Patents by Inventor Robert Spetzler

Robert Spetzler 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: 8906053
    Abstract: A method for treating a brain tumor includes providing a surgical instrument having an inner member and an outer member. The outer member has a distal region forming a cutting window and an optional distal elevator tip. The inner member is rotatably received within the outer member, and has a cutting tip that is exposed at the window. The cutting tip and the distal region of the outer member combine to define a cutting implement. An opening is created through the patient's skull to provide access to a brain tumor target site. The cutting implement is delivered through the opening to the target site. The elevator tip is inserted partially between the tumor and tissue of the target site, and the cutting tip is placed into contact with the tumor and operated to cut the tumor. The target site is selectively aspirated to remove cut tumor tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventors: Dana A. Oliver, Louis M. Shadeck, Roy Galvin, Robert Spetzler
  • Publication number: 20090124975
    Abstract: A method for treating a brain tumor includes providing a surgical instrument having an inner member and an outer member. The outer member has a distal region forming a cutting window and an optional distal elevator tip. The inner member is rotatably received within the outer member, and has a cutting tip that is exposed at the window. The cutting tip and the distal region of the outer member combine to define a cutting implement. An opening is created through the patient's skull to provide access to a brain tumor target site. The cutting implement is delivered through the opening to the target site. The elevator tip is inserted partially between the tumor and tissue of the target site, and the cutting tip is placed into contact with the tumor and operated to cut the tumor. The target site is selectively aspirated to remove cut tumor tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Dana A. Oliver, Louis M. Shadeck, Roy Galvin, Robert Spetzler
  • Publication number: 20070165302
    Abstract: A microscopy assembly comprises a stand, a stereo microscope supported by the stand, and a mouth switch assembly mounted to a holder, the mouth switch assembly including a mouth piece grippable by a user's teeth, and with a force sensor actuatable by the exertion of pressure by a user's lip while the mouth piece is held by the user's teeth, the force sensor including an actuating element arranged at a side of the mouth piece, wherein an actuating area of the actuating element located next to a front end of the mouth piece is spaced apart from the front end of the mouth piece by a distance larger than 4 mm and smaller than 35 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Spetzler, Hans-Joachim Miesner, Frank Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20060004396
    Abstract: A torsional dissection tip and method of use comprising a longitudinal-torsional resonator having a cutting surface at a distal end with cutting teeth of a pitch optimized to the torsional or longitudinal displacement of the distal tip. The present art apparatus and method of use utilizes uniquely designed cutting surface geometries with the aforesaid pitch attributes for surgical applications. Utilization of the present art torsional dissection tip allows a surgeon to easily remove hard tissues such as bone without moving the present art instrument to any site except that which is to be dissected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventors: James Easley, Edward Timm, Robert Spetzler