Patents by Inventor Stephen Laffoon
Stephen Laffoon 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).
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Publication number: 20260069262Abstract: A surgical wire is part of a system that includes a retractor blade defining one or more paths for the surgical wire to follow. The paths can be one or more openings, cannulations, paths, tubes, other structures, or combinations thereof. The surgical wire can be routed through the front, back, and/or middle of the retractor blade and into a vertebral body. The surgical wire can be routed through a shim in communication with the retractor blade and into a vertebral body Systems and methods are used to insert surgical wires into bone. Systems and methods are used for removing surgical wires from bone. Systems include those for gripping and pulling or pushing surgical wires. Systems include those that interact with a retractor (e.g., an arm, body, or blade thereof) to facilitate removal of the surgical wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2025Publication date: March 12, 2026Inventors: Cole Douglas, Kelli Lynch, Juan Uribe, Shane Fedon, Byron Riemhofer, Michael Serra, Alejandro De La Rosa, Ross Volpe, Chunqing Lu, Stephen Laffoon
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Patent number: 12569236Abstract: A surgical wire is part of a system that includes a retractor blade defining one or more paths for the surgical wire to follow. The paths can be one or more openings, cannulations, paths, tubes, other structures, or combinations thereof. The surgical wire can be routed through the front, back, and/or middle of the retractor blade and into a vertebral body. The surgical wire can be routed through a shim in communication with the retractor blade and into a vertebral body Systems and methods are used to insert surgical wires into bone. Systems and methods are used for removing surgical wires from bone. Systems include those for gripping and pulling or pushing surgical wires. Systems include those that interact with a retractor (e.g., an arm, body, or blade thereof) to facilitate removal of the surgical wire.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2023Date of Patent: March 10, 2026Assignee: Nuvasive, Inc.Inventors: Cole Douglas, Kelli Lynch, Juan Uribe, Shane Fedon, Byron Riemhofer, Michael Serra, Alejandro De La Rosa, Ross Volpe, Chunqing Lu, Stephen Laffoon
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Publication number: 20250381021Abstract: Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2025Publication date: December 18, 2025Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Chang, Stephen Laffoon, Christopher Lee, David Safranski
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Patent number: 12364586Abstract: Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2022Date of Patent: July 22, 2025Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Chang, Stephen Laffoon, Christopher Lee, David Safranski
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Publication number: 20240285416Abstract: Disclosed herein are dismantlable inserters for use in spinal fusion implant procedures, methods for engaging an implant using such inserters, methods of disengaging an implant from such inserters, and methods for disassembling such inserters, as well as systems including such inserters and corresponding implants.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2022Publication date: August 29, 2024Applicant: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Essayan, Alex Pham, stephen Laffoon, Wei-Hsiang Chang, Elizabeth Perry, Alejandro De La Rosa, Mary Hayles
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Publication number: 20230270428Abstract: A surgical wire is part of a system that includes a retractor blade defining one or more paths for the surgical wire to follow. The paths can be one or more openings, cannulations, paths, tubes, other structures, or combinations thereof. The surgical wire can be routed through the front, back, and/or middle of the retractor blade and into a vertebral body. The surgical wire can be routed through a shim in communication with the retractor blade and into a vertebral body Systems and methods are used to insert surgical wires into bone. Systems and methods are used for removing surgical wires from bone. Systems include those for gripping and pulling or pushing surgical wires. Systems include those that interact with a retractor (e.g., an arm, body, or blade thereof) to facilitate removal of the surgical wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Inventors: Cole Douglas, Kelli Lynch, Juan Uribe, Shane Fedon, Byron Riemhofer, Michael Serra, Alejandro De La Rosa, Ross Volpe, Chunqing Lu, Stephen Laffoon
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Patent number: 11672637Abstract: A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Chang, Stephen Laffoon, Christopher S. D. Lee, David Lee Safranski
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Publication number: 20220226095Abstract: Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Chang, Stephen Laffoon, Christopher Lee, David Safranski
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Publication number: 20200383766Abstract: A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Chang, Stephen Laffoon, Christopher S.D. Lee, David Lee Safranski
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Patent number: 8480559Abstract: A urethral support system is described, including an introducer device and tissue implant. The introducer device may include a needle with multiple curves, some of the curves having multiple radii. A sheath assembly may be utilized to assist the passing of the tissue implant through a patient's tissue. The sheath assembly may include connectors configured to connect the sheath assembly to an end of the needle and a tab configured to detachably couple sheath sides over the tissue implant.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2007Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: C. R. Bard, Inc.Inventors: Tracey E. Knapp, Ken Butcher, Noah Meade, Stephen Laffoon, Charles Jacobs
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Publication number: 20100234681Abstract: A urethral support system is described, including an introducer device and tissue implant. The introducer device may include a needle with multiple curves, some of the curves having multiple radii. A sheath assembly may be utilized to assist the passing of the tissue implant through a patient's tissue. The sheath assembly may include connectors configured to connect the sheath assembly to an end of the needle and a tab configured to detachably couple sheath sides over the tissue implant.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2007Publication date: September 16, 2010Applicant: C.R. Bard Inc.Inventors: Tracey E. Knapp, Ken Butcher, Noah Meade, Stephen Laffoon, Charles Jacobs