Patents by Inventor Kenneth Kensey
Kenneth Kensey 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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Patent number: 6190347Abstract: Method and systems for separating a first material, e.g., cholesterol or fat, from lymphatic fluid flowing through a duct within the body of a living being, so that the material is removed from the being's body or recirculated. The system includes a filter for separating that material, and an elongated conduit implanted within the vascular system and having a distal end in fluid communication with the duct and a proximal end in fluid communication with the filter. An implantable pump may be provided to enhance the operation of the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1999Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: S.L.I.M. Tech, Ltd.Inventor: Kenneth Kensey
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Patent number: 6179863Abstract: A system, a closure, and method of use for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel. The puncture includes an opening in the vessel wall and a tract leading to the opening. The system includes an introducer sheath and associated positioning device, a hemostatic puncture closure, and a deployment instrument. The positioning device enables the introducer sheath to be positioned at a desired position within the vessel. The deployment instrument includes a tubular carrier storing the closure. The closure comprises a rigid, e.g., radio-opaque, anchor, a compressed collagen plug, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement. The instrument and introducer are used to introduce the closure into the puncture, with the anchor located within the artery and with the collagen plug within the puncture tract. A locking member is provided to hold the closure in place at its operative position, whereupon hemostasis occurs rapidly, thereby sealing the puncture.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John Nash, Douglas Evans
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Patent number: 6152888Abstract: A blood viscosity measuring system and method that monitors the rising head of a column of fluid representing a living being's blood in-vivo to determine the blood viscosity over a range of shears. The system includes a capillary tube, at least a portion of which is located within the vascular system of the being, and a riser tube, having a liquid therein coupled to the capillary tube. A sensor and associated microprocessor are provided to determine the change in the height of the liquid in the riser tube at plural points along the length of the tube from which the viscosity is calculated.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Visco Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Harold E. Clupper
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Patent number: 6090130Abstract: A system for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel in a living being and method of use thereof. The system includes a hemostatic closure, a blood vessel locator device for determining the position of the blood vessel via the percutaneous puncture, and a deployment instrument for deploying the closure within the puncture to seal the puncture. The vessel locator includes means for enabling blood from the vessel to flow therethrough so that the position of the vessel can be rapidly determined. Once the vessel has been located the deployment instrument, which includes a tubular carrier storing the closure, is extended into the puncture to deploy the closure. The closure basically comprises a radiopaque rigid anchor for location within the blood vessel, a compressed collagen plug for location within the puncture tract leading to the vessel, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1998Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: John E. Nash, Douglas G. Evans, Kenneth Kensey
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Patent number: 6077234Abstract: A blood viscosity measuring system and method that monitors the rising head of a column of fluid representing a living being's blood in-vivo to determine the blood viscosity over a range of shears. The system includes a capillary tube, at least a portion of which is located within the vascular system of the being, and a riser tube, having a liquid therein coupled to the capillary tube. A sensor and associated microprocessor are provided to determine the change in the height of the liquid in the riser tube at plural points along the length of the tube from which the viscosity is calculated. The system can be utilized to determine the deformability of the red blood cells of a living being's blood and/or the thixotropic properties of a living being's blood. Use of the system enables one to screen a material, e.g., a pharmaceutical, on a test subject, such as a living human being or laboratory animal, to determine the likely effect of the material in altering a parameter of the blood, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1998Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Visco Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth Kensey
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Patent number: 6045569Abstract: A system for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel in a living being and method of use thereof. The system includes a hemostatic closure, a blood vessel locator device for determining the position of the blood vessel via the percutaneous puncture, and a deployment instrument for deploying the closure within the puncture to seal the puncture. The vessel locator includes means for enabling blood from the vessel to flow therethrough so that the position of the vessel can be rapidly determined. Once the vessel has been located the deployment instrument, which includes a tubular carrier storing the closure, is extended into the puncture to deploy the closure. The closure basically comprises a radiopaque rigid anchor for location within the blood vessel, a compressed collagen plug for location within the puncture tract leading to the vessel, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1998Date of Patent: April 4, 2000Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Douglas G. Evans
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Patent number: 6022333Abstract: Method and systems for separating a first material, e.g., cholesterol or fat, from lymphatic fluid flowing through a duct within the body of a living being, so that the material is removed from the being's body or recirculated. The system includes a filter for separating that material, and an elongated conduit implanted within the vascular system and having a distal end in fluid communication with the duct and a proximal end in fluid communication with the filter. An implantable pump may be provided to enhance the operation of the system.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1997Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: S.L.I.M. Tech, Ltd.Inventor: Kenneth Kensey
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Patent number: 6019735Abstract: A blood viscosity measuring system and method that monitors the rising head of a column of fluid representing a living being's blood in-vivo to determine the blood viscosity over a range of shears. The system includes a capillary tube, at least a portion of which is located within the vascular system of the being, and a riser tube, having a liquid therein coupled to the capillary tube. A sensor and associated microprocessor are provided to determine the change in the height of the liquid in the riser tube at plural points along the length of the tube from which the viscosity is calculated.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Visco Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Harold E. Clupper
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Patent number: 6015386Abstract: A system for monitoring blood pressure within a blood vessel of a living being. The system includes an implantable sensor unit and an associated externally located energy application transceiver. The sensor unit is in the form of a housing including a movable deflection member and a tuned circuit including an inductor coil and a capacitor. The housing surrounds the wall of the blood vessel and includes a wall portion arranged to flatten a portion of the periphery of the blood vessel. The deflection member extends through a slot in the wall portion of the housing for engagement with only the flattened portion of the blood vessel to move in response to the pressure applied to the flattened portion of the blood vessel by the blood. The deflection member includes a ferrite core. The ferrite core is arranged to move with respect to the coil in response to the movement of the deflection member, thereby changing the inductance of the tuned circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1998Date of Patent: January 18, 2000Assignee: BPM Devices, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth Kensey, Harold Clupper
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Patent number: 6007563Abstract: A system for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel in a living being and a method of sealing the puncture. The system includes a hemostatic closure, a blood vessel locator device for determining the position of the blood vessel via the percutaneous puncture, and a deployment instrument for deploying the closure within the puncture to seal the puncture. The vessel locator includes means for enabling blood from the vessel to flow therethrough so that the position of the vessel can be rapidly determined. Once the vessel has been located the deployment instrument, which includes a tubular carrier storing the closure, is extended into the puncture to deploy the closure. The closure basically comprises a radiopaque rigid anchor for location within the blood vessel, a compressed collagen plug for location within the puncture tract leading to the vessel, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1998Date of Patent: December 28, 1999Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: John E. Nash, Douglas G. Evans, Kenneth Kensey
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Patent number: 5935147Abstract: A system, a closure, and method of use for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel. The puncture includes an opening in the vessel wall and a tract leading to the opening. The system includes an introducer sheath and associated positioning device, a hemostatic puncture closure, and a deployment instrument. The positioning device enables the introducer sheath to be positioned at a desired position within the vessel. The deployment instrument includes a tubular carrier storing the closure. The closure comprises a rigid, e.g., radio-opaque, anchor, a compressed collagen plug, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement. The instrument and introducer are used to introduce the closure into the puncture, with the anchor located within the artery and with the collagen plug within the puncture tract. A locking member is provided to hold the closure in place at its operative position, whereupon hemostasis occurs rapidly, thereby sealling the puncture.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John Nash, Douglas Evans
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Patent number: 5861004Abstract: A system for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel in a living being and method of use thereof. The system includes a hemostatic closure, a blood vessel locator device for determining the position of the blood vessel via the percutaneous puncture, and a deployment instrument for deploying the closure within the puncture to seal the puncture. The vessel locator includes means for enabling blood from the vessel to flow therethrough so that the position of the vessel can be rapidly determined. Once the vessel has been located the deployment instrument, which includes a tubular carrier storing the closure, is extended into the puncture to deploy the closure. The closure basically comprises a radiopaque rigid anchor for location within the blood vessel, a compressed collagen plug for location within the puncture tract leading to the vessel, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1997Date of Patent: January 19, 1999Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Douglas G. Evans
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Patent number: 5707393Abstract: A system, a closure, and method of use for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel. The puncture includes an opening in the vessel wall and a tract leading to the opening. The system includes an introducer sheath and associated positioning device, a hemostatic puncture closure, and a deployment instrument. The positioning device enables the introducer sheath to be positioned at a desired position within the vessel. The deployment instrument includes a tubular carrier holding the closure. The closure comprises a rigid, e.g., radio-opaque, anchor, a compressed collagen plug, and a thin filament connecting the two in a-pulley-like arrangement. The instrument and introducer are used to introduce the closure into the puncture, with the anchor located within the artery and with the collagen plug within the puncture tract. A locking member is provided to hold the closure in place at its operative position, whereupon hemostasis occurs rapidly, thereby sealing the puncture.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1996Date of Patent: January 13, 1998Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John Nash, Douglas Evans
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Patent number: 5676689Abstract: A system for sealing a percutaneous puncture in a blood vessel in a living being and method of use thereof. The system includes a hemostatic closure, a blood vessel locator device for determining the position of the blood vessel via the percutaneous puncture, and a deployment instrument for deploying the closure within the puncture to seal the puncture. The vessel locator includes means for enabling blood from the vessel to flow therethrough so that the position of the vessel can be rapidly determined. Once the vessel has been located the deployment instrument, which includes a tubular carrier storing the closure, is extend into the puncture to deploy the closure. The closure basically comprises a radiopaque rigid anchor for location within the blood vessel, a compressed collagen plug for location within the puncture tract leading to the vessel, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1996Date of Patent: October 14, 1997Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John Nash, Douglas Evans
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Patent number: 5545178Abstract: A system and method for sealing a percutaneous puncture extending into internally located tissue, e.g., the peritoneum, of a living being. The system includes a sealing device and a deployment instrument. In one embodiment the sealing device comprises a substantially rigid anchor, a resorbable holding member, a collagen plug, and a resorbable thin filament connecting the anchor, holding member, and plug. The anchor or the plug or both may be formed of a resorbable material having a non-resorbable mesh reinforcement embedded therein. The deployment instrument is operated to place the anchor in the interior of the peritoneum and the plug and the holding member in the puncture tract, with both ends of the filament extending out of the puncture. The extending ends of the filament are formed into a knot, a portion of which extends through the skin contiguous with the puncture, to lock the closure in place. The reinforced mesh of the closure reinforces any scar tissue which forms at the opening.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1994Date of Patent: August 13, 1996Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Douglas Evans
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Patent number: 5531759Abstract: A system and method for sealing a percutaneous puncture extending into internally located tissue, e.g., the peritoneum, of a living being. The system includes a reinforcing device and a deployment instrument. The device comprises a substantially rigid anchor, a resorbable holding member, a collagen plug, and a resorbable thin filament connecting the anchor, holding member, and plug in a pulley-like arrangement. The anchor or the plug or both may be formed of a resorbable material having a non-resorbable mesh reinforcement embedded therein. The deployment instrument includes a tubular carrier in which the closure and a tamping member are located. The tamping member is operated to expel the closure so that the anchor is in the interior of the peritoneum and the plug and the holding member are in the puncture tract, with both ends of the filament extending out of the puncture and with the holding member fixedly secured to a portion of the filament adjacent one end.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1994Date of Patent: July 2, 1996Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Douglas Evans
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Methods and stabilized instruments for performing medical procedures percutaneously without a trocar
Patent number: 5531757Abstract: A piercing device for use with an essentially rigid medical instrument having a proximal portion and a distal portion including working means for performing some medical procedure in an internal portion of the body of a living being. The piercing device comprises a guide member having a handle at the proximal end. The guide member comprises an elongated trough shaped, U-shaped, sidewall having an inner surface, and a distal end in the form of a piercing tip. The device is arranged to be held so that the piercing tip can be pierced through the skin and at least a portion of the underlying tissue to form a trough shaped percutaneous puncture. The tissue contiguous with the puncture engages the inner and outer surfaces of the sidewall to form a generally fluid tight interface therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1994Date of Patent: July 2, 1996Inventors: Kenneth Kensey, James Meikle, Jr., Harold Clupper, John E. Nash -
Patent number: 5441517Abstract: A system, a closure, and method of use for determining the position of a blood vessel via a percutaneous puncture and for sealing the percutaneous puncture in the blood vessel. The system includes an introducer sheath and associated positioning device, a hemostatic puncture closure, and a deployment instrument. The positioning device enables the introducer sheath to be positioned at a desired position within the vessel. The deployment instrument includes a tubular carrier storing the closure. The carrier has a distally located free end to be extended via an introducer through the puncture and its associated tract. The closure comprises a radiopaque rigid anchor, a compressed collagen plug, and a thin filament connecting the two in a pulley-like arrangement. The carrier ejects the anchor through the introducer and puncture and then draws it against the free end of the introducer.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 1993Date of Patent: August 15, 1995Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John E. Nash, Douglas Evans
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Patent number: 5409444Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing peak systolic blood pressure and the rate of change of velocity of the blood flow in a living being by passively absorbing a portion of the blood pressure during systole. The apparatus comprises an expandable/contractible chamber, e.g., a balloon, which is internally pressurized by a gas, e.g., carbon dioxide. The chamber has a surface portion which is moveable between first and second positions and vice versa when the chamber is contracted and expanded, respectively. The chamber is sufficiently small to be located at a desired situs, such as the aorta, so that the surface portion is subjected to blood pressure, whereupon it moves to the second position during systole to reduce the magnitude thereof while also reducing the rate of change of the velocity of the blood flow.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1992Date of Patent: April 25, 1995Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventors: Kenneth Kensey, John Nash
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Patent number: 5391143Abstract: Method and systems for separating a first material, e.g., fat, from lymphatic fluid flowing through a duct within the body of a living being, so that the material is removed from the being's body or recirculated. The system comprises a reservoir for receipt of that material, and an elongated conduit implanted within the vascular system and having a distal end in fluid communication with the duct and a proximal end in fluid communication with the reservoir. An implantable pump and/or valve may be provided to effect the operation of the system under control from outside the body of the being.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1993Date of Patent: February 21, 1995Assignee: Kensey Nash CorporationInventor: Kenneth Kensey