Patents by Inventor Daniel J. Sullivan
Daniel J. Sullivan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6508252Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is installed at the operative site primarily by providing at least one graft location with instrumentation inserted through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. Assistance in installing the new tubing may be provided by minimally invasive surgical access openings in the patient's chest. The tubing may be delivered through the patient's existing tubular body structure or, alternatively, through the surgical access openings.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1999Date of Patent: January 21, 2003Assignee: St. Jude Medical ATG, Inc.Inventors: Todd Allen Berg, Daniel J. Sullivan, William J. Swanson, Paul J. Hindrichs
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Publication number: 20020194046Abstract: The present invention is a project management method, system and software product for aiding a user in attaining goals. The system has a goal field for describing a goal, a plurality of obstacle fields for describing a plurality of obstacles to be overcome in attaining the goal, and a plurality of strategy fields for describing a plurality of strategies for overcoming the plurality of obstacles to achieve a result correlated with the goal. Each obstacle field in the plurality of obstacle fields is linked to the goal field, has a unique associated strategy field in the plurality of strategy fields, and is linked with the unique associated strategy field.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2002Publication date: December 19, 2002Applicant: The Strategic Coach Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Sullivan, Barbara Sue Smith
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Publication number: 20020188302Abstract: A bypass graft conduit is installed in the circulatory system of a patient using apparatus which facilitates performing most or all of the necessary work intraluminally (i.e., via lumens of the patient's circulatory system). A guide structure such as a wire is installed in the patient via circulatory system lumens so that a portion of the guide structure extends along the desired path of the bypass conduit, which bypass conduit path is outside the circulatory system as it exists prior to installation of the bypass graft. The bypass graft is then introduced into the patient along the guide structure and connected at each of its ends to the circulatory system using connectors that form fluid-tight annular openings from the bypass graft lumen into the adjacent circulatory system lumens. The guide structure is then pulled out of the patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Applicant: St. Jude Medical ATG, Inc.Inventors: Todd A. Berg, Daniel J. Sullivan, Matthew W. Baker, Paul J. Hindrichs, Gregory A. Boldenow, Jason A. Galdonik, Mark D. Wahlberg, Christopher M. Prigge, Alex A. Peterson, Jon Patrick St. Germain, William J. Swanson, Scott P. Thome
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Publication number: 20020173810Abstract: A body tissue graft for use in a patient includes a frame structure made of a first elastic material, a covering of a second elastic material on the frame structure, the covering substantially filling openings in the frame structure, and a connector connected to the frame structure. Projections are secured to the connector structure. The projections facilitate attachment of the tubular graft in a patient by securing the graft to the body tissue with which the graft is employed. The connector selectively circumferentially expands and the projections selectively circumferentially expand. This may be done using an inflatable balloon to circumferentially expand the projections. A restraining member may be provided to restrain the projections in a cone shape so that an end of the graft may be used to open an aperture through a side wall of existing body organ tubing and a portion of the projections may enter the aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2002Publication date: November 21, 2002Applicant: St. Jude Medical ATG, Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Bachinski, David S. Goldsteen, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Patent number: 6475222Abstract: A bypass graft conduit is installed in the circulatory system of a patient using apparatus which facilitates performing most or all of the necessary work intraluminally (i.e., via lumens of the patient's circulatory system). A guide structure such as a wire is installed in the patient via circulatory system lumens so that a portion of the guide structure extends along the desired path of the bypass conduit, which bypass conduit path is outside the circulatory system as it exists prior to installation of the bypass graft. The bypass graft is then introduced into the patient along the guide structure and connected at each of its ends to the circulatory system using connectors that form fluid-tight annular openings from the bypass graft lumen into the adjacent circulatory system lumens. The guide structure is then pulled out of the patient.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1998Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: St. Jude Medical ATG, Inc.Inventors: Todd Allen Berg, Daniel J. Sullivan, Matthew W. Baker, Paul J. Hindrichs, Gregory Alan Boldenow, Jason A. Galdonik, Mark D. Wahlberg
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Publication number: 20020108621Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is installed at the operative site primarily by providing at least one graft location with instrumentation inserted through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. Assistance in installing the new tubing may be provided by minimally invasive surgical access openings in the patient's chest. The tubing may be delivered through the patient's existing tubular body structure or, alternatively, through the surgical access openings.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group, Inc.Inventors: Todd A. Berg, Daniel J. Sullivan, William J. Swanson, Paul J. Hindrichs
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Publication number: 20020087181Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient. The artificial grafts may have shapes other than tubular. Certain procedural and apparatus aspects of the invention have uses other than in connection with grafting in general or tubular grafting in particular.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2002Publication date: July 4, 2002Applicant: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group, Inc.Inventors: David S. Goldsteen, Thomas J. Bachinski, Rudy Mazzocchi, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Publication number: 20020087046Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2002Publication date: July 4, 2002Applicant: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group, Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Sullivan, Thomas J. Bachinski, David S. Goldsteen
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Publication number: 20020022857Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient. The artificial grafts may have shapes other than tubular. Certain procedural and apparatus aspects of the invention have uses other than in connection with grafting in general or tubular grafting in particular.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2001Publication date: February 21, 2002Applicant: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group, Inc.Inventors: David S. Goldsteen, Thomas J. Bachinski, Rudy Mazzocchi, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Patent number: 6332198Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for supporting multiple redundancy schemes in a single network device. In one network device, various redundancy schemes are supported including 1:1, 1+1, 1:N, no redundancy or a combination of redundancy schemes. In addition, the redundancy scheme or schemes for physical network device cards (i.e., universal port cards) or ports may be different from the redundancy scheme or schemes for forwarding network device cards. For example, a network manager may want to provide 1:1 or 1+1 redundancy for all universal port cards and/or ports but only 1:N redundancy for each N group of forwarding cards.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2000Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: Equipe Communications CorporationInventors: Corey Simons, Terrence S. Pearson, Chris R. Noel, Joseph D. Kidder, Brian Branscomb, Nicholas A. Langrind, Daniel J. Sullivan, Barbara A. Fox
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Publication number: 20010041931Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making an anastomotic connection between tubular fluid conduits in a patient. A connector may provided having an annular structure configured for placement partially within one of the tubular fluid conduits and for annular enlargement by expansion of an expandable structure positioned within an interior portion of the connector. The connector may be configured for plastic annular enlargement, and have members with free end portions that are configured to penetrate a wall of the tubular fluid conduits at locations that are annularly spaced around the connection. A portion of the connector may be selectively deflected radially out from a remainder of the connector in response to expansion of the expandable structure disposed inside the connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 1999Publication date: November 15, 2001Applicant: Robert R. JacksonInventors: DAVID S. GOLDSTEEN, THOMAS J. BACHINSKI, RUDY MAZZOCCHI, DANIEL J. SULLIVAN
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Patent number: 6302905Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making an anastomotic connection between tubular fluid conduits in a patient. A connector may provided having an annular structure configured for placement partially within one of the tubular fluid conduits and for annular enlargement by expansion of an expandable structure positioned within an interior portion of the connector. The connector may be configured for plastic annular enlargement, and have members with free end portions that are configured to penetrate a wall of the tubular fluid conduits at locations that are annularly spaced around the connection. A portion of the connector may be selectively deflected radially out from a remainder of the connector in response to expansion of the expandable structure disposed inside the connector.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1999Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group Inc.Inventors: David S. Goldsteen, Thomas J. Bachinski, Rudy Mazzocchi, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Publication number: 20010010006Abstract: A body tissue graft for use in a patient includes a frame structure made of a first elastic material, a covering of a second elastic material on the frame structure, the covering substantially filling openings in the frame structure, and a connector connected to the frame structure. Projections are secured to the connector structure. The projections facilitate attachment of the tubular graft in a patient by securing the graft to the body tissue with which the graft is employed. The connector selectively circumferentially expands and the projections selectively circumferentially expand. This may be done using an inflatable balloon to circumferentially expand the projections. A restraining member may be provided to restrain the projections in a cone shape so that an end of the graft may be used to open an aperture through a side wall of existing body organ tubing and a portion of the projections may enter the aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2001Publication date: July 26, 2001Applicant: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Goup Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Bachinski, David S. Goldsteen, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Publication number: 20010010007Abstract: A body tissue graft for use in a patient includes a frame structure made of a first elastic material, a covering of a second elastic material on the frame structure, the covering substantially filling openings in the frame structure, and a connector connected to the frame structure. Projections are secured to the connector structure. The projections facilitate attachment of the tubular graft in a patient by securing the graft to the body tissue with which the graft is employed. The connector selectively circumferentially expands and the projections selectively circumferentially expand. This may be done using an inflatable balloon to circumferentially expand the projections. A restraining member may be provided to restrain the projections in a cone shape so that an end of the graft may be used to open an aperture through a side wall of existing body organ tubing and a portion of the projections may enter the aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2001Publication date: July 26, 2001Applicant: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Bachinski, David S. Goldsteen, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Patent number: 6206912Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient. The artificial grafts may have shapes other than tubular. Certain procedural and apparatus aspects of the invention have uses other than in connection with grafting in general or tubular grafting in particular.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1999Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: St. Jude Medical Anastomotic Technology Group Inc.Inventors: David S. Goldsteen, Thomas J. Bachinski, Rudy Mazzocchi, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Patent number: 6186942Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1999Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group, Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Sullivan, Thomas J. Bachinski, David S. Goldsteen
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Patent number: 6179788Abstract: A guide wire is disclosed which has a radiopaque distal lip and three or nor discrete highly radiopaque sections separated by relatively non-radiopaque sections. The highly radiopaque sections may be formed of coils and may have a width greater than their diameter. A method of marking the position of an intravascular anatomical feature (e.g., a stenosis) using the guide wire is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1996Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.Inventor: Daniel J. Sullivan
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Patent number: 6136007Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for such uses as attaching grafts of tubing (e.g., lengths of saphenous vein) between sites in a patient's body via the patient's existing arteries and veins. Grafts may be held in place during graft delivery using a partially inflated proximal balloon and a partially inflated distal balloon which frictionally engage axially spaced portions of the graft (e.g., pronged attachment rings that pierce the graft adjacent its ends). After aligning the distal balloon and distal end of the graft with the distal attachment site, the distal balloon may be further inflated to help attach the distal end of the graft to the distal attachment site (e.g., by driving the prongs of the distal attachment ring into the distal attachment site). The proximal balloon may then be inflated to similarly help attach the proximal end of the graft to the proximal attachment site. The balloons are deflated to facilitate withdrawal of the apparatus from the installed graft.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1999Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Group, Inc,Inventors: David S. Goldsteen, Thomas J. Bachinski, Daniel J. Sullivan
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Patent number: 6120432Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1997Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Vascular Science Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Sullivan, Thomas J. Bachinski, David S. Goldsteen
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Patent number: 6068654Abstract: A two-piece graft connector having a tubular band section with its proximal end configured to attach to a tubular graft and retention loops extending from its distal end, and a tubular anchor structure configured to be placed in the patient's tubular body tissue structure is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the proximal end of the tubular band section is attached to a tubular graft. The retention loops extend from the distal end of the tubular band section of the connector, through an aperture in the side wall of a patient's tubular body tissue structure. The tubular anchor structure is placed in the patient's tubular body tissue structure, within the retention loops. Then, the tubular anchor structure is circumferentially expanded, firmly retaining the retention loops, and forming a seal between the tubular band section and the side wall of the tubular body tissue structure. Alternatively, the retention loops may be replaced by retention fingers, which form arcs.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: May 30, 2000Assignee: Vascular Science, Inc.Inventors: Todd A. Berg, Daniel J. Sullivan