Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A tissue capture anchor is described that comprises an anchor body and a spreader such that tissue may be captured or compressed between outside surfaces on the anchor and spreader and inside surfaces of a bone hole to secure the tissue within the hole. A bone anchor is described that comprises an anchor body with expandable tines and a spreader that expands the tines into bone. The spreader captures tissue via a suture loop at the distal end of the bone anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the anchor into bone and move the spreader within the anchor to expand the anchor and capture the tissue between the anchor and the bone. Methods are described that allow use of single bone anchor to secure tissue to bone or also to use more than one bone anchor to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A bone anchor is described that comprises an anchor body with expandable tines and a spreader that expands the tines into bone. Also disclosed is a bone anchor that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be attached to apertures in the anchor top or else compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the spreader relative to the anchor body attach suture material. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor body or anchor base to attach to or clamp suture material there between.

Abstract: Devices and methods for electrode implantation. A first embodiment includes an electrode insertion tool adapted to tunnel through tissue and attach, at its distal end, to a lead, such that the lead may be pulled into the tunneled space as the electrode insertion tool is removed. Additional embodiments include methods for inserting electrode/lead assemblies, including a method wherein an insertion tool is first used to tunnel through tissue, then to pull an electrode/lead into the tunneled space. In a further embodiment the insertion tool is next used, with a splittable sheath disposed thereon, to create an additional path into tissue, after which the insertion tool is removed, leaving the sheath in place; a lead is inserted to the sheath, and, finally, the splittable sheath is removed over the lead.

Abstract: Devices and methods for electrode implantation. A first embodiment includes an electrode insertion tool adapted to tunnel through tissue and attach, at its distal end, to a lead, such that the lead may be pulled into the tunneled space as the electrode insertion tool is removed. Additional embodiments include methods for inserting electrode/lead assemblies, including a method wherein an insertion tool is first used to tunnel through tissue, then to pull an electrode/lead into the tunneled space. In a further embodiment the insertion tool is next used, with a splittable sheath disposed thereon, to create an additional path into tissue, after which the insertion tool is removed, leaving the sheath in place; a lead is inserted to the sheath, and, finally, the splittable sheath is removed over the lead.

Abstract: Mechanism for controlling pressure during the adhesive thermal compression bonding provides benefits of higher production yield, improved adhesive bonding performance and quality. Springs and pneumatic pistons are utilized to provide improved pressure control during the adhesive thermal compression bonding process. All production parts have certain geometric tolerances and automatically accommodating these tolerances increases production yield by reducing waste of incompletely adhesive bonded parts. The gaps caused by the parts tolerance are closed in a controlled manner using the mechanism and the pressure is controlled for effective adhesive bonding.

Abstract: Methods are provided for assembling desired die-cuts from individual die-cut components. Each individual die-cut component may consist of films of various materials, diverse adhesive tapes, diverse foam materials, fabrics, metals and others. Individual die-cut components are assembled onto liners that function as carriers or platforms. The liners may be in individual panels or continuous rolls. Individual die-cut components are assembled onto the liner using computer controlled pick and place equipment with a high degree of accuracy and speed. The liner may consist of a film with controlled adhesive strength to maintain the x-y position of placed individual die-cut components. The die-cut comprising the liner and assembled die-cut components is then used for various purposes, such as holding two parts together, in the assembly of various products, such as cell phones.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A non-metallic bone anchor is described that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor by ultrasonically welding the surfaces. Also described is an inserter/welder that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor base to clamp suture material there between and to weld the suture material within the clamping area.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a WORM storage system, the method including a sector-append capability. The method includes receiving data to be written to a WORM storage system. In addition, the method includes identifying a target sector at which the data is to be written. Also, the method includes determining if the received data can be added to the target sector. Moreover, the method includes adding the received data to the target sector if it is determined that the received data can be added to the target sector.

Abstract: Devices and methods for electrode implantation. A first embodiment includes an electrode insertion tool adapted to tunnel through tissue and attach, at its distal end, to a lead, such that the lead may be pulled into the tunneled space as the electrode insertion tool is removed. Additional embodiments include methods for inserting electrode/lead assemblies, including a method wherein an insertion tool is first used to tunnel through tissue, then to pull an electrode/lead into the tunneled space. In a further embodiment the insertion tool is next used, with a splittable sheath disposed thereon, to create an additional path into tissue, after which the insertion tool is removed, leaving the sheath in place; a lead is inserted to the sheath, and, finally, the splittable sheath is removed over the lead.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a housing and an elongate pocket formed within the housing. A locking member is positioned within the elongate pocket. A first aperture extends through the locking member in coaxial alignment with the elongate pocket, while a second aperture extends through the locking member in a direction different than that of the first aperture. A retention clip is positioned within the elongate pocket proximate the locking member and has a first configuration in which a portion of the retention clip extends into the first aperture and a second configuration in which the retention clip does not extend into the first aperture. A pushrod that has a first end that is positioned near the retention clip and a second end that is positioned exterior to the housing is disposed within the second aperture.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing the overhead associated with direct data placement is provided. Processing time overhead is reduced by implementing packet-processing logic in hardware. Storage space overhead is reduced by combining results of hardware-based packet-processing logic with ULP software support; parameters relevant to direct data placement are extracted during packet-processing and provided to a control structure instantiation. Subsequently, payload data received at a network adapter is directly placed in memory in accordance with parameters previously stored in a control structure. Additionally, packet-processing in hardware reduces interrupt overhead by issuing system interrupts in conjunction with packet boundaries. In this manner, wire-speed direct data placement is approached, zero copy is achieved, and per byte overhead is reduced with respect to the amount of data transferred over an individual network connection.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for transferring data between an initiator node and target node. A request is received conforming to a first data transfer protocol at the initiator node to transmit to the target node. A reference to a memory location is obtained to use to transfer the request to the target node. At least one function is called that executes in a user address space of the initiator node, wherein the initiator node includes a kernel address space and the user address space. The at least one function executing in the user address space interfaces with an adaptor to transmit the request and reference to the memory location to the target node using a second data transfer protocol.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for communicating data transfer requests between data transfer protocols A request is received conforming to a first data transfer protocol at an initiator node to transmit to a target node, wherein the request includes a request identifier in the first data transfer protocol. A reference is obtained to a memory location to use for the request using a second data transfer protocol, wherein the reference is used by the second data transfer protocol. An entry is added to a map associating the reference to the memory location for the second data transfer protocol with the request identifier for the first data transfer protocol. The second data transfer protocol is used to transfer the request with the request identifier and the reference to the memory location.

Abstract: A wound closure device which maintains pneumoperitoneum while allowing a surgeon to capture an mount of tissue which is substantially wider than the diameter of a trocar cannula through which the device is inserted. The wound closure device includes, an elongated guide member, a hook shaped needle and a retracting mechanism for moving the needle from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the tip of the needle is positioned within the guide member so that the needle can be easily inserted into a body. In the open position, the needle tip is positioned outside of the guide member at a distance from the guide member which is greater than the diameter of the guide member.

Abstract: A tissue segmentation device incorporated in an isolation bag for segmenting tissue during an operation such as in laparoscopic surgery. The device includes one or more loops of high strength wire which can be mechanically reduced in size to cut the tissue into smaller pieces. The wire loops can be heated electrically to aid in cutting through hard-to-cut parts of the tissue. The wire can be of a shape memory alloy which shrinks when heated to form a smaller diameter loop.