cup. When proximal handles of the tool are squeezed toward one another, the engagement elements move away from one another. Thus, a surgeon is able to separate the femoral cup and the accetabular ball from one another without pulling the acetabular cup away from the acetabulum or the femoral cup and/or femoral implant away from the femur, thereby accomplishing the separation without disrupting any bone ingrowth.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide devices and associated methods for treating spinal disease by implanting one or more interspinous process spacing devices. In one embodiment, an interspinous process spacing device includes a first attachment side, a second attachment side, a spacer tray, and a securing means. The spacer tray extends from the first attachment side and is slideably insertable through a spacer tray slot formed in the second attachment side. The spacer tray is adapted to be positioned between a spinous process of a first vertebra and a spinous process of an adjacent second vertebra, and the spacer tray includes a trough formed in a top surface of the spacer tray. The securing means is configured to engage the trough of the spacer tray to secure the second attachment side relative to the first attachment side.

Abstract: Vaporizers are provided. A representative vaporizer includes multiple ovens, multiple valve seats, a needle valve, and an adjustment wheel. The multiple ovens are configured to vaporize a substance that is placed within the multiple chambers. The multiple valve seats that are coupled to the multiple ovens and each includes a valve chamber, outside air path, and oven path, wherein the multiple valve seats is configured to allow outside air to enter the multiple valve seat from the outside air path through the valve chamber and the oven path and into the multiple ovens. The needle valve that is rotatably received in the valve chambers of the multiple valves. The adjustment wheel that includes a thread bore, wherein the threads of the needle valve is rotatably received in the thread bore, wherein the adjustment wheel rotates and moves the needle valve to adjust the opening of the valve chambers, which adjusts the amount of air entering the multiple ovens.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide devices and associated methods for treating spinal disease by implanting one or more interspinous process spacing devices. In one embodiment, an interspinous process spacing device includes a first attachment side, a second attachment side, a spacer tray, and a securing means. The spacer tray extends from the first attachment side and is slideably insertable through a spacer tray slot formed in the second attachment side. The spacer tray is adapted to be positioned between a spinous process of a first vertebra and a spinous process of an adjacent second vertebra, and the spacer tray includes a trough formed in a top surface of the spacer tray. The securing means is configured to engage the trough of the spacer tray to secure the second attachment side relative to the first attachment side.

Abstract: New surgical instruments and methods used to implant elements of a reverse hip prosthesis in a patient are described. The instruments are impactors which are struck with a hammer at their proximal ends after the instrument has been used to position the implant element in the patient. An acetabular cup impactor has inclination and anteversion rods which are used to position the acetabular cup optimally in the acetabulum. An acetabular ball impactor affixes the acetabular ball in the acetabular cup by means of a Morse taper. And a femoral cup impactor affixes the femoral cup in the femoral stem by means of a Morse taper.

Abstract: An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte, such as blood glucose. An inserter having a retractable introducer is provided for subcutaneously implanting the sensor in a predictable and reliable fashion.

Abstract: Vaporizers are provided. A representative vaporizer includes a power source; a heating element that is electrically coupled to the power source; multiple chambers that are coupled to the heating element and are configured to vaporize a substance that is placed within the multiple chambers; an inner tube that is coupled to the multiple chambers and is configured to allow the vaporized substance to exit therefrom; and a housing that houses the power source, heating element, inner tube, and multiple chambers.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide devices and associated methods for treating spinal disease by implanting one or more interspinous process spacing devices. In one embodiment, an interspinous process spacing device includes a first attachment side, a second attachment side, a spacer tray, and a securing means. The spacer tray extends from the first attachment side and is slideably insertable through a spacer tray slot formed in the second attachment side. The spacer tray is adapted to be positioned between a spinous process of a first vertebra and a spinous process of an adjacent second vertebra, and the spacer tray includes a trough formed in a top surface of the spacer tray. The securing means is configured to engage the trough of the spacer tray to secure the second attachment side relative to the first attachment side.

Abstract: Vaporizers are provided. A representative vaporizer includes a power source; a heating element that is electrically coupled to the power source; multiple chambers that are coupled to the heating element and are configured to vaporize a substance that is placed within the multiple chambers; an inner tube that is coupled to the multiple chambers and is configured to allow the vaporized substance to exit therefrom; and a housing that houses the power source, heating element, inner tube, and multiple chambers.

Abstract: A representative vaporizer includes a main body assembly that includes the following: a power source, and a heating element that is electrically coupled to the power source; a cartridge assembly having at least one chamber that is coupled to the heating element and is configured to facilitate vaporizing a substance that is placed within the at least one chamber; a swivel hub that is attached to the main body assembly; and a swivel structure that extends from the cartridge assembly and couples to the swivel hub enabling the cartridge assembly to revolve around the main body assembly.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide devices and associated methods for treating spinal disease by implanting one or more interspinous process spacing devices. In one embodiment, an interspinous process spacing device includes a first attachment side, a second attachment side, a spacer tray, and a securing means. The spacer tray extends from the first attachment side and is slideably insertable through a spacer tray slot formed in the second attachment side. The spacer tray is adapted to be positioned between a spinous process of a first vertebra and a spinous process of an adjacent second vertebra, and the spacer tray includes a trough formed in a top surface of the spacer tray. The securing means is configured to engage the trough of the spacer tray to secure the second attachment side relative to the first attachment side.

Abstract: A rasp tool for preparing an implantation site includes a first arm, a second arm, a first wing, and a second wing. The first arm and the second arm are pivotally connected to one another. The first wing extends from a distal end of the first arm and includes a sharp tip positioned at a distal end of the first wing and configured to ease insertion into the implantation site, and a cutout defined along a first side of the first wing. The second wing extends from a distal end of the second arm. The first wing and the second wing are configured to move between a closed position and an open position by pivoting the first arm and the second arm, and the second wing is received at least partially within the cutout when the first wing and the second wing are in the closed position.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide devices and associated methods for treating spinal disease by implanting one or more interspinous process spacing devices. In one embodiment, an interspinous process spacing device includes a first attachment side, a second attachment side, a spacer tray, and a securing means. The spacer tray extends from the first attachment side and is slideably insertable through a spacer tray slot formed in the second attachment side. The spacer tray is adapted to be positioned between a spinous process of a first vertebra and a spinous process of an adjacent second vertebra, and the spacer tray includes a trough formed in a top surface of the spacer tray. The securing means is configured to engage the trough of the spacer tray to secure the second attachment side relative to the first attachment side.

Abstract: Electrical connectors including a cable clamp (e.g., having a first clamp portion, a second clamp portion, and a hinge coupled to the first and second clamp portions such that the first and second clamp portions are movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position in which the first and second clamp portions define a cable passageway), and a piercing conductor configured to place a fixture wire into electrical communication with an electrical cable disposed within the cable passageway. In at least some of these electrical connectors, a longitudinal axis of the cable passageway is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cable clamp when the first and second clamp portions are in the closed position. In at least some of these electrical connectors, at least one of the clamp portions comprises a flexible sidewall that at least partially defines the cable passageway.