Abstract: A variably-flexible device that comprises a hollow body, a steering element that steers a steerable portion of the hollow body, the steering element being comprised of steering tendons disposed within the hollow body, a torque-transmitting element that extends into the steerable portion of the hollow body, and stiffening element disposed within the hollow body to selectively maintain the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition.

Abstract: Polyacrylamides, guar gum (sometimes “guar”), xanthan gum, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and other water-soluble polymers are dissolved and hydrated in aqueous solutions, including especially recycled drilling, fracturing, and other oilfield fluids having significant salt contents, by passing the water-soluble polymer together with the aqueous medium to a cavitation device including an integrated disc pump. The integration of a disc pump with the cavitation device reduces the risk of gumming by applying a negative pressure at the feed point. The ability to use water-soluble polymers with the salty recycled oilfield fluids has significant environmental benefits, namely (1) fresh water is not needed, (2) disposal of the environmentally undesirable returned fluids is not needed, (3) difficultly degradable synthetic polymers may not be needed, and, in particular, (4) the enhanced ability to use guar, which, being a natural product, is biodegradable, is environmentally favored.

Abstract: A surgical device comprising an instrument shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a control handle connected to the proximal end of the instrument shaft, a surgical end effector connected to the distal end of the instrument shaft at a joint, wherein the surgical end effector is configured to articulate, at the joint and with respect to the instrument shaft, about an articulation axis, and wherein the surgical end effector had a pull-to-release articulation lock configured to retain the joint in a fixed position and the control handle has an articulation lock actuator that is configured to, when actuated, release the articulation lock.

Abstract: A method for delivering RF energy to living tissue includes the steps of extending a guidewire to a tissue treatment site in a body. A controllable stiffness catheter is provided with a stiffness device having non-metallic properties and a temperature-changing device. The stiffness device is in a stiff state below a given temperature and in a soft state above the given temperature. While supplying power to the temperature-changing device, the catheter is threaded along the guidewire up to the treatment site in the soft state. Power is removed from the temperature-changing device to alter the non-metallic properties of the stiffness device and directly result in a change of the stiffness device to the stiff state without straightening the catheter. The RF energy supply device is physically contacted with the treatment site and RF energy is delivered to the treatment site from the RF energy supply device.

Abstract: A torque-transmitting, variably-flexible device, comprising a hollow body having a proximal end, a distal end and a given length, a torque-transmitting element that extends substantially entirely over the given length of the hollow body, a steering element that steers the distal end of the hollow body, the steering element being comprised of steering tendons disposed within the hollow body, and stiffening tendons disposed within the hollow body to selectively maintain the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition, wherein the stiffening tendons are unassociated with the steering element of the device.

Abstract: A method of surgically cutting tissue with an ultrasonic instrument that comprises an ultrasonic waveguide that is movable along a longitudinal extent of the ultrasonic instrument comprises the steps of temporarily compressing tissue between two opposing jaws disposed at a distal end of the ultrasonic instrument, applying a resonant ultrasonic wave to the ultrasonic waveguide, and moving the ultrasonic waveguide in a distal direction along the longitudinal extent to advance the ultrasonic waveguide between at least a portion of the jaws to cut and seal the tissue temporarily secured between the jaws.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus can include a handle portion and at least one rotatable drive shaft. The handle portion can have an actuation mechanism with a motor. The rotatable drive shaft can have a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion of the rotatable drive shaft can be coupled to the motor, and the distal end portion of the rotatable drive shaft can be configured to be releasably coupled to a prosthetic heart valve. The actuation mechanism can be configured to control and monitor expansion of the prosthetic heart valve and to control and monitor torque of the motor.

Abstract: A controllable stiffness catheter comprises a shaft comprising an inner sheath defining an access lumen, an outer sheath surrounding the inner sheath and defining an annulus therebetween, the annulus having a vacuum connection at which a vacuum is applied to the annulus, and a mechanical stiffener disposed at least at a portion of the annulus and free to move relatively in the annulus with respect to at least one of the inner sheath and the outer sheath.

Abstract: A controllable stiffness catheter comprising a shaft comprising an inner sheath defining an access lumen, an outer sheath surrounding the inner sheath and defining an annulus therebetween, the annulus having a vacuum connection at which a vacuum is applied to the annulus, and a mechanical stiffener disposed at least at a portion of the annulus.

Abstract: A multiple-firing crimp device comprises crimps, a shaft, a crimp movement assembly, and a snare. Each crimp has an internal hollow. The shaft has a distal crimping location, an exterior surface, and an interior with the clips stacked therein, the crimps moving therein along a longitudinal axis. The shaft defines a lateral opening proximal to the crimping location and communicates the interior to the environment outside the exterior surface. The crimp movement assembly within the shaft delivers the first crimp to the distal crimping location by moving the first crimp longitudinally from a first proximal position into the distal crimping location and returning to a second proximal position without the first crimp. The snare pulls at least one cord from distal of the first crimp through the first crimp and through a portion of the shaft and out the side of the shaft through the lateral opening.

Abstract: A torque-transmitting, variably-flexible device, comprising a hollow body having a proximal end, a distal end and a given length, a torque-transmitting element that extends substantially entirely over the given length of the hollow body, a steering element that steers the distal end of the hollow body, the steering element being comprised of steering tendons disposed within the hollow body, and stiffening tendons disposed within the hollow body to selectively maintain the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition, wherein the stiffening tendons are unassociated with the steering element of the device.

Abstract: A torque-transmitting, locking instrument holder, includes a hollow body having a proximal end for receiving an instrument, a distal end for protrusion of the instrument, and a handle to be gripped by an operator. A device is provided for locking the handle to and unlocking the handle from the instrument at least partly disposed within the hollow body. A method for operating the instrument holder includes providing a hollow body having a proximal end for receiving an instrument, a distal end for protrusion of the instrument, and a handle to be gripped by an operator. The instrument is placed at least partly within the hollow body and the handle is locked to and unlocked from the instrument.

Abstract: A method of creating a switch, comprising disposing a switching element movably within an interior cavity of the switch to define first and second positions along a switching axis of the switching element, disposing a biasing element about the switching element to impart a biasing force to the switching element to place the switching element in one of the first and second positions until an external force imparted to the switching element exceeds the biasing force to cause the switching element to move to the other position, disposing a biasing force-adjusting element in cooperative engagement with the biasing element such that a magnitude of the biasing force is adjustable, and coupling a conductive contact to the switching element to define a first switching state when the switching element is in the first position and a second switching state when the switching element is in the second position.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a shaft, a first jaw having a proximal end at the distal end of the shaft, a second jaw and an ultrasonic waveguide. The first jaw has an internal trough running through the proximal end of the first jaw and a surface on either side of the trough. The second jaw has a surface facing the surface of the first jaw. The waveguide extends beyond the shaft and slidably engages the trough and has a blade with a tissue compressing surface upwardly sloping proximally from a distal end thereof the blade and having an upper portion and a substantially horizontal top surface portion at the upper portion. The tissue compressing surface and/or the top surface portion forms a cutting surface. When the jaws compress tissue therebetween, the blade slides within the trough to further compress and cut the compressed tissue as the blade moves distally.

Abstract: An assembly includes a prosthetic heart valve and a delivery apparatus. The prosthetic heart valve has a plurality of pivotably connected struts and one or more adjustable elements rotatably coupled to the struts. Rotating the adjustable elements in a first direction relative to the struts radially expands the prosthetic heart valve. Rotating the adjustable elements in a second direction relative to the struts radially contracts the prosthetic heart valve. The delivery apparatus includes one or more motors, one or more drive wires coupled to the motors, and a memory. The drive wires are coupled to the adjustable elements of the prosthetic heart valve. The motors are configured to rotate the drive wires and the adjustable elements to expand and contract the prosthetic heart valve. The memory is configured for storing one or more characteristics of the motors, the drive wires, or the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus comprises a handle portion and at least one rotatable drive shaft. The handle portion has an actuation mechanism and a display. The actuation mechanism includes a motor and one or more actuators. The rotatable drive shaft has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion is coupled to the motor, and the distal end portion is configured to be releasably coupled to a prosthetic heart valve. The actuation mechanism is configured to control and monitor expansion of the prosthetic heart valve, and the display is configured to display a diameter of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: Degeneration of shale caused by oxygen in aqueous drilling, fracturing and completion fluids is minimized by introducing imidazolines modified so that they will be attracted efficiently to pyrites in the shale, thereby forming a protective coating on the pyrites. Inhibiting oxidation of the pyrites sharply reduces physical degradation of the shale, and the generation of undesirable oxides, in the presence of drilling, fracturing and completion fluids carrying oxygen. The imidazoline is an ionic salt of a monocarboxylic acid.

Abstract: A stair system with freedom of movement between landings associated therewith includes a connection system configured to connect stairs to a landing associated with a construction, wherein the connection system structurally supports the stairs for safe egress over the stairs while concurrently supporting movement between the landing and a second landing associated with the construction by the stairs in at least one dimension, and wherein the movement supports inter-story drift between the landing and the second landing and removes some force translation between the landing and the second landing.

Abstract: A switch comprising an interior cavity and a switching element movably disposed within the interior cavity to define a first position and a second position, the second position being different from the first position. A biasing element imparts a biasing force to the switching element to place the switching element in either the first or the second position until an external force imparted to the switching element exceeds the biasing force, thereby causing the switching element to move to the other one of the first or the second position. A biasing force-adjusting element is cooperatively engaged with the biasing element, wherein a magnitude of the biasing force is adjustable using the biasing force-adjusting element. An electrically-conductive contact, coupled to the switching element, defines a first switching state when the switching element is in the first position and a second switching state when the switching element is in the second position.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus can include a handle portion and at least one rotatable drive shaft. The handle portion can have an actuation mechanism with a motor. The rotatable drive shaft can have a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion of the rotatable drive shaft can be coupled to the motor, and the distal end portion of the rotatable drive shaft can be configured to be releasably coupled to a prosthetic heart valve. The actuation mechanism can be configured to control and monitor expansion of the prosthetic heart valve and to control and monitor torque of the motor.