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...Daniel Webster invented a "bull plow" to pull out tree stumps. It didn't catch on because it was huge and required four oxen to pull it!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8152756 | Active cannula for bio-sensing and surgical intervention Disclosed is a surgical needle, or active cannula, that is capable of following a complex path through cavities and tissue within a patient's anatomy. The needle has a plurality of overlapping flexible tubes, each of which has a pre-formed curvature and a pre-determ... | 04/10/2012 |
| 7918819 | Variable curve catheter Disclosed is a deflectable tip guiding device, such as a catheter, that enables a physician, or other health care personnel, to vary the radius of curvature of the tip of the device. In one embodiment, a guiding device includes an elongate body and a deflectable dis... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7798992 | Lumen traversing device Various exemplary methods and devices are provided for traversing a lumen, such as the gastrointestinal tract. The devices can include an elongate body having distally positioned tubing elements and proximally positioned control elements. The tubing elements are ada... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7727185 | Coaxial catheter system A robotic medical system comprises a user interface configured for receiving at least one command, a first drive mechanism configured for receiving the outer medical implement, a second drive mechanism configured for receiving the inner medical implement, a linear d... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7422580 | Method for guide catheter positioning A method of catheter manipulation involves providing a catheter comprising a flexible shaft having a distal end shaped for accessing a target vessel. The method further involves selectably moving the shaft between a plurality of discrete positions of a first degree-... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7371210 | Flexible instrument A remote control flexible instrument system, employing a shaft which supports a tool, is described in which the has proximal and distal ends with at least a portion thereof extending through a lumen of the human body so as to locate the shaft at an internal target s... | 05/13/2008 |
| RE40305 | Apparatus and method for selectively positioning a device and manipulating it Apparatus for pulling and positioning an apparatus, e.g., a stent, in the target area of a lumen. In one embodiment, a cylindrically shaped motor has a longitudinal bore, a friction area within the longitudinal bore, and a guide wire disposed within the longitudinal... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7351214 | Steerable balloon catheter A steerable balloon catheter including a balloon catheter supported by a steerable guidewire having a deflectable distal tip. The guidewire comprises a longitudinal hypotube and a spring coil attached to the distal end of the hypotube and includes a longitudinally m... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7335180 | Steerable ultrasound catheter Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Ultrasound catheter devices generally include an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens, an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally thr... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7331958 | Handle design for a medical catheter A handle for use with a catheter, the handle including a housing, a cable, and a guide. The housing has a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis that extends from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end of the housing. The cable is disposed in... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7311980 | Polyactive/polylactic acid coatings for an implantable device A polymeric coating for a medical device that comprises poly(lactic acid) and a block copolymer including blocks of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(butylene terephthalate) is provided. ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7294124 | Hypotube with improved strain relief A hypotube for an intravenous catheter device is disclosed which includes a tubular shaft having a tubular wall defining a lumen. The shaft includes a main section integrally connected to a distal section. The distal section includes a first section connected to the... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7279174 | Stent coatings comprising hydrophilic additives A coating for implantable medical devices and a method for fabricating thereof are disclosed. The coating includes a mixture of a hydrophobic polymer and a polymeric hydrophilic additive, wherein the hydrophobic polymer and the hydrophilic additive form a physically... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7276044 | System and methods for advancing a catheter An advancer system is described for moving an elongate medical device within a body. The system includes a drive unit having a motor. The drive unit is configured to translate movement of the motor to the device so as to alternately advance and retract the device re... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7276064 | Side-port sheath for catheter placement and translation Side-port sheaths for catheter placement and translation are disclosed. The sheaths include a side-port opening through which a gliding catheter may be deployed during diagnosis or treatment of tissue. The side-port sheath may include a suspension ribbon used to dep... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7267663 | Apparatus for guide catheter positioning The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for guide catheterization. In one embodiment, a guiding catheter system includes a flexible shaft having a distal end shaped for accessing a target vessel. A handle assembly is movably coupled to the flexible s... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7250049 | Ablation catheter with suspension system incorporating rigid and flexible components A curved ablation catheter imparts ablative energy to target tissue, for example, along a trabecular slope, e.g., in the right atrium along the isthmus between the ostium of the inferior vena cava and the tricuspid valve. The catheter is formed with a preset curvatu... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7244443 | Polymers of fluorinated monomers and hydrophilic monomers A polymer of fluorinated monomers and hydrophilic monomers is provided. It is also provided a polymer blend that contains a polymer of fluorinated monomers and another biocompatible polymer. The polymer of fluorinated monomers or polymer blend described herein and o... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7235088 | Neuro thrombectomy catheter An elongate tubular body extends between a rotatable cutter and a control. The cutter is connected to the control with a rotatable element. A vacuum is applied through an annular passage defined between the tubular body and the rotatable element. The tubular body ha... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7235070 | Ablation fluid manifold for ablation catheter An ablation catheter employing one or more manifold arrangements to convey a conductive fluid medium to a target tissue. The manifold includes at least one inlet port in fluid communication with a fluid supply lumen running along at least a portion of the catheter. ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7232422 | Steerable catheter A catheter includes a pull wire which extends through two different lumen and attaches to the distal end of the catheter at an off-axis location. By tensioning the pull wire, the catheter can assume various complex curves, depending on the respective lumen through w... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7218970 | System for medical lead tunneling An apparatus includes an elongated tube and an elongated rod having a holding member on one end, the holding member is adapted to hold an end of a lead such that the end of the lead can be pulled through the elongated tube resulting in minimal forces on the lead. | 05/15/2007 |
| 7192415 | Drainage catheter with visual indicator and/or lock system A catheter comprising a tube having a distal end for deployment in a patient, and a proximal end for remaining outside of the patient; an anchoring mechanism at the distal end of the tube having a fully open configuration, a fully closed configuration, and a range o... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7189215 | Catheter with full-length core wire shaft for core wire interchangeability A catheter to be used without a guidewire which includes a support wire shaft formed of metal, a balloon mounted on a distal portion of the catheter, and an inflation shaft for inflating the balloon, wherein a core wire may be interchangeably inserted into the suppo... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7182725 | Methods and apparatus employing ionizing radiation for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia Method and apparatus are disclosed employing ionizing radiation for forming lines of ablation or lesions in cardiac tissue to treat atrial fibrillation or other electrophysiological problems with the heart. The apparatus may include a catheter in which the radiation... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7179345 | Inflatable balloon catheter seal and method An improved balloon catheter seal which may be used for attaching an inflatable balloon to a catheter body, especially when the balloon and catheter body are formed from dissimilar materials. The seal is formed by applying a layer of adhesive material between the in... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7177533 | Motor control system for a surgical handpiece A system and method for powered surgical handpiece capable of powering various micro-cutting instruments is described. The system is comprised of a controller adapted for controlling/interfacing with a powered surgical handpiece based upon user-defined procedural in... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7172552 | Catheter introducer system for exploration of body cavities A self propelling catheter introducer system for exploring a body cavity is disclosed which includes a flexible tubular catheter, an everting tube and a steering section located near the distal end of the catheter that is introduced in a body cavity. The steering se... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7169139 | Reinforced retention structures A medical device includes an elongated member and a reinforced retention structure. The device can be used for draining substances from organs or abscessed areas within a body of a patient. The elongated member is made of a flexible material. The reinforced retentio... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7150741 | Programmable dose control module The invention is directed to a dose control module for manipulating the dosage of one or more pharmaceutical solutions emanating from an implantable drug infusion pump. The dose control module has a processor and other circuitry for manipulating flow valves and othe... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7147635 | Bipolar electrosurgical snare A bipolar electrosurgical instrument including an introducer having a channel therein and an electrically conductive snare slidably positioned within the channel and slidable between an undeployed position wherein it is substantially retracted within the channel and... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7134200 | Device and method for identifying cables A device and method for identification marking of cables, especially electric cables, that are continuously provided with unambiguous markings at least in their end sections. The cable is cut such that the marking of interest is visible directly behind the shell of ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7134438 | Methods and apparatus for bypassing arterial obstructions and/or performing other transvascular procedures Methods, devices, and systems for a) revascularization and/or b) performing other medical procedures at vascular or non-vascular intracorporeal locations within a mammalian body. The methods generally comprise the formation of at least one extravascular passageway f... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7125413 | Endoscopic fundoplication devices and methods for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease Endoscopic devices and methods used for fastening multiple tissue layers, such as, for example, an endoscopic fundoplication procedure, are disclosed. The endoluminal device includes a tissue fastener, a flexible needle having means for grasping and releasing a port... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7122034 | Curved ablation catheter A curved ablation catheter imparts ablative energy to target tissue, for example, along a trabecular slope, e.g., in the right atrium along the isthmus between the ostium of the inferior vena cava and the tricuspid valve. The catheter is formed with a preset curvatu... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7101361 | Steerable medical device having means for imparting curves in the device and in elongated implantable medical instruments A steerable elongated medical device adapted to be advanced through a tortuous pathway to a desired location in a body includes an outer tube extending between an outer tube proximal segment and an outer tube distal segment, having an outer tube wall forming an oute... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7101362 | Steerable and shapable catheter employing fluid force A catheter employing fluid force to steer and/or shape the catheter. In one particular implementation, the catheter includes at least one actuating lumen operably associated with the shaft of the catheter. The at least one actuating lumen is in fluid communication w... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7094256 | Coatings for implantable medical device containing polycationic peptides Coatings for implantable medical devices and methods for fabricating the same are disclosed. The coatings include carboxylated acrylates and polycationic peptides, for example R7. ... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7090683 | Flexible instrument A remote control flexible instrument system, employing a shaft which supports a tool, is described in which the has proximal and distal ends with at least a portion thereof extending through a lumen of the human body so as to locate the shaft at an internal target s... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7089928 | Apparatus for self-guided intubation An automatically operative medical insertion device and method including an insertable element which is adapted to be inserted within a living organism in vivo, a surface following element, physically associated with the insertable element and being arranged to foll... | 08/15/2006 |
