Abstract: A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments.

Abstract: A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments.

Abstract: Methods and devices for treatment of the ostium are described herein. Examples of such devices include inflatable balloons which have one or more raised pores along a distal portion which act as conduits for providing saline flow from the balloon to facilitate visualization of the contacted tissue as well as providing for a conduction path for energy delivery. The balloon may be configured in various shapes to facilitate contact of the balloon in and against the ostium.

Abstract: A device for cutting ligament and/or bone tissue in a lateral recess and/or an intervertebral foramen of a spine of a patient to treat spinal stenosis may include: an elongate shaft having a rigid proximal portion and a distal portion articulatable relative to the proximal portion; a handle coupled with the proximal portion of the shaft; a tissue cutter disposed on one side of the distal portion of the shaft; a first actuator coupling the handle with the tissue cutter for activating the tissue cutter to cut tissue; and a second actuator coupling the handle with the distal portion for articulating the distal portion relative to the proximal portion. In some embodiments, the distal portion of the shaft may be configured to pass at least partway into an intervertebral foramen of the patient's spine.

Abstract: A device for modifying tissue in a patient may include: an elongate body having a rigid proximal portion and a flexible distal portion having first and second major surfaces; a proximal handle coupled with the proximal portion of the body; one or more tissue modifying members disposed along the first major surface of the distal portion of the body; a guidewire coupled with and extending from the distal portion of the body; and a distal handle removably coupleable with the guidewire outside the patient.

Abstract: A method for percutaneously removing ligamentum flavum tissue in a spine to treat spinal stenosis may involve percutaneously advancing a distal portion of a tissue removal cannula into the ligamentum flavum tissue, uncovering a side-opening aperture disposed on the distal portion of the cannula to expose a tissue cutter disposed in the cannula, and cutting ligamentum flavum tissue using the tissue cutter while the aperture is uncovered. A device for percutaneously removing ligamentum flavum tissue in a spine to treat spinal stenosis may include a cannula including a side-facing aperture, an aperture cover slidably coupled with the cannula and configured to advance and retract to cover and uncover the aperture, and a tissue cutter slidably disposed within the cannula and configured to extend through the aperture to cut ligamentum flavum tissue.

Abstract: A method for making a probe for placing a guidewire between two tissues in a patient's body may involve forming at least one bend in a thin, rigid tube having a proximal end and a distal end, flattening at least part of the tube closer to the distal end than the proximal end, and removing a portion of the upper surface of the flattened part of the tube to form an aperture. A probe for placing a guidewire between two tissues in a patient's body may include: a thin, rigid tube having a proximal straight portion, a flattened distal portion, a bend disposed between the proximal and distal portions, and a lumen passing through the proximal portion and at least part of the distal portion; and a curved, flexible tubular member disposed at least partially within the lumen of the tube.

Abstract: A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments.

Abstract: A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments.

Abstract: A device for cutting tissue in a human body may include an elongate shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, at least one translatable blade disposed along one side of the distal portion of the shaft, and at least one actuator coupled with the at least one translatable blade and extending to the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the actuator is configured to translate the blade to cut tissue. In various embodiments, various components of the device may have dimensions that facilitate passing a portion of the device into or through a small space and also facilitate and/or enhance the device's tissue cutting abilies.

Abstract: A device for modifying tissue in a patient may include: an elongate body having a rigid proximal portion and a flexible distal portion having first and second major surfaces; a proximal handle coupled with the proximal portion of the body; one or more tissue modifying members disposed along the first major surface of the distal portion of the body; a guidewire coupled with and extending from the distal portion of the body; and a distal handle removably couplable with the guidewire outside the patient.

Abstract: A device for modifying tissue in a patient may include: an elongate body having a rigid proximal portion and a flexible distal portion having first and second major surfaces; a proximal handle coupled with the proximal portion of the body; one or more tissue modifying members disposed along the first major surface of the distal portion of the body; a guidewire coupled with and extending from the distal portion of the body; and a distal handle removably couplable with the guidewire outside the patient.

Abstract: Electric paper with an anisotropic conductive island writing and viewing surface includes a ground plane, a media layer that is formed adjacent to the ground plane and that includes a plurality of microencapsulated multi-chromal particles, and a conductive layer formed adjacent to the media layer, wherein the conductive layer includes a plurality of embedded conductive fibers that form an anisotropic conductive island surface for writing and viewing images.

Abstract: An apparatus to scavenge energy caused by changes in interior pressure of a container, including at least one flexible chamber containing a fluid at a predetermined pressure; a piezoelectric element coupled to the flexible chamber so as to generate electricity when the flexible chamber is flexed by a change in pressure of the container.

Abstract: The presently described embodiments provide electric paper, in one form, that is bisymmetrical, both sides of the paper have the same thicknesses of mylar layers and the same thicknesses and patterns of ITO islands. In another form, a disordered layer of conductive particles, non-conductive particles and display elements has the same percolation threshold throughout, and thus is bisymmetrical. In either form, in a system for printing all asymmetries in the printing process are transferred to the printhead, just like in conventional ink printers and paper. As a result, both sides of the electric paper are equally capable of being printed on, just like conventional paper, and the electric paper has the same flexural properties when flexed in a concave or convex manner, just like conventional paper. This construction has the additional practical advantage that there is no longer any need to ensure the electric paper is oriented “right side up” before printing on it.

Abstract: An electric paper apparatus comprised of a single sheet of components, and a method of forming same, are provided. The single layer includes display elements, such as bi-stable pixel structures, and conductive particles, both preferably embedded in an insulating matrix of material (e.g. non-conductive particles). The display elements, or bi-stable pixel structures, take the exemplary form of microencapsulated bichromal spheres. The conductive particles serve as both conductive islands and as a ground plane. In this regard, the conductive particles form a discontinuous random pattern of conductive islands on one side of the sheet, and a continuous electrically conductive percolative network, or ground plane, on the other side of the sheet. This is accomplished by varying the effective percolation threshold across the thickness of the sheet. Doing so will provide particles on one side that are below the percolation threshold (e.g. the conductive islands) while the particles on the other side (e.g.

Abstract: A checkerboard writeable media system and a method for reliably erasing previously generated images from an electric writeable display. The method and system result in a higher contrast ratio for the electric writeable display than known techniques. In addition, the method and system permit side to side refresh as well as back to front refresh to be performed on an electric writeable display. Different time lapses can be used between each refresh.

Abstract: A checkerboard refresh method and system for reliably erasing previously generated images from an electric writeable display. The method and system result in a higher contrast ratio for the electric writeable display than known techniques. In addition, the method and system permit side to side refresh as well as back to front refresh to be performed on an electric writeable display.

Abstract: An improved electric paper structure is provided. A ground plane assembly having discontinuous grounding elements is used to render electric paper applications more flexible.

Abstract: A manual tracking apparatus including a manually moveable wand for reading and writing media is provided comprising a wand body partially enclosing at least one wheel, an axle, and a printing member. The printing member is supported by the wand body for printing on a media surface, the printing member having a maximum print area for a predetermined position of the wand body relative to a target object substantially less than the entire area of an image to be printed. A reference ruler is provided for aligning and indexing the position of the wand body relative to the target object. A wand tracking system can be provided including the at least one wheel rigidly coupled to the axle for guiding the wand in a straight line direction.