Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090069757 | ELASTOMERIC SEAL FOR USE WITHIN A CATHETER COMPONENT - A sealing engagement between components in a catheter system is made using an elastomeric material. The sealing engagement is formed in a manner that allows a catheter needle to pass through a passageway in the center of the elastomeric material maintaining the sealing engagement between the components of the catheter system. The elastomeric material is shaped to fit circumferentially into one of the components and shaped to mechanically assist the passageway to close up after a needle passes through the passageway during retraction. The elastomeric material remains in a stationary position as the needle is retracted. One or more structures can be integrated within the elastomeric material to provide for compression and to prevent deformation of the passageway. | 03-12-2009 |
20100331900 | SURGICAL TOOLS FOR TREATMENT OF SPINAL STENOSIS - Described herein are pullwire handle devices for securing to a tissue-penetrating pullwire. In some embodiments, the device includes a handle body, a pullwire lock configured to removably lock the pullwire handle device onto a pullwire within the handle body, and a tip containment element configured to retain the distal tip of the pullwire. In some embodiments, the handle body further comprises a storage chamber configured to store a distal portion of the pullwire. Also described herein are methods for capturing a pullwire using a pullwire handle device. In some embodiments, the method includes the steps of inserting the distal end of a pullwire into the pullwire handle device, advancing the pullwire further into the pullwire handle device while the distal portion of the pullwire is contained within the pullwire handle device, and locking the distal portion of the pullwire within the pullwire handle device. | 12-30-2010 |
20110015645 | TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PRESSURE EQUALIZATION TUBE DELIVERY SYSTEM - Systems and methods are provided for automatically forming an incision in a tympanic membrane of an ear and placing a tympanic membrane pressure equalization tube into the incision. The systems include a housing with a shaft extending therefrom. A mechanism is disposed within the housing. A distal end of the shaft is placed against a tympanic membrane, and the mechanism is triggered to causes the tympanic membrane to be automatically incised and dilated and a tympanic membrane pressure equalization tube to be placed in the dilated incision. | 01-20-2011 |
20130023723 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TREATMENT OF FECAL INCONTINENCE - Disclosed herein are systems and methods of performing a sphincter repair in a patient. The methods can include inserting a stabilization and an anchor deployment tool into the patient, positioning the stabilization tool to access a muscle associated with a sphincter, stabilizing tissue with the stabilization tool, the tissue including or in communication with the muscles associated with the sphincter, advancing the anchor deployment tool into the tissue cavity, advancing the plurality of tissue anchors out of the anchor deployment tool and transmurally through the tissue; tensioning the anchors to shorten the muscle associated with the sphincter, and withdrawing the stabilization tool from the patient. | 01-24-2013 |
20130172895 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TISSUE MODIFICATION - Devices and methods of modifying tissue for low profile and ultra profile rongeur devices to treat spinal tissue. These devices may include a curved or curveable distal region; the cutting member may be configured to operate in the curved region. Also described herein are tissue modification devices that may be flexible or bendable for positioning in the tissue (including the spinal region) but can be made rigid once in position, or otherwise fixed in place to allow leverage when modifying the tissue. | 07-04-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090070164 | REAL TIME SELF ADJUSTING TEST PROCESS - Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to test processing manufactured products and provide a method, system and computer program product for self-adjusting test processing of manufactured goods in a supply chain management data processing system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for real time self adjusting testing of products in a supply chain manufacturing operation can be provided. The method can include associating different products with optional test activities as part of one or more risk groups. Thereafter, a production order can be evaluated to identify a product, to match one or more of the risk groups to the product, and to omit associated ones of the optional test activities in the matched risk groups from a production process for the production order. | 03-12-2009 |
20090118853 | AUTOMATED PROCESS FOR HOLDING PRODUCTS AT PREDEFINED POINTS DURING MANUFACTURING - Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to manufacturing production and provide a method, system and computer program product for mass hold management and routing processing. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for halting, initiating or resuming production of a product during a manufacturing process can be provided. The method can include defining criteria that must be met by a work unit and defining a point in the manufacturing process. The method can further include applying the criteria to a plurality of work units currently in the manufacturing process. The method can further include identifying at least one work unit of the plurality of work units that meets the criteria, responsive to said applying the criteria to the plurality of work units, and halting, initiating or resuming manufacturing of the at least one work unit at the point. | 05-07-2009 |
20100057507 | Real-Time Manufacturing Routing Optimization Using Content and Quality Level - Dynamically generating manufacturing routings in a manufacturing environment, using content and quality level information. The content and quality level information may pertain to multiple, disparate commodities (e.g., parts and/or assemblies) which are to be processed as a group, and some of those commodities may have already undergone various processes (such as testing of various types and durations). The generated routings may reflect parameterizations pertaining to the commodities. | 03-04-2010 |