Patents by Inventor David A. Smith, JR.

David A. Smith, JR. 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).

  • Publication number: 20190201016
    Abstract: Variations of integral navigation controls may be used in conjunction with a medical instrument to provide navigation functions for an image guided surgery (IGS) system that is in communication with the integral navigation controls. In some variations, a medical instrument with integrated navigation wheels allows movement of a cursor of the IGS system along the x and y axis by scrolling the wheel, or allows selection, zooming, or other controls by combined clicking and/or scrolling of wheels, and may be sterilized or discarded along with the device. In some other variations, a control overlay may be temporarily attached to the medical instrument to provide additional controls, such as buttons or a pointing stick, and then removed and sterilized or discarded after a procedure. In each variation, inputs may be communicated via wire or wirelessly to an IGS system to provide navigation of images during a surgical procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Jetmir Palushi, Itzhak Fang, Ehsan Shameli, David A. Smith, JR., Fatemeh Akbarian, Henry F. Salazar, John H. Thinnes, JR., Hany Abdelwahed, Babak Ebrahimi, Oleg Dulger
  • Publication number: 20190201121
    Abstract: Variations of integral navigation controls may be used in conjunction with a medical instrument to provide navigation functions for an image guided surgery (IGS) system that is in communication with the integral navigation controls. In some variations, a medical instrument with integrated navigation wheels allows movement of a cursor of the IGS system along the x and y axis by scrolling the wheel, or allows selection, zooming, or other controls by combined clicking and/or scrolling of wheels, and may be sterilized or discarded along with the device. In some other variations, a control overlay may be temporarily attached to the medical instrument to provide additional controls, such as buttons or a pointing stick, and then removed and sterilized or discarded after a procedure. In each variation, inputs may be communicated via wire or wirelessly to an IGS system to provide navigation of images during a surgical procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Jetmir Palushi, Fatemeh Akbarian, Itzhak Fang, Ehsan Shameli, David A. Smith, Jr., Henry F. Salazar, John H. Thinnes, Jr., Hany Abdelwahed
  • Publication number: 20190192176
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a body assembly, a dilation catheter, a first guide catheter, and a guide catheter identification module. The body assembly includes a first electrical interface. The first guide catheter is configured to slidably receive the dilation catheter. The first guide catheter includes a first rigid shaft and a first guide catheter electrical contact. The first rigid shaft has a first rigid bend formed near the first distal end. The first rigid bend defines a first fixed bend angle. The first guide catheter is configured to be removably coupled with the body assembly such that the first guide catheter electrical contact engages the first electrical interface of the body assembly. The guide catheter identification module is operable to identify the first guide catheter based on engagement between the first guide catheter electrical contact and the first electrical interface of the body assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Jetmir Palushi, Itzhak Fang, Azhang Hamlekhan, David A. Smith, JR., Clayton Perry
  • Publication number: 20190175282
    Abstract: A surgical instrument and method of tracking the surgical instrument includes a shaft, a cutting member, and navigation system. The shaft has a shaft lumen, a shaft window, and a shaft edge. The cutting member is disposed within the shaft lumen and is configured to cyclically move from a first position to a second position relative to the shaft. The cutting member includes a cutting window opening, a cutting edge, and a suction lumen to cut the tissue portion with the cutting member in the first position. The navigation system includes a navigation sensor positioned on at least one of the shaft or the cutting member that is configured to be tracked within a patient for identifying a positional movement of the shaft or the cutting member within the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Fatemeh Akbarian, Itzhak Fang, Azhang Hamlekhan, Jetmir Palushi, Ehsan Shameli, David A. Smith, JR.
  • Publication number: 20190167351
    Abstract: A system includes a dilation catheter and a guide member. The dilation catheter includes a proximal end, a distal end, a dilator, a navigation sensor, and a force sensor. The dilator is positioned proximal to the distal end and is configured to transition between a non-dilated configuration and a dilated configuration. The navigation sensor is positioned distal to the dilator and is configured to cooperate with a guidance system and thereby provide signals indicating a position of the dilation catheter in three-dimensional space. The force sensor is positioned distal to the dilator and is configured to provide signals indicating a force encountered by the force sensor. The dilation catheter is configured to slide relative to the guide member. A distal portion of the guide member is sized and configured to fit in a nasal cavity of a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Henry F. Salazar, Jetmir Palushi, David A. Smith, JR.
  • Publication number: 20190160266
    Abstract: A dilation apparatus includes a handle assembly, a dilator, a guidewire, and a steering assembly. The dilator is connected to the handle assembly and is configured to transition between an unexpanded state and an expanded state. The guidewire is longitudinally fixed relative to the dilator. The steering assembly is configured to laterally deflect at least a portion of the guidewire relative to the handle assembly. The steering assembly includes an actuator coupled with the handle assembly and a pull wire extending between the actuator and guidewire. A portion of the pull wire is attached to the guidewire. The actuator is configured to move the pull wire relative to the handle assembly in order to laterally deflect the at least a portion of the guidewire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Don Q. Ngo-Chu, Jetmir Palushi, Itzhak Fang, Henry F. Salazar, David A. Smith, JR.
  • Publication number: 20190125375
    Abstract: A dilation catheter includes a catheter shaft, an expandable element, and a navigation sensor. The catheter shaft has a proximal shaft portion defining a proximal shaft end, a distal shaft portion defining a distal shaft end, and a working lumen extending between the proximal and distal shaft ends. The expandable element is disposed on the distal shaft portion proximally of the distal shaft end, and is configured to expand to dilate an anatomical passageway of a patient. The navigation sensor is arranged at the distal shaft portion, and is configured to generate a signal corresponding to a location of the distal shaft portion within the patient. In various examples, the dilation catheter may further include a bulbous distal tip, and the navigation sensor may be arranged within the bulbous distal tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Jetmir Palushi, Henry F. Salazar, Fatemeh Akbarian, Vadim Gliner, David A. Smith, JR., Itzhak Fang
  • Publication number: 20190060623
    Abstract: A catheter system and method of dilating first and second anatomies includes a guide catheter extending along a longitudinal axis that has a breakaway distal end portion with a conduit in communication with the lumen. The conduit is configured to guide a dilation catheter at a first predetermined angle relative to the longitudinal axis and a second predetermined angle relative to the longitudinal axis for respectively dilating the first and second anatomies. The breakaway distal end portion includes first and second guide segments at least partially defining the conduit and respectively extending the first and predetermined angles to first and second distal openings. The second guide segment is removably connected to the first guide segment for selectively guiding the dilation catheter along the second predetermined angle when connected and along the first predetermined angle when disconnected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: George L. Matlock, Don Q. Ngo-Chu, Jetmir Palushi, Tuan Pham, Henry F. Salazar, David A. Smith, JR., John H. Thinnes, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180310886
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a body, an upright member, a frame, and a plurality of field generating elements. The body is configured to be positioned between a patient's back and a backrest of a chair. The upright member extends upwardly from the body. The frame has a curved configuration configured to partially surround a patient's head. The field generating elements are configured to generate an electromagnetic field around a patient's head partially surrounded by the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Henry F. Salazar, Jetmir Palushi, William J. Kane, Fatemeh Akbarian, Ika Dekel, Noam Racheli, Helen Wolfson, Nawid Mehrzai, Jephrey S. Rodriguez, Ketan P. Muni, Andrew Drake, David A. Smith, JR., Scott A. Kirchner, Todd A. Veloni, Itamar Bustan