Abstract: A prosthesis for reducing injury to soft tissues of the body, comprising an implantable member adapted to simulate at least one of a size or a shape of a naturally occurring bursa, where the member may be inflatable or otherwise expandable, flexible or rigid, and may be composed of a biocompatible, biodegradable, or non-biodegradable material. The member is adapted to be implanted at a musculoskeletal attachment site or at a site between a muscle and a bone, and is shaped and sized to reduce injury to the site. The prosthesis may also include a plug which seals the prosthesis automatically upon removal of an inflation tube.

Abstract: An ingestible gastrointestinal capsule (GIC) for mechanically stimulating a segment of the gastrointestinal (GI) wall by alternately and repeatedly pressurizing, and/or vibrating it is provided. The GIC is programmed to being activated following a predefined time delay. The activated GIC agitates, shakes, rattles, jolts, vibrates and/or moves in a reciprocal expanding and contracting motion thereby mechanically stimulating the adjacent segment of the GI wall at a targeted location. Activation of the GIC may include a number of automatically accomplished partial activations, such as when the time elapsed from the moment of setting the GIC on equals a predefined time delay; when the mechanical load applied onto the GIC exceeds, and/or gets lower than a respective predefined level of mechanical load; when the ambient pH reaches a predefined level, or changes, and/or a temperature associated with the user reaches a predefined threshold. Agitation is accomplished by means of agitation means embedded in the GIC.

Abstract: Gastrointestinal prosthesis for restraining the rate of the gastric digestion consists of a compressible proximal member connected by a string to a distal member, to be introduced into the intestine. The proximal member has an internal space, which is opened to the gastric lumen and may include passageways for the gastric content as well as open grooves or niches disposed on its external wall. The volume of a proximal member compressed by the gastric wall cannot get smaller than a lower threshold. Anchoring the gastrointestinal prosthesis at its desired location is accomplished by means of the proximal member the geometrical shape of which conforms the geometrical shape of a portion of the gastric lumen; as well as by means of the geometrical shape of the distal member which conforms the geometrical shape of a segment of the duodenum and/or a segment of the intestine.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for thermally treating tissues in percutaneous surgery or endoluminal treatments. The system consists of at least one catheter for thermally treating a tissue, hydraulic unit for circulating fluids through the catheters and a control station by which an operator is displayed with, and inputs and/or modifies, working parameters of the system. The catheters have an operational face, which is optionally expandable and encloses a lumen through which the fluids are circulated. The method disclosed implements cooling of the targeted tissue prior to its heating. For heating and or cooling the tissues, the operational face of a catheter is pressed against a surface of the targeted tissue while heat emitted from or conducted to the tissue is respectively transferred into or from the circulated fluids.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the state and performance of an analysis device, such as a capillary electrophoresis instrument. The system includes software for operating the analysis device and system management software for monitoring the device, generating a report on the state of the device and selecting an appropriate response based on this report. The response can include altering the function of one or more parts of the device, or signaling the need for a repair to be performed, for example.