Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090115965 | SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING EYE RESPONSES TO AUTOMATICALLY TRACK SIZE, LOCATION, AND MOVEMENT OF THE PUPIL - The present system for analyzing eye responses accurately and automatically tracks the size, location, and movement of a subject's pupil(s) in response to a predetermined test protocol. These eye responses include both ocularmotor and pupillary responses to illumination and target tracking for either eye or both eyes simultaneously. The series of digital image frames of a subject's eyes, taken during the execution of a predetermined stimulus protocol, are automatically processed to determine pupil location, size, and responsiveness to changes in illumination. | 05-07-2009 |
20090115966 | SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING EYE RESPONSES TO AUTOMATICALLY DETERMINE IMPAIRMENT OF A SUBJECT - The impairment determination system automatically determines impairment of a subject based on pupil movement, as well as pupil responses to illumination and target tracking for either eye or both eyes simultaneously. The impairment determination system automatically processes a series of digital image frames, taken during the execution of a predetermined test protocol, to determine pupil location, size, and responsiveness to changes in illumination, which data are used by the impairment determination system to determine impairment of the subject. The present impairment determination system uses a method for quickly and accurately localizing the subject's pupils, as well as their boundaries, area, and center coordinates, which data is used as part of the impairment determination process. | 05-07-2009 |
20090216092 | SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING EYE RESPONSES TO ACCURATELY DETECT DECEPTION - The present system for analyzing eye responses to automatically detect deception obtains a series of digital image frames from a headset. This system precisely controls the illumination generated by the headset to bias the subject's pupils and automatically and precisely determine the subject's pupil location, size, and responsiveness. These measurements enable the system for analyzing eye responses to automatically detect deception by accurately measuring the subject's involuntary pupillary responses to questions posed by an examiner. These measurements can be used exclusively or in combination with one or more of the standard elements of the polygraph machine to automatically detect deception. | 08-27-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090182361 | Obstruction Removal System - An obstruction removal system for percutaneous removal of clots or obstructions within the vascular system is disclosed. The obstruction removal system includes a multi-lumen catheter with a plurality of circulating capture devices occurring along a drive belt. The plurality of capture devices may be basket-like devices attached to the drive belt, or may be formed by integral coiled or protuberant sections of the drive belt. The circulating capture or interference devices affect removal of the clot or obstruction bit-by-bit through a series of passes. | 07-16-2009 |
20090182362 | Obstruction Removal System - An obstruction removal system for percutaneous removal of clots or obstructions within the vascular system is disclosed. The obstruction removal system includes a multi-lumen catheter with a plurality of circulating capture devices attached to or integral with a drive belt. The circulating capture or interference devices affect removal of the clot or obstruction bit-by-bit through a series of passes. The obstruction removal system may include one or more drive mechanisms, such as a pulley system and/or a vacuum source and/or a pressurization source, on its proximal end for driving the drive belt and capture devices through the catheter in a circulating manner. The obstruction removal system may also include one or more cleaning mechanisms, such as a vacuum chamber and/or a fluid rinse chamber, for removing the captured clot pieces from the capture devices. | 07-16-2009 |
20100022943 | Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy Catheter - A catheter apparatus for removing an obstruction within a body lumen includes an elongate tubular shaft defining a lumen and a flexible membrane that fluidly seals the distal end of the tubular shaft. At least one cutter member is attached to and distally extends from the flexible membrane. An actuating mechanism is operatively connected to a proximal end of the tubular shaft. The actuating mechanism displaces a fluid disposed within the lumen of the tubular shaft in such a manner that the fluid oscillates the flexible membrane and the cutter member attached thereto. Accordingly, the catheter apparatus uses pulsatile fluid flow through the tubular shaft to transmit energy from the driving mechanical at the proximal end of the catheter apparatus to the flexible membrane at the distal end of the catheter apparatus. The transmitted energy causes the cutting member to oscillate and break up a target blood clot. | 01-28-2010 |
20100023033 | Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy Catheter - A catheter apparatus for removing an obstruction within a body lumen includes an elongate tubular shaft defining a lumen and a flexible membrane that fluidly seals the distal end of the tubular shaft. At least one cutting element or tool is attached to and distally extends from the flexible membrane. An actuating mechanism is operatively connected to a proximal end of the tubular shaft. The actuating mechanism displaces a fluid disposed within the lumen of the tubular shaft in such a manner that the fluid oscillates the flexible membrane and the cutting element attached thereto. Accordingly, the catheter apparatus uses pulsatile fluid flow through the tubular shaft to transmit energy from the driving mechanical at the proximal end of the catheter apparatus to the flexible membrane at the distal end of the catheter apparatus. The transmitted energy causes the cutting element to oscillate and break up a target blood clot. | 01-28-2010 |
20100152682 | Apparatus for Percutaneously Creating Native Tissue Venous Valves - Percutaneous apparatus for forming a bicuspid venous valve from autologous tissue are disclosed. A multilumen catheter is disclosed that includes a delivery shaft positioned on either side of the balloon. When the balloon is inflated within the vein at a treatment location where a bicuspid valve is to be created, the delivery shafts are pressed into the wall of the vein by the inflated balloon so that exit ports in the delivery shafts are at diametrically opposed locations. The delivery shafts may than be used to deliver puncture elements through the exit ports and into the vessel wall to gain access to a subintimal layer of the vein wall. In this manner, the inventive multilumen catheter aids in making properly positioned flaps of venous tissue for creating a bicuspid venous valve from autologous tissue. | 06-17-2010 |
20100152843 | Percutaneous Methods for Creating Native Tissue Venous Valves - Percutaneous methods of forming a venous valve from autologous tissue are disclosed. The methods include percutaneously creating one or two subintimal dissections for forming one or two flaps of intimal tissue. In one method, a puncture element is delivered by a catheter based delivery system to a treatment site where a new venous valve is to be created. The puncture element is deployed to gain access to a subintimal layer of the vein wall. A dilation balloon is than positioned and inflated within the subintimal layer to create a flap and corresponding pocket/sinus in the vein, which than acts as a one-way monocuspid valve in the manner of a native venous valve. In a similar manner, methods of forming new bicuspid venous valves by subintimal dissections are also disclosed. | 06-17-2010 |
20110070358 | Method of forming hollow tubular drug eluting medical devices - A method of a forming a hollow, drug-eluting medical device includes utilizing a hollow wire having an outer member and a lumen of the outer member, and filling the lumen with a fluid to form a supported hollow wire. The supported hollow wire is shaped into a stent pattern. Openings are formed through the outer member. The supported hollow wire is processed to remove the fluid from the lumen of the outer member without adversely affecting the outer member, leaving the hollow wire shaped into a stent pattern. The lumen is filled with a biologically or pharmacologically active substance. | 03-24-2011 |
20110155149 | Percutanous Methods for Creating Native Tissue Venous Valves - Percutaneous methods of forming a venous valve from autologous tissue are disclosed. The methods include percutaneously creating one or two subintimal dissections for forming one or two flaps of intimal tissue. In one method, a puncture element is delivered by a catheter based delivery system to a treatment site where a new venous valve is to be created. The puncture element is deployed to gain access to a subintimal layer of the vein wall. A dilation balloon is than positioned and inflated within the subintimal layer to create a flap and corresponding pocket/sinus in the vein, which than acts as a one-way monocuspid valve in the manner of a native venous valve. In a similar manner, methods of forming new bicuspid venous valves by subintimal dissections are also disclosed. | 06-30-2011 |
20110202124 | Apparatus and Methods for Creating a Venous Valve from Autologous Tissue - An implantable prosthesis for percutaneous placement within a vein that forces opposing portions of the vessel wall of a vein together to create a new valve of autologous vein tissue to be operable to alternate between a valve closed configuration and a valve open configuration. When in a preset closed configuration, the implantable prosthesis pushes or pulls portions of the vessel wall of the vein together to substantially close the vein lumen and prevent retrograde blood flow from backflowing through the new valve in the valve closed configuration. The implantable prosthesis has leg portions that may be pushed apart in response to antegrade blood flow through the vein to allow the new valve to achieve the valve open configuration. | 08-18-2011 |
20110202127 | Apparatus and Methods for Creating a Venous Valve From Autologous Tissue - An implantable prosthesis for percutaneous placement within a vein that forces opposing portions of the vessel wall of a vein together to create a new valve of autologous vein tissue to be operable to alternate between a valve closed configuration and a valve open configuration. When in a preset closed configuration, the implantable prosthesis pushes or pulls portions of the vessel wall of the vein together to substantially close the vein lumen and prevent retrograde blood flow from backflowing through the new valve in the valve closed configuration. The implantable prosthesis has leg portions that may be pushed apart in response to antegrade blood flow through the vein to allow the new valve to achieve the valve open configuration. | 08-18-2011 |
20110251668 | Stent With Therapeutic Substance - A stent includes a wave form that includes a cable including a plurality of strands. The wave form has a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns, with each crown connecting two adjacent struts. The wave form is wrapped around a longitudinal axis at a pitch to define a plurality of helical turns. The stent includes a filler located within the cable. The filler includes a therapeutic substance. | 10-13-2011 |
20110264127 | Percutaneous Methods and Apparatus for Creating Native Tissue Venous Valves - Percutaneous methods and apparatus for forming a venous valve from autologous tissue by creating at least one subintimal longitudinal dissection that forms at least one flap of intimal tissue are disclosed. In one method, a balloon catheter having a dissecting blade mounted thereon is delivered to a target site where a new venous valve is to be created. The balloon is inflated to deploy the blade against the vein wall, and the catheter is longitudinally translated such that the blade dissects a subintimal layer of the vein wall. The balloon is subsequently deflated such that the blade pulls a flap of the dissected tissue towards the vein lumen, thereby creating a leaflet and corresponding pocket/sinus in the vein that collectively act as a monocuspid venous valve. Methods of forming new bicuspid and tricuspid venous valves utilizing two or three dissecting blades mounted on the balloon are also disclosed. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264128 | Percutaneous Methods for Apparatus for Creating Native Tissue Venous Valves - Percutaneous methods and apparatuses for forming a venous valve from autologous tissue. A catheter having a retractable dissecting system received therein is delivered to a target location where a new venous valve is to be created. A distal balloon or other radially-expandable component mounted on the catheter is expanded against the vein wall, and the dissecting system is proximally retracted to deploy one or more dissecting components that dissect a subintimal layer of the vein wall. Radial expansion of the dissecting component(s) within the vein wall creates one or more leaflets and corresponding pocket/sinuses in the vein that collectively act as a venous valve, and/or the radially-expandable component of the catheter is subsequently collapsed such that the dissecting component(s) each pull a flap of the dissected tissue towards the vein lumen to create one or more leaflet(s) and corresponding pocket/sinuses in the vein. | 10-27-2011 |
20110301625 | Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy Catheter - A catheter apparatus for removing an obstruction within a body lumen includes an elongate tubular shaft defining a lumen and a flexible membrane that fluidly seals the distal end of the tubular shaft. At least one cutting element or tool is attached to and distally extends from the flexible membrane. An actuating mechanism is operatively connected to a proximal end of the tubular shaft. The actuating mechanism displaces a fluid disposed within the lumen of the tubular shaft in such a manner that the fluid oscillates the flexible membrane and the cutting element attached thereto. Accordingly, the catheter apparatus uses pulsatile fluid flow through the tubular shaft to transmit energy from the driving mechanical at the proximal end of the catheter apparatus to the flexible membrane at the distal end of the catheter apparatus. The transmitted energy causes the cutting element to oscillate and break up a target blood clot. | 12-08-2011 |
20120116383 | CATHETER APPARATUSES HAVING MULTI-ELECTRODE ARRAYS FOR RENAL NEUROMODULATION AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Catheter apparatuses, systems, and methods for achieving renal neuromodulation by intravascular access are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology, for example, is directed to a treatment device having a multi-electrode array configured to be delivered to a renal blood vessel. The array is selectively transformable between a delivery or low-profile state (e.g., a generally straight shape) and a deployed state (e.g., a radially expanded, generally helical shape). The multi-electrode array is sized and shaped so that the electrodes or energy delivery elements contact an interior wall of the renal blood vessel when the array is in the deployed (e.g., helical) state. The electrodes or energy delivery elements are configured for direct and/or indirect application of thermal and/or electrical energy to heat or otherwise electrically modulate neural fibers that contribute to renal function or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers. | 05-10-2012 |
20120143293 | CATHETER APPARATUSES HAVING MULTI-ELECTRODE ARRAYS FOR RENAL NEUROMODULATION AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Catheter apparatuses, systems, and methods for achieving renal neuromodulation by intravascular access are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology, for example, is directed to a treatment device having a multi-electrode array configured to be delivered to a renal blood vessel. The array is selectively transformable between a delivery or low-profile state (e.g., a generally straight shape) and a deployed state (e.g., a radially expanded, generally helical shape). The multi-electrode array is sized and shaped so that the electrodes or energy delivery elements contact an interior wall of the renal blood vessel when the array is in the deployed (e.g., helical) state. The electrodes or energy delivery elements are configured for direct and/or indirect application of thermal and/or electrical energy to heat or otherwise electrically modulate neural fibers that contribute to renal function or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers. | 06-07-2012 |
20120197246 | ABLATION CATHETER - An ablation catheter system including a radio frequency generator and an elongate catheter having an ablation element at the distal portion thereof The ablation element has at least one electrode electrically connected to the radio frequency generator and a shape memory component formed from a shape memory material. The shape memory component transforms the ablation element between a first straightened delivery configuration and a second deployed configuration. Thermal energy transfer between the electrode and the shape memory component transforms the shape memory component into the deployed configuration and places the electrode of the ablation element into contact with tissue at a treatment site. The transformation temperature of the shape memory material is a temperature above body temperature such that the transformation of the shape memory component is not activated by mere placement within the body but rather is activated by heat transfer from the electrodes. | 08-02-2012 |
20130253553 | Percutaneous Methods and Apparatus for Creating Native Tissue Venous Valves - Percutaneous methods and apparatuses for forming a venous valve from autologous tissue. A catheter having a retractable dissecting system received therein is delivered to a target location where a new venous valve is to be created. A distal balloon or other radially-expandable component mounted on the catheter is expanded against the vein wall, and the dissecting system is proximally retracted to deploy one or more dissecting components that dissect a subintimal layer of the vein wall. Radial expansion of the dissecting component(s) within the vein wall creates one or more leaflets and corresponding pocket/sinuses in the vein that collectively act as a venous valve, and/or the radially-expandable component of the catheter is subsequently collapsed such that the dissecting component(s) each pull a flap of the dissected tissue towards the vein lumen to create one or more leaflet(s) and corresponding pocket/sinuses in the vein. | 09-26-2013 |
20140091057 | Method of Forming Hollow Tubular Drug Eluting Medical Devices - A method of a forming a hollow, drug-eluting medical device includes utilizing a hollow wire having an outer member and a lumen of the outer member, and filling the lumen with a fluid to form a supported hollow wire. The supported hollow wire is shaped into a stent pattern. Openings are formed through the outer member. The supported hollow wire is processed to remove the fluid from the lumen of the outer member without adversely affecting the outer member, leaving the hollow wire shaped into a stent pattern. The lumen is filled with a biologically or pharmacologically active substance. | 04-03-2014 |