Quotables
"It is my heart-warmed and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us, the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage (every man and brother of us all throughout the whole earth), may eventually be gathered together in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss, except the inventor of the telephone. "
Mark Twain ; Christmas greetings, 1890
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8057395 | Resolution optical and ultrasound devices for imaging and treatment of body lumens A rotationally vibrating imaging catheter and method of utilization has an array of ultrasound or optical transducers and an actuator along with signal processing, display, and power subsystems. The actuator of the preferred embodiment is a solid-state nitinol actua... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8057396 | Device for assessing a cardiac valve Devices for assessing the size, shape, and topography of vessel lumens and hollow portions of organs are described. The devices are particularly adapted for determining the size, shape, topography, and compliance of the native heart valves to facilitate the later im... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8057394 | Ultrasound image processing to render three-dimensional images from two-dimensional images Methods for processing two-dimensional ultrasound images from an intracardiac ultrasound imaging catheter provide improved image quality and enable generating three-dimensional composite images of the heart. Two-dimensional ultrasound images are obtained and stored ... | 11/15/2011 |
| 7914458 | Capacitive microfabricated ultrasound transducer-based intravascular ultrasound probes An ultrasound catheter is described herein for insertion into a cavity such as a blood vessel to facilitate imaging within a vasculature. The catheter comprises an elongate flexible shaft, a capacitive microfabricated ultrasonic transducer, and a sonic reflector. Th... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7887488 | Systems and methods for reducing noise in an imaging catheter system The present invention provides systems and methods for reducing noise in an imaging catheter system. In an embodiment, a catheter comprises an imaging transducer and a transmission line within the catheter to transmit signals to and from the transducer. To reduce no... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7806829 | System and method for navigating an ultrasound catheter to image a beating heart Catheter navigation is coupled with ultrasound imaging to yield a context map showing the location on a heart of the ultrasonically imaged frame. ... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7762955 | Method of mounting a transducer to a driveshaft A method of mounting a transducer to a driveshaft which eliminates the need for a transducer housing, the improved method directly attaches the transducer to a rigid distal tip of a driveshaft which is part of a rotatable imaging core of a catheter assembly. The met... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7717853 | Methods and apparatus for intracranial ultrasound delivery A method for delivering ultrasound energy to a patient's intracranial space involves forming at least one hole in the patient's skull, advancing at least one ultrasound delivery device at least partway through the hole(s), and transmitting ultrasound energy from the... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7686767 | Catheter with variable magnetic field generator for catheter guidance in a subject A catheter, particularly an intra-vascular catheter, has at least one magnetic field-generating element arranged in the catheter envelope in the region of the catheter tip, characterized in that the magnetic field of which is variable while the catheter is inserted ... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7648462 | Safety systems and methods for ensuring safe use of intra-cardiac ultrasound catheters A system and method for limiting a temperature induced in a body by an ultrasound imaging catheter are provided. The method includes receiving, at an isolation box, an imaging signal from an imaging catheter, receiving, at an isolation box, a signal indicative of a ... | 01/19/2010 |
| 7625343 | Concave phased array imaging catheter The present invention generally relates to medical devices, and more particularly to an improved intravascular device. In one embodiment, an intravascular device includes a catheter having proximal and distal portions, and a phased array of imaging elements, having ... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7618374 | Image plane sensing methods and systems for intra-patient probes A position of an imaging plane relative to a catheter or other probe is aligned with tissue of interest. Ultrasound tissue images may be registered to the catheter position with minimal rotational ambiguity. The spatial position of an ablation catheter or other devi... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7544166 | Systems and methods for imaging with deployable imaging devices The systems and methods described herein provide for a medical device insertable into the body of a living being having an imaging device with a layout that is adjustable from an undeployed layout, where the imaging device is insertable into the inner lumen of a med... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7524289 | Resolution optical and ultrasound devices for imaging and treatment of body lumens A rotationally vibrating imaging catheter and method of utilization has an array of ultrasound or optical transducers and an actuator along with signal processing, display, and power subsystems. The actuator of the preferred embodiment is a solid-state nitinol actua... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7507205 | Steerable ultrasound catheter Steerable catheters are provided including an elongated flexible member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween (i.e., between the proximal end and the distal end). A plurality of electrical cables is bundled together and positioned wi... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7488289 | Imaging catheter and methods of use for ultrasound-guided ablation The present invention provides ultrasound imaging catheters, systems and methods for their use which will be particularly useful to monitor the positioning of ablation catheters. In one embodiment, an imaging catheter (10) includes a catheter body (11)... | 02/10/2009 |
| 7393501 | Method, apparatus and system for treating biofilms associated with catheters An apparatus, system and method for preventing or treating biofilm associated with catheters. A piezo-ceramic element may be attached to a catheter, and a vibration processor may be connected to the piezo-ceramic element. The vibration processor may provide electric... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7367942 | Method and apparatus for testing blood glucose in a reversible infusion line An apparatus for automatically and periodically measuring a patient's blood glucose level wherein the patient has a catheter in a blood vessel and is receiving infusion fluid through the catheter. A testing unit is provided which has a main infusion channel and, in ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7369458 | Transducer identification A transducer identification system provides transducer characteristic information to an echosounder. The echosounder, in turn, utilizes the transducer characteristic information to alter its functionality or parameters to optimize its performance. The transducer cha... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7347820 | Phased array acoustic system for 3D imaging of moving parts The invention relates to an ultrasound phased array imaging system comprising: probe (10) with a 2-D array of transducer elements (12) for acquiring 3-D ultrasound data of a volume of a body, including moving tissue and fluid flow; a beamforming system... | 03/25/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7314448 | Imaging transducer assembly An improved medical imaging device assembly includes an imaging transducer coupled to the distal end of a drive shaft, and a conductive wire is wrapped around a distal portion of the drive shaft, wherein the conductive wire reinforces the imaging device assembly. In... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7311702 | Ablation technology for catheter based delivery systems A catheter based delivery system may be used for both therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The catheter based delivery system includes a catheter having a distal end. The distal end of the catheter includes several electrodes that can emit a radio frequency wave... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7291110 | Catheter lesion diagnostics Catheter lesion diagnostics are disclosed. ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7288264 | Contact-killing antimicrobial devices Contact killing antimicrobial articles, devices and formulations are described which kill microorganisms on contact. The articles, devices or formulations contain a non-leaching antimicrobial material which is a unique combination of an organic matrix having biocida... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7289842 | System for medical examination or treatment The invention relates to a medical investigation and/or treatment system comprising: a catheter system, comprising a catheter (1, 7, 9), with a first sensor (4, 11) of an imaging system for optical co... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7285116 | Non-contact tissue ablation device and methods thereof A catheter for ablating body tissue of the interior regions of the heart includes a handle assembly, a shaft, and a distal tip section coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The distal tip section has a non-compliant and non-porous cap that has a tubular wall that ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7273056 | Optical guidance system for invasive catheter placement Light from a small laser diode is inserted in a distal end of a catheter and passed through an optical fiber that is either included in the lumen or incorporated into the wall of an invasive catheter tube during manufacture. The light is selected to be of a waveleng... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7273483 | Apparatus and method for alerting generator functions in an ultrasonic surgical system The present invention provides a system for surgery which includes an ultrasonic hand piece having a end-effector, a console having a digital signal processor (DSP) for controlling the hand piece, and a memory disposed in the end-effector. The generator console send... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7267650 | Ultrasound directed guiding catheter system and method A guiding catheter system employs a flexible shaft having a preformed bend at a distal end. An ultrasound transducer is mounted proximal to the pre-formed bend. The ultrasound transducer has a field of view directed to a distal tip of the guiding catheter. The guidi... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7267660 | Method and apparatus for treating a patient An apparatus for treating a patient. The apparatus includes a catheter having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end has an orifice through which a fluid can flow. The distal end has a port through which the fluid can flow. The port is adjacent to but apart... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7259906 | System and method for voice control of medical devices A light source includes a wavelength shifter that is capable of shifting a shorter optical signal wavelength to a longer optical signal wavelength based at least in part on a Raman effect in a waveguide. The wavelength shifter includes a pump laser that operable to ... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7258669 | Medico-surgical devices An embryo-transfer catheter has an extruded shaft with a gas-filled lumen that extends helically along the catheter to provide an ultrasound marker. The catheter has a side opening close to a closed rounded patient end. The catheter could be completely transparent t... | 08/21/2007 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 7245789 | Systems and methods for minimally-invasive optical-acoustic imaging This document discusses, among other things, an imaging guidewire that includes one or more optical fibers communicating light along the guidewire. At or near its distal end, one or more blazed or other fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) directs light to a photoacoustic tr... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7226417 | High resolution intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly having a flexible substrate An ultrasound transducer assembly of the present invention includes a flexible circuit to which an ultrasound transducer array and integrated circuitry are attached during fabrication of the ultrasound transducer assembly. The flexible circuit comprises a flexible s... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7228175 | Cardiac rhythm management systems and methods using acoustic contractility indicator This document describes systems, devices, and methods that measure a distance between ultrasound or other acoustic transducers to provide a contractility or other therapy efficacy indication. In one example, the indication is communicated to a caregiver for assistin... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7211063 | Pressure sensor for therapeutic delivery device and method The present invention is an apparatus for treating a selected patient tissue or organ region, at the surface of such region. The apparatus has an accessing tool for accessing the patient region, the tool having a distal end, and a proximal end at which the tool can ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7207940 | Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic transmitting and receiving apparatus using the same An ultrasonic probe in which transducer array including ultrasonic transducers out of the specifications can be used so that the yield in the manufacture of transducer arrays is improved. The ultrasonic probe to be used when connected to an external apparatus main b... | 04/24/2007 |
