| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080275458 | GUIDEWIRE EXCHANGE SYSTEMS TO TREAT SPINAL STENOSIS - Guidewire exchange systems, devices and methods, for positioning and actuating surgical devices in a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body are described. A guidewire may be coupled to a surgical device for positioning and actuating (e.g., urging against a target tissue). The guidewire may be exchanged between different surgical devices during the same procedure, and the guidewire and surgical devices may be releaseably or permanently coupled. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device having a guidewire coupling member. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080312660 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR MEASURING THE SPACE AROUND A NERVE ROOT - Described herein are method, systems and devices for measuring the region adjacent to or around a nerve root, such as the space within an intervertebral foramen before, during and/or after a spinal decompression procedure. Measurement devices may be advanced by pulling on them using a guidewire passing through the intervertebral foramen and out of the subject. The measurement device may include sounds for determining one or more dimensions of the space around a nerve root within an intervertebral space, lateral recess or central canal. Various embodiments of sounds, including calibrated, inflatable, expandable, moldable, and tapered sounds (or combinations of these) are described. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20100010334 | SPINAL ACCESS AND NEURAL LOCALIZATION - A method for locating neural tissue in a patient body may involve: advancing a probe along a natural tissue interface between the neural tissue and another tissue in the body, the probe having a first surface oriented toward the neural tissue and a second surface oriented away from the neural tissue; delivering a first electrical current to a first electrode along the first surface of the probe; delivering a second electrical current to a second electrode along the second surface of the probe; and verifying that the first surface of the advanced probe remains oriented toward the neural tissue and the second surface remains oriented away from the neural tissue by monitoring neural response to the first and second electrical currents. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20110046613 | TISSUE ACCESS GUIDEWIRE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20120022538 | FLEXIBLE TISSUE REMOVAL DEVICES AND METHODS - A device for removing tissue from a patient may include an elongate flexible body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the elongate body having opposed first and second major surfaces with a lateral orientation across the axis, and a plurality of blades distributed laterally across the first major surface. Each blade may have a first end adjacent the first surface and extending to a cantilevered second end, a first edge between the first and second ends of the blade being oriented toward the distal end of the elongate body, a second edge between the first and second ends of the blade being oriented toward the proximal end of the elongate body, a height of the blade between its first and second ends, and an axial length of the blade between its first and second edges. | 01-26-2012 |
