Patents by Inventor Layne D. Christopher

Layne D. Christopher 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).

  • METHOD OF SUTURING A TROCAR PATH INCISION
    Publication number: 20250049467
    Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael A. Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nichole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellmann, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
  • METHOD OF SUTURING A TROCAR PATH INCISION
    Publication number: 20220395288
    Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael A. Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nichole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellman, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
  • Method of suturing a trocar path incision
    Patent number: 11389192
    Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nichole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellmann, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
  • Surgical port with wound closure channels
    Patent number: 10568619
    Abstract: A surgical access device includes a tissue retractor including a flexible body configured to engage tissue surrounding a tissue opening. A plurality of surgical instrument channels is arranged in a central portion of the tissue retractor. Each surgical instrument channel is configured to guide a surgical instrument distally through the surgical access device. At least one needle entrance port is arranged on a proximal portion of the surgical access device. At least one needle exit port is arranged distally of the needle entrance port. The at least one needle entrance port and the at least one needle exit port are configured to cooperate to define a needle channel extending distally through the surgical access device and obliquely relative to a central axis thereof. The needle channel is configured to guide a suture passer needle through the surgical access device and adjacent tissue to facilitate closure of the tissue opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, James G. Lee, Layne D. Christopher, Nichole Y. Kwee, Sol Posada, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Anil R. Jadhav, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
  • SURGICAL PORT WITH WOUND CLOSURE CHANNELS
    Publication number: 20190000441
    Abstract: A surgical access device includes a tissue retractor including a flexible body configured to engage tissue surrounding a tissue opening. A plurality of surgical instrument channels is arranged in a central portion of the tissue retractor. Each surgical instrument channel is configured to guide a surgical instrument distally through the surgical access device. At least one needle entrance port is arranged on a proximal portion of the surgical access device. At least one needle exit port is arranged distally of the needle entrance port. The at least one needle entrance port and the at least one needle exit port are configured to cooperate to define a needle channel extending distally through the surgical access device and obliquely relative to a central axis thereof. The needle channel is configured to guide a suture passer needle through the surgical access device and adjacent tissue to facilitate closure of the tissue opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, James G. Lee, Layne D. Christopher, Nicole Y. Kwee, Sol Posada, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Anil R. Jadhav, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
  • METHOD OF SUTURING A TROCAR PATH INCISION
    Publication number: 20190000496
    Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nicole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellmann, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse