Abstract: Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a socket in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the socket, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Alternate embodiments of the anchor placement system and method of the present invention may forego tensioned sutures in favor of direct engagement with the soft tissue graft, whereby an end or a portion of the graft is trapped between an outer surface of the anchor and the boney surface of the wall of the socket such that friction force between the inserted portions of graft and socket maintains the position of graft relative to socket and bone. In either case, particularly preferred embodiments allow for the one-handed operation.

Abstract: In the context of bone surgery and in particular arthroscopic surgery, there is frequently a need for the application of “percussive force” to the distal end component(s) of a surgical device, i.e., repetitive percutient or striking force analogous to that of a hammer driving a nail. Disclosed herein are mechanisms and methods for automating and/or controlling the application of such a percussive force so as to avoid the present need in the art for a “third hand”. The present invention addresses the significant and long felt need by providing a powered percussive driver device that may be controlled directly by the primary surgeon.

Abstract: A tunable nanofiber filter device can include a filter housing defining an interior space, the housing having defined therein and inlet and an outlet, each in fluid communication with the interior space, and a plurality of filter laminas disposed within the interior space, each filter lamina including an upper surface, a lower surface, and an aperture defined therethrough. The plurality of filter laminas can be arranged in a stack wherein the opposing surfaces of adjacent filter laminas define a portion of an interlaminar flow space extending between the opposing surfaces. The flow space can be in fluid communication with the apertures of corresponding adjacent filter laminas to form a continuous flow passage extending through the lamina stack from the inlet to the outlet. An array nanofibers can extend into the flow passage from a portion of each filter lamina such that a fluid flowed through the flow passage flows across a portion of said array.

Abstract: Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments allow for the one-handed operation. To that end, embodiments in which relative axial movement between the inner tensioning device and outer driver device is optionally physically constrained, for example by means of cooperating and/or compressive elements disposed in the respective hub and handle portions, are described herein.

Abstract: Described herein is combination sealing and stabilizing collar component designed to both prevent the leakage of vacuum through the interface between an endoscopic shaver device and a powered handpiece that provides rotational motion thereto and stabilize the endoscopic shaver device when it is mounted onto the powered handpiece. The collar may be further coupled with a conventional cannula to prevent the leakage of intra-articular fluid when performing an arthroscopic procedure.

Abstract: Using the simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor of the present invention, a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to multi-anchor constructs. Multi-anchor constructs of the present invention may employ threaded implants exclusively, push-in implants exclusively, or a combination of threaded and push-in implants.

Abstract: A number of surgical procedures, particularly orthopaedic procedures, involve manual percussion, typically mallet-applied. As discussed in detail herein, such procedures can be problematic as they not only require a second set of hands but are often associated with incomplete and/or uncontrolled axial movement and/or injury to the surgeon's hands. Described herein are specialized hand-held devices, as well as systems, kits, and methods associated therewith, that avoid such problems by joining or replacing the external “mallet” with an internal “hammer” that can automate the delivery of controlled repetitive “strikes”, more particularly repeated strikes to a proximal end of a drill, driver and/or insertion device, so as to mete out pre-determined incremental movement to a distal end component, such as a sharpened socket-forming tip, an interference-plug type suture anchor, or a dilating device for modifying the cross-section of a tunnel formed in a bone.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are high efficiency surgical devices and methods of using same using radio frequency (RF) electrical power to destroy tumors, form lesions, denaturize, desiccate, coagulate and ablate soft tissues, as well as to drill, cut, resect and vaporize soft tissues. More particularly, the electrosurgical instruments use externally supplied conductive or non-conductive liquids, delivered to an area of interest in the form of heated irrigant and/or steam, to thermally treat target tissues of interest, either at the tissue surface, below the tissue surface or at a site remote therefrom.

Abstract: Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft or “suture anchor”, threaded, knotless or otherwise, by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. The simplified placement system and method of the present invention allows the surgeon to establish the graft position and, while maintaining that position, secure the anchor without changing the suture tension or causing a shift in the graft position and furthermore, when the anchor is threaded, without spinning of the suture.

Abstract: In the context of bone surgery and in particular arthroscopic surgery, there is frequently a need for the application of “percussive force” to the distal end component(s) of a surgical device, i.e., repetitive percutient or striking force analogous to that of a hammer driving a nail. Disclosed herein are mechanisms and methods for automating and/or controlling the application of such a percussive force so as to avoid the present need in the art for a “third hand”. The present invention addresses the significant and long felt need by providing a powered percussive driver device that may be controlled directly by the primary surgeon.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of an electrosurgical device that include one or more floating electrodes and are specifically adapted to remove, resect, ablate, vaporize, denaturize, coagulate and form lesions in soft tissues, preferably in combination with a resectoscope, particularly in the context of urological, gynecological, laparoscopic, arthroscopic, and ENT procedures. Specific adaptations for urological and gynecological applications, for example BPH treatment, are also described.

Abstract: Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments allow for the one-handed operation. To that end, embodiments in which relative axial movement between the inner tensioning device and outer driver device is optionally physically constrained, for example by means of cooperating and/or compressive elements disposed in the respective hub and handle portions, are described herein.

Abstract: In the context of bone surgery and in particular arthroscopic surgery, there is frequently a need for the application of “percussive force” to the distal end component(s) of a surgical device, i.e., repetitive percutient or striking force analogous to that of a hammer driving a nail. Disclosed herein are mechanisms and methods for automating and/or controlling the application of such a percussive force so as to avoid the present need in the art for a “third hand”. The present invention addresses the significant and long felt need by providing a powered percussive driver device that may be controlled directly by the primary surgeon.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are high efficiency surgical devices and methods of using same using radio frequency (RF) electrical power and/or electrically heated filaments to destroy tumors, form lesions, denaturize, desiccate, coagulate and ablate soft tissues, as well as to drill, cut, resect and vaporize soft tissues. According to the principles of this invention, the electrosurgical instruments can be used with externally supplied conductive or non-conductive liquids, as well as without externally supplied liquids, a mode of operation often referred to as “dry field” environment.

Abstract: Using the simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor of the present invention, a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to multi-anchor constructs. Multi-anchor constructs of the present invention may employ threaded implants exclusively, push-in implants exclusively, or a combination of threaded and push-in implants.

Abstract: Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone while maintaining suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture.

Abstract: Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments allow for the one-handed operation. To that end, embodiments in which relative axial movement between the inner tensioning device and outer driver device is optionally physically constrained, for example by means of cooperating and/or compressive elements disposed in the respective hub and handle portions, are described herein.

Abstract: Using the simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor of the present invention, a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention allow for the placement of small diameter knotless anchors. For example, the implant placement system may include a cannulated tensioning device having disposed therein an elongate member of a suitably elastic metallic or polymeric material, such as nitinol, that includes at its distal end a loop of material suitable for suture retention.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are dual-mode electrosurgical devices designed to function in a first mode in which high-density RF energy is used to cut or vaporize tissue, and then a second mode in which lower-density RF energy desiccates tissue to produce hemostasis, as well as methods of performing electrosurgery using same. Devices formed in accordance with the principles of this invention may be used for any surgical procedure in which highly vascular tissue is cut electrosurgically in a dry or semi-dry field, examples of which include tonsillectomy, liver resection, and cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast mastopexy, and abdominoplasty.

Abstract: Using the simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor of the present invention, a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to multi-anchor constructs. Multi-anchor constructs of the present invention may employ threaded implants exclusively, push-in implants exclusively, or a combination of threaded and push-in implants.