Patents by Inventor James W. Voegele
James W. Voegele 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).
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Publication number: 20170007248Abstract: A surgical staple including a crown and a deformable member extending from the crown, the deformable member having a notch configured to cause the deformable member to bend at the notch when the staple is deformed from a first shape into a second shape. The crown of the surgical staple, in various embodiments, further includes a forming surface, or anvil, which is configured to deform the deformable member and/or guide a distal end of the deformable member when the distal end contacts the crown.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2016Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jerome R. Morgan, Christopher J. Hess, William B. Weisenburgh, II, James W. Voegele, Mak S. Ortiz, Michael J. Stokes, Carl J. Shurtleff, Jeffrey S. Swayze
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Publication number: 20170000827Abstract: Methods and therapeutics are provided for treating metabolic disorders by increasing activation of brown adipose tissue. Generally, the methods and therapeutics can increase activation of brown adipose tissue to increase energy expenditure and induce weight loss. In one embodiment, a method for increasing activation of brown adipose tissue includes modifying brown adipocytes to express a gene that activates brown adipocytes, such as uncoupling protein 1. In another embodiment, a method for increasing brown adipose tissue activation includes increasing the number of brown adipocytes. This can be accomplished by inducing proliferation of adipocytes in vivo or expanding adipocytes ex vivo, transplanting adipocytes into brown adipose tissue depots or elsewhere and inducing differentiation of adipocyte progenitor cells, such as MSCs, adipocyte progenitor cells, pre-adipocytes and adipocyte precursor cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Lee M. Kaplan, Nicholas Stylopoulos, Jason L. Harris, Dwight Henninger, Taylor W. Aronhalt, James W. Voegele
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Publication number: 20160374709Abstract: Ultrasonic surgical instruments including a handle housing, a switch frame, and a switch assembly are disclosed. The switch assembly may include a first switch arrangement movably supported on a distal portion of the handle housing and selectively movable relative to a first switch contact supported by the switch frame. The switch assembly may further include a second switch arrangement including a right switch button movably supported on a right side of the handle housing and selectively movable relative to a right switch contact supported by the switch frame, and a left switch button movably supported on a left side of the handle housing and selectively movable relative to a left switch contact supported by the switch frame. The first and second switch arrangements may be configured to be selectively actuatable by a single hand supporting the handle housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2016Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Richard W. Timm, Daniel W. Price, Jeffery T. Kirk, Jose Domingo Vasquez, Timothy G. Dietz, Richard C. Smith, Ryan M. Asher, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Craig T. Davis, Emron J. Henry, James W. Voegele, Gregory W. Johnson
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Patent number: 9439668Abstract: Switch assemblies for handheld ultrasonic surgical instruments. The switch assemblies may include a first switch arrangement that is operably supported on a forward portion of a handle housing of the surgical instrument and is selectively movable relative to at least one first switch contact. The switch assembles may further include a second switch arrangement that comprises at least one of a right switch button that is movably supported on a right side of the handle housing relative to at least one right contact and a left switch button that is movably supported on a left side of the handle housing that is selectively movable relative to at least one left contact.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLCInventors: Richard W. Timm, Daniel W. Price, Jeffery T. Kirk, Jose Domingo Vasquez, Timothy G. Dietz, Richard C. Smith, Ryan M. Asher, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Craig T. Davis, Emron J. Henry, James W. Voegele, Gregory W. Johnson
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Patent number: 9381219Abstract: Methods and therapeutics are provided for treating metabolic disorders by increasing activation of brown adipose tissue. Generally, the methods and therapeutics can increase activation of brown adipose tissue to increase energy expenditure and induce weight loss. In one embodiment, a method for increasing activation of brown adipose tissue includes modifying brown adipocytes to express a gene that activates brown adipocytes, such as uncoupling protein 1. In another embodiment, a method for increasing brown adipose tissue activation includes increasing the number of brown adipocytes. This can be accomplished by inducing proliferation of adipocytes in vivo or expanding adipocytes ex vivo, transplanting adipocytes into brown adipose tissue depots or elsewhere and inducing differentiation of adipocyte progenitor cells, such as MSCs, adipocyte progenitor cells, pre-adipocytes and adipocyte precursor cells.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignees: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., The General Hospital CorporationInventors: Lee M. Kaplan, Nicholas Stylopoulos, Jason L. Harris, Dwight Henninger, Taylor W. Aronhalt, James W. Voegele
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Publication number: 20160089137Abstract: A method for deforming a staple comprising a base, a first staple leg, and a second staple leg, wherein the base, the first staple leg, and the second staple leg are positioned within a common plane prior to being deformed, the method comprising positioning the first staple leg within a first cup of a staple pocket, the first cup comprising a first inner surface, applying a first compressive force to the first staple leg to bend the first staple leg toward the base and the second staple leg, contacting the first inner surface with the end of the first staple leg to bend the end of the first staple leg toward a first side of the base, and deforming the first staple leg such that the end of the first staple leg crosses a mid-line of the staple defined between the first staple leg and the second staple leg.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2015Publication date: March 31, 2016Inventors: Christopher J. Hess, Jerome R. Morgan, William B. Weisenburgh, II, James W. Voegele, Mark S. Ortiz, Michael J. Stokes, Carl J. Shurtleff, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jeffrey S. Swayze, James J. Bedi, Adam R. Dunki-Jacobs
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Publication number: 20150335353Abstract: Various devices are provided for allowing multiple surgical instruments to be inserted through a single surgical access device at variable angles of insertion, allowing for ease of manipulation within a patient's body while maintaining insufflation. Safety shields and release mechanisms are also provided for use with various surgical access devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Christopher W. Widenhouse, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David K. Norvell, Robert P. Gill, James W. Voegele, Michael A. Murray, Christopher J. Hess, Michael S. Cropper
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Patent number: 9131835Abstract: Various devices are provided for allowing multiple surgical instruments to be inserted through a single surgical access device at variable angles of insertion, allowing for ease of manipulation within a patient's body while maintaining insufflation. Safety shields and release mechanisms are also provided for use with various surgical access devices.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Christopher W. Widenhouse, William Bruce Weisenburgh, II, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David K. Norvell, Robert P. Gill, James W. Voegele, Michael A. Murray, Christopher J. Hess, Michael S. Cropper
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Publication number: 20150164538Abstract: Disclosed are ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices. The disclosed embodiments include a surgical instrument comprising a waveguide, and end effector and an electrical switch. The waveguide may comprise a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is configured to couple to an ultrasonic transducer and one output of a radio frequency (RF) generator. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm coupled. The ultrasonic blade may be mechanically coupled to the distal end of the waveguide and electrically coupled to the waveguide. The clamp arm may comprise a movable jaw member electrically coupled to another output of the RF generator such that an electrical current can pass through the movable jaw member and the ultrasonic blade through tissue located between the movable jaw member and the ultrasonic blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2015Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Craig N. Faller, Kevin D. Felder, Jacob S. Gee, William D. Kelly, Robert J. Laird, Amy L. Marcotte, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Emily H. Monroe, Scott A. Nield, Daniel W. Price, Patrick J. Scoggins, John B. Schulte, Geoffrey S. Strobl, James W. Voegele, John A. Weed, III, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Patrick A. Weizman, John W. Willis
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Patent number: 9044606Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue (BAT). Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss. In one embodiment, a medical device is provided that activates BAT by electrically stimulating nerves that activate the BAT and/or electrically stimulating brown adipocytes directly, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss through energy expenditure.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2010Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignees: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., The General Hospital CorporationInventors: Jason L. Harris, Nicholas Stylopoulos, Lee M. Kaplan, Tamara C. Baynham, Jeyakumar Subbaroyan, James W. Voegele, Taylor Aronhalt, Anthony Diubaldi, David N. Plescia, Mark S. Ortiz, Theodore L. Stephens
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Publication number: 20150119849Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) with cooling. Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss and/or improved metabolic function. In one embodiment, a medical device is provided that activates BAT by cooling tissue having a high density of cold sensitive thermoreceptors and/or by cooling BAT depots directly, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss and/or improved metabolic function through energy expenditure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicants: The General Hospital Corporation D/B/A Massachusetts Gerneral Hospital, ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC.Inventors: Taylor W. Aronhalt, Lee M. Kaplan, Nicholas Stylopoulos, Jason L. Harris, Dwight D. Henninger, James W. Voegele, Mark S. Ortiz
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Publication number: 20150088191Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for performing various procedures using interchangeable end effectors. In general, the methods and devices allow a surgeon to remotely and selectively attach various interchangeable surgical end effectors to a shaft located within a patient's body, thus allowing the surgeon to perform various procedures without the need to remove the shaft from the patient's body. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple end effectors can be introduced into a body cavity. The end effectors can be disassociated or separate from one another such that they float within the body cavity. A distal end of a shaft can be positioned within the body cavity and it can be used to selectively engage one of the end effectors. In particular, the device can be configured to allow each end effector to be remotely attached and detached from the distal end of the shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Jonathan A. Coe, James W. Voegele, Gary L. Long, Andrew M. Zwolinski, Kyle P. Moore, Robert P. Gill
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Patent number: 8973804Abstract: A staple cartridge assembly includes a cartridge body. The cartridge body includes a deck and a plurality of staples deployable into tissue. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a buttressing member removably attached to the deck and a firing member movable relative to the cartridge body during a firing stroke to deploy the plurality of staples into the tissue, wherein the buttressing member is completely removed from the deck as a result of the firing stroke.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2014Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Hess, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Jerome R. Morgan, James W. Voegele, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Joshua R. Uth
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Patent number: 8945163Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for cutting and fastening tissue. In one embodiment, a surgical device can be used to at least partially transect a stomach by not cutting and/or not fastening a portion of tissue engaged in an end effector located at the device's distal end. A portion of the stomach can be engaged by the end effector, and the end effector can be actuated to cut and/or to apply one or more fasteners to tissue engaged in a distal portion of the end effector but not to cut and/or apply fasteners to tissue engaged in a proximal portion of the end effector. In a similar way, the surgical device can be used in any surgical procedure in which it is desired to cut and/or fasten a distal portion of tissue engaged by the end effector but not a proximal portion of tissue engaged by the end effector.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2009Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: James W. Voegele, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Christopher J. Hess, Michael A. Murray, Robert P. Gill, Darrel M. Powell
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Publication number: 20140378953Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for performing various procedures using interchangeable end effectors. In general, the methods and devices allow a surgeon to remotely and selectively attach various interchangeable surgical end effectors to a shaft located within a patient's body, thus allowing the surgeon to perform various procedures without the need to remove the shaft from the patient's body. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple end effectors can be introduced into a body cavity. The end effectors can be disassociated or separate from one another such that they float within the body cavity. A distal end of a shaft can be positioned within the body cavity and it can be used to selectively engage one of the end effectors. In particular, the device can be configured to allow each end effector to be remotely attached and detached from the distal end of the shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventors: Jonathan A. Coe, James W. Voegele, Gary L. Long, Andrew M. Zwolinski, Kyle P. Moore, Robert P. Gill
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Patent number: 8876761Abstract: Methods and devices create an intestinal braking effect, are non-invasive or minimally invasive, and may be reversible. These methods and devices are accomplished via stabilized implantable systems and ingestible pills. In one embodiment, a method of producing satiety comprising the steps of accessing a gastrointestinal tract of a patient and implanting an intraintestinal therapeutic substance eluting implant. The implant is capable of eluting a satiety inducing substance selected from at least one of a nutrient, a specific satiety inducing bio-active substance, pancreatic polypeptides, free fatty acids, cholecystokinin, amino acids, glutamine, lipids, linoleic acid, or a combination thereof, from the implant into the gastrointestinal tract.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2011Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Thomas E. Albrecht, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Sean P. Conlon, Michael S. Cropper, Denzel Z. Herrera-Davis, Daniel F. Dlugos, Jr., Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Prasanna Malaviya, Glenda C. Marsh, Mark S. Ortiz, Mark D. Overmyer, Alessandro Pastorelli, Galen C. Robertson, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Michael J. Stokes, James W. Voegele, Lauren S. Weaner, William B. Weisenburgh, II, Christopher W. Widenhouse, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse, James A. Woodard, Jr., David C. Yates, Mark S. Zeiner, Andrew M. Zwolinski
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Patent number: 8849377Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for marking tissue to be subsequently located for removal from a body or for other examination. In general, a marker is provided that can be delivered adjacent to tissue desirable for marking. The marker can coil adjacent to the desired tissue. The marker can remain disposed in the body in its coiled position and be subsequently palpably identified and/or visually identified to locate the desired tissue.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2008Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: James W. Voegele, William B. Weisenburgh, II
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Patent number: 8834498Abstract: A method and devices for accomplishing the successful anastomosis of two hollow organ structures are disclosed. The method includes bringing the structures together, applying at least one fastener to hold the structures together and form a connection site, and applying, as alternatives or in conjunction, an adhesive, a wrap and/or a buttress about the connection site. Various examples of fasteners, fastener appliers, adhesives, adhesive initiators and buttress rings also are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2006Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Randal T. Byrum, Robert P. Gill, William D. Kelly, Ronald J. Kolata, Mark S. Ortiz, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Douglas J. Turner, James W. Voegele
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Patent number: 8812100Abstract: Self-positioning of at least a portion of a transdermal electrical stimulation patch within a target area (e.g., supraclavicular fossa region) of a human body to activate a depot of brown adipose tissue therein. An electric field is generated using the electrical stimulation patch to activate the brown adipose tissue within the supraclavicular fossa region of the body. The patch is self-positioned using one or more anatomical points (e.g., anatomical landmarks and/or anatomical features) or markings on the body. Brown adipose tissue may also be activated by applying an electrical signal to a body piercing partially implanted proximate a target area in which the tissue is disposed.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: James W. Voegele, Thomas E. Albrecht, Tamara C. Baynham, David Cagle, Anthony R. DiUbaldi, Jason L. Harris, Michael A. Murray, Mark S. Zeiner, Jacob Crabtree
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Patent number: 8792966Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for marking tissue to be subsequently located for removal from a body or for other examination. In general, a marker is provided that can be delivered through a tissue wall proximate to tissue desirable for marking. The marker can be movable between a non-deployed or unexpanded position, in which the marker is configured to be delivered through a relatively small diameter passageway, to an expanded, balloon-like position in which the marker is configured to engage opposed sides of a tissue wall proximate to the desired tissue. The marker can remain disposed in the body in its expanded position and be subsequently palpably identified and/or visually identified to locate the desired tissue.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2008Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: James W. Voegele, William B. Weisenburgh, II