Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) received Patent No. 121,992 for "An Improvement in Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments." He later received two more patents: one for a self-pasting scrapbook and one for a game to help players remember important historical dates.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8137351 | Clamp for positioning a superelastic osteosynthesis clip A clamp has two arms with gripping jaws for supporting and positioning a superelastic osteosynthesis clip, The osteosynthesis clip comprising a web from which two flanges to be inserted into two portions of bone emerge. The clamp also has a component for preventing ... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8123749 | Low profile spinal tethering systems Methods and devices for treating spinal deformities are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a low-profile spinal anchoring device is provided for receiving a spinal fixation element, such as a tether, therethrough. The device generally includes a staple body that... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8114082 | Anchoring system for disc repair Embodiments of the invention relate generally to tissue anchors and methods of delivering same to the intervertebral disc or other sites within the body. In some embodiments, the anchors provide pull-out resistance, stability and/or maximize contact with tissue invo... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8062297 | Bone fixation apparatus and method of manufacture A bone fixation apparatus comprising a shape memory effect material includes a bridge member having at least three sides and an open center portion. Each of the bridge member sides defines a curve having a respective first radius when the shape memory effect materia... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8016867 | Graft fixation device and method A graft fixation device. The device is useful for affixing a tissue graft to a bone or other body surface. The graft fixation device comprises two implantation members connected by a connecting member. The implantation members have longitudinal passageways therethro... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7972337 | Devices and methods for bone anchoring Embodiments of the invention relate generally to tissue anchors and methods of delivering same to the intervertebral disc or other sites within the body. In some embodiments, the anchors provide pull-out resistance, stability and/or maximize contact with tissue invo... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7918879 | Expandable fastener with compressive grips Anchoring elements of a fastener are made elastically curved. The curvatures of the elements are resiliently straightened by a trocar for tissue insertion. As the trocar is withdrawn, the anchoring elements resume the curved configuration, laterally pressing the ele... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7909826 | Low profile spinal tethering methods Methods and devices for treating spinal deformities are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a low-profile spinal anchoring device is provided for receiving a spinal fixation element, such as a tether, therethrough. The device generally includes a staple body that... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7883510 | Vertebral staples and insertion tools Implantable vertebral staples and tools for use with the same are provided. In general, an exemplary vertebral staple according to the present invention includes a staple body having at least one long spike formed thereon for allowing rotation of the body when the l... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7867265 | Bone clamp A bone clamp moving bone segments relative to each other. The clamp comprises a first and second branch and a bridge connecting the first and second branch. The bone clamp may have a first, undeformed state, where the branches may be angled or substantially parallel... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7811286 | Implant device for applying compression across a fracture site A fracture fixation implant formed from a single piece of material bent in loop form to provide juxtaposed first and second legs joined by a bend. The first leg is dimensional and configured to be implanted within a bone to extend across a fracture in the bone, the ... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7682361 | System including a self-retaining implant and a device for securing the implant and a method of using the same The invention relates to a self-retaining implant for fixing a bone cover or a bone fragment in an opening in a skull bone. The implant comprises a support element with an upper side and an lower side facing the bone cover. Arranged on the lower side of the support ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7635367 | Osteosynthesis clip and insertion tool for use with bone tissue fragments An osteosynthesis clip for the cicatrization of bone tissue fragments and an insertion tool for inserting the clip are provided. The clip includes at least two engagement legs extending approximately parallel to one another and including respective distal bridging t... | 12/22/2009 |
| 7618441 | Bone staple and methods for correcting spine disorders A method and staple for correcting an abnormally curved bone, such as a spinal column having a concave side and a convex side, the method comprising providing a staple having a central portion and a pair of legs with a first memorized shape and a second deformed sha... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7481832 | Method and apparatus for use of a self-tapping resorbable screw A bone attachment apparatus and implantation system. The attachment device provides a screw with channels formed therein for implantation within a bone aperture. The channels are used as a torque transfer surface during implantation, and cooperate with a thread form... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7481830 | Spinal correction system A spinal correction system for the correction or arrest of scoliosis or spinal deformity in immature spines includes a bridge member, a pair of spaced apart barbed legs extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom, and a fastener retaining portion extending sub... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7378144 | Oriented polymer implantable device and process for making same A device is formed by the process into a bone screw or fastener, wherein the head has a degree of polymer alignment and strength, and wherein the shank has a higher degree of polymer alignment and strength. In practice of the present invention, the polymer slug is p... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7341591 | Anterior buttress staple An anterior buttress staple and screw system is provided that can be used to hold an implant such as a disc prosthesis in place and thereby prevent its migration out of the spinal column. The buttress staple comprises a screw locking plate having a screw locking des... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7326231 | Device for the repair of arteries A device is provided for piercing a graft and artery wall in order to retain the graft on the artery. The device has a central section with an abutment surface for contacting the inner wall of the graft and two elongate members with distal ends for contacting the ou... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7316687 | Blade plate and instruments A blade plate, as well as instruments and methods for securing the blade plate to a bone to reduce a bone fracture. The blade plate includes a plate portion and a blade portion extending at an angle relative to the plate portion. The plate portion includes a plurali... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7261716 | Biodegradable interference screw and tool for attaching a transplant to a bone A biodegradable interference screw for directly affixing a transplant to a bone, the interference screw being provided with at least one longitudinal groove designed to co-act with a tool for insertion of and if necessary, removal of the interference screw from an o... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7240677 | System and method for force, displacement, and rate control of shaped memory material implants Controlling the transformation of the microstructure of shape memory material implants. A surgeon can use the inventive energy delivery device to control the rate of implant shape change, the extent of implant shape change, as well as the force exerted on the surrou... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7238204 | Shock-absorbing intervertebral implant The invention relates to an intervertebral implant comprising a spacer designed to be applied between two spinous processes of two vertebrae. The spacer comprises: two elements (10, 12) made of a first material, and each presenting a first end (10a,... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7229452 | Tack and tack applier A surgical tack is disclosed for securing a surgical mesh material to body tissue. The tack includes a pair of legs and an arcuate cross-member. A surgical tack applier is also disclosed, for applying the surgical tack. The applier includes an elongate tubular porti... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7214232 | Graft fixation device A graft fixation device combination. The device is useful for affixing a tissue graft to a bone or other body surface. The fixation device has two implantation members connected by a graft retention member. The retention member optionally has at least one lateral wi... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7206638 | Electrical current induced inhibition of bone growth A method and device is disclosed for inhibiting bone growth, including inducing epiphysiodesis or hemiepiphysiodesis, using electrical current. The device includes a power source and one or a series of electrodes for applying a current sufficient to reduce or stop t... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7201773 | Bone tendon bone assembly The invention is directed toward a bone block, a bone-tendon-bone assembly and method of tendon reconstruction in which at least one tendon replacement is extended between two bone blocks and fixed within each of two bone tunnels in the bones of a joint using interf... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7189237 | Deformable bone plates Bone plates configured to be deformed after the bone plates have being secured to bone, apparatus including the bone plates, and methods of using the bone plates to fix bones. ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7179259 | Instrument assembly for lateral implant An instrument assembly for inserting a lateral fastener into a lateral bore of a stem body implanted into a bone. The instrument assembly includes an outrigger having an alignment tube extending laterally from the stem body, wherein the outrigger can be coupled with... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7172606 | Soft tissue repair material fixation apparatus and method An apparatus for use in affixing material to a location under repair includes a material retention member and an anchor. The anchor is configured to be inserted into a cavity in bone tissue, the anchor having a first end and a second end. The anchor also includes on... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7166112 | Device for determining distance between two points in a surgical site A device for use by a surgeon to determine the distance between two points within a surgical site, the device having a gripper retractably and flexibly connected to a body by a retractor having a proximal spring portion and a distal portion comprising a cable. ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7163541 | Tibial resurfacing system A tibial resurfacing system is provided that includes a drill guide, bone chisel and implant. In one aspect, the system includes a drill guide that includes a targeting ring and a bore section for creating an axis through the tibia to the superior tibial surface in ... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7160314 | Fastener for fixing a prosthesis, and device for delivering this fastener A fastener including at least an element to be anchored in an anatomical support, at least a stop element relative to a planar prosthetic component to be fixed, and a linking rod is characterised in that the linking rod is rectilinear and the junction zones of the a... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7147641 | Fixation element insertion device The invention relates to a device for attaching fixation elements to bone, having a longitudinal member with a channel extending therein adapted for receiving at least one fixation element. A shaft extends within the channel and is positioned coaxially within at lea... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7144414 | Surgical procedures and instruments Surgical instruments and methods are provided. In one aspect, a method of securing a fixation device within an opening in a tissue is provided, including delivering a material in a flowable state to said opening, and changing the state of the material so that the ma... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7144424 | Method and apparatus for reconstructing a ligament A new approach for reconstructing a ligament, the new approach comprising: creating a bone tunnel within a host bone, the bone tunnel having a proximal end and a distal end, and defining a central axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end; creating an i... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7144413 | Graft fixation system and method A graft fixation device, system and method are disclosed for reconstruction or replacement of a ligament or tendon preferably wherein a soft tissue graft or a bone-tendon-bone graft is received and implanted in a bone tunnel. The graft fixation system includes a fix... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7141066 | Bone tendon bone assembly with cylindrical allograft bone block The invention is directed toward a bone block, a bone-tendon-bone assembly and method of tendon reconstruction in which at least one tendon replacement is extended between two bone blocks and fixed within each of two bone tunnels in the bones of a joint using interf... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7118581 | Method for fixing a soft tissue on a bone The invention concerns a set for fixing a soft tissue, such as a ligament or tendon on a bone, comprising two nails (10) and a member for positioning and setting (30) the nails in the superimposed soft tissue and bone. The two nails comprise a first cy... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7115129 | Bone compression devices and systems and methods of contouring and using same The invention relates to bone compression devices and bone compression systems, and in particular, to bone compression devices and systems for use in connection with vertebrae. The bone compression devices and bone compression systems are disposed, or installed, alo... | 10/03/2006 |