Did You Know...
...that the x-ray was discovered purely by accident? When German physicist Wilhelm Konrad von Roentgen was experimenting with cathode rays in 1895, he put an activated Crookes tube in a book and went out to lunch. When he returned, he discovered that a key that had also been placed in the book showed up as an image on the developed film!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7914436 | Method and apparatus for pumping blood At least one aspect of the invention is directed to a pump system for pumping blood though a body passageway. The pump system includes a distal section having at least one inlet to receive blood, a pumping section in fluid communication with the distal section to re... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7155291 | Methods and apparatus for providing a sufficiently stable power to a load in an energy transfer system Methods and apparatus for providing a sufficiently stable power to a load in an energy transfer system that transfers energy from one side of a physical boundary to another side of the boundary. In one example, a power supply and a primary winding are located on a f... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7126310 | Apparatus and method for balanced charging of a multiple-cell battery pack An apparatus and method for charging a multiple-cell battery pack provides a balanced charge to each cell in a series by providing a cell charge monitor/regulator for (1) monitoring the charge (potential, for example) of each cell and, when a state is attained, defi... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7062331 | Methods and apparatus for providing a sufficiently stable power to a load in an energy transfer system Methods and apparatus for providing a sufficiently stable power to a load in an energy transfer system that transfers energy from one side of a physical boundary to another side of he boundary. In one example, a power supply and a primary winding are located on a fi... | 06/13/2006 |
| 6846296 | Apparatus and method for detachably securing a device to a natural heart Methods and apparatus are disclosed for attaching cardiac devices onto a natural heart by employing arrays of gripping elements, such as hooks or barbs. The gripping elements are designed to penetrate and lodge themselves in the epicardial tissue in order to secure ... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6616596 | Cardiac assistance systems having multiple layers of inflatable elements A unified, non-blood contacting, implantable heart assist system surrounds the natural heart and provides circumferential contraction in synchrony with the heart's natural contractions. The pumping unit is composed of adjacent tube pairs arranged along a ... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6572534 | System and method for implanting a cardiac wrap A system and method for implanting a wrap on a patient's heart or other organ provides a wrap having finger-engagement members typically defining loops that encompass all or a substantial portion of the fingers of a surgeon's treatment hand. The loops ret... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6547716 | Passive cardiac restraint systems having multiple layers of inflatable elements A non-blood contacting, implantable heart assist system surrounds the natural heart and provides resistance to cardiac hypertrophy. The restraint system is composed of adjacent tube pairs arranged along a bias with respect to the axis of the heart and bou... | 04/15/2003 |
| 6540658 | Left-right flow control algorithm in a two chamber cardiac prosthesis A biventricular cardiac prosthesis has a flow balance control system to balance blood flow through the left and right sides of the prosthesis to maintain a patient's left atrial pressure within physiologic bounds. The prosthesis can be configured to have ... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6533724 | Decision analysis system and method for evaluating patient candidacy for a therapeutic procedure A decision analysis method for evaluating patient candidacy for a therapeutic procedure is provided. The method includes predicting, in accordance with a predetermined quantitative predicative scoring system, the probability of an adverse effect on such p... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6527698 | Active left-right flow control in a two chamber cardiac prosthesis A biventricular cardiac prosthesis has a flow balance control system to balance blood flow through the left and right sides of the prosthesis to maintain a patient's left atrial pressure within physiologic bounds. The prosthesis can be configured to have ... | 03/04/2003 |
| 6508756 | Passive cardiac assistance device Artificial implantable active and passive girdles include a heart assist system with an artificial myocardium employing a number of flexible, non-distensible tubes with the walls along their long axes connected in series to form a cuff and a passive girdl... | 01/21/2003 |
| 6496733 | Transcutaneous energy transfer device with magnetic field protected components in secondary coil The invention provides a transcutaneous energy transfer device having an external primary coil and an implanted secondary coil inductively coupled to the primary coil, electronic components subcutaneously mounted within the secondary coil and a mechanism ... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6445956 | Implantable medical device A medical device for implantation and a TET system which includes the device as a component are provided. The device is designed so that it does not substantially restrict blood flow in the tissue surrounding the implanted device, thereby minimizing the r... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6442434 | Methods and apparatus for providing a sufficiently stable power to a load in an energy transfer system Methods and apparatus for providing a sufficiently stable power to a load in an energy transfer system that transfers energy from one side of a physical boundary to another side of the boundary. In one example, a power supply and a primary winding are loc... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6400991 | Electromagnetic field source method with detection of position of secondary coil in relation to multiple primary coils An electromagnetic field source (EFS) for providing electromagnetic energy to a secondary coil, including two or more primary coils that each carry a time-varying current to produce an electromagnetic field, and a controller that selectively provides curr... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6389318 | Magnetic shield for primary coil of transcutaneous energy transfer device A transcutaneous energy transfer device is provided which has a magnetic shield covering the primary winding of the device to reduce sensitivity of the device to conducting objects in the vicinity of the coils and to increase the percentage of magnetic fi... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6366817 | Electromagnetic field source device with detection of position of secondary coil in relation to multiple primary coils An electromagnetic field source (EFS) for providing electromagnetic energy to a secondary coil, including two or more primary coils that each carry a time-varying current to produce an electromagnetic field, and a controller that selectively provides curr... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6324431 | Transcutaneous energy transfer device with magnetic field protected components in secondary coil The invention provides a transcutaneous energy transfer device having an external primary coil and an implanted secondary coil inductively coupled to the primary coil, electronic components subcutaneously mounted within the secondary coil and a mechanism ... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6324430 | Magnetic shield for primary coil of transcutaneous energy transfer device A transcutaneous energy transfer device is provided which has a magnetic shield covering the primary winding of the device to reduce sensitivity of the device to conducting objects in the vicinity of the coils and to increase the percentage of magnetic fi... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6319231 | Medical connector A medical connector for connecting a cardiac assist device to vascular tissue includes a base connector adapted to be attached to the cardiac assist device and a vascular tissue connector adapted to be attached to the vascular tissue. A retaining ring hol... | 11/20/2001 |
| 6314322 | System and method for treating dilated cardiomyopathy using end diastolic volume (EDV) sensing A system for controlling end diastolic volume of the heart is disclosed. The system includes an EDV sensor constructed and arranged to measure a parameter related to the end diastolic volume of the heart, and a heart stimulator, responsive to the EDV sens... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6228023 | Tissue pick and method for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures A tissue pick for use during minimally invasive surgeries includes a tissue grasping member disposed at the end of the tissue pick. The tissue grasping member may be rotated, articulated at an angle, axially displaced or otherwise manipulated by controlli... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6224540 | Passive girdle for heart ventricle for therapeutic aid to patients having ventricular dilatation A passive girdle is wrapped around a heart muscle which has dilatation of a ventricle to conform to the size and shape of the heart and to constrain the dilatation during diastole. The girdle is formed of a material and structure that does not expand away... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6212430 | Electromagnetic field source with detection of position of secondary coil in relation to multiple primary coils An electromagnetic field source (EFS) for providing electromagnetic energy to a secondary coil, including two or more primary coils that each carry a time-varying current to produce an electromagnetic field, and a controller that selectively provides curr... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6210318 | Stented balloon pump system and method for using same A balloon pump system including catheter-mounted pumping balloon configured to be positioned within a desired body passageway to pump a fluid through the body passageway. A stent is percutaneously deployed within the body passageway. The pumping balloon i... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6117130 | Coring device for myocardial revascularization Devices are disclosed for performing transmyocardial revascularization (TMR), percutaneous revascularization and other thermal tissue therapies. The invention utilizes a coring needle with an associated heating element to core out tissue to form a channel... | 09/12/2000 |
| 5180378 | Laser surgery system A multi-wavelength surgical laser apparatus of improved construction employs a fluid-filled stimulated Raman scattering cell in an optical feedback path of a pump laser having a power in a range suitable for surgery, and drives the Raman cell at a high re... | 01/19/1993 |
| 5116305 | Curved intra aortic balloon with non-folding inflated balloon membrane An intra aortic balloon pumping device comprises a pumping balloon, an attached inflation catheter, a supporting member which is disposed within and extends from the catheter into the balloon. The balloon membrane of the invention resists the formation of... | 05/26/1992 |
| 5090957 | Intraaortic balloon insertion A mechanism stretches and slightly twists an intraaortic balloon to a stretched and wrapped state prior to insertion or removal. One embodiment includes a member which extends through a catheter from the handle to the balloon, and which advances to extend... | 02/25/1992 |
| 5045051 | Leak detector A system for detecting leakage in a device having a fluid-driven membrane inserted in the body, for example, a balloon pump, includes a fluid drive circuit with a moisture remover having a capacity just sufficient to remove water vapor entering the circui... | 09/03/1991 |
| 4962765 | Diagnostic temperature probe A periodontal probe has a probe finger extending from a handle to an L-shaped distal end which includes a tip adapted for insertion into a periodontal pocket and formed of a thermally insulative material. A temperature sensing element is mounted at the ex... | 10/16/1990 |
| 4930674 | Surgical stapler A stapler for the anastomosis of blood vessels includes a vessel gripping structure, and an outwardly directed anvil head structure, and a stapler head structure adjustably positioned opposite each other. A first vessel is everted to form a cuff over one ... | 06/05/1990 |
| 4888009 | Prosthetic heart valve A prosthetic heart valve comprises a suture ring supporting a stent which surrounds a conduit bearing a plurality of flexible valve leaflets. The conduit extends beyond the end of the suture ring.... | 12/19/1989 |
| 4888011 | Artificial heart An artificial heart system employing left and right pumping chambers each divided by a membrane into a blood pumping chamber and a hydraulic pumping chamber and a hydraulic pumping system for alternately pumping hydraulic fluid from said left hydraulic ch... | 12/19/1989 |
| 4832599 | Periodontal probe A periodontal probe has a probe finger extending from a handle to an L-shaped distal end which includes a probe stem portion adapted for insertion into a periodontal pocket and formed of a thermally insulative material. A temperature sensing element is mo... | 05/23/1989 |
| 4802650 | Intravenous drug mixing and flow device A set for the passive infusion of one or more medications at a determined rate includes a fluid supply tube having first and second branched flow paths with first and second rate-defining flow restrictors. An injection port upstream of the first flow rest... | 02/07/1989 |
