"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical and insignificant, if not utterly impossible."
Simon Newcomb, astronomer ; Said in 1902, less than two years before the first flight at Kitty Hawk
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7833226 | Bone fixation device A bone fixation device is provided that includes one or more plates and one or more screws having an arcuate outer surface. One or more fastener-receiving apertures with frustoconical inner surface extend through the plate. The bone fixation device may also include ... | 11/16/2010 |
| 7819905 | Self drilling bone screw A self-drilling bone screw includes a screw body centered on a longitudinal axis and having an external thread winding. The bone screw has a head portion at one end of the screw body and a drill point at the other end. The drill point has two blades, each having a c... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7819899 | Instrument for pedicle screw adhesive materials Spinal stabilization systems and the assembly, interconnection, and use of such systems are described which provide stabilization of vertebrae in the spine. Devices and methods of the invention may be used to attach a bone engaging element such as a fastener to a sp... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7816834 | Resilient member for a brush holder assembly Disclosed is a resilient member for use in a brush holder assembly. The resilient member may be positioned between at least a portion of a brush and at least a portion of a brush holder. For example, the resilient member may separate or isolate one or more sides of ... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7815650 | Surgical instrument for moving vertebrae A surgical instrument extendable through a cannula for moving a first bone portion relative to a second bone portion includes a first portion having a longitudinal axis engageable with a first member connected with to the first bone portion. A second portion is enga... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7799058 | Interspinous spacer A spacer for maintaining separation between adjacent spinous processes having a first and second end support, a connecting member, and a central member positioned between the first and second end supports. The spacer is adjustable between a collapsed configuration a... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7799036 | Method and apparatus for securing vertebrae A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes the following steps: inserting a first cannula (10) into the body (130) of the patient; moving a first fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7789901 | Bone anchor system A bone anchor system anchors a support member to a bone. The bone anchor system comprises a body having a shank adapted for insertion into a hole in the bone. A head is formed on the shank. The head has a support engagement portion adapted to secure the support memb... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7768174 | Brush holder apparatus, brush assembly, and method Devices and methods of use for brush holder assemblies are disclosed. Brush holder assemblies including a mounting block and a brush holder are disclosed. Also illustrated is a brush holder assembly including a first portion in sliding engagement with a second porti... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7766930 | Cannula for receiving surgical instruments A cannula (10) for receiving surgical instruments for performing a surgical procedure on a body includes a tubular structure (12) defining a passage (16) through which the surgical instruments are inserted into the body. The tubular structure ( | 08/03/2010 |
| 7763049 | Orthopedic fixation connector An orthopedic fixation connector and system is provided. The orthopedic fixation system includes bone anchors and linking elements that are coupled together to form a stabilization construct. The linking elements are fixed relative to the bone anchors by clamping ar... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7758618 | Pedicle screw for intervertebral support elements The pedicle screw (1) for intervertebral support elements (3) consists of a shaft (10) and a head (2) comprising at least two parts (20, 22). The head is formed as a securing means for at least one support element (3). Each ... | 07/20/2010 |
| D620109 | Surgical installation tool | 07/20/2010 |
| 7754047 | Cutting balloon catheter and method for blade mounting A cutting balloon catheter and methods for making and using the same. The cutting balloon catheter may include a catheter shaft having a balloon coupled thereto. One or more cutting members or blades may be coupled to the balloon. Manufacturing the cutting balloon c... | 07/13/2010 |
| 7753907 | Medical device systems and methods Medical systems and related methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the medical systems include a catheter, an expandable medical device at least partially surrounding a portion of the catheter, a blade attached to the medical device, and an energy transmitter c... | 07/13/2010 |
| 7748248 | Stent crimping mechanisms A system for reducing the diameter of a stent comprises a stent contracting assembly. The assembly comprises a plurality of blades, which define a diameter reduction chamber. The chamber has an open diameter configuration and a closed diameter configuration. The plu... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7736375 | Balloon catheter with controller depth incising blade A device for incising tissue to a pre-selected incision depth within a body conduit of a patient includes an elongated balloon catheter and at least one elongated straight blade that is mounted on the balloon. To control the incision depth, each blade has a blunt se... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7736370 | Method for interconnecting longitudinal members extending along a spinal column A method of interconnecting first and second longitudinal members extending along a spinal column of a patient includes inserting an access port into the body of the patient. A transverse connector is moved through the access port. A first end of the transverse conn... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7705744 | Monitoring systems and methods for monitoring the condition of one or more components of an electrical device Methods and systems for monitoring a component of an electrical device and/or a brush of a brush holder assembly are disclosed. One method includes receiving data from a plurality of remote monitoring locations at a central control unit, where the data may be evalua... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7699877 | Method of securing vertebrae A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes the following steps: inserting a first cannula (10) into the body (130) of the patient; moving a first fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7691132 | Spinal stabilization systems and methods A spinal stabilization system may be formed in a patient. In some embodiments, a minimally invasive procedure may be used to form a spinal stabilization system in a patient. Bone fastener assemblies may be coupled to vertebrae. Each bone fastener assembly may includ... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7691116 | Cutting blade for medical devices An athertome assembly comprises a series of spanning and descending members extended between a segmented base and a cutting surface. This athertome assembly configuration provides both flexibility and structural strength which facilitates the implantation of medical... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7674273 | Method for performing a surgical procedure and a cannula for use in performing the surgical procedure A method of performing a surgical procedure on a body includes providing a cannula having a tubular structure with first and second tubular portions defining first and second passages for receiving surgical instruments. The second tubular portion is inserted inside ... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7670354 | Cannula for receiving surgical instruments A cannula (10) receives surgical instruments (120) for performing a surgical procedure on a body (130). The cannula (10) comprises a tube structure (12) defining a passage (16) through which the surgical instruments (120 | 03/02/2010 |
| 7666228 | Shock-absorbing intervertebral implant The invention relates to an intervertebral implant comprising a spacer designed to be applied between two spinous processes of two vertebrae. The spacer comprises: two elements (10, 12) made of a first material, and each presenting a first end (10a,... | 02/23/2010 |
| 7658739 | Methods and apparatuses for stabilizing the spine through an access device An apparatus for stabilizing vertebrae while permitting a range of motion therebetween may include first and second fasteners for engaging adjacent vertebrae and a motion preserving device that can be coupled to the first and second fasteners. The motion preserving ... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7655012 | Methods and apparatuses for minimally invasive replacement of intervertebral discs In one embodiment, an access device is inserted through an incision in skin of a patient. The access device is expanded from a first configuration to a second configuration, the second configuration having an enlarged cross-sectional area at a distal portion of said... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7654201 | Hinge strips for printer paper The present invention provides a page for binding in an album. The page includes a blank, printer paper sheet and a hinge strip mounted along an edge of the printer paper sheet, the hinge strip including a flexible line for allowing the hinge strip to bend along the... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7651496 | Methods and apparatuses for percutaneous implant delivery A method for treating the spine. A guidewire is advanced through the skin of a patient along a percutaneous path to a target location of a vertebra. An implant is advanced over the guidewire to the target location of the vertebra. The implant is coupled with the ver... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7648521 | System and method for minimally invasive spinal surgery A system for installing a cross member between first and second anchor members within a patient's body generally includes first and second docking members configured to be removably coupled to the respective first and second anchor members. Each docking member has a... | 01/19/2010 |
| 7645301 | Devices and methods for disc replacement The present disclosure concerns implants to at least partially replace the nucleus of a spinal disc. In one embodiment, a prosthetic implant is provided which includes a bag structure having a fixation component or member, the bag operable to contain at least one in... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7645232 | Access device for minimally invasive surgery A retractor has a proximal portion comprising a first side portion having a first longitudinal edge and a second side portion having a second longitudinal edge. The first and second portions being movable relative to each other such that the first and second longitu... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7641670 | Cannula for receiving surgical instruments A cannula (10) receives surgical instruments (120) for performing a surgical procedure on a body (130). The cannula (10) comprises a tube structure (12) defining a passage (16) through which the surgical instruments (120 | 01/05/2010 |
| 7641659 | Spinal access instrument A method of, and surgical instrument for accessing first and second pedicle locations of a spinal column area. The surgical instrument including a blade member slidably positionable along first and second wires. The instrument having a nested arrangement of members,... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7637918 | Helical suturing device An apparatus for repairing a tear in an annulus fibrosus of a spinal disc includes a hollow, helically-shaped suturing needle and a retriever. The needle is used to insert a suture along a helical pathway bridging the tear. The retriever is used to retrieve one end ... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7618457 | Devices and methods for disc nucleus replacement The present disclosure concerns implants to at least partially replace the nucleus of a spinal disc. In one embodiment, a prosthetic structure is provided which includes a bag operable to contain at least one internal implant within the bag. In another embodiment, a... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7618454 | Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion spacers An implant for spinal fusion that includes a top surface and a bottom surface opposing the top surface. An anterior surface extends from the top surface to the bottom surface and a posterior surface extends from the top surface to the bottom surface. The implant inc... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7611518 | Pedicle screw for intervertebral support elements The pedicle screw (1) for intervertebral support elements (3) consists of a shaft (10) and a head (2) comprising at least two parts (20, 22). The head is formed as a securing means for at least one support element (3). Each ... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7604656 | Apparatus for connecting a longitudinal member to a bone portion An apparatus includes a fastener engageable with a bone portion to connect a longitudinal member to the bone portion. A housing has a first passage configured to receive the longitudinal member and a second passage extending transverse to the first passage. The fast... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7600604 | User disposable member for use within the ear canal and methods for manufacturing the same A user-disposable member for placement and retention within the auditory anatomy, such as an ear canal. The user-disposable member includes a polymeric foam material, wherein the user-disposable member has a first portion having a peripheral outer surface having a f... | 10/13/2009 |