Abstract: Disclosed is a microsurgical tool for use in microsurgery having a central cylindrical body which can be rotated by a surgeon. The body includes first and second portions joined at a closed end, and having needle points at the other end. Opposing longitudinal grooves formed in each half receive an alignment rod which maintains alignment of the tips as the portions are mated together. The portions of cooperating intermating recesses and protrusions extending in transverse directions are located adjacent the tips of the instrument. The protrusions and recesses provide a second, early alignment of the portions adjacent the tips of the instrument as the instrument is closed.

Abstract: An apparatus for dredging using a pump which forms a highly pressurized, rotating stream of liquid which is directed down the inlet conduit to a discharge and the momentum and energy of the rotating stream is transferred to the solids and liquids, suspending the solids to agitate and separate the same to make the solids more easily suspended. The agitated solids and liquids flow upwardly in a counter-flowing outer annular stream around the downward flowing, rotating stream. The pump is very lightweight as compared to conventional centrifugal dredging pumps and is operated at high speeds, for examble 1,000-2,000 rpm to eliminate the usual speed reducers to prevent cavitation when using the centrifugal pumps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pumping liquid includes a pump casing with a vortex generating member which generates a swirling column of liquid which swirls about a central axis and which is directed through the pump inlet to discharge into the ambient body of liquid at which its energy is quickly dissipated. The surrounding ambient liquid is drawn through the pump inlet in a counterflow to the vortex column flow and flows into the pump casing and then out through a pump discharge. The preferred vortex generating member has channels of decreasing size converging toward the axis of the vortex column with the streams of liquid increasing their respective velocities as they flow toward the axis at which the streams join and concentrate their energies to form the vortex column. Preferably, the vortex member is drive by a power source.

Abstract: A hand held surgical needle holder for turning and gripping microsurgical needles. The needle holder is of the tweezer type with two spaced tongs having a cylindrical central portion. Pointed tips on the prongs are brought toward each other by pressure to grip the needle. One of the tips is hooked and extends beyond the end of the other tip member. The needle is held between the hooked surfaces as the cylindrical central portion is rotated to spin the needle in an arc.

Abstract: A pump is provided within a vortex generator having a plurality of equally spaced blades which rotate in a pump casing to form a nucleus of fluid in the shape of an ellipsoid having an upper tapered end and a lower tapered end with a thicker central section at the blades. Fluid flows in a synchronized flow from the lowered tapered end of the nucleus in a rotating vortex column of fluid which initially flows out of the pump inlet to swirl the ambient fluid about the inlet and causes a low pressure area and a swirling of the ambient fluid to flow inwardly through the pump inlet in a direction counter to the vortex column flow. A belt of fluid rotates between the nucleus and the pump casing. The blades are curved to retain fluid in the nucleus and momentum energy is cumulatively applied to keep the swirling column of fluid swirling through the pump outlet. A tapered section on the pump between the pump inlet and pump outlet assists in flow therebetween.

Abstract: A surgical instrument cuts openings in tissue with a more precise and consistent size. The instrument includes a lifter having a hook for hooking a portion of the tissue and for lifting the hooked tissue relative to a gauge. Pivotally mounted cutters on the instrument are swung towards the lifted tissue to sever the lifted tissue leaving an opening of a known size in the tissue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pumping liquid includes a pump casing with a vortex generating member which generates a swirling column of liquid which swirls about a central axis and which is directed through the pump inlet to discharge into the ambient body of liquid at which its energy is quickly dissipated. The surrounding ambient liquid is drawn through the pump inlet in a counterflow to the vortex column flow and flows into the pump casing and then out through a pump discharge. The preferred vortex generating member was channels of decreasing size converging toward the axis of the vortex column with the streams of liquid increasing their respective velocities as they flow toward the axis at which the streams join and concentrate their energies to form the vortex column. Preferably, the vortex member is driven by a power source.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with a coil section at the distal end which is stretched initially into a generally linear insertion position for moving inwardly a vessel, such as a blood vessel, to an operative location at which the coil section is re-formed with a larger diameter, preferably in the form of a hollow conical scoop to scoop clot material from the blood vessel. The coil section is stretched into the general linear insertion configuration by an internal wire which may be removed leaving a hollow passageway in the tube which can be stiffened by the application of fluid pressure such as a liquid to stiffen the coils. This assists in pulling the clot material from the vessel as the elastomeric material of the coils slides across the blood vessel walls without damaging the same. The preferred embodiment has two separate wire members associated with the flexible elastomeric tube of the catheter.

Abstract: Ring-shaped anastomosis devices have outwardly extending protrusions for impaling a pair of living vessel ends thereon without the need for sutures. A first vessel end is inserted through a central opening of a device, everted around the end of the device and impaled on the protrusions; then a second vessel end is drawn over the everted first vessel end and similarly impaled on the protrusions. To facilitate impaling the vessel ends on the protrusions and to minimize tearing of the vessel walls during the impaling process, the devices are incomplete rings, each having a first ring end and a second ring end. A device has a contracted configuration in which it is maintained during the impalation process to hold the protrusions relatively close to each other and an expanded configuration in which it is maintained subsequent to joining the vessel ends thereto to hold the vessels in a slightly stretched condition and with their intima apposed.

Abstract: To effect a simple anastomosis of a pair of severed blood vessel portions in a manner which insures patency of the anastomozed blood vessel, a member, preferably in the form of a ring, has structure for tethering the blood vessel portions thereto under radial stress with the intima of the blood vessel portions apposed. During surgery, the ring is disposed around an end of one of the severed blood vessel portions, and the blood vessel portions are tethered to the ring at at least three spaced apart locations stressing the blood vessel portions radially outward in several directions to evert the intima and hold the intima of the two portions against each other.To hold blood vessel portions in close proximity during anastomosis, a pneumatic clamping device is provided which grips the blood vessel portions with a precise force according to the fluid pressure supplied thereto. Precise control of gripping force assures a firm grip that is not excessive and does not damage the blood vessel portions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pumping liquid includes a pump casing with a vortex generating member which generates a swirling column of liquid which swirls about a central axis and which is directed through the pump inlet to discharge into the ambient body of liquid at which its energy is quickly dissipated. The surrounding ambient liquid is drawn through the pump inlet in a counterflow to the vortex column flow and flows into the pump casing and then out through a pump discharge. The preferred vortex generating member has channels of decreasing size converging toward the axis of the vortex column with the streams of liquid increasing their respective velocities as they flow toward the axis at which the streams join and concentrate their energies to form the vortex column. Preferably, the vortex member is driven by a power source.

Abstract: The invention provides encircling devices by which anatomical structures, such as blood vessels, fallopian tubes, ureters, vas deferens and outer nerve sheaths are anastomosed. Such an encircling device provides an opening that receives an end of a tubular anatomical structure having a prepared opening, and the tubular structure is anastomosed to a second anatomical structure having a prepared opening by tethering the two structures to the encircling device holding the structures under radial stress in apposition to each other to form a fluid-tight peripheral seal around their openings. Encircling devices are also used to join a tubular anatomical structure to a second anatomical structure having a cavity, e.g., a fallopian tube to a uterus or a uterer to the bladder.