Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7691081 | Expandable component guide wire system and related method of using the same A catheter device and related method for diagnostic vascular treatment and/or therapeutic vascular treatment of a subject's vasculature having a lesion. The device including: a guide catheter comprising a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a guide... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7331949 | Urinary catheter with check valve The present invention provides a novel construction for a catheter that includes backflow prevention in the form of a check valve, which keeps the flow of drained fluid material from reentering the patient. The catheter construction of the present invention provides... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7326187 | Fluid control device A fluid control device is characterized in that the device is structured of a hollow first fluid path (21) and second fluid path (22), a housing portion (1) formed between the first fluid path and the second fluid path and having a hollow portio... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7303574 | Occlusion catheter with frictional valve A system for treating a vascular condition, including a hollow guidewire having a central lumen and an inflation hole formed in a sidewall of the hollow guidewire, an occlusion balloon attached proximate to a distal end of the hollow guidewire, and a frictional valv... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7252086 | Lung reduction system A pulmonary decompression device may be utilized to remove trapped air in the lung or lungs, thereby reducing the volume of diseased lung tissue. A lung reduction device may passively decompress the lung or lungs. In order for the system to be effective, an airtight... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7247147 | Medical balloon catheter The medical balloon catheter of the present invention comprises a catheter shaft composed of a distal end shaft and a proximal end shaft and a balloon on the distal end of the distal end shaft, wherein the proximal end shaft is composed of a single member and the di... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7245959 | Imaging catheter for use inside a guiding catheter An imaging catheter which is constructed to be inserted into a guiding catheter having a small outer diameter, such as 5 French, such that a standard guidewire and imaging catheter are simultaneously translatable through a lumen of the guiding catheter. The imaging ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7235064 | Method and apparatus for anchoring laparoscopic instruments A balloon anchor provides for the anchoring of a surgical instrument, such as conventional trocar sheath, within a puncture opening formed by a trocar. When used on a trocar sheath, the anchor is secured to the smooth outer surface of the sheath for extension throug... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7182768 | Catheter for cardiovascular application A catheter for cardiovascular application includes an elongated catheter shank; a lumen inside the catheter shank; a mandrel sleeve that extends in the lumen; a guide wire which ru... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7160325 | Implantable medical balloon and valve A medical balloon, implantable in human tissue, of unitary silicone construction. The balloon is self-sealing upon removal of an inflation implement. The balloon device comprises a molded valve portion which is dip-coated in a silicone dispersion to create a balloon... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7156877 | Biodegradable/bioactive nucleus pulposus implant and method for treating degenerated intervertebral discs A bioactive/biodegradable nucleus implant for repairing degenerated intervertebral discs that is inflated inside the nucleus space after the degenerated nucleus has been removed to re-pressurize the nuclear space within the intervertebral disc. The implant is inflat... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7150723 | Medical device including guide wire and balloon catheter for curing a coronary artery In a medical guide wire 1, a rear half of a leading bulge portion (ellipsoidal helical spring) 5 forms a truncated cone shaped front catheter engagement portion 8. An inner wall of a balloon catheter 2 forms a flared end portion 2A... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7141038 | Endourethral device and method Several embodiments of an endourethral prosthesis, assembly, and attendant methods are provided for patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or urinary retention. The endourethral prosthesis includes a reversibly expandable element disposed circu... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7094218 | Valved catheter A valved catheter that allows placement and withdrawal of an accessing device or attachable unit without the risk of air embolism or blood loss. The valved catheter includes a catheter tube having a necked portion in its proximal end that forms an integral valve, th... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7048712 | Polymer blends for use in making medical devices including catheters and balloons for dilatation catheters A combination of polymeric components provides desired characteristics in forming medical instruments such as catheters and balloons for dilatation catheters. For example, a balloon material is formed from a blend of polymeric components, including a first crystalli... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7041080 | Rotary valve for balloon catheter A rotary valve for a balloon catheter, including a hollow guidewire with a central lumen and a portion of a rotary shaft disposed within a guidewire proximal end. Rotating the rotary shaft of the rotary valve controls flow of an inflation fluid into and through the ... | 05/09/2006 |
| 6994687 | Inflatable balloon catheter with purge mechanism and method An improved balloon catheter which includes a purge mechanism for purging air from the catheter prior to use. The purge mechanism is sized to allow air to pass through, but highly restricts the flow of liquids. Air remaining in the catheter after purging is allowed ... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6979342 | Catheter with a polyimide distal tip A catheter having an elongated shaft which has a multilayered distal tip with a first layer formed of a polyimide first material and a second layer formed of a polymeric second material. In one embodiment the multilayered distal tip is a separate member, distal to t... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6960188 | Catheter having enhanced distal pushability Apparatus for enhancing pushability and minimizing kinking of a balloon catheter is provided, wherein a catheter comprises inner and outer tubes, and a balloon that is proximally affixed to the outer tube and distally affixed to the inner tube. The outer tube extend... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6949125 | Ureteral stent with end-effector and related methods A system and related methods for maintaining the patentcy of the ureter comprising a pusher tube having a pusher tube lumen and an inflate lumen disposed within a wall of the pusher tube and a urinary stent having a proximal and distal portions with an elongated bod... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6918888 | Retrograde cannula having manually retractable sealing member A retrograde cannula includes coaxial inner and outer bodies, wherein a least of the portion of the inner body is axially slidable within the outer body. The inner body forms an infusion lumen for conducting CPG. A sealing member is mounted adjacent a distal end of ... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6913596 | Valved over-the-wire catheter A catheter with a distal end having a member formed from a hydrophilic composition is provided. The hydrophilic composition expands upon contact with an aqueous fluid to move the member from a quiescent state to an expanded state. The member may provide an open pass... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6827703 | Single lumen balloon catheter apparatus A catheter useful for non-surgical entry into a uterus to dispense a diagnostic fluid therein. The catheter includes a tubular body having a lumen extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof. The lumen includes an external opening adjacent the first e... | 12/07/2004 |
| 6743181 | System and method for measuring ventricular function A system and method for measuring ventricular function in an isolated, perfused heart using an intraventricular balloon connected to a plumbing circuit containing a fluid, the plumbing circuit including (a) a valve for selectively opening the plumbing circuit to (i)... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6709418 | Apparatus and methods for entering cavities of the body A cannula assembly (120) provides access to an interior body region (22). The cannula assembly defines a lumen (24) having a distal region (30). The lumen includes a bend in the distal region to guide deployment in the body region. A clos... | 03/23/2004 |
| 6695810 | Endolumenal aortic isolation assembly and method A medical device system and method allows an arterial bypass graft to be proximally anastomosed to an aorta during a beating heart procedure without substantial loss of blood by use of an endolumenal aorta isolation assembly provided along the distal end ... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6656153 | Balloon catheter A balloon catheter of the present invention has an outer tube having a first lumen inside it. At the distal end of the outer tube is connected the proximal end of the balloon portion so that a balloon space is formed inside it, the distal end of the ballo... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6544220 | Fluid jet PMR A system for performing fluid jet myocardial revascularization includes a catheter having a proximal region, a distal region, a lumen extending therethrough and a valve disposed in the lumen for allowing the passage of fluids in the lumen to create holes ... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6517515 | Catheter having variable size guide wire lumen A balloon catheter having a first balloon member and a second distal expandable member. The increased distal profile of the catheter with inflation of the second distal expandable member can deflect the distal-most end away from stent walls and edges. Ano... | 02/11/2003 |
| 6419657 | Flow regulator valve to optimize stent deployment and method of using the same An apparatus for regulating flow of an inflation fluid to a stent delivery balloon. A valve, which is situated in the flow path of the inflation lumen, regulates the flow of liquid used to inflate and deflate the balloon. The valve performs to restrict fl... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6416493 | Method and system for the treatment of hyperkinetic atrial arrhythmia A method and device for the pharmacological cardioversion of fibrillation or atrial flutter is disclosed. The device is implantable in the human body and provides equipment for drug infusion using an electrocatheter positioned in the right atrium, the rig... | 07/09/2002 |
| 6325777 | Low profile catheter valve and inflation adaptor Disclosed herein is a low profile catheter valve comprising a movable sealer portion positioned within the inflation lumen of a catheter. The sealer portion forms a fluid tight seal with the inflation lumen by firmly contacting the entire circumference of... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6254563 | Perfusion shunt apparatus and method A perfusion shunt apparatus and methods are described for isolating and selectively perfusing a segment of a patient's cardiovascular system and for directly circulatory flow around the isolated segment. An aortic perfusion shunt apparatus is configured f... | 07/03/2001 |
| 6234995 | Apparatus and method for selectively isolating a proximal anastomosis site from blood in an aorta A medical device system and method allows an arterial bypass graft to be proximally anastomosed to an aorta during a beating heart CABG procedure without substantial loss of blood by use of an endolumenal aorta isolation assembly provided along the distal... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6200305 | Catheter having a variable length shaft segment and method of use The invention relates to a catheter device and guidewire system to enable the catheter to be exchanged over a conventional length guidewire without the use of a guidewire extension or exchange wire. The catheter device includes an elongated inflation shaf... | 03/13/2001 |
| 6102891 | Balloon catheter with valve A balloon catheter has a tubular basic body with distal and proximal ends, defining a lumen extending between the ends, and a balloon near the distal end connected with the lumen, wherein the catheter has a maximum radial profile size corresponding to tha... | 08/15/2000 |
| 6007521 | Drainage catheter system A drainage catheter system including a catheter, a collection bag, and a collection bag saddle, is provided. The catheter includes a catheter body having an interior lumen, an elongate tubular sheath operatively associated with the catheter body, and a la... | 12/28/1999 |
| 5968013 | Multi-function dilatation catheter An improved multi-function catheter structure having an inflatable balloon structure at its distal end, to selectively occlude a vascular lumen, provide antegrade perfusion liquid distally of the inflatable balloon, and provide retrograde perfusion proxim... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5779672 | Dual valve detachable occlusion balloon and over-the-wire delivery apparatus and method for use therewith Dual valve detachable occlusion balloon for use in an artificial vessel embolization for using a delivery catheter adapted to receive a fluid for inflating the balloon. The delivery catheter has proximal and distal extremities and a flow lumen extending f... | 07/14/1998 |
| 5755686 | Antegrade/retrograde switch for cardioplegia cannulae A switch for selectively directing fluid to either one of two catheters and for inflating a "manually" inflatable balloon of one of the catheters when fluid is directed to that catheter. The switch includes a valve mechanism that is operatively linked wit... | 05/26/1998 |
