Abstract: A drainage device and method of draining a biological fluid from the body of a patient is disclosed. The drainage device includes a drainage tube, a pressure relief assembly, a cleaner assembly, and a housing. The drainage tube includes an array of apertures in it through which biological fluid from the patient can flow for collection by a collection canister. The cleaner assembly includes a squeegee unit configured to be pulled in a proximal direction from a distally located position in the drainage tube to scrape any biological material adhering on the inner surface of the drainage tube and carry it to the collection canister. The pressure relief assembly serves to equalize the pressure in the drainage tube as it is being cleaned. The squeegee unit also acts as a pressure relief valve to equalize the pressure within the drainage tube when the squeegee unit is retracted back to its distally located position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement with the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement with the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the removal of a tissue specimen from a patient is disclosed. The system includes a bag or pouch, a tissue cutter device, a support and a stabilizer. The tissue cutter device includes a passer, a wire, and a handle. The support is an elongated member. The passer is an elongated member configured to be coupled to the support and introduced as a temporary unit into the mouth of the bag or pouch in the patient's body holding the tissue specimen. The wire is attached to the passer. The temporary unit is configured to pass around the tissue specimen and out of the opening in the bag or pouch to carry the wire through that path so that a distal portion of the wire and a proximal portion of the wire are outside the patient's body. Those portions of the wire can be pulled to cut into the tissue specimen. The stabilizer holds the tissue specimen as the wire cuts into it.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: Entrapment and collection systems and method of entrapping and collecting biologic material produced on a patient are disclosed. The systems include a collection bag which formed of a flexible sheet material having a hollow interior, a first mouth and a second mouth. The first mouth is openable to enable the biological structure to be disposed in the hollow interior and to enable a removal instrument, e.g., a morcellator, to be introduced therethrough to engage the biologic structure to effect a procedure on it. The second mouth enables a viewing instrument to be extended through it for visualizing the procedure and is closeable by a drawstring to entrap biologic material produced by the procedure after the removal instrument and viewing instrument have been removed, whereupon the collection bag may be withdrawn from the body of the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating the removal of a tissue specimen from a patient are disclosed. The systems include a bag or pouch, a tissue cutter device, a support and a stabilizer. The tissue cutter device includes a passer, a wire, and a handle. The support is an elongated member. The passer is an elongated member configured to be coupled to the support and introduced as a temporary unit into the mouth of the bag or pouch in the patient's body holding the tissue specimen. The wire is attached to the passer. The temporary unit is configured to pass around the tissue specimen and out of the opening in the bag or pouch to carry the wire through that path so that a distal portion of the wire and a proximal portion of the wire are outside the patient's body. Those portions of the wire can be pulled to cut into the tissue specimen. The stabilizer holds the tissue specimen as the wire cuts into it.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: A system and method for removing a tissue specimen or organ from the body of patient is disclosed. The system includes a bag and an excising instrument. The tissue specimen or organ is located in the bag, which is located in the patient's body. The instrument comprises a guide and a cutter. The guide is configured for introduction into the bag. The cutter is rotatable within the guide and includes a central passageway and an annular cutting blade. The cutting blade is brought into engagement with a peripherally located portion of the tissue specimen and rotated to produce a tangentially cut peripheral portion while a pulling force is applied to the tissue specimen through the central passageway. The pulling force rotates the tissue specimen within the bag to effect the production of the tangentially cut peripheral portion and to move the tangentially cut peripheral portion out of the patient's body. Gas pressure may be applied to inflate the bag to facilitate placement of the excising instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides a vacuum tube attachment device for vacuum assisted wound dressings. The device is in the form of a patch that can be attached to the primary wound cover. The patch forms a substantially air-tight seal to the primary wound cover, and a vacuum tube is fixed to the patch such that the patch can be oriented on the wound cover to locate the tube near an opening in the cover to allow vacuum pressure to be communicated to the wound. The patch has an adhesive area around its perimeter for attaching the patch in a substantially air-tight seal to the wound cover at any convenient location on the cover. Several embodiments of the patch are described.

Abstract: A laparoscopic device and method of use for measuring the thickness of tissue is disclosed. The instrument includes an elongated tubular housing, an elongated shaft, a pair of jaws, an actuating mechanism and a tissue thickness indicator. The tissue thickness indicator includes an indicator scale on the housing and a marker located on a proximal portion of the shaft. The shaft is displaceable within the housing against the bias of a spring and is coupled to the jaws to open the jaws when the shaft is moved distally by the actuating mechanism, whereupon the tissue can be located between the open jaws. The actuator mechanism can then be released, whereupon the jaws close on the interposed tissue and move the shaft in the proximal direction so that marker is disposed adjacent to the indicator scale to thereby provide a readily visible indication of the thickness of the tissue.

Abstract: A system for applying suction to a wound is provided, including a suction source for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound to communicate suction to the wound, a vent in fluid communication with the conduit to provide a reference airflow into the conduit when the system is in operation, such that a loss of suction at the wound is indicated by deviation from the reference airflow, and a waste collector canister between the wound and the suction source for collecting liquids aspirated from the wound, wherein the canister includes one or more disks containing gelling agent.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the removal of a tissue specimen from a patient is disclosed. The system includes a bag or pouch, a tissue cutter device, a support and a stabilizer. The tissue cutter device includes a passer, a wire, and a handle. The support is an elongated member. The passer is an elongated member configured to be coupled to the support and introduced as a temporary unit into the mouth of the bag or pouch in the patient's body holding the tissue specimen. The wire is attached to the passer. The temporary unit is configured to pass around the tissue specimen and out of the opening in the bag or pouch to carry the wire through that path so that a distal portion of the wire and a proximal portion of the wire are outside the patient's body. Those portions of the wire can be pulled to cut into the tissue specimen. The stabilizer holds the tissue specimen as the wire cuts into it.

Abstract: The invention provides a vacuum tube attachment device for vacuum assisted wound dressings. The device is in the form of a patch that can be attached to the primary wound cover. The patch forms a substantially air-tight seal to the primary wound cover, and a vacuum tube is fixed to the patch such that the patch can be oriented on the wound cover to locate the tube near an opening in the cover to allow vacuum pressure to be communicated to the wound. The patch has an adhesive area around its perimeter for attaching the patch in a substantially air-tight seal to the wound cover at any convenient location on the cover. Several embodiments of the patch are described.

Abstract: Entrapment and collection systems and method of entrapping and collecting biologic material produced on a patient are disclosed. The systems include a collection bag which formed of a flexible sheet material having a hollow interior, a first mouth and a second mouth. The first mouth is openable to enable the biological structure to be disposed in the hollow interior and to enable a removal instrument, e.g., a morcellator, to be introduced therethrough to engage the biologic structure to effect a procedure on it. The second mouth enables a viewing instrument to be extended through it for visualizing the procedure and is closeable by a drawstring to entrap biologic material produced by the procedure after the removal instrument and viewing instrument have been removed, whereupon the collection bag may be withdrawn from the body of the patient.

Abstract: A system for applying suction to a wound is provided, including a suction source for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound to communicate suction to the wound, a vent in fluid communication with the conduit to provide a reference airflow into the conduit when the system is in operation, such that a loss of suction at the wound is indicated by deviation from the reference airflow, and a waste collector canister between the wound and the suction source for collecting liquids aspirated from the wound, wherein the canister includes one or more disks containing gelling agent.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible member having a distal end portion arranged for anchoring the instrument in the patient's stomach and for enabling fluids to be removed from the patient's stomach. Suction is applied to the patient's stomach by the distal end portion of the instrument to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement with the instrument to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: A therapeutic device for promoting the healing of a wound in a mammal is disclosed. An exemplary device comprises a permeable structure having a plurality of depressions formed in a surface thereof. In use, the surface having the depressions is disposed adjacent a surface of the wound. A method of manufacturing a therapeutic device for promoting the healing of a wound in a mammal comprising the steps of providing a permeable substrate, and forming a plurality of depressions into a surface of the permeable substrate to provide the therapeutic device. A method of treating a wound comprises: providing a permeable structure comprising a plurality of randomly disposed fibers and having i) a plurality of wound surface contact elements disposed between end portions of the structure, and ii) a plurality of voids defined by the contact elements; and applying the permeable structure to at least one surface of the wound.

Abstract: A system for applying suction to a wound is provided, including a suction source for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound to communicate suction to the wound, a vent in fluid communication with the conduit to provide a reference airflow into the conduit when the system is in operation, such that a loss of suction at the wound is indicated by deviation from the reference airflow, and a waste collector canister between the wound and the suction source for collecting liquids aspirated from the wound, wherein the canister includes one or more disks containing gelling agent.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.