Patents by Inventor Gal Shafirstein

Gal Shafirstein 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).

  • Patent number: 6875179
    Abstract: A device to guide the placement of the catheter needle more accurately by placing the needle with a mechanical firing mechanism. The device is an integrated handheld unit comprising an ultrasonic probe with a miniature display and a mechanical firing mechanism that holds the catheter needle and deploys it into the target. The device is connected to an external ultrasound machine which provides the imaging for the device. The display provides a graphical user interface to assist in alignment with the target. The depth of placement of the catheter is set by moving a horizontal indicator over the target display using thumb switches on the handle of the device. The thumb switches are connected to a servo motor or the like that adjusts the angle at which the catheter is deployed. The servo motor simultaneously adjusts the distance of the catheter from the skin of the patient to compensate for the change in the length of the path to the target caused by the change in deployment angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Scott L. Ferguson, Gal Shafirstein, Milton Waner
  • Patent number: 6872203
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for thermally destroying tumors in which heat is generated by electrical resistance heating conducted to the target tissue. Computerized scanning is used to optimize the geometry of a thermal probe. The probe has a metal tip heated by a remote laser. The metal tip is mounted on the end of a wave guide fiber for transmitting the laser radiation to the metal tip. The tip is coated with a thin layer of biocompatible ceramic to avoid coagulated tissue sticking to the tip. The tip has one or more thin, thermally-conductive elements which deploy in stages to coagulate the tumor. The conductive elements may be thin wires or blades. On one embodiment, the conductive elements are composed of a shape memory material that is folded against the tip at lower temperatures and deploys at selected higher temperatures. In another embodiment, the conductive elements are blades that are deployed mechanically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Gal Shafirstein, Scott L. Ferguson, Milton Waner
  • Patent number: 6780177
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for thermally destroying tumors in which heat is generated by electrical resistance heating conducted to the target tissue. Computerized scanning is used to optimize the geometry of a thermal probe. The probe has a themally conductive tip containing an electrical resistance heating element. The thermally conductive tip is mounted on the end of a fiber that contains the electrical power leads and other electrical leads connecting to monitoring devices associated with the tip. The tip is coated with a thin layer of biocompatible ceramic to avoid coagulated tissue sticking to the tip. The tip has one or more thin, thermally-conductive elements which deploy in stages to coagulate the tumor. The conductive elements may be thin wires or blades. On one embodiment, the conductive elements are composed of a shape memory material that is folded against the tip at lower temperatures and deploys at selected higher temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Gal Shafirstein, Scott L. Ferguson, Milton Waner
  • Publication number: 20040044337
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for thermally destroying tumors in which heat is generated by electrical resistance heating conducted to the target tissue. Computerized scanning is used to optimize the geometry of a thermal probe. The probe has a metal tip heated by a remote laser. The metal tip is mounted on the end of a wave guide fiber for transmitting the laser radiation to the metal tip. The tip is coated with a thin layer of biocompatible ceramic to avoid coagulated tissue sticking to the tip. The tip has one or more thin, thermally-conductive elements which deploy in stages to coagulate the tumor. The conductive elements may be thin wires or blades. On one embodiment, the conductive elements are composed of a shape memory material that is folded against the tip at lower temperatures and deploys at selected higher temperatures. In another embodiment, the conductive elements are blades that are deployed mechanically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Gal Shafirstein, Scott L. Ferguson, Milton Waner
  • Publication number: 20040044336
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for thermally destroying tumors in which heat is generated by electrical resistance heating conducted to the target tissue. Computerized scanning is used to optimize the geometry of a thermal probe. The probe has a themally conductive tip containing an electrical resistance heating element. The thermally conductive tip is mounted on the end of a fiber that contains the electrical power leads and other electrical leads connecting to monitoring devices associated with the tip. The tip is coated with a thin layer of biocompatible ceramic to avoid coagulated tissue sticking to the tip. The tip has one or more thin, thermally-conductive elements which deploy in stages to coagulate the tumor. The conductive elements may be thin wires or blades. On one embodiment, the conductive elements are composed of a shape memory material that is folded against the tip at lower temperatures and deploys at selected higher temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Gal Shafirstein, Scott L. Ferguson, Milton Waner
  • Publication number: 20030233046
    Abstract: A device to guide the placement of the catheter needle more accurately by placing the needle with a mechanical firing mechanism. The device is an integrated handheld unit comprising an ultrasonic probe with a miniature display and a mechanical firing mechanism that holds the catheter needle and deploys it into the target. The device is connected to an external ultrasound machine which provides the imaging for the device. The display provides a graphical user interface to assist in alignment with the target. The depth of placement of the catheter is set by moving a horizontal indicator over the target display using thumb switches on the handle of the device. The thumb switches are connected to a servo motor or the like that adjusts the angle at which the catheter is deployed. The servo motor simultaneously adjusts the distance of the catheter from the skin of the patient to compensate for the change in the length of the path to the target caused by the change in deployment angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicant: Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Scott L. Ferguson, Gal Shafirstein, Milton Waner