Patents by Inventor Michael A. Ciannella

Michael A. Ciannella 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).

  • Patent number: 4826481
    Abstract: An enteral feeding catheter is characterized by being adapted for introduction through the mouth via a guidewire that extends from the mouth through the esophagus, stomach and abdominal puncture. The catheter has a relatively stiff leading portion of length sufficient to extend along the guidewire from the mouth through the abdominal puncture and of stiffness sufficient to permit it to be pushed along the guidewire, at least an initial length of the catheter being tapered to a narrow leading tip to enable the puncture to be dilated as its drawn therethrough. The catheter also has a relatively soft, large diameter trailing portion connected to the leading portion adapted to be drawn along said guidewire by grasping and pulling the stiff leading portion until the leading end of the soft portion extends outside the body through the widened puncture, while the trailing end remains in the stomach, whereby the relatively soft trailing portion can serve as a conduit for enteric feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Abbott Labs.
    Inventors: Barry A. Sacks, Arnold S. Gould, Michael P. Manzo, Michael A. Ciannella
  • Patent number: 4758219
    Abstract: An enteral feeding catheter is characterized by being adapted for introduction through the mouth via a guidewire that extends from the mouth through the esophagus, stomach and abdominal puncture. The catheter has a relatively stiff leading portion of length sufficient to extend along the guidewire from the mouth through the abdominal puncture and of stiffness sufficient to permit it to be pushed along the guidewire, at least an initial length of the catheter being tapered to a narrow leading tip to enable the puncture to be dilated as its drawn therethrough. The catheter also has a relatively soft, large diameter trailing portion connected to the leading portion adapted to be drawn along said guidewire by grasping and pulling the stiff leading portion until the leading end of the soft portion extends outside the body through the widened puncture, while the trailing end remains in the stomach, whereby the relatively soft trailing portion can serve as a conduit for enteric feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Microvasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry A. Sacks, Arnold S. Gould, Michael P. Manzo, Michael A. Ciannella
  • Patent number: 4698056
    Abstract: A gastro-enterostomy device consists of an introducing catheter, stiffening member, and separable conical tip for providing an introduction lumen of relatively large bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: Medi-Tech, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Ciannella
  • Patent number: 4624657
    Abstract: A medical device includes a flexible, elongated tube having a continuous, smooth, outer surface, adapted for introduction into the body, and a connection for introducing inflation fluid into the space defined by the length of the tube. The tube is elastomer and the tube wall is in a weakened state while adjacent portions of the tube are not so weakened, the wall of the selected portion having a lower resistance to expansion than adjacent portions. By use of heat-sensitive, annealable plastic, a tube of uniform thickness is weakened at a selected location by annealing. The selected limited-length portion, by reason of its weakened state, is adapted to preferentially respond to pressure of inflation fluid within the tube by expanding transversely to a balloon shape larger than adjacent portions of the tube that are subjected to the same pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Medi-Tech, Incorporated
    Inventors: Arnold S. Gould, Michael A. Ciannella
  • Patent number: 4552554
    Abstract: An introducing catheter for use in placing a large guidewire after a small guidewire is in position. The catheter has a tapered distal tip, decreased lumen size at the distal end, a side port and a ramp disposed within the tube at the distal end of the side port. The ramp is inclined distally toward the side port, the distal end of the ramp being fixed to the tube adjacent to the side port and the proximal end of the ramp being disposed adjacent the inner wall of the tube in the region opposite the side port in the manner that the small guidewire can move proximally past the ramp. The ramp deflects the distally moving larger wire so that it exists through the side port. In the embodiment shown, the ramp is formed integrally of low friction thermoplastic (PTFE) and the upper surface of the proximal end of the ramp has a convex, wire-deflecting contour as a result of thermoforming pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignee: Medi-Tech Incorporated
    Inventors: Arnold S. Gould, Gary Sawicki, Michael A. Ciannella