Patents by Inventor Troy K. Christopher
Troy K. Christopher 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: 20150157228Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 9014776Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Publication number: 20140024963Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 8489170Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Publication number: 20120253223Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 8165653Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2011Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Publication number: 20110245843Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 7962191Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 7693562Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 7079883Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2003Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: NuVaslve, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Publication number: 20030195405Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2003Publication date: October 16, 2003Applicant: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 6564078Abstract: An expandable tip cannula system, comprising: a hollow cannula shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and an expandable tip mounted at the distal end of the hollow cannula shaft, the expandable tip comprising a plurality of generally-triangular shaped petals held together in a radially-inwardly tapered arrangement between adjacent petals, each petal comprising a nerve sensing electrode disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1999Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Troy K. Christopher, Jeffrey J. Blewett, Brian S. Kelleher
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Patent number: 6530930Abstract: A method of positioning a cannula along a path in a patient's intervertebral plane, comprising: suspending a cross member across a patient, the cross member having two cannula guides attached thereto, the cannula guides each being adjustably movable both along the length of the cross member and around a central longitudinally extending axis of the cross member; suspending radiopaque markers from the cannula guides; aligning the radiopoaque markers with the intervertebral plane as viewed in a radio-image, thereby aligning the cannula guides with the intervertebral plane; and advancing a cannula through the cannula guide.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2001Date of Patent: March 11, 2003Assignee: Nu Vasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Dan K. Ahlgren, Troy K. Christopher, James T. McKinley
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Patent number: 6221082Abstract: A spinal surgery system having a base, a cross member suspended from the base, and a pair of cannula guides suspended from the cross member, wherein the cannula guides are adapted to hold cannulae received therein such that the canulae remain co-planar with one another as the cannula guides are moved to various positions in the patient's intervertebral plane. By first suspending a pair of radiopaque markers in the cannual guides, and then viewing the image of the radiopaque markers, the cannulae guides can be aligned so that when the radiopaque markers have been removed and replaced with cannulae, the cannulae can be positioned along various paths which are disposed in the patient's intervertebral plane such that surgical tools can be advanced in preferred paths toward the patient's intervertebral space.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1999Date of Patent: April 24, 2001Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.Inventors: James F. Marino, Corbett W. Stone, Dan K. Ahlgren, Troy K. Christopher, James T. McKinley