Abstract: Discectomy or disc preparation system that includes a guide member that is changeable from a deployment configuration for insertion into an intervertebral disc space to a deployed configuration upon being deployed into the intervertebral disc. The system also includes at least one tissue manipulator, such as cutting, scraping and extraction elements, that can be moved or tracked longitudinally along the guide member into and through the intervertebral disc space.

Abstract: A catheter enables real-time light measurements, for example, without limitation, diffuse reflectance, fluorescence, etc., from biological materials, such as tissue (including blood), while performing RF ablation. The catheter tip design isolates illumination and collection paths such that light exits the catheter tip and travels through the tissue of interest (e.g., cardiac tissue or blood) before returning to the catheter tip. Such a design advantageously avoids saturation of the optical detector, and ensures diffusion of the illumination light within the medium of interest. The catheter has a catheter body and a tip electrode. The tip electrode has an exterior shell, an inner layer of diffuse material and a hollow cavity, wherein the inner layer is configured to transmit light outside the tip electrode to a tissue via a set of illumination openings in the shell wall and the hollow cavity is configured to receive light from the tissue via a set of collection openings in the shell wall and the inner layer.

Abstract: A catheter adapted for mapping near a tubular region of a heart, has an elongated tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends, an intermediate section distal of the catheter body, and a mapping assembly at the distal end of the intermediate section. The electrode-carrying mapping assembly has a generally circular main segment with a support member having shape-memory, and a generally linear proximal segment which has greater flexibility than either the intermediate section or the generally circular main segment. The generally circular main segment is adapted to releasably anchor itself in the tubular region and to map circumferentially around the tubular region and the generally linear segment is adapted to contact generally along its length heart wall tissue near an ostium of the tubular region.

Abstract: A catheter enables real-time light measurements, for example, without limitation, diffuse reflectance, fluorescence, etc., from biological materials, such as tissue (including blood), while performing RF ablation. The catheter tip design isolates illumination and collection paths within the tip electrode such that light for illuminating the tissue of interest (e.g., cardiac tissue or blood) is isolated within the tip electrode from light that returns from the tissue to the catheter tip, and vice versa. Such a design advantageously avoids saturation of the optical detector, and ensures diffusion of the illumination light within the medium of interest. The catheter has a catheter body and a tip electrode with a shell wall and a hollow cavity. The shell wall has at least an illumination opening and a collection opening.

Abstract: A catheter is provided which are useful for mapping circular regions of or near the heart as well as linear regions extending from the tubular regions. The catheter comprises a catheter body, a flexible, generally linear mapping section and a generally circular mapping section. The generally circular mapping section is used to map electrical activity within a tubular region of or near the heart. The generally linear mapping section is used to concurrently map electrical activity of linear regions extending from the tubular region in which the generally circular mapping section is located.

Abstract: A deflectable device, such as a catheter, is provided that includes a hinge that enhances the ability of the device to deflect or bend within a predetermined plane. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A distal segment is provided distal to the distal end of the catheter body. A tubular hinge is provided between the distal end of the catheter body and the proximal end of the distal segment. The hinge has an axis and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The tube includes at least one slot, and preferably a plurality of slots, extending part of the way through the hinge generally transverse to the axis of the hinge.

Abstract: A catheter for measuring electrical activity and ablating tissue is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated generally-tubular catheter body. A non-retractable electrode assembly is mounted at the distal end of the catheter body. The electrode assembly comprises a generally tubular ablation electrode formed of a material having shape-memory having a generally straight exposed region and at least one irrigation port in the exposed region through which fluid can pass from the inside to the outside of the ablation electrode. The exposed region is generally transverse to the catheter body. The electrode assembly further comprises a tip at the distal end of the electrode assembly comprising a generally ball-shaped exposed region. First and second distal mapping electrodes are mounted distal to the exposed region of the ablation electrode. At least the first distal mapping electrode, and optionally the second distal mapping electrode, is incorporated into the generally ball-shaped exposed region of the tip.

Abstract: A catheter that is particularly useful for simultaneously mapping multiple points within the heart is provided. The catheter includes a mapping assembly including a plurality of flexible spines, each having a free distal end. The spines are supported by an improved support structure that permits the spines to be more precisely arranged relative to one another. The catheter comprises an elongated catheter body. A mapping assembly is provided at the distal end of the catheter body. The mapping assembly comprises a support structure having a generally cylindrical base mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, the base having proximal and distal ends. The support structure further comprises at least two pre-shaped flexible support arms. Each support arm has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the generally cylindrical base and a free distal end. At least two non-conductive coverings are provided, each in surrounding relation to a corresponding one of the at least two support arms.

Abstract: A catheter for measuring electrical activity and ablating tissue is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated generally-tubular catheter body. A non-retractable electrode assembly is mounted at the distal end of the catheter body. The electrode assembly comprises a generally tubular ablation electrode formed of a material having shape-memory having a generally straight exposed region and at least one irrigation port in the exposed region through which fluid can pass from the inside to the outside of the ablation electrode. The exposed region is generally transverse to the catheter body. The electrode assembly further comprises a tip at the distal end of the electrode assembly comprising a generally ball-shaped exposed region. First and second distal mapping electrodes are mounted distal to the exposed region of the ablation electrode. At least the first distal mapping electrode, and optionally the second distal mapping electrode, is incorporated into the generally ball-shaped exposed region of the tip.

Abstract: A method for treating tissue is provided. The method comprises introducing into a patient the distal end of a catheter. The catheter comprises a catheter shaft comprising an elongated tubing having proximal and distal ends, and a distal shaft comprising a tubing having proximal and distal ends. The distal shaft carries a treatment device along a side of the distal shaft. A hinge is mounted between the distal end of the catheter shaft and the proximal end of the distal shaft. The hinge enhances the ability of the distal shaft to bend relative to the catheter shaft in a single predetermined plane A force is exerted on the distal shaft to cause at least a portion of the treatment device that is along a side of the distal shaft to contact the tissue. The tissue is treated with the treatment device.

Abstract: A deflectable device, such as a catheter, is provided that includes a hinge that enhances the ability of the device to deflect or bend within a predetermined plane. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A distal segment is provided distal to the distal end of the catheter body. A tubular hinge is provided between the distal end of the catheter body and the proximal end of the distal segment. The hinge has an axis and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The tube includes at least one slot, and preferably a plurality of slots, extending part of the way through the hinge generally transverse to the axis of the hinge.

Abstract: A method for injection molding fine particulate ceramic ferroelectric materials to form an article such as ink jet printhead includes the steps of spray drying fine particulate ceramic ferroelectric material to form agglomerate material; mixing the spray dried fine particulate ceramic ferroelectric agglomerate material with a binder system including materials selected from the group consisting of wax having wax components of different molecular weight, magnesium-X silicate, agaroid gel forming material, and agaroid gel forming material mixed with magnesium-X silicate to form a compounded material; injecting the compounded material at a selected pressure into a mold to form a green article; debinding or drying the green article; sintering the debinded or dried green article to form the final molded article; poling the final molded article to align the electrical dipoles within the piezoelectric material; forming a coating of conductive material over the top and bottom surfaces of the final molded article and t

Abstract: A method of making a printhead includes forming a channel member by providing a mold having a top portion having peaks and valleys and by tape casting a slurry of piezoelectric material into the mold and onto the peaks and valleys of the top portion of the mold to form a tape cast member having a bottom surface with peaks and valleys and a flat top surface and removing the tape cast member. After removing the tape cast member, the top surface of the tape cast member is embossed so as to provide peaks and valleys in opposite sides of the tape cast member wherein the valleys in the top surface are disposed in an offset relationship to the peaks in the bottom surface.

Abstract: A water-based peelable nail polish is formed from a first aliphatic polyurethane having an elongation of not less than about 450%, such as 500%, and a second aliphatic polyurethane having an elongation of not more than about 250%, such as about 200%. The first and second polyurethanes are present at a mixing ratio of the first to second polyurethane in the range of from about 8:92 to about 20:80. The coatings dry in a relatively short time and remain hard and flexible and resistant to chipping, marring and fraying or sloughing for up to about 3 days or longer. The dry coatings are easily removed by simply peeling or stripping the coating from the nail without requiring any solvents or tools.

Abstract: A flat brushless motor of small size comprising:a thermally conductive base member;a plurality of motor coils fixedly attached to said base member; anda rotor assembly mounted proximately to said plurality of motor coils said motor assembly having a multiple pole permanent magnet incorporated therein.

Abstract: An electronically actuated shutter in which the location of the shutter blades are known to accurately control the aperture opening and exposure time. A Hall sensor is used to determine the position of the shutter blades.

Abstract: An electric motor is disclosed which is of the brushless D.C. type and comprises a generally planar rotor and a generally planar stator. The rotor is a multipolar permanent magnet, and the stator includes a planar coil having a plurality of windings. In order to provide a motor which can supply a high torque at a relatively low speed and a low torque at a high speed, the stator includes a low speed coil which includes a large number of windings of fine wire and a high speed coil which includes a smaller number of windings of coarse wire.

Abstract: An improved bar magnet and method of construction, and an improved magnetic core comprising an assembly of such magnets, for use in a processing station of an electrostatographic printing machine. The improved bar magnet is formed of permanent magnet material having magnetic domains therein that are magnetized along epicycloidal curve segments. The external magnetic flux density is improved over that of a conventionally-magnetized magnet. An injection mold for inducing the particular epicycloidal alignment of magnetic domains in the improved bar magnet is provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for line scanning a beam receiving member, wherein a scanning beam is angularly or laterally displaced to compensate for scan line spacing error. The beam is displaced according to error arising from variation (flutter) in the relative motion of the beam and the beam receiving member, or according to error arising from movement of the receiving member while the scanning beam travels to a start of scan position, or both. Embodiments of beam displacement means include a refracting tilt plate, a reflecting tilt plate, a diffracting tilt plate, and a tilt prism.

Abstract: A method of generating visible multicolor images using a single wavelength laser beam is disclosed.