Abstract: An intervertebral implant inserter, comprising: a) a elongated central body having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface, and a longitudinal throughbore therethrough, b) upper and lower blades, each blade having a distal end portion and a base portion, the base portion of each blade pivotally coupled to the elongated central body, c) a shaft having a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft is advanceable within the throughbore and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the shaft having a distal end forming a pusher having an acicular transverse cross-section, d) upper and lower endplates respectively detachably connected to the distal end portion of a respective blade.

Abstract: Surgical plating systems, devices, and related methods for stabilizing and immobilizing portions of a body for surgical procedures, e.g., spinal surgery, are disclosed herein. The plating systems can have narrow profiles that minimize trauma to the patient. An exemplary bone plating system can include a bone plate having one or more holes for receiving attachment members to couple the bone plate to a bony structure. The plating system can provide multipoint fixation to anatomical structures of the patient to prevent unwanted migration of the bone plate and/or unintentional back-out of the attachment members. In some embodiments, the attachment members can be disposed at various trajectories and angles relative to plating structures and can include a mesh construct and/or additional locking features. In some embodiments, the plating system can be introduced into the patient via an access tube to further limit the invasiveness of the procedure.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods and devices are provided for the delivery of spinal screws to a spinal implant site. A variety of exemplary configurations and implementations are provided, but, in general, a handheld tool is provided having a guide member with a lumen formed therein that is configured to deliver a spinal screw to a cervical spine implant. The tool can include various features that facilitate the delivery of the spinal screw to the implant. The tool can include a storage component, such as a magazine, that is configured to hold a plurality of spinal screws for delivery of multiple spinal screws during a surgical procedure.

Abstract: Surgical plating systems, devices, and related methods for stabilizing and immobilizing portions of a body for surgical procedures, e.g., spinal surgery, are disclosed herein. The plating systems can have narrow profiles that minimize trauma to the patient. An exemplary bone plating system can include a bone plate having one or more holes for receiving attachment members to couple the bone plate to a bony structure. The plating system can provide multipoint fixation to anatomical structures of the patient to prevent unwanted migration of the bone plate and/or unintentional back-out of the attachment members. In some embodiments, the attachment members can be disposed at various trajectories and angles relative to plating structures and can include a mesh construct and/or additional locking features. In some embodiments, the plating system can be introduced into the patient via an access tube to further limit the invasiveness of the procedure.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant inserter, comprising: a) a elongated central body having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface, and a longitudinal throughbore therethrough, b) upper and lower blades, each blade having a distal end portion and a base portion, the base portion of each blade pivotally coupled to the elongated central body, c) a shaft having a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft is advanceable within the throughbore and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the shaft having a distal end forming a pusher having an acicular transverse cross-section, d) upper and lower endplates respectively detachably connected to the distal end portion of a respective blade.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods and devices are provided for the delivery of spinal screws to a spinal implant site. A variety of exemplary configurations and implementations are provided, but, in general, a handheld tool is provided having a guide member with a lumen formed therein that is configured to deliver a spinal screw to a cervical spine implant. The tool can include various features that facilitate the delivery of the spinal screw to the implant. The tool can include a storage component, such as a magazine, that is configured to hold a plurality of spinal screws for delivery of multiple spinal screws during a surgical procedure.

Abstract: An expandable implant is made via a central strut having a pivotable arm on each end. The implant can be inserted into a disc space either horizontally or vertically with the arms in a closed position and then (if inserted horizontally) optionally rotated up into place. The arms are then pivoted out, thereby increasing the foot print of a horizontally inserted implant. The expanded implant can be locked in place through the use of an additional insert or ratchet that fits between the arms and locks the arms in place.

Abstract: An expandable implant is made via a central strut having a pivotable arm on each end. The implant can be inserted into a disc space either horizontally or vertically with the arms in a closed position and then (if inserted horizontally) optionally rotated up into place. The arms are then pivoted out, thereby increasing the foot print of a horizontally inserted implant. The expanded implant can be locked in place through the use of an additional insert or ratchet that fits between the arms and locks the arms in place.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing automatic resource distribution is presented. A number of ports of a resource to hold (H) as needed for each Multi Media Platform (MPP) is determined. Further, the maximum number of ports of a resource that can be acquired (M)—M?H of which are borrowed from other MPPs—for each MPP is also determined. The ports are then allocated for an MPP from at least one server in accordance with the number of ports to hold as needed and the number of ports that can be borrowed.

Abstract: A paw-supporting element, mountable to a hinged door at a suitable location, enables a dog easily to either pull or push the door open depending on which way the door is operable. A pivotable plate mounted above the paw-supporting element, linked to a liftable latch of the door if one is provided, enables the dog to also unlatch the door to open the same.

Abstract: A paw-supporting element, mountable to a hinged door at a suitable location, enables a dog easily to either pull or push the door open depending on which way the door is operable. A pivotable plate mounted above the paw-supporting element, linked to a liftable latch of the door if one is provided, enables the dog to also unlatch the door to open the same.

Abstract: A tool for forming a smoker's pipe from a firm fruit or vegetable such as an apple or a potato has cooperating elements with which a user readily creates a bowl for retaining ignited smoking material, without the need for a screen, and a passage communicating with the bowl to allow drawing of cooled, flavored smoke through the selected fruit or vegetable.

Abstract: A scanner interface is operatively connected to an electro-optical scanner for scanning bar code symbols. A status/condition interface is operatively connected with a system component, e.g., a photodetector, a decoder, a battery, etc., whose status/condition is to be monitored. Threshold information about the system component is stored in a memory. A system processor generates updated information about the system component during scanning, compares the updated information with the threshold information and generates an output signal upon such comparison. In response to the output signal, an indicator signals a user as to the status/condition of the system component.

Abstract: An optical scanning system for reading indicia of differing light reflectivity has an optical scan module including a light emitter for emitting light onto the indicia and a light detector for detecting the reflection of light from the indicia. The scan module is adapted to be mounted on at least one finger of a user. A first peripheral module has a receiver for receiving a first signal corresponding to the detected reflection of light from the optical scan module. The first peripheral module is adapted to be mounted on an arm or wrist of the user. A second peripheral module includes a receiver for receiving a second signal corresponding to the first signal from the first peripheral module by radio frequency transmission. According to other aspects of the invention, the light detector is located in a housing separate and apart from the optical scan module.