Patents Issued in October 29, 2019
  • Patent number: 10456216
    Abstract: In the case of a dental hand instrument having a grip sleeve and also a head housing arranged at the front end of the grip sleeve for receiving or holding a treatment instrument, the head housing has a substantially cylindrical hollow space which is connected by way of at least one connecting bore to a connection region pointing to the grip sleeve, wherein the connecting bore is coupled, at its end facing the grip sleeve, to a media line extending through the grip sleeve, and wherein the inner wall region of the head housing enclosing the hollow space has a recess into which the connecting bore opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: KALTENBACH & VOIGT GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kuhn, Thomas Claßen
  • Patent number: 10456217
    Abstract: Apparatus, system, and methods for utilizing one or more computing devices to stage the movement of teeth during an alignment treatment are disclosed. The computing device receives an electronic representation of the patient's teeth in their initial position and an electronic representation of the teeth a final position for each tooth. A route each tooth will travel to reach its final position is determined, and the teeth are scheduled to move according to a movement pattern. Moreover, the schedule of movement takes into account a maximum rate of tooth movement for each tooth, the path of movement for each tooth, the distance each tooth needs to move, any needed tooth staggering, any needed round-tripping or tooth movement slowing. The invention also includes techniques for determining an optimum number of stages for the treatment based on the schedule of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Kitching, Alexander Dmitriev, Alexey Vishnevskiy
  • Patent number: 10456218
    Abstract: Disclosed is a palatal expander for widening a patient's upper jaw that includes portions that are anatomically contoured to the arched shape of a patient's palate. Specifically, the palatal expander includes expansion screws with movable bodies having anatomically contoured palatal surfaces that do not impinge palate tissue during jaw widening procedures. The expansion screws may further include features that allow for reduced hindrances to speech and eating during jaw widening procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Cameron Mashouf
  • Patent number: 10456219
    Abstract: An orthodontic post and pin assembly including a post structure, being slotted at its back end, for accommodating a pin therethrough, the post includes a further slot into which the wire of an orthodontic appliance may locate, so that when the post and pin assembly are connected onto the wire, and a hybrid screw is tighten within the post, the appliance may become affixed to the wire at the position of its tightening and securement. This eliminates the need for removal of the wire, when a different or different size orthodontic appliance needs to be installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ORTHO SOLUTIONS, LC
    Inventors: Darren G. Buddemeyer, Matthew K. Malabey
  • Patent number: 10456220
    Abstract: A bendable prosthetic abutment includes a guiding and anchoring segment, a connection zone, for connecting to an implant arranged on a gingival tissue for receiving a prosthetic abutment model, an intermediate restriction for angular orientation, a mounting and fastening portion forming an upper portion of the bondable prosthetic abutment for receiving a prosthesis, and a sacrificial and anchoring zone which has a diameter greater than a diameter of the connection zone so as to define a protuberant ring-shaped shoulder arranged between the intermediate restriction (4) and the connection zone (2) for connecting to an implant and anchoring in a cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: DENTSCARE LTDA
    Inventors: Friedrich Georg Mittelstädt, Adalberto Lippmann, Bruno Lippmann, Inco Hinz, Pedro Américo Aguilera, William De Souza Wiggers
  • Patent number: 10456221
    Abstract: A force damping dental bridge assembly which damps compressive, tensile, and lateral forces on a prosthetic tooth and jawbone through use of synthetic periodontal ligament fibers in the form of a damping membrane. Multiple layers of arcuate components and Morse taper interconnections secure the assembly. A threaded implant that penetrates the jawbone defining a tapered, conical inner cavity which receives a shank protruding downwardly from a full bar. An arcuate damping membrane positions on the bar and a half-bar positions over the membrane; whereby the damping membrane is sufficiently resilient to enable lateral and axial movements by the prostheses affixed to the half-bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Paul Kenneth Clark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10456222
    Abstract: A method of damping compressive, tensile, and lateral compressive and tensile forces on one or more prosthetic teeth and an implant recessed into jawbone through use of synthetic periodontal ligament fibers in the form of a damping membrane within a dental bridge assembly. An arcuate damping membrane positions on a full bar and a half-bar positions over the membrane; whereby the damping membrane is sufficiently resilient to enable lateral and axial movements by the prostheses affixed to the half-bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Paul Kenneth Clark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10456223
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to provide a patient with a monolithic ceramic dental restoration in one office visit. In some embodiments, a dentist is provided with a kit containing one or more machinable blocks, a chair-side milling machine to convert a selected machinable block into a finished dental restoration, and optionally, a scanner. Machinable blocks may have a fully sintered zirconia material solid body and a sintered zirconia mandrel. A plurality of machinable blocks may be provided in multiple shape, size, or shade selections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin A. Carden, Michael J. Selberis
  • Patent number: 10456224
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of guiding a dental implant treatment plan, a device and a recording medium therefore. The method of guiding a dental implant treatment plan according to the invention, by providing a guide to the area where the implant object is to be placed, the effects of reducing the complexity of the implant plan and decreasing procedure deviations depending on individual to individual can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: OSSTEMIMPLANT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyoo Ok Choi, Tae Hwan Kim, Seung Yong Hwang, Seong Yun Lee
  • Patent number: 10456225
    Abstract: A method for clearing unwanted data from optically detected virtual representations of objects includes: a. Defining an extension line of the representation; b. Generating a projection plane at one point of the extension line, which is perpendicular to the generated projection plane; c. Projecting all known points in space of the representation from one region on the projection plane onto the projection plane, the corresponding point in space being stored for each projected point; d. Generating a two-dimensional curve on the projection plane; e. Determining maxima, minima and a center of the curve; f. Identifying projected points of the curve that—viewed from the center of the curve—lie outside of the minima or maxima; g. Removing the points in space that correspond to the projected points that were identified in step f.; and h. Optionally, repeating starting from step b. for one further point of the extension line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: A. TRON3D GMBH
    Inventors: Juergen Jesenko, Engelbert Kelz
  • Patent number: 10456226
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tooth replacement including at least one posterior tooth having a mesial contact surface, a distal contact surface, and an occlusal surface. The occlusal surfaces includes at least one buccal cusp having a buccal cusp tip, a lingual cusp having a lingual cusp tip, a central fissure which has at least one tooth pit and passes through the occlusal surface in the mesiodistal direction between the two cusps, a first gradient which slopes downward from the buccal cusp tip in the direction of the central fissure, and a second gradient which slopes downward from the lingual cusp tip in the direction of the central fissure. The tooth replacement according to the invention is characterized in that the mesial contact surface, the distal contact surface and/or the occlusal contact surface comprise expansion spaces that have been incorporated in a targeted manner to obtain a dynamic occlusal guidance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: KUZLER GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Arnold, Volker Brosch
  • Patent number: 10456227
    Abstract: A method of treating a tubular medical device with a biomolecule comprises the steps of: a) providing a polyolefin tubular substrate forming a tubular medical device; b) cleaning the tubular polyolefin substrate; c) exposing the tubular polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing at least one of acrylic acid and siloxane and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited coating on at least one surface of the tubular polyolefin substrate; and d) attaching a biomolecule to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited coating on at least one surface of the tubular polyolefin substrate, and wherein the biomolecule is at least one of an antibacterial agent, antimicrobial agent, anticoagulant, heparin, antithrombotic agent, platelet agent, anti-inflammatory, enzyme, catalyst, hormone, growth factor, drug, vitamin, antibody, antigen, protein, nucleic acid, dye, a DNA segment, an RNA segment, protein, and peptide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ENSION INC.
    Inventors: Ali Hussain, Linda Cahalan, Greg Johnson, Mark Gartner, Patrick Cahalan, Brian J Fill, Jeffrey W. Speakman
  • Patent number: 10456228
    Abstract: A method of diagnosing optical inhomogeneity of a volume scattering object is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a substance coated with phosphorous materials, adapting the substrate to a surface of a volume scattering object to be diagnosed, and trans-illuminating the volume scattering object with radiation. A dental tool including a substrate is also provided. The substrate includes a transparent flexible film or metallic foil with an applied coating of upconversion phosphors, afterglow particles or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc.
    Inventors: Naim Karazivan, Hui Lu, Thomas Ertl
  • Patent number: 10456229
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the relative arrangement of patient's jaws in a bite position when the patient's occlusion is not defined by natural teeth alone, where the method includes a step of obtaining a digital 3D representation including both surface data relating to dental tissue in one of the patient's jaws and surface data relating to a scan appliance arranged in relation to the jaw, where the scan appliance is configured for at least partly defining the patient's occlusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: 3SHAPE A/S
    Inventors: Rune Fisker, Lars Henriksen, Kristian Evers Hansen
  • Patent number: 10456230
    Abstract: A method of fixing surgical suture to tissue includes loading an anchor into a delivery guide and locating a fixation device outside of the delivery guide, with the anchor and the fixation device attached by a suture. The method includes providing an anchor deployment component coupled with the delivery guide and located proximal to the anchor, with a spring mechanism located between a distal portion of the anchor deployment component and the anchor. The method includes moving the anchor deployment component in a distal direction through the delivery guide, pushing the anchor out of the delivery guide, and delivering the anchor into tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Coloplast A/S
    Inventors: Sarah J. Schuchardt, Michael M. Witzmann
  • Patent number: 10456231
    Abstract: A reinforcement device for reinforcing tissues having one or more structural deficiencies includes a longitudinally-extending reinforcing layer for treating the structural deficiency, a plurality of spiked naps distributed across the reinforcing layer and projecting therefrom for adhering to the tissue, and a dissolvable matrix layer covering at least a portion of the reinforcing layer and a portion of the plurality of spiked naps. The matrix layer increases the time before the spiked naps substantially adhere to the tissue, thereby allowing the practitioner additional time to position the reinforcement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Martin G. Paul
  • Patent number: 10456232
    Abstract: The implantable medical device includes at least one frame having a rounded shape and formed of a plurality of rounded legs. In one embodiment, the device includes two frames having similar rounded shapes and coupled to one another by means of a flexible coupling. The flexible coupling enables the frames to tilt relative to one another and relative to a vessel in which the device is deployed. The rounded nature of the frames enables the frames to tilt in the vessel while retaining proper contact to the vessel wall and the functional characteristics of the frames. The device may have just one frame in some embodiments and three or more frames in other embodiments. The device may be a filter, an occluding device or any other suitable medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jeppe D. Johnsen
  • Patent number: 10456233
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes filter devices for deployment to body vessels where clots or emboli may need to be captured, particularly the vena cava. The filter device is of unitary construction, having been cut from a substantially planar sheet of a metal, in some instances a shape memory metal. The device has a construction including a plurality of petals, the petals containing an inner rib which curves in the deployed state. A method of making a filter device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Shuo Yang
  • Patent number: 10456234
    Abstract: A removable intravascular filter having a filtering configuration for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel and a retrieval configuration for removal from the blood vessel. The filter may be implanted in a patient's vena cava and may be removed from the vena cava through the patient's jugular or femoral vein. A method of removing an intravascular filter from a patient's vena cava through the patient's femoral vein is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jason C. Urbanski, Lindsay Koren, Sean Howard, Susan Kaiser, Thomas W. Jensen
  • Patent number: 10456235
    Abstract: Injectable embolization particulates (e.g., particles, microstructures, beads) employed in embolization procedures, for facilitating blood vessel occlusion. Exemplary embolization particulates for occluding a blood vessel include a plurality of embolization beads, each bead having a plurality of outwardly protruding portions, wherein, upon a first one and a second one of the beads accumulating against a boundary of the blood vessel, protruding portions of the first bead are configured to intermesh with protruding portions of the second bead, so as to occlude the blood vessel. Also disclosed are compositions of embolization particulates including a plurality of shaped embolization beads, and methods for embolizing or occluding a blood vessel using embolization particulates or compositions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ACCURATE MEDICAL THERAPEUTICS LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Gabriel Tal, Eran Miller
  • Patent number: 10456236
    Abstract: Systems and methods can remove material of interest, including blood clots, from a body region, including but not limited to the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: KP Medcure, Inc.
    Inventors: Thanh Van Nguyen, Duy Nguyen, Tung Hoang Ngo
  • Patent number: 10456237
    Abstract: An example medical device is disclosed. The example medical device includes a tubular scaffold. The scaffold includes a longitudinal axis, an inner surface and an outer surface. The medical device also includes a flexible valve extending radially inward from the inner surface of the scaffold. The valve includes an annular chamber extending circumferentially around the inner surface of the scaffold and is configured to shift from a closed configuration to an open configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Michelle Hannon, Nigel McMenamin, Matthew Montague, Michael G. Folan, Alexandre Lambert, Brian Joyce, Megan Niven, Allison M. Pearlman
  • Patent number: 10456238
    Abstract: A method for surgically placing an artificial stomach in a patient. The method comprises the steps of cutting an opening in the abdominal wall of the patient, dissecting an abdominal area and placing the artificial stomach in the dissected abdominal area. The artificial stomach comprises a food reservoir adapted to collect food, an inlet connected to a first opening of the food reservoir and further being adapted to directly or indirectly upstream connect to the patient's gastrointestinal tract, and an outlet connected to a second opening of the food reservoir and further being adapted to downstream connect to the patient's gastrointestinal tract. The artificial stomach further comprises an inlet valve placed between the patient's gastrointestinal tract and the first opening of the food reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Peter Forsell
  • Patent number: 10456239
    Abstract: An anastomotic connector comprises a vessel anchor, a midgraft connector and graft material. The vessel anchor has a generally tubular main body including a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end defining a plurality of flanges integrally formed with the tubular main body and being movable from a first loaded position to a second expanded position. The midgraft connector operably couples the graft to the vessel anchor to form an anastomotic connector between an artery and a vein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PHRAXIS INC.
    Inventors: Alexander S. Yevzlin, Reed A. Houge, Jeff M. Welch
  • Patent number: 10456240
    Abstract: In embodiments, a light adjustable lens irradiation system for a light adjustable lens irradiation system, comprises an irradiation light source, for generating a UV light beam; an optical system, for directing the UV light beam towards a light adjustable intraocular lens, implanted into an eye of a patient; and a patient interface, coupled to the optical system, for stabilizing the eye relative to the optical system, to achieve an alignment of the light adjustable intraocular lens and the UV light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: RxSight, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kondis, Ilya Goldshleger
  • Patent number: 10456241
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to switchable lens devices, systems, and methods related to detecting one or more commands and switching one or more switchable lenses responsive to one or more detected commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, John Marshall, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roberto Zaldivar, Roger Zaldivar
  • Patent number: 10456242
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving overall vision in patients suffering from a loss of vision in a portion of the retina (e.g., loss of central vision) by providing symmetric or asymmetric optic with aspheric surface which redirects and/or focuses light incident on the eye at oblique angles onto a peripheral retinal location. The intraocular lens can include a redirection element (e.g., a prism, a diffractive element, or an optical component with a decentered GRIN profile) configured to direct incident light along a deflected optical axis and to focus an image at a location on the peripheral retina. Optical properties of the intraocular lens can be configured to improve or reduce peripheral errors at the location on the peripheral retina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: AMO Groningen B.V.
    Inventors: Robert Rosen, Hendrik A. Weeber, Carmen Canovas Vidal, Marrie Van Der Mooren, Dora Sellitri
  • Patent number: 10456243
    Abstract: Prosthetic heart valve devices and associated methods for percutaneous heart valve replacement are disclosed herein. A transcatheter valve prosthesis configured in accordance herewith includes a frame having a valve support and one or more support arms coupled thereto. The one or more support arms are configured to extend from the second end of the valve support toward the first end when the valve prosthesis is in an expanded configuration. When deployed in the expanded configuration, the one or more support arms have a curvilinear shape, such as a substantially S-shape, that at least partially engages tissue at the native heart valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Robertson, Elliot Howard
  • Patent number: 10456244
    Abstract: In a surgical method for improving cardiac function, an implantable scaffold or valve support device is inserted inside a patient's heart and attached to the heart in a region adjacent to a natural mitral or other heart valve. The scaffold or valve support device defines an orifice and, after the attaching of the scaffold or valve support device to the heart, or temporary support while native valve leaflets and/or subvalvular structures are captured, a prosthetic or bio-prosthetic valve seated in the orifice, and the native valve may be retracted into the scaffold/replacement assembly to create a gasket for sealing the complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Lon Sutherland Annest
  • Patent number: 10456245
    Abstract: Methods for applying polymeric material to a stent are disclosed. A mandrel is coupled to a stent body. The stent body comprises an inner surface defining a cavity and an outer surface opposing the internal surface. The stent body also has a length along an axis defined by the mandrel between a first end of the stent body and a second end of the stent body. An electrospun material is applied to at least a portion of the stent external surface and to at least a portion of the mandrel to form a coating sheet. A portion of the coating sheet extends from at least one of the first end or second end of the stent to the mandrel. One or both of the stent and the mandrel are moved to apply at least some of the portion of the coating sheet onto the internal surface of the stent body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Paul P. Nguyen, Chris McWilliams, Connor Cady, Cody Jeremiah Kratochvil, Dylan Joseph Kratochvil
  • Patent number: 10456246
    Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve configured to replace a native heart valve and having a support frame configured to be reshaped into an expanded form in order to receive and/or support an expandable prosthetic heart valve therein is disclosed, together with methods of using same. The prosthetic heart valve may be configured to have a generally rigid and/or expansion-resistant configuration when initially implanted to replace a native valve (or other prosthetic heart valve), but to assume a generally expanded form when subjected to an outward force such as that provided by a dilation balloon or other mechanical expander. An inflow stent frame is expandable for anchoring the valve in place, and may have an outflow end that is collapsible to a limited degree for delivery and expandable post-implant to facilitate a valve-in-valve (ViV) procedure. The hybrid heart valves eliminate earlier structural bands, which both reduces manufacturing time and facilitates a ViV procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Conklin, Qinggang Zeng, Myron Howanec, Jr., Grace Myong Kim
  • Patent number: 10456247
    Abstract: A heart valve system, the system including a radially self-expandable tubular body and a valve. The tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end, and the tubular body including a proximal-most end at the inflow end and a distal-most end at the outflow end. The tubular body including a plurality of arched beams at the outflow end of the tubular body such that the arched beams form the distal-most end of the tubular body. Connection points linking the inflow end of the tubular body and the arched beams, a number of connection points being equivalent to a number of the valve leaflets. Each arched beam being directly attached to an adjacent arched beam such that the arched beams are continuous along the entire circumference of the tubular body at the outflow end. The valve being coupled to the tubular body and including a plurality of valve leaflets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: HIGHLIFE SAS
    Inventor: Malek Nasr
  • Patent number: 10456248
    Abstract: A heart valve stent having a section with a heart valve implant and several proximally disposed tissue anchors, also comprising a plurality of anchoring threats, each with a proximate end fastened to the stent or valve and a distal end attached to tissue within a heart chamber to provide tension between the heart chamber tissue and the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventors: Georg Lutter, Lucian Lozonschi
  • Patent number: 10456249
    Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent with a valve assembly disposed therein. A first cuff is positioned on the lumenal or ablumenal surface of the stent. A second cuff is positioned radially outward of the stent and the first cuff. The second cuff may include apertures that allow blood to pass through the second cuff into the spaces between the first and second cuffs. The second cuff may include a proximal edge with a plurality of notches that may be closed to create puckered areas in the second cuff to facilitate the movement of blood in the spaces between the first and second cuffs. The stent may include struts adjacent the second cuff that bow radially inwardly to create additional space for blood to flow in the spaces between the first and second cuffs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kaleta, Keith High
  • Patent number: 10456250
    Abstract: A valved conduit including a bioprosthetic valve, such as a heart valve, and a tubular conduit sealed with a bioresorbable material. The bioprosthetic heart valve includes prosthetic tissue that has been treated such that the tissue may be stored dry for extended periods without degradation of functionality of the valve. The bioprosthetic heart valve may have separate bovine pericardial leaflets or a whole porcine valve. The sealed conduit includes a tubular matrix impregnated with a bioresorbable medium such as gelatin or collagen. The valved conduit is stored dry in packaging in which a desiccant pouch is supplied having a capacity for absorbing moisture within the packaging limited to avoid drying the bioprosthetic tissue out beyond a point where its ability to function in the bioprosthetic heart valve is compromised. The heart valve may be sewn within the sealed conduit or coupled thereto with a snap-fit connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Louis A. Campbell, Donald E. Bobo, Jr., Gregory A. Wright, Tak G. Cheung
  • Patent number: 10456251
    Abstract: A two-stage or component-based valve prosthesis that can be quickly and easily implanted during a surgical procedure is provided. The prosthetic valve comprises a support structure that is deployed at a treatment site. The prosthetic valve further comprises a valve member configured to be quickly connected to the support structure. The support structure may take the form of a stent that is expanded at the site of a native valve. If desired, the native leaflets may remain and the stent may be used to hold the native valve open. In this case, the stent may be balloon expandable and configured to resist the powerful recoil force of the native leaflets. The support structure is provided with a coupling means for attachment to the valve member, thereby fixing the position of the valve member in the body. The valve member may be a non-expandable type, or may be expandable from a compressed state to an expanded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Stanton J. Rowe, Larry L. Wood, Henry Bourang, George Bakis, Benjamin Spenser, Netanel Benichou, Assaf Bash, Yaron Keidar
  • Patent number: 10456252
    Abstract: Transcatheter guidewire delivery systems, catheter assemblies and associated methods for percutaneous guidewire delivery across heart valves are disclosed herein. A catheter assembly configured in accordance herewith includes an elongated tubular component and an alignment assembly at a distal portion of the tubular component and which is adapted to be located at a target location adjacent a heart valve of a patient. In one embodiment, the alignment assembly deploys to a shape set loop configuration with a side port in an open configuration positioned to allow advancement of a guidewire to exit the catheter in an aligned path with a leaflet coaptation region of the heart valve. In another embodiment, the alignment assembly has a plurality of spaced apart side ports that a guidewire may advance therethrough and toward the heart valve. In some embodiments, a wire guide is used to align the guidewire with a selected side port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Kiersey, Tomas Kelly
  • Patent number: 10456253
    Abstract: A heart valve delivery apparatus includes a valve carrying member. A prosthetic valve is crimped onto the valve carrying member at a location that is distal or proximal to the balloon member, thereby providing a smaller profile delivery apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Thanh Huy Le, Tri D. Tran, Ronaldo C. Cayabyab, David M. Taylor, Antonio O. Vidal, Robert Bowes
  • Patent number: 10456254
    Abstract: A delivery system for percutaneously deploying a prosthetic heart valve. The system includes an inner shaft assembly, a delivery sheath capsule and a handle maintaining a first actuator and a second actuator. The capsule is configured to compressively retain the prosthetic heart valve over the inner shaft assembly. The first actuator is operated to proximally retract the delivery sheath capsule and expose the prosthetic heart valve relative to the capsule. The second actuator is operated to proximally retract the prosthetic heart valve by transmitting forces to the inner shaft assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Shipley, John P. Shanahan, Andrew Crisman
  • Patent number: 10456255
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a novel and safer mechanism of deployment using a self-positioning, self-centering, and self-anchoring method. To embody the present invention, a disk-based valve apparatus allowing the repositioning and retrieval of the implantable valve while working on a dysfunctional valve structure is disclosed. The disk-based valve apparatus may comprise one or more disks, either proximal or distal, a valve-housing component and a valve component. The one or more disks may be either proximal or distal, may be either connected to each other or disconnected from each other and may either be symmetrical or have different shapes and dimensions. The disk-based valve apparatus may be self anchoring, such as anchored by pressure from the one or more disk, or may be anchored using any anchoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Cephea Valve Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matteo Montorfano, Alaide Chieffo, Juan F. Granada
  • Patent number: 10456256
    Abstract: A device for repairing a native heart valve includes a reinforcing structure configured to couple to a portion of the native heart valve to remodel a geometry of the native heart valve, and at least one supporting member connected to the reinforcing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc
    Inventors: Peter N. Braido, Mina S. Fahim, Thomas M. Benson, Theodore Paul Dale, Andrea N. Para, Mark Krans, Mathias Charles Glimsdale
  • Patent number: 10456257
    Abstract: An anchor anchors a therapeutic device having an elongated body within a body lumen. The anchor includes a fixation member carried on the device which is adjustable from a first configuration that permits placement of the device in the body lumen to a second configuration that anchors the device within the body lumen. The anchor further includes a lock that locks the fixation member in the second configuration. The fixation member may be locked in any one of a plurality of intermediate points between the first configuration and a maximum second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Cardiac Dimensions Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark L. Mathis, Leonard Kowalsky, David G. Reuter, Cruz Beeson
  • Patent number: 10456258
    Abstract: An anchor anchors a therapeutic device having an elongated body within a body lumen. The anchor includes a fixation member carried on the device which is adjustable from a first configuration that permits placement of the device in the body lumen to a second configuration that anchors the device within the body lumen. The anchor further includes a lock that locks the fixation member in the second configuration. The fixation member may be locked in any one of a plurality of intermediate points between the first configuration and a maximum second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Cardiac Dimensions Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark L. Mathis, Leonard Kowalsky, David G. Reuter, Cruz Beeson
  • Patent number: 10456259
    Abstract: Mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation can be treating by implanting in the mitral annulus a transvalvular intraannular band. The band has a first end, a first anchoring portion located proximate the first end, a second end, a second anchoring portion located proximate the second end, and a central portion. The central portion is positioned so that it extends transversely across a coaptive edge formed by the closure of the mitral valve leaflets. The band may be implanted via translumenal access or via thoracotomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Heart Repair Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Valavanur A. Subramanian, Thomas Afzal, Gary Hulme, Jeffrey Christian, Michael L. Reo
  • Patent number: 10456260
    Abstract: Two minimally invasive therapeutic procedures, particularly for patients with congestive heart failure, may be performed separately or together. One procedure involves providing a valved passageway through the patient's left ventricular wall at the apex of the patient's heart and advancing instruments through the valved passageway to connect the valve leaflets of the patient's heart valve, e.g. the mitral valve. The second procedure involves advancing a pacing lead and a pacing lead implanting device through a trocar in the patient's chest and implanting the pacing lead on an exposed epicardial region of the patient's heart wall. The pacing lead has a penetrating electrode which is secured within the heart wall. Improved devices for these procedures include a minimally invasive grasping device for heart leaflets, a leaflet connector with artificial cordae tendenae and a pacing lead implant instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Trans Cardiac Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventor: Omar M. Lattouf
  • Patent number: 10456261
    Abstract: Methods, system, devices, processes and techniques are disclosed for manufacturing orthopedic implants utilizing blanks and/or fixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ConforMIS, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Miller, Ernest A. Dion, David P. Hesketh, Manuel J. Salinas, Philipp Lang
  • Patent number: 10456262
    Abstract: An implant includes a base, a flange, and ridge. The flange extends from the base. The ridge extends from the flange. A hole extends through the flange and the ridge. A system with the implant includes a fastener extending through the ridge of the implant. The implant is placed into bone by securing a base of the implant to a main complementary contact surface of bone and by securing a ridge extending outwardly from a flange of the implant to a secondary complementary contact surface of bone spaced from the main complementary contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp.
    Inventor: Amit Mistry
  • Patent number: 10456263
    Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed relating improved articular models, implant components, and related guide tools and procedures. In addition, methods and devices are disclosed relating articular models, implant components, and/or related guide tools and procedures that include one or more features derived from patient-data, for example, images of the patient's joint. The data can be used to create a model for analyzing a patient's joint and to devise and evaluate a course of corrective action. The data also can be used to create patient-adapted implant components and related tools and procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ConforMIS, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond A. Bojarski, Nam T. Chao, John Slamin, Thomas Minas, Philipp Lang, Wolfgang Fitz, Daniel Steines, Terrance Wong
  • Patent number: 10456264
    Abstract: A stemless humeral shoulder assembly having a base member and an anchor advanceable into the base member. The base member can include a distal end that can be embedded in bone and a proximal end that can be disposed at a bone surface. The base member can also have a plurality of spaced apart arms projecting from the proximal end to the distal end. The anchor can project circumferentially into the arms and into a space between the arms. When the anchor is advanced into the base member, the anchor can be exposed between the arms. A recess can project distally from a proximal end of the anchor to within the base member. The recess can receive a mounting member of an anatomical or reverse joint interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Tornier, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Hodorek, Kevin P. Knox
  • Patent number: 10456265
    Abstract: An ankle prosthesis has a tibial component configured for attachment to a tibia of a person, and a talar component. The talar component has a first surface configured for facing the tibial component and a second surface configured for facing a talus of the person. The second surface has first and second arms attached to it, for pivoting or flexing outwardly in medial and lateral directions, respectively, to engage side surfaces of a previously formed slot in the talus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Brian R. Harris, Jr.