Abstract: An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone, which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. Advantageously, the suturing material between the soft tissue and the bone anchor is secured without the need for tying a knot. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a length of suture around a pulley within the bone anchor, tightening the suture and attached soft tissue, and clamping the suture within the bone anchor. The bone anchor may be a tubular body having a lumen containing a plurality of suture-locking elements that clamp the suture therein. The locking elements may be thin and C-shaped. One or more locking plugs attached to separable actuation rods displace axially within the lumen and act on the locking elements to displace them radially.

Abstract: In order to later identify the location of a biopsy or surgery, various means and methods for permanently and non-surgically marking selected tissue in the human body are used. Later visualization of the markers is readily accomplished using state-of-the-art imaging systems.

Abstract: Implantable devices and methods of use are disclosed for marking the location of a biopsy or surgery for the purpose of identification. The methods include providing a biodegradable radiodense implant and taking a tissue sample from a biopsy site within a breast of a patient. The biodegradable implant is then positioned at the biopsy site. The tissue sample is tested and the biopsy site is then relocated. In one embodiment, the entire implant is radiodense. In another embodiment, the entire implant is biodegradable. Methods of using a biodegradable implant having a radiodense material and a biodegradable implant that is visible using an imaging system are also included.

Abstract: An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone, which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. Advantageously, the suturing material between the soft tissue and the bone anchor is secured without the need for tying a knot. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a length of suture around a pulley within the bone anchor, tightening the suture and attached soft tissue, and clamping the suture within the bone anchor. The bone anchor may be a tubular body having a lumen containing a plurality of suture-locking elements that clamp the suture therein. The locking elements may be thin and C-shaped. One or more locking plugs attached to separable actuation rods displace axially within the lumen and act on the locking elements to displace them radially.

Abstract: A bone anchor insertion device comprises a handle, a nosepiece connected to a distal end of the handle, a bone anchor connected to the nosepiece, and an actuator disposed on the handle for deploying the bone anchor, which suture is also fixed to a portion of soft tissue to be attached to a portion of bone. A suture ratchet or tensioning mechanism is disposed in the handle for tensioning suture which is associated with the bone anchor. This mechanism permits precise tensioning, while also permitting one-handed operation, thereby allowing the practitioner to use his or her other hand for other activities, such as camera operation or the like.

Abstract: A device for attaching connective tissue to bone has a longitudinal axis and comprises an annular toggle member and a body member disposed distally of the toggle member, such that there is an axial space between the toggle member and the body member. The toggle member is movable between an undeployed position wherein the toggle member has a smaller profile in a direction transverse to the axis and a deployed position wherein the toggle member has a larger profile in the direction transverse to the axis. When installed in a desired procedural site, in suitable bone, suturing material extends axially through a center aperture in the annular toggle member, without being secured to or contacting the toggle member. This approach permits a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and which further permit the attachment of suture to the bone anchor without the necessity for tying knots, which is particularly arduous and technically demanding in the case of arthroscopic procedures.

Abstract: A device for attaching connective tissue to bone has a longitudinal axis and comprises an annular toggle member and a body member disposed distally of the toggle member, such that there is an axial space between the toggle member and the body member. The toggle member is movable between an undeployed position wherein the toggle member has a smaller profile in a direction transverse to the axis and a deployed position wherein the toggle member has a larger profile in the direction transverse to the axis. When installed in a desired procedural site, in suitable bone, suturing material extends axially through a center aperture in the annular toggle member, without being secured to or contacting the toggle member. This approach permits a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and which further permit the attachment of suture to the bone anchor without the necessity for tying knots, which is particularly arduous and technically demanding in the case of arthroscopic procedures.

Abstract: A bone anchor and methods for using same to secure connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone are disclosed which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. The bone anchor of the invention incorporates a deformable body that creates an increased anchor body diameter after it is inserted into the cancellous bone and deployed beneath the cortical surface of the bone. The increased body diameter, by virtue of its intrinsic geometry, creates both axial and rotational fixation of the bone anchor or suture fixation point.

Abstract: A high strength abrasion resistant surgical suture material with industry standard knot tying characteristics and color marking characteristics includes a core formed of a plurality of twisted fibers of a first material, surrounded by a braided cover including a first material sheathed in or coated by a second material different than the first material. The first material is preferably ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and the second material is preferably a polymeric material having good knot-tying characteristics.

Abstract: A bone anchor insertion device comprises a handle, a nosepiece connected to a distal end of the handle, a bone anchor connected to the nosepiece, and an actuator disposed on the handle for deploying the bone anchor, which suture is also fixed to a portion of soft tissue to be attached to a portion of bone. A suture ratchet or tensioning mechanism is disposed in the handle for tensioning suture which is associated with the bone anchor. This mechanism permits precise tensioning, while also permitting one-handed operation, thereby allowing the practitioner to use his or her other hand for other activities, such as camera operation or the like.

Abstract: A suture loop is formed in a hollow braided suture by feeding one end of a length of suture through a part in the braid of the suture and into the inner lumen formed by the hollow braid. The braided configuration of the suture allows it to be expanded in diameter by pushing and reduced in diameter by pulling. Said end of suture is passed continuously through said inner lumen forming a loop of suture with a single tail. The loop may be tightened by pulling on said first end of the suture while pushing on said outer hollow braid. The loop may be locked by extending or pulling on said outer hollow braid to reduce its diameter and lock it down around said first end of the suture.

Abstract: A device for attaching connective tissue to bone has a longitudinal axis and comprises an annular toggle member and a body member disposed distally of the toggle member, such that there is an axial space between the toggle member and the body member. The toggle member is movable between an undeployed position wherein the toggle member has a smaller profile in a direction transverse to the axis and a deployed position wherein the toggle member has a larger profile in the direction transverse to the axis. When installed in a desired procedural site, in suitable bone, suturing material extends axially through a center aperture in the annular toggle member, without being secured to or contacting the toggle member. This approach permits a suture attachment which lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface, and which further permit the attachment of suture to the bone anchor without the necessity for tying knots, which is particularly arduous and technically demanding in the case of arthroscopic procedures.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing gas concentration in blood which has use as a generalized extracorporeal system and method to treat hypoxemic blood from a patient by mixing the blood with an oxygen supersaturated solution to generate hyperoxemic blood to be infused back to the patient. The extracorporeal system comprises an extracorporeal tubing through which blood from the patient is circulated, a blood pump for withdrawing blood from and delivering blood to the patient, at least one channel for delivering oxygen-supersaturated fluid and a mixing region for introducing supersaturated fluid without bubble formation. By infusing the oxygen-supersaturated fluid into the hypoxemic or normoxemic blood from the patient, hyperoxemic blood is thereby produced. The hyperoxemic blood is then returned to a central vein, right heart or artery of the patient with the blood pump at approximately the same volume delivery rate as blood volume withdrawal rate.

Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed for securing soft tissue to bone, and particularly for axially anchoring suture which attaches the soft tissue to adjacent bone structure.

Abstract: In order to later identify the location of a biopsy or surgery, various means and methods for permanently and non-surgically marking selected tissue in the human body are used. Later visualization of the markers is readily accomplished using state-of-the-art imaging systems.

Abstract: A gas-enriched fluid is provided by the combination of a first fluid, such as a patient's blood, with a second gas-supersaturated fluid, such as an oxygen supersaturated fluid. In this example, a catheter assembly includes a portion that receives the patient's blood from a pump and that receives the oxygen supersaturated fluid from an appropriate fluid source. The oxygen supersaturated fluid is advantageously combined with the blood in an area of laminar flow, and then this gas-enriched fluid is delivered to the patient through an appropriate lumen coupled to the portion of the catheter assembly.

Abstract: A bone anchor and methods for using same to secure connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone are disclosed which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. The bone anchor of the invention incorporates a deformable body that creates an increased anchor body diameter after it is inserted into the cancellous bone and deployed beneath the cortical surface of the bone. The increased body diameter, by virtue of its intrinsic geometry, creates both axial and rotational fixation of the bone anchor or suture fixation point.

Abstract: An innovative bone anchor and methods for securing connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone, which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. Advantageously, the suturing material between the connective tissue and the bone anchor is secured without the need for tying a knot. The suture attachment to the bone anchor involves the looping of a length of suturing material around a self-locking wedge block in the anchor, thereby avoiding an eyelet connection which requires a kot and which concentrates stress on a very small portion of the suturing material. Thus, failure rates are greatly decreased over conventional techniques, and the innovative procedures are significantly easier to perform than conventional techniques.

Abstract: A bone anchor and methods for using same to secure connective tissue, such as tendons, to bone are disclosed which permit a suture attachment that lies entirely beneath the cortical bone surface. The bone anchor of the invention incorporates a deformable body that creates an increased anchor body diameter after it is inserted into the cancellous bone and deployed beneath the cortical surface of the bone. The increased body diameter, by virtue of its intrinsic geometry, creates both axial and rotational fixation of the bone anchor or suture fixation point.

Abstract: A bone anchor device for attaching connective tissue to bone comprises a disk adapted for insertion into a portion of bone to which the connective tissue is to be attached. The disk is movable between a bent orientation for presenting a smaller cross-section and an expanded orientation for presenting a larger cross-section. The bent orientation is utilized for inserting the disk through a small hole into a region of cancellous bone beneath the cortical bone layer, after which the disk is actuated to its expanded orientation so that it will be permanently anchored in the cancellous bone, as it will be too large to return proximally through the hole in the cortical bone layer. Two embodiments are disclosed. In a first embodiment, the disk is initially formed in the expanded orientation, of spring steel. In a second embodiment, the disk is initially formed in the bent orientation, and spring steel is not required.