| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090062871 | BALLOON CANNULA SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING AND VISUALIZING SPINE AND RELATED METHODS - Balloon cannula systems may be used for accessing and visualizing the spine and related methods of treatment, including a forward-looking balloon system for creating a working space and the balloon system having atraumatic dissection capability to allow visualization in spine. The devices and methods described may be used, for example, to perform annulus repair, herniated disc excision, and denervation of neurological tissue; to dispense pharmacological agents and/or cell or tissue therapy agents; to diagnose disc degeneration and bony degeneration, spinal stenosis, and nucleus decompression, and to perform disc augmentation. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090062872 | BALLOON CANNULA SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING AND VISUALIZING SPINE AND RELATED METHODS - Balloon cannula systems may be used for accessing and visualizing the spine and related methods of treatment, including a forward-looking balloon system for creating a working space and the balloon system having atraumatic dissection capability to allow visualization in spine. The devices and methods described may be used, for example, to perform annulus repair, herniated disc excision, and denervation of neurological tissue; to dispense pharmacological agents and/or cell or tissue therapy agents; to diagnose disc degeneration and bony degeneration, spinal stenosis, and nucleus decompression, and to perform disc augmentation. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090216284 | BALLOON CANNULA SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING AND VISUALIZING SPINE AND RELATED METHODS - Balloon cannula systems may be used for accessing and visualizing the spine and related methods of treatment, including a forward-looking balloon system for creating a working space and the balloon system having atraumatic dissection capability to allow visualization in spine. The devices and methods described may be used, for example, to perform annulus repair, herniated disc excision, and denervation of neurological tissue; to dispense pharmacological agents and/or cell or tissue therapy agents; to diagnose disc degeneration and bony degeneration, spinal stenosis, and nucleus decompression, and to perform disc augmentation. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090270892 | STEERABLE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR TISSUE DISRUPTION - Apparatuses and methods for accessing and disrupting a tissue are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes inserting a distal end portion of a medical device into a biological body such that a cutting member disposed at a distal end of the medical device is at a first location within the biological body. A tissue is disrupted at the first location within the biological body. The distal end portion of the medical device is reconfigured from a first configuration in which the distal end portion of the medical device has a first curvature to a second configuration in which the distal end portion of the medical device has a second curvature different than the first curvature and the cutting member is at a second location within the biological body. A tissue is then disrupted at the second location within the biological body. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100191057 | PENETRATING MEMBER WITH DIRECT VISUALIZATION - Systems and methods for accessing the spine include tissue penetrating members with direct visualization capability that may be used to form an access pathway to a targeted treatment site. The direct visualization capability, which may be provided by fiberoptic illumination and imaging components, may be use to visualize the tissue as the access pathway is formed by the tissue penetrating member. The tissue penetrating members include catheters and cannulas with sharpened tips with integrated fiberoptic components and/or channels in which a fiberscope or miniscope may be inserted. Apertures and/or transparent materials are provided to permit imaging of tissue about the distal end of the tissue penetrating member. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100234866 | BATTERY OPERATED NUCLEUS DISRUPTOR DEVICE FOR INTERVERTEBRAL DISC - Apparatuses and methods for accessing and disrupting a tissue are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first elongate member having a tissue interaction portion disposed at a distal end of the first elongate member. The tissue interaction portion is configured to be inserted within a biological body. A second elongate member is movably disposed within a lumen defined by the first elongate member. The second elongate member has a threaded exterior surface. A drive motor is coupled to the first elongate member and coupled to the second elongate member. The drive motor is configured to rotate the first elongate member in a first direction and configured to rotate the second elongate member in a second direction opposite the first direction. The tissue interaction portion is configured to disrupt tissue when disposed into the biological body and when the first elongate member is rotated. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20110172643 | Catheter with Composite Stiffener - A catheter comprising an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a passageway defining a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. The elongate tubular member comprises a relatively stiff proximal section and a relatively flexible distal section. The proximal section includes an inner tubular liner, a first stiffener comprising a metal alloy, and a second stiffener comprising a non-metal alloy. The first and second stiffeners are coaxially wound exterior to the proximal inner liner. The distal section includes a distal inner tubular liner and the second stiffener coaxially wound exterior to the distal inner liner. The first stiffener terminates before reaching the distal section. | 07-14-2011 |
