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 |
| 7279008 | Sheaths for implantable fixation devices A sheath for organizing soft tissue includes a first tube having a flexible body sized and shaped to receive a fixation device, and a second tube coupled to the first tube having a flexible body sized and shaped to receive a soft tissue graft. A method for implantin... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7150747 | Electrosurgical cutter One surgical device includes a first member and a second member defining a lumen for receiving the first member. The first member is configured to be movable relative to the second member to cut tissue. An electrical connector is physically and electrically coupled ... | 12/19/2006 |
| 6749561 | Autofocusing endoscopic system An endoscopic apparatus and method allow for robust autofocusing operation regardless of contrast characteristics of the environment. The endoscopic apparatus and method can focus on a field stop edge and store default information of the apparatus focused on the edg... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6623492 | Tissue fastener A tissue fastener comprises a shaft having a member disposed thereon for lodging the shaft within the tissue, the shaft having a region that is relatively flexible to render a tissue engaging head disposed at a proximal end of the shaft movable with respe... | 09/23/2003 |
| 6620185 | Surgical procedures and instruments Surgical instruments and methods are provided. In one aspect, a method of securing a fixation device within an opening in a tissue is provided, including delivering a material in a flowable state to said opening, and changing the state of the material so ... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6328752 | Method for positioning a surgical instrument relative to a surgical handpiece A surgical apparatus includes a body configured for insertion into a bore of a surgical handpiece and a latch that includes a resilient member connected to the body. The resilient member has a latching structure configured to latchingly engage a surface o... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6187011 | Positioning a tibial tunnel A guide for positioning a tibial tunnel in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The guide includes a guide arm and a drill sleeve connected to the guide arm. A distal tip of the guide arm is configured to contact a femoral surface, and a dista... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6165184 | Systems methods and instruments for minimally invasive surgery Systems, methods, and miniature instruments are disclosed for minimally invasive surgical procedures. A miniature surgical instrument can be inserted directly into a body cavity through a cannula in a way that a surgeon can insert his or her hand into the... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6159200 | Systems, methods, and instruments for minimally invasive surgery Systems, methods, and miniature instruments are disclosed for minimally invasive surgical procedures. A miniature surgical instrument can be inserted directly into a body cavity through a cannula in a way that a surgeon can insert his or her hand into the... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6146385 | Repairing cartilage A method of repairing cartilage (e.g., articular cartilage on the femur) and a set of instruments used in the method are provided. The damaged cartilage is removed from the bone to expose the underlying bone, grafts covered with cartilage (e.g., hyaline c... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6123710 | Process and article for knee reconstruction The invention comprises a method of reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament in the right knee of a patient comprising the steps of forming a tendon graft of tendon, other soft tissue, ligament (including bone blocks if required), or artificial tendo... | 09/26/2000 |
| 6090122 | Surgical instrument handpiece and system A surgical apparatus includes a body configured for insertion into a bore of a surgical handpiece and a latch that includes a resilient member connected to the body. The resilient member has a latching structure configured to latchingly engage a surface o... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6086608 | Suture collet A suture securing device includes an outer member with a suture receiving passage and an inner member configured for progressive insertion within the suture receiving passage and engagement with the outer member in any one of a plurality of locked positio... | 07/11/2000 |
| 6022356 | Cruciate ligament reconstruction template A template for use in forming an insertion for cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery includes a template body that is inserted into the knee and positioned on a wall of the femoral notch of the knee. The template body includes openings sized and positi... | 02/08/2000 |
| 5976075 | Endoscope deployment apparatus An endoscope system according to the present invention is characterized by an imaging assembly that a user can alternatively attach to a first deployment assembly and to a second deployment assembly. The image assembly has a distal end configured for dete... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5968050 | Positioning a tibial tunnel A guide for positioning a tibial tunnel in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The guide includes a guide arm and a drill sleeve connected to the guide arm. A distal tip of the guide arm is configured to contact a femoral surface, and a dista... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5964777 | Surgical cutting instrument A surgical cutting instrument, disposed generally along a rotational axis, includes a member extending from a base. The member is rotatable to transmit torque from the base to a cutter carried at the distal end of the member. The cutter defines one cuttin... | 10/12/1999 |
| 5961521 | Surgical screw and washer A surgical fastener for fixation of graft tendon in a bone hole comprising a screw having a head, neck, and shank, and a washer disposed about the neck. The tendon is attached to the washer so as to ensure that the tendon is immobilised between the head o... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5947982 | Suture-passing forceps A suture-passing forceps includes a suturing assembly having a member supported at a distal end of a support shaft, the member having a passage transverse to its length for supporting a suture needle in a suturing position at a selected angular orientatio... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5947990 | Endoscopic surgical instrument An endoscopic surgical instrument is provided that includes a surgical implement, e.g., a cutting tool, and an irrigation device that supplies fluid to the surgical implement during use of the device. The endoscopic surgical instrument includes a surgical... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5935149 | Suturing tissue A method of suturing using a suture with an attached needle includes placing the suture at a desired site to be sutured by passing the needle from a first member of a suture passing forceps to a second member of the forceps. The suture is then secured at ... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5925064 | Fingertip-mounted minimally invasive surgical instruments and methods of use The invention is a series of minimally invasive, miniature surgical instruments mounted directly on a surgeon's fingertips in a way that the surgeon can insert his or her hand into a patient through a minimal incision to perform surgical procedures, and a... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5921956 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument is steerable from the hub of the instrument to move a surgical tool to different offset positions. The instrument includes a shaft disposed along a longitudinal axis between a proximal region and a distal region at which the surgical... | 07/13/1999 |
| 5906577 | Device, surgical access port, and method of retracting an incision into an opening and providing a channel through the incision A device for retracting edges of an incision in a surface to form an opening including: a flexible, tubular skirt having an upper end, a lower end, and a channel therebetween; a ring connected to the lower end of the skirt for maintaining the lower end in... | 05/25/1999 |
| 5904702 | Instrument for thoracic surgical procedures An instrument for performing thoracic surgical procedures including an instrument body, a tool assembly, and an actuating mechanism. The instrument body has a proximal end spaced along a longitudinal axis from a distal end. The tool assembly has two coope... | 05/18/1999 |
| 5893874 | Surgical instrument A medical instrument includes an elongated shaft, a plurality of implements mounted to the shaft, and an actuator coupled to produce relative movement between the implements. At least one of the implements is detachable from the shaft and the actuator and... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5873884 | Surgical cutting implement dispenser A cutting implement dispenser for use with surgical instruments having replaceable cutting implements includes a support structure on which a replacement implement is carried. Operating a release mechanism movably attached to the support releases the impl... | 02/23/1999 |
| 5833692 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument comprises a first member extending distally from a proximal end and having an opening in a distal region for admitting tissue, and a second member disposed within the first member for moving a cutting implement and causing it to cut ... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5817095 | Undercutting surgical instrument An undercutting surgical instrument comprises a housing disposed along a longitudinal axis between a proximal region and a distal section which is sized to be inserted into a hole in a bone. A passage with an open end at the distal section is disposed thr... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5804936 | Motor controlled surgical system A surgical system, adapted to operate with at least one surgical device, has a handpiece containing a motor which is adapted to receive the surgical device. The surgical device is driven through a continuum of positions by the motor output shaft. A contro... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5782834 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument in which a surgical tool is carried distally of a bend region in a stationary support member by an assembly that transmits proximally applied forces through the bend region to both operate the surgical tool and selectively change the... | 07/21/1998 |
| 5759189 | Knot pusher A knot pusher includes a shaft with a distal nose configured for pushing a suture knot. The nose has a surface with a an open suture receiving recess. A securing member is arranged for movement between a closed position and an open position. In its closed... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5749885 | Surgical instrument with embedded coding element A surgical instrument includes a plastic hub which is received by a handpiece for operating the instrument. The plastic hub includes a wall that encloses a passage that receives a surgical tool-carrying member, and at least one detectable coding element i... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5745647 | Method and apparatus for automatically controlling and scaling motor velocity A method and apparatus automatically associate a sensed mechanical parameter to a range of motor velocity for controlling the rotational velocity of a motor driving a medical instrument. The method and apparatus sense or measure the mechanical parameter w... | 04/28/1998 |
| 5741281 | Suture securing apparatus A suture securing apparatus for positioning a suture securing device having a passage therethrough. The apparatus includes a holding member having at one end a handle and at the other end means for engaging a suture securing device, a suture recovery memb... | 04/21/1998 |
| 5730747 | Suture passing forceps A suture passing forceps includes an axially elongated support shaft, and a first suture holder for removably holding a needled suture and a second suture holder for capturing the needled suture. The first suture holder includes a suture inlet through whi... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5727428 | Actuating forces transmission link and assembly for use in surgical instruments A link, and assembly and instrument using same, for transmitting actuating forces from an actuating member to a work member. The link includes a link body having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end of the link body is movably interconnected wi... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5693060 | Suture securing device and method A suture securing device for intracorporeally securing a suture. The device includes a surgically implantable body having a tissue abutting side and a suture loop side, and a passage through the body having an opening adjacent the tissue abutting side and... | 12/02/1997 |
| 5690676 | Suture anchor and drive assembly A suture anchor and anchor driver device for securely and accurately positioning and installing the suture anchor in place. The anchor has a rounded or pointed head and one or more ridges around it to help force fit the anchor into a hole and to hold it i... | 11/25/1997 |
| 5690659 | Surgical cutting implement dispenser A cutting implement dispenser for use with surgical instruments having replaceable cutting implements includes a support structure on which a replacement implement is carried. Operating a release mechanism movably attached to the support releases the impl... | 11/25/1997 |
