Abstract: Dry powder inhaler systems for pulmonary delivery of pharmaceuticals are disclosed.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A steerable expandable spinal implant comprises a body and a movable endplate. The implant including an actuatable expansion mechanism coupled to the body, the expansion mechanism comprising a rotatable drive gear and a follower spindle coupled by a transmission belt. The drive gear is rotatable in a first direction to rotate the body about an axis adjacent a body proximal end, and in a second opposite direction to actuate the expansion mechanism to move the endplate away from the body and expand the spinal implant. A brake shoe is rotatably supported by the body adjacent the proximal end, the brake shoe being operable in a first mode to allow the body to rotate about the axis, and in the second mode to constrain movement of the body relative to brake shoe thereby allowing actuation of the expansion mechanism to move the endplate away from the body and expand the implant.

Abstract: A bellows shaped spinal implant, comprising an upper plate, a lower plate and a bellows shaped shell extending between and joining the upper and lower plates. The bellows shaped shell is formed of titanium or an alloy comprising titanium and includes a wall extending therearound that defines a hollow interior. The wall has a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm to provide for radiographic imaging through the wall. The wall is angled or curved inwardly or outwardly between the upper and lower plates to provide stiffness mimicking the stiffness properties of a similarly sized polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant. The upper and lower plates each comprise porous contact regions including a three-dimensional gyroid lattice structure defined by a plurality of struts and pores in communication with the hollow interior. The outer surfaces of at least a portion of the struts may comprise a laser ablated textured surface.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable spinal implant comprises a body having a hollow interior, a proximal end and a distal end, the body supporting an endplate movable relative to the body in a first direction away from said body. An actuatable expansion mechanism, supported within the hollow interior is coupled to the body and the movable endplate to move the movable endplate relative to the body. The expansion mechanism comprises a rotatable drive gear and a rotatable follower supported spaced from the drive gear, and a transmission belt rotatively coupling the drive gear and the follower to transfer rotative motion from the drive gear to the follower upon actuation of the expansion mechanism. The transmission belt is formed in a continuous loop extending in an oblong shape around the drive gear and the follower and has an inward curve on one side of the loop between said drive gear and the follower.

Abstract: A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide.

Abstract: A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide.

Abstract: A bellows shaped spinal implant, comprising an upper plate, a lower plate and a bellows shaped shell extending between and joining the upper and lower plates. The bellows shaped shell is formed of titanium or an alloy comprising titanium and includes a wall extending therearound that defines a hollow interior. The wall has a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm to provide for radiographic imaging through the wall. The wall is angled or curved inwardly or outwardly between the upper and lower plates to provide stiffness mimicking the stiffness properties of a similarly sized polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant. The upper and lower plates each comprise porous contact regions including a three-dimensional gyroid lattice structure defined by a plurality of struts and pores in communication with the hollow interior. The outer surfaces of at least a portion of the struts may comprise a laser ablated textured surface.

Abstract: A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide.

Abstract: A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide.

Abstract: A bellows shaped spinal implant, comprising an upper plate, a lower plate and a bellows shaped shell extending between and joining the upper and lower plates. The bellows shaped shell is formed of titanium or an alloy comprising titanium and includes a wall extending therearound that defines a hollow interior. The wall has a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm to provide for radiographic imaging through the wall. The wall is angled or curved inwardly or outwardly between the upper and lower plates to provide stiffness mimicking the stiffness properties of a similarly sized polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant. The upper and lower plates each comprise porous contact regions including a three-dimensional gyroid lattice structure defined by a plurality of struts and pores in communication with the hollow interior. The outer surfaces of at least a portion of the struts may comprise a laser ablated textured surface.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A medical implant has a textured tissue contact surface comprising a roughened surface that includes a plurality of macroscale and microscale projections and recesses and a plurality of nanostructures on the projections and within the recesses. The nanostructures comprise a plurality of spaced elongated waves, each wave having a crest and a trough. Each wave and recess comprise a plurality of individual polygonal structures, some of which comprise pyramidical-type shapes. The textured tissue contact surface is formed by initially laser ablating a tissue contact surface on the implant with a nanosecond pulsed laser followed by laser ablating the initially ablated surface with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A bellows shaped spinal implant, comprising an upper plate, a lower plate and a bellows shaped shell extending between and joining the upper and lower plates. The bellows shaped shell is formed of titanium or an alloy comprising titanium and includes a wall extending therearound that defines a hollow interior. The wall has a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm to provide for radiographic imaging through the wall. The wall is angled or curved inwardly or outwardly between the upper and lower plates to provide stiffness mimicking the stiffness properties of a similarly sized polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant. The upper and lower plates each comprise porous contact regions including a three-dimensional gyroid lattice structure defined by a plurality of struts and pores in communication with the hollow interior. The outer surfaces of at least a portion of the struts may comprise a laser ablated textured surface.

Abstract: A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide.

Abstract: A medical implant has a textured tissue contact surface comprising a roughened surface that includes a plurality of macroscale and microscale projections and recesses and a plurality of nanostructures on the projections and within the recesses. The nanostructures comprise a plurality of spaced elongated waves, each wave having a crest and a trough. Each wave and recess comprise a plurality of individual polygonal structures, some of which comprise pyramidical-type shapes. The textured tissue contact surface is formed by initially laser ablating a tissue contact surface on the implant with a nanosecond pulsed laser followed by laser ablating the initially ablated surface with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin, oxyntomodulin and glucagon-like peptide.