...that a workman who left the soap mixing machine on too long was responsible for making Ivory Soap? He was so embarrassed by his mistake that he threw the mess in a stream. Imagine his dismay when the evidence of his error floated to the surface! Result: Ivory soap, the soap that floats.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8177837 | Percutaneously deployed vascular valves Described are percutaneous vascular valves free of attached support structures and deployment systems and methods for providing attachment of the valves within a vascular vessel. ... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8002824 | Cardiac valve, system, and method A cardiac valve with a support frame having a first end member and a second end member opposing the first end member in a substantially fixed distance relationship, and a cover extending over the support frame to allow for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the... | 08/23/2011 |
| 7998196 | Replacement heart valve, valve holder and methods of making and using same A replacement heart valve device usable in a medical procedure in relation in heart valve replacement of a patient. In one embodiment, the replacement heart valve device includes a heart valve holder or conduit holder formed in the form of a cylindrical tube having ... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7988724 | Systems and methods for delivering a medical implant The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for endovascularly delivering and releasing a prosthesis, e.g., an aortic prosthesis, within and/or across a patient's native heart valve, referred to hereinafter as replacing the patient's heart valve. In some ... | 08/02/2011 |
| RE42575 | Engineering of strong, pliable tissues It has been discovered that improved yields of engineered tissue following implantation, and engineered tissue having enhanced mechanical strength and flexibility or pliability, can be obtained by implantation, preferably subcutaneously, of a fibrous polymeric matri... | 07/26/2011 |
| RE42479 | Engineering of strong, pliable tissues It has been discovered that improved yields of engineered tissue following implantation, and engineered tissue having enhanced mechanical strength and flexibility or pliability, can be obtained by implantation, preferably subcutaneously, of a fibrous polymeric matri... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7871434 | Percutaneously deployed vascular valves Described are percutaneous vascular valves (11) free of attached support structures and deployment systems (31) and methods for providing attachment of the valves within a vascular vessel. ... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7862610 | Bicuspid vascular valve and methods for making and implanting same A vascular valve constructed from a biocompatible material that is designed to be surgically implanted in a patient's blood vessel, such as the right ventricular outflow tract. At the first end of the valve there is an orifice defined by at least two opposing free e... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7704277 | Device and method for treatment of heart valve regurgitation In one embodiment, the present invention provides a prosthesis that can be implanted within a heart to at least partially block gaps that may be present between the two mitral valve leaflets. In one preferred embodiment, the prosthesis includes an anchoring ring tha... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7566343 | Cardiac valve, system, and method A cardiac valve with a support frame having a first end member and a second end member opposing the first end member in a substantially fixed distance relationship, and a cover extending over the support frame to allow for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7381220 | Devices, systems, and methods for supplementing, repairing, or replacing a native heart valve leaflet Devices, systems and methods supplement, repair, or replace a native heart valve. The devices, systems, and methods employ an implant that, in use, extends adjacent a valve annulus. The implant includes a mobile neoleaflet element that occupies the space of at least... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7374571 | Rolled minimally-invasive heart valves and methods of manufacture Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. The valves are rolled into a first, contracted configuration for minimally invasive delivery using a catheter, and then unrolled or unfurled at the implantation site. One- and ... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7367984 | Methods and apparatus for sizing fresh donor heart valves A fresh donor tissue valve isolation annulus size comprising a handle and trigger or crank knob manipulated by the user moves a movable probe into proximity with a stationary probe so that the probes can be inserted into the tissue valve lumen. The user releases the... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7331993 | Involuted endovascular valve and method of construction A prosthetic tri-leaflet valve formed by involuting a portion of a tubular structure inside itself. The valve can be made by a method comprising providing a tubular segment in which three equidistant longitudinal incisions are made in one end of the tube creating th... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7320704 | Nonstented temporary valve for cardiovascular therapy A method of treating a patient utilizes a temporary valve. In one embodiment, an inflatable structure of a temporary valve is inflated at a cardiovascular site in fluid communication with a native valve. At least a portion of the native valve is removed translumenal... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7320705 | Bicuspid pulmonary heart valve and method for making same A heart valve constructed from a synthetic resin that is designed to be surgically implanted in the right ventricular outflow tract of the heart, comprising a plurality of flexible members, and an orifice. ... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7267686 | Implantable prosthetic valve A prosthetic valve for implantation within a fluid conducting lumen within a body includes an elongate generally cylindrical radially collapsible valve body scaffold defining a fluid passageway therethrough for retentive positioning within the lumen. A radially coll... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7261732 | Stent mounted valve There is described a prosthetic valve to be inserted into a body lumen, the valve having leaflets that are spread apart during forward flow of fluid to create an orifice, and the leaflets coming into contact with each other during reverse flow of fluid, thereby impe... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7247288 | Method of manufacturing hydroxyapatite and uses therefor in delivery of nucleic acids Provided is a method for production of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite particles, and nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite particles produced according to the method. The nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite particles exhibit substantially superior cell transformation abilities ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7244242 | Valve treatment catheter and methods The invention provides a catheter for insertion into a biological passage which contains a first flowing fluid, the catheter including a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end; a fluid delivery lumen contained within the tubular member; an inflatable ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7238200 | Apparatus and methods for making leaflets and valve prostheses including such leaflets A method for making a bioprosthetic heart valve includes providing a non-contact cutting apparatus and a layer of tissue. The non-contact cutting apparatus may include a laser cutting system or high pressure water jet system. A leaflet is cut from the layer of tissu... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7217287 | Method of treating diseased valve A device and method for improving flow through a native blood vessel valve, such as the aortic valve, are provided. The present invention allows a miniature valve to be implanted into affected leaflets percutaneously, obviating the need for coronary bypass surgery. ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7201772 | Fluid flow prosthetic device A prosthetic device including a valve-orifice attachment member attachable to a valve in a blood vessel and including a fluid inlet, and a diverging member that extends from the fluid inlet, the diverging member including a proximal end near the fluid inlet and a di... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7172625 | Suturing rings for implantable heart valve prostheses Suturing rings and methods of use thereof facilitating initial implantation of new and replacement of dysfunctional tissue or mechanical heart valve mechanisms supported by the suturing ring are disclosed. The suturing ring annulus is adjustable to receive and engag... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7160320 | Reed valve for implantation into mammalian blood vessels and heart with optional temporary or permanent support A multi-leaflet valve adapted to serve as a prosthesis for diseased native valve of a mammal is constructed of biologic membrane or of biocompatible synthetic membrane. The valve has the shape of a truncated cone that has an inflow and an outflow orifice with leafle... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7156872 | Implantable valve system An implantable valve having a valve element or leaflet and a base that is attachable to a vessel wall using a connector such as a screw, pin or a staple. The valve can be implanted using a catheter to position the valve in a desired location and drive the connector ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7137947 | Endovascular prosthesis having a layer of biological tissue An apparatus (10) for grafting of a blood vessel (12) and a method of forming the apparatus (10) is provided. The apparatus (10) comprises an expandable support member (16) having inner and outer surfaces (36 and 34).... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7112220 | Valve There is disclosed a heart valve prosthesis having a configuration such that blood flow through it has a helical flow pattern such as to substantially reduce or eliminate turbulence and dead flow regions in the blood flow. ... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7101396 | Minimally invasive valve replacement system Methods and systems for minimally invasive replacement of a valve. The system includes a collapsible valve and anchoring structure, devices and methods for expanding the valve anchoring structure, adhesive means to seal the valve to the surrounding tissue, a cathete... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7087079 | Method and apparatus for replacing a mitral valve with a stentless bioprosthetic valve A stentless bioprosthetic valve includes at least one piece of biocompatible material comprising a bi-leaflet conduit. The conduit has a distal end and a proximal end that defines a first annulus for suturing to the valve annulus of a heart. The conduit further incl... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7081131 | Artificial valve Method and apparatus implementing and using techniques for controlling flow in a body lumen, including use of an implantable medical device. The device includes a membrane implantable in a body lumen and invertibly deformable between a first position and a second po... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7037333 | Prosthetic heart valve A tubular prosthetic semilunar or atrioventricular heart valve is formed by cutting flat, flexible leaflets according to a pattern. The valve is constructed by aligning the side edges of adjacent leaflets so that the leaflet inner faces engage each other, and then s... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7018404 | Conduit for aorta or pulmonary artery replacement Prosthetic conduits include biocompatible material formed into a generally cylindrical section and an expanded section connected to the generally cylindrical section. The conduit has a lumen extending through the generally cylindrical section and the expanded sectio... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7007698 | Body lumen closure Method and apparatus implementing and using techniques for body lumen closure, including use of an implantable medical closure device. The device includes a flexible strand defining an arcuate form. The strand is deformable upon implantation from a large cross-secti... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7004176 | Heart valve leaflet locator Disclosed are methods and devices for determining valve leaflet orientation. A catheter is provided with a conformable, radiopaque target. The target is deployed within a valve, such as the mitral valve. The conformable target conforms to the coaptation axis in resp... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6997950 | Valve repair device A valve repair device and method of repair for the mitral valve of the heart is disclosed. The valve repair device includes a leaflet portion, a muscle portion, and a plurality of chords connecting the leaflet portion to the muscle portion. The valve repair device i... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6958076 | Implantable venous valve A venous valve prosthesis includes a hollow conduit (40) defining a central passageway through which blood may flow. Opposing, pliable leaflet members (30) are located within the conduit and move back and forth between a first, open position, whereby b... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6945957 | Valve treatment catheter and methods The invention provides a catheter for insertion into a biological passage which contains a first flowing fluid, the catheter including a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end; a fluid delivery lumen contained within the tubular member; an inflatable ... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6945996 | Replacement mitral valve A sewing ring (12) has a diameter commensurate with a diameter of a removed mitral valve. Skirts (44, 46) of mesh or net material extend downward from the sewing ring and line the walls of an associated vessel (58). Basal chordae simulating stru... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6916338 | Synthetic leaflets for heart valve repair or replacement Heart valve leaflets (10) are described that include a plurality of supports (350) within a coapting portion (20) and a substantially arcuate portion (30). The plurality of supports (350) provide the leaflet (10) with anisot... | 07/12/2005 |