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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7955369 | Systems and methods for treating a hollow anatomical structure A catheter includes multiple primary leads to deliver energy for ligating a hollow anatomical structure. Each of the primary leads includes a resistive element located at the working end of the catheter. Separation is maintained between the leads such that each lead... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7695505 | System, method and apparatus for evaluating tissue temperature Method, system and apparatus for monitoring target tissue temperatures wherein temperature sensors are configured as passive resonant circuits each with a unique resonating signature at monitoring temperatures extending below a select temperature setpoint. The reson... | 04/13/2010 |
| 7494504 | Methods and apparatus for regional and whole body temperature modification Methods and apparatus for temperature modification of selected body regions including an induced state of local hypothermia of the brain region for neuroprotection. A heat exchange catheter is provided with heat transfer fins projecting or extending outward from the... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7442191 | Systems and methods for electrosurgical treatment of turbinates The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within the head and neck of a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the ear, nose and throat. In one aspect, a method is provided for reduci... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7438714 | Vacuum-based catheter stabilizer A medical probe for use with tissue includes an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, an operative element carried at the distal end of the elongate member, and a stabilizer configured for applying a vacuum force to secure the operative element rel... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7429260 | Systems and methods for electrosurgical tissue contraction within the spine The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the spine. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7422601 | Method for inducing hypothermia Systems for phase-change particulate slurry cooling equipment and methods to induce hypothermia in a patient through internal and external cooling are provided. Subcutaneous, intravascular, intraperitoneal, gastrointestinal, and lung methods of cooling are carried o... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7419500 | Device for thermal ablation of a cavity An apparatus and method for causing necrosis of tissue and specifically intended for thermal ablation of the uterine cavity to cauterizing the endometrial tissue. The apparatus includes a liquid-tight, liquid filled system having a distal flexible member; a proximal... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7419489 | Ablation catheter assembly having a virtual electrode comprising portholes An ablation catheter having a catheter shaft and a virtual electrode, the virtual electrode comprising portholes through an outer peripheral wall of the catheter shaft and a metal electrode, the catheter being used for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, for example, a... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7393351 | Apparatus and methods for treating cervical inter-vertebral discs Apparatus and methods for treating an inter-vertebral disc by ablation, coagulation, shrinking, stiffening, or other treatment of disc tissue. A method of the invention includes positioning at least one active electrode within the inter-vertebral disc, and applying ... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7387625 | Methods and apparatus for treating intervertebral discs Apparatus and methods for treating a target tissue by delivering a fluid at a defined temperature to a patient's body. An apparatus of the invention includes a fluid delivery unit for delivering fluid in at least close proximity to the target tissue, an aspiration u... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7371254 | Medical procedure The use of an intravascular cooling element to induce hypothermia in connection with a medical procedure. According to a first aspect of the present, invention, a coronary bypass procedure is conducted in which a patient's blood is oxygenated with the patient's lung... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7364573 | Method and apparatus for pressurizing a body cavity for diagnostic and rehabilitative purposes A method and apparatus for both the diagnostic measurement and therapeutic treatment of a body cavity. According to one form of the method of the invention, a fluid (liquid or gas) under pressure is introduced into a selected body cavity while monitoring the pressur... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7361186 | Active body cooling with vasodilation to reduce body temperature Active cooling of a person, such as to induce mild/moderate hypothermia, is accomplished by transferring heat from the persons body. Heat transfer and patient comfort are aided by administration of an anti-shivering drug and an anti-emetic drug. ... | 04/22/2008 |
| RE40156 | Methods for repairing damaged intervertebral discs Apparatus and methods for treating an intervertebral disc by ablation of disc tissue. A method of the invention includes positioning at least one active electrode within the intervertebral disc, and applying at least a first high frequency voltage between the active... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7346389 | Dilation enhancer with pre-medicated contact lenses A contact lens with a conductive outer shell (one electrode of a two-electrode electrophoresis device) and a preferably soft, preferably disposable contact lens for contacting a patient's eye, assists in delivering dilation drops or other medicaments to a patient's ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7331957 | Electrosurgical apparatus and methods for laparoscopy Electrosurgical methods and apparatus for treating tissue at a target site of a patient. An electrosurgical instrument includes a shaft, having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end, and an electrode assembly disposed at the shaft distal end. The electrode ass... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7328706 | Therapeutic and protective dental device useful as an intra-oral delivery system A dental device has a U-shaped carrier with at least one channel for embracing an arch of teeth. The carrier has recessed insets in the channel. Discrete inserts carrying a beneficial agent can fit into the insets and release the agent gradually. When the device is ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7318823 | Methods for repairing damaged intervertebral discs Apparatus and methods for treating an intervertebral disc by ablation of disc tissue. A method of the invention includes positioning at least one active electrode within the intervertebral disc, and applying at least a first high frequency voltage between the active... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7315762 | Non-surgical incontinence treatment system and method Devices, systems, and methods can treat incontinence by heating between about 100 and about 800 cubic millimeters of endopelvic fascia for sufficient time to effect substantial collagenous tissue shrinkage. A probe body may directly engage the endopelvic fascia, or ... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7311724 | Method for controlling a patient's body temperature The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the internal body temperature of a patient. According to the present invention, a catheter is inserted through an incision into a large blood vessel of a patient. By selectively heating or cooling... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7306621 | Heat transfer control for a prosthetic retinal device A method for controlling heat dissipated from a prosthetic retinal device is described. A heat transfer device employs the Peltier heat transfer effect to cool the surface of the retinal device that faces the retina by dissipating/transferring collected heat away fr... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7300433 | Endovascular cryotreatment catheter An elongated catheter device with a distal balloon assembly is adapted for endovascular insertion. Coolant injected through the device may, in different embodiments, directly cool tissue contacting the balloon, or may cool a separate internal chamber. In the first c... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7300453 | System and method for inducing hypothermia with control and determination of catheter pressure Embodiments of the invention provide a system for temperature control of the human body. The system includes an indwelling catheter with a tip-mounted heat transfer element. The catheter is fluidically coupled to a console that provides a heated or cooled heat trans... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7294142 | Selective organ cooling catheter with guidewire apparatus and temperature-monitoring device A catheter and method for heating or cooling a surrounding fluid in a feeding vessel in a vasculature of a patient. The catheter includes a heat transfer element shaped and arranged to create turbulence in a surrounding fluid. A guidewire tube runs substantially par... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7287398 | Heating/cooling system for indwelling heat exchange catheter A cooling system for an indwelling heat exchange catheter includes a heat exchange bath that is configured to receive a conduit that carries saline to and from the catheter. A heating/cooling fluid is in the bath and exchanges heat with the saline. The heating/cooli... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7285119 | Ablation catheter assembly and method for isolating a pulmonary vein A catheter body includes a proximal portion, an intermediate portion extending from the proximal portion and defining a longitudinal axis, and a distal portion extending from the intermediate portion and terminated by a distal end of the catheter body; the distal po... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7270659 | Methods for electrosurgical treatment of spinal tissue Systems, apparatus, and methods for treating spinal tissue and other body structures in open and endoscopic spine surgery to relieve symptoms, such as neck or back pain. In particular, the present invention provides methods for the controlled heating of various tiss... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7261711 | Electrosurgical instrument A method and apparatus for creating a virtual electrode to ablate bodily tissue. The apparatus includes an outer tube, a first electrode, an inner tube and a second electrode. The outer tube is fluidly connected to a source of conductive fluid and defines a proximal... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7257439 | Brain-machine interface systems and methods A system and method for interfacing a brain with a machine. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention employs a vascular approach in which one or more nano-electrodes are deployed in vasculature having a close geometric relationship with proximal innervation.... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7241293 | Electrode screen enhanced electrosurgical apparatus and methods for ablating tissue Electrosurgical methods and apparatus for the controlled ablation of tissue from a target site of a patient. The instrument includes a shaft having proximal and distal end portion and an active screen electrode on the distal end portion; a return electrode arranged ... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7241283 | Method for intracranial catheter treatment of brain tissue A method for intracranial treatment of a patient is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of inserting into the brain an outer catheter having an exterior surface, an inflatable balloon mounted upon the exterior surface, at least one element distal to the balloo... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7238166 | Moving heat exchange catheter system A catheter system for controlling the body temperature of a patient by modifying the temperature of blood flowing within a blood vessel of the patient. The catheter system comprises a catheter body having a heat exchange region in contact with the blood; and a mecha... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7232458 | Apparatus and methods for cooling a region within the body Apparatus and methods for cooling selected regions within a body are described herein. An implantable cooling system is used to cool regions of the brain, spinal cord, fibrous nerve bodies, e.g., vagus nerve, etc. down to about 30° C. to diminish nerve impulses whi... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7229469 | Methods for treating and repairing mitral valve annulus A catheter system and methods for repairing a valvular annulus or an annular organ structure of a patient comprising intimately contacting the annular organ structure by a tissue-contactor member having energy-delivering elements, and delivering tissue-shrinkable en... | 06/12/2007 |
| RE39651 | Apparatus for rapid cooling of the brain and method of performing same Rather than cooling the brain by the relatively slow heat conduction through the low heat conductivity of the bony skull and hair covering the head, the present invention teaches the use of a light weight, easily applied neck encircling collar in firm contact with t... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7217268 | Method for electrosurgical tissue treatment near a patient's heart An electrosurgical probe (10) comprises a shaft (13) having an electrode array (58) at its distal end and a connector (19) at its proximal end for coupling the electrode array to a high frequency power supply (28). The shaft includ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7217282 | Methods and apparatus for regional and whole body temperature modification Methods and apparatus for temperature modification of selected body regions including an induced state of local hypothermia of the brain region for neuroprotection. A heat exchange catheter is provided with heat transfer fins projecting or extending outward from the... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7214230 | 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... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7209783 | Ablation stent for treating atrial fibrillation An apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation with ablation therapy in which a stent is deployed within a pulmonary vein and tissue surrounding the stent is ablated with radiofrequency energy to stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching ... | 04/24/2007 |
