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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7979138 | Method and apparatus for monitoring disc pressure during heat treatment of an intervertebral disc A probe system and method for treating an intervertebral disc of a patient are disclosed. A probe has a cannula having an open end defined at a distal end and adapted to couple to a power source. A stylet fits into the cannula so that a distal end of the stylet occl... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7957815 | Electrode assembly and handpiece with adjustable system impedance, and methods of operating an energy-based medical system to treat tissue Electrode assemblies and handpieces for energy-based treatment systems that utilize an impedance assembly to facilitate impedance matching between the system and a patient. The electrode assembly and/or handpiece may include one or more circuit elements configured t... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7853331 | Medical device with procedure improvement features This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device under conditions in which an access path and the subject anatomy are not aligned. ... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7702397 | Apparatus and method for treatment of an intervertebral disc A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its dista... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7627380 | Method and apparatus for monitoring disc pressure during heat treatment of an intervertebral disc A probe system and method for treating an intervertebral disc of a patient are disclosed. A probe has a cannula having an open end defined at a distal end and adapted to couple to a power source. A stylet fits into the cannula so that a distal end of the stylet occl... | 12/01/2009 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 7422588 | Pen-type electrosurgical instrument An electrocautery device is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the electrocautery electrode/tip is provided with a hollow, conductive tube terminating at its distal end in a ball point type tip. Fluid, preferably conductive fluid, is applied ... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7392077 | Method for treating a patient at risk of loss of cardiac function by cardiac ischemia Various methods and devices for treating a patient who has lost, or is at risk of losing cardiac function by cardiac ischemia are disclosed. Treatment includes first imaging a patient's heart, or a portion thereof, to identify underperfused regions of cardiac muscle... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7371228 | Delivery of therapeutics to treat aneurysms A method and device for the treatment of an aneurysm are provided. Different therapeutic agents are delivered to the aneurysmal site by a reservoir and delivery means in a localized, and, in some embodiments, time-released regimen, to treat, limit and reduce the sev... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7367972 | Ablation system A system for creating lesions and assessing their completeness or transmurality. Assessment of transmurality of a lesion is accomplished by monitoring the impedance of the tissue to be ablated. Rather than attempting to detect a desired drop or a desired increase im... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7364579 | Fluid-assisted electrosurgical device An electrocautery device is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the electrocautery electrode/tip is provided with a hollow, conductive tube terminating at its distal end in a ball point type tip. Fluid, preferably conductive fluid, is applied ... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7364546 | Multi-functional medical catheter and methods of use The present invention provides multi-functional medical catheters, systems and methods for their use. In one particular embodiment, a medical catheter (100) includes a flexible elongate body (105) having a proximal end (110) and a distal end ( | 04/29/2008 |
| 7357800 | Power supply and control apparatus and electrophysiology systems including the same A power supply and control apparatus operable in a bipolar mode, a unipolar mode, and a combined bipolar/unipolar mode. ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7357798 | Systems and methods for electrosurgical prevention of disc herniations 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... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7347858 | Method and system for treatment of atrial tachyarrhythmias A method and system for ablating tissue to provide a desired set of lesions. The system includes an ablation apparatus having an elongated shapeable section carrying a mechanism such as an electrode for applying ablation energy along the shapeable section. The shape... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7333859 | Radioelectric asymmetric conveyer for therapeutic use A radio-electric conveyer includes one or more radiofrequency generators supplied by a power group; one or more irradiating antennas coupled with the generator and which are able to create a radiofrequency field; a variable modulator; and one or more electrodes conn... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7331956 | Methods and apparatus for treating back pain Apparatus and methods for treating back pain of a patient by denervation of an intervertebral disc or a region of the posterior longitudinal ligament by the controlled application of heat to a target tissue. In one embodiment, the invention may include a procedure c... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7326199 | System and method for flexible architecture for dermatologic treatments utilizing multiple light sources A system and method for providing light treatments to a patients skin, which could include both dermal and epidermal regions. The system and method utilize multiple hand pieces where each hand piece can deliver light from a different light source. The system and met... | 02/05/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7316655 | Systems and methods for directing and snaring guidewires Devices and methods for achieving directed placement of guidewires or other flexible rails over which other catheters or other devices may be introduced to a targeted location. A guidewire directing device includes a lumen extending between a proximal end and a dist... | 01/08/2008 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 7309336 | Catheter for delivery of energy to a surgical site A catheter for delivering energy to a surgical site is disclosed. The catheter includes at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe. The catheter includes at least one energy delivery device and an activation element. The at least one energy delivery devi... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7309316 | Magnetic needle biopsy An apparatus and method for performing biopsies in-vivo using magnetically labeled nanoparticles is disclosed. One embodiment of the apparatus is called a magnetic needle. When used in a biopsy, one embodiment of the present invention collects cancer cells in-vivo w... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7301131 | Microwave ablation instrument with flexible antenna assembly and method A flexible microwave antenna assembly for a surgical ablation instrument capable of conforming to a tissue surface for ablation thereof. The ablation instrument includes a transmission line having a proximal portion suitable for connection to an electromagnetic ener... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7294127 | Electrosurgical tissue treatment method A medical probe assembly, system, and methods for the use thereof to treat tissue are described. The system optionally comprises an energy source, two internally-cooled probe assemblies, and one or more cooling devices to provide cooling to at least one of the probe... | 11/13/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7291140 | System and method for low average power dermatologic light treatment device The invention comprises a system and method for providing for pulses or relatively low energy light to an area of skin being treated. Typically, these low energy pulses will include shorter wavelength light, and will provided for multiple pulses of light for the are... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7291161 | Articulated clamping member A grasper is provided having a handle with an elongated shaft secured thereto. First and second jaw members with opposed clamping surfaces are secured to the shaft, with one jaw member being slidably secured with respect to the other jaw member. The jaw members are ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7288092 | Method and apparatus for ablating cardiac tissue with guide facility A method and apparatus for ablation of cardiac tissue at a selected cardiac location is achieved by providing at least one flexible elongated guide facility having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second ends and... | 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 |
| 7282061 | Method of treating intervertebral disc A device is described that may be positioned at a location in an intervertebral disc for diagnosis or treatment of the disc. Treatment may include, for example, applying energy or removing material, and may decrease intradiscal pressure. Radiofrequency energy may be... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7278993 | Surface electrode multiple mode operation A surface electrode for ablating tissue is provided. The surface electrode comprises a base, a plurality of tissue penetrating needle electrodes extending from the surface of the base an adjustable distance, and an electrical interface coupled to the plurality of ne... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7276064 | Side-port sheath for catheter placement and translation Side-port sheaths for catheter placement and translation are disclosed. The sheaths include a side-port opening through which a gliding catheter may be deployed during diagnosis or treatment of tissue. The side-port sheath may include a suspension ribbon used to dep... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7276077 | Body fluid flow control device A device to provide body fluid flow control in the form of a valve to be located within a duct or passageway. The device is controlled through pressure above a preselected threshold. Bulk resilience about a passageway in a valve body provides the mechanism for contr... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7276061 | Irrigated ablation device assembly A tissue ablation device assembly ablates a region of tissue in a body of a patient. The tissue ablation device assembly comprises an elongated body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. A tubular porous membrane having a porous wall with an inner ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7275931 | Medical irradiation apparatus A medical irradiation apparatus comprising a main body, a luminous body comprised of a light emitting element provided in a light outlet of the main body, an annular reflective member with a reflective surface provided at the circumference of the luminous body, the ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7277762 | Radiopague marking of lead electrode zone in a continuous conductor construction A cardiac transvenous defibrillation lead has a continuous coil conductor within a layer of insulation. A portion of the coil conductor is exposed as a defibrillation electrode. In order to enhance fluoroscopic visualization of the exposed electrode during implant, ... | 10/02/2007 |
