Did You Know...
...Chester Carlson was a patent agent who tired of having to make multiple copies of patent applications using the only duplication method available at the time: carbon paper. In 1959 he came up with a new copying system and took it to IBM for evaluation. The "experts" at IBM determined potential sales to be only 5,000 units because people wouldn't want to use a bulky machine when they had carbon paper. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, the company founded on the system is Xerox.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7731655 | Tissue retractor and method for using the retractor A tissue retractor includes a body having proximal and distal ends. The retractor also includes a retraction device having a head connected to the distal end of the body and defining two opposing openings, a connector movably disposed in the body, and two flexible n... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7699774 | Access platform for internal mammary dissection An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is pivotally coupled to the spreader member such that it natur... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7309312 | Apparatus for retaining otherwise hand-held retractors and method of use A retractor retaining device retains an otherwise hand-held retractor in a retracting position within a surgical wound. The retractor retaining device includes a clamp that is attachable to a retractor support that is positioned about the wound. A retaining plate is... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7214186 | Method and device for retractor for microsurgical intermuscular lumbar arthrodesis An instrument useful in performing lumbar arthrodesis with a minimal approach which spares the lumbar muscles from surgical disruption and includes one of two retractor designs having blades angled approximately 90° with respect to each respective retractor handle.... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7210485 | Method for spinal surgery Spinal surgery is carried out under direct visualization through a relatively small opening formed in a patient's skin. Intervening tissue between the opening and the surgical site is displaced so as to form a keyhole channel therethrough. The channel is characteriz... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7195593 | Ligament retractor assembly A ligament retractor assembly including a first retractor paddle, a second retractor paddle, a first elastic member having one end received in an opening of the first retractor paddle and an opposite end received by an opening of the second retractor paddle, and a s... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7189201 | Method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue within a patient's body cavity. In one embodiment, the tissue immobil... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7172554 | Retractor instrumentation for total hip arthroplasty, and methods of using same The present invention is directed to retractor instrumentation for total hip arthroplasty, and methods of using same. In one illustrative embodiment, the device comprises a body, a first pin coupled to the body, and a second pin coupled to said body, wherein at leas... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7153314 | Tissue reconfiguration An apparatus includes an elongated member configured for transoral placement into a stomach, and a distal end effector including first and second members configured to engage stomach tissue, e.g., tissue beyond the esophageal junction. The first and second members a... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7112172 | Endoscopic organ retraction system and method of using the same The present disclosure relates to a retraction system for retracting body organs and/or body tissue in a body cavity. The retraction system includes an elongate shaft configured and dimensioned to be inserted into the body cavity, a retractor device operatively asso... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7070556 | Transobturator surgical articles and methods Described is a surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary stress incontinence. The instrument includes a first curved needle-like element defining in part a curved shaft having a distal end and a proximal, a mesh for implanting into the lower abdomen... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7048683 | Method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of heart tissue to thereby permit surgery on a coronary vessel in that area wit... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7022069 | Circumferential retractor apparatus with locking slots A circumferential retractor apparatus including a first retractor paddle, a second retractor paddle and an elastic member. Each of the first and second retractor paddles includes a body portion with an arm extending outwardly therefrom. The arm supports a grasping s... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7022126 | Clamping device for anatomical structure A surgical clamping device for hollow anatomical structures such as, essentially, blood vessels, but also for tracheas, intestines, etc. This device comprises a flexible guide and two jaws, each jaw being formed of an elongate member pierced with a longitudinal cana... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7018332 | Circumferential retractor apparatus A circumferential retractor apparatus including a first retractor paddle having a grasping surface and a body portion supporting the grasping surface, a second retractor paddle having a grasping surface and a body portion supporting the grasping surface and an elast... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7011658 | Devices and methods for spinal compression and distraction A device for applying a corrective force to a spinal column segment is provided that includes a mechanism with opposite first and second engagement ends and driving means for moving the opposite engagement ends in extension and retraction directions. A locking mecha... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6936002 | Stabilizing tissue method and apparatus A tissue stabilizer includes a pneumatic rigidifying bladder which is flexible when at ambient pressure and rigid when at negative pressure or evacuated. Structure such as straps with hook-and-eye fasteners attaches the rigidifying bladder to tissue to be stabilized... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6932765 | Apparatus for retaining otherwise hand-held retractors A retractor retaining device retains an otherwise handheld retractor in the retraction position. The device includes a flexible loop that is detachably attached to a retractor support proximate the surgical wound with the loop engaging a proximal end or handle of th... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6921263 | Adjustable dental instrument having a multi-detent latch A dental instrument (10) having a tool (12) with a tip (56) capable of being rapidly adjusted and fixed in a variety of orientations relative to an instrument body (14). The instrument comprises opposing jaws (16, 22) having concav... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6911032 | Apparatus and method for compressing body tissue A system and method for delivering a surgical clip to a surgical site within a patient's body to compress body tissue is disclosed. In one embodiment for the system of the present invention, the system includes an endoscopic device that has an endoscope cap disposed... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6869398 | Four-blade surgical speculum A speculum system with four blades is provided. The blades project in approximately the same direction, and each blade is connected to a handle linearly or at an angle. The handles are coupled together. In one embodiment, the distance between the blades is changeabl... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6702739 | Holder A holder for holding parts of a body, structure or assembly spaced apart during operations carried out on the body, structure or assembly, the retractor comprising a body made of wire and having a resilient hinge portion at a vertex of the body and at lea... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6585643 | Heart positioning device and methods A medical instrument for positioning an internal organ during a surgical procedure is provided. In one embodiment, the medical instrument includes a body having a tissue grasping element and at least one suspending member. The suspending member has a firs... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6561974 | Device for use in a surgical procedure on an eye of a living being, and method of retracting the iris A device for use in a surgical procedure on an eye of a living being, includes a retraction member, destined for insertion into the anterior chamber of the eye. The retraction member has a hook-shaped engagement part for retracting the iris, whereby at le... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6544195 | Tissue of foreign body extractor A tissue or foreign body extractor. A coil member is provided, and in one embodiment of the invention, is disposed within the lumen of a needle. The needle includes one or more cutting edges for cutting into tissue located in the body, a core of the tissu... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6537285 | Spiral cervical retractor apparatus A spiral cervical retraction apparatus is provided to straighten out the canal to the uterus during a medical procedure which allows for placement of instruments into the cavity of the uterus such as artificial insemination devices, curettes, biopsy instr... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6478734 | Access platform for internal mammary dissection An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is pivotally coupled to the spreader member such th... | 11/12/2002 |
| 6468207 | Deep tissue surgical retractor apparatus and method of retracting tissue A retractor system having a blade assembly with notches for receiving a portion of a surgical retractor stay. A retractor system having a cam lock mechanism and/or a ratchet mechanism to restrict movement of the paddle arms. A retractor system having pini... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6409731 | Bone leveler apparatus A bone leveler or apparatus including a first blade member having a forward end suitable for contacting the bone and a rearward end, a second blade member having a forward end suitable for contacting the bone and a rearward end, and an elastic member havi... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6383134 | Surgical stabilizer having suction capability A surgical stabilizer especially adapted for use in cardiac surgery includes first and second hollow legs that are disposed generally parallel to each other, each leg having a closed end and an open end. Each leg has an upper surface and a lower surface, ... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6354994 | Surgical support apparatus with specialized rakes and method of xiphoid retraction The present invention provides a set of rakes for retraction of the patient's ribs and thoracic region in, e.g., a reoperative midsternotomy surgical procedure, for providing additional support as the surgical cavity is enlarged during the course of disse... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6332866 | Iris retractor for use in surgical procedure on the eye of a living being An instrument for use in ophthalmic surgery, includes an elongated body portion having one end formed with an engagement member for insertion through an incision into the anterior chamber of the eye for retracting the iris. A fixation member is slidably s... | 12/25/2001 |
| 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 |
| 6206827 | Apparatus and method for tissue and organ stabilization A system for locally stabilizing an anastomotic site of a vessel of a beating heart during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The system includes bonding a pad to the myocardium and attaching a control arm to the pad, all by use of a bioabsorbable adhesiv... | 03/27/2001 |
| 6117072 | Plastic stay assembly for use with MRI and X-ray imaging systems An improved surgical retractor stay having a plastic hook member such that the entire surgical retractor stay is substantially non-interfering with X-ray and MRI imaging techniques.... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6090043 | Tissue retractor retention band A surgical stay including a hook, a handle and an elastomeric band. The hook has a tissue engaging portion and is retained by the handle such that the tissue engaging portion extends from a first end of the handle. A handle end of the band is retained by ... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6083153 | Xiphoid retraction system and method of performing reoperative midsternotomy The present invention includes a set of rakes for use as surgical retractors in a surgical procedure in which the set of rakes includes a progressively longer body-supporting base portion. The present invention further includes a C-shape surgical retracti... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6056689 | Device and method for localized heart motion dampening at a cardiac surgical site A device and method are disclosed for dampening the heart motions of a patient's beating heart in a local area of a desired surgical site. The heart motion dampening is provided by a ring-like structure having prongs attached thereto, wherein the prongs e... | 05/02/2000 |
| 6053863 | Perivascular self-retaining retractor and method Apparatus and method for expanding a perivascular cavity at a surgical site includes an elongated retractor having a tip at the distal end for convenient insertion into a perivascular cavity, and having a slidable coupler near the proximal end for conveni... | 04/25/2000 |
| 5993384 | Vessel isolating retractor cannula and method A retractor and a surgical tool are positioned within a cannula, and a dissection cradle of the retractor is positioned at the distal end of the cannula. The retractor includes a first portion with an axis approximately parallel to the axis of the cannula... | 11/30/1999 |
