Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090220222 | Capillary force vaporizers - The present invention concerns capillary force vaporizers for use in vaporizing liquids and emitting pressurized vapors. In one embodiment, the inventive capillary force vaporizer includes a porous member, a heater component to convey heat to the porous member, and a vapor containment region. The porous member further includes a capillary network, a surface for receiving liquid and a vaporization area in which vapor is produced from the liquid. The vapor is collected and pressurized within the vapor containment region, which includes one or more openings for the release of vapor at a velocity greater than zero. Several different embodiments for capillary force vaporizers and systems comprising capillary force vaporizers are disclosed along with methods for their use. | 09-03-2009 |
20090324206 | Capillary Pumps for Vaporization of Liquids - A capillary pump is provided for producing pressurized and unpressurized vapor emissions from liquid feed. In its simplest form, the capillary pump incorporates a liquid feed intake, a porous vaporization component, and a heat transfer component. Additional components, such as an insulator component, a feed pre-heat component, a liquid feed reservoir and/or delivery system, an integrated or associated heater component, a vapor collection chamber, a heat distribution component, an orifice component and/or vapor release component, may also be associated with or integrated in the improved capillary pumps. Capillary pump arrays are provided, and numerous applications for capillary pumps are disclosed. | 12-31-2009 |
20090326518 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR MANIPULATING TISSUE - The present invention provides new minimally invasive interventional devices and methods for conveniently moving, lifting, positioning, retracting or otherwise manipulating body tissues or organs, while avoiding damage or trauma to these tissues or organs. A manifold is inserted into the patient's body that is deployed and positioned in surface contact with both the target tissue/organ to be manipulated and another moveable structure. The manifold is has at least one evacuation space in communication with at least a portion of the surfaces of each of the target tissue/organ and the moveable structure. A vacuum source external to the patient's body is activated and temporarily and releasably adheres, attaches or otherwise joins the target tissue/organ and moveable structure together. By subsequently manipulating the moveable structure, the target tissue/organ is thereby simultaneously manipulated in the desired manner. | 12-31-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080249566 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR REDUCING GASTRIC VOLUME - The present invention involves new interventional methods and devices for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged and approximated to create one or more tissue folds that are then secured to produce one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. Methods for reversing the procedure are also disclosed. | 10-09-2008 |
20080319455 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR REDUCING GASTRIC VOLUME - The present invention involves new interventional methods and devices for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged and approximated to create one or more tissue folds that are then secured by placing one or more tissue fasteners to produce one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. Minimally invasive devices for approximating and fastening soft tissues are disclosed that enable these new interventional methods to be carried out safely, efficiently and quickly. Methods for reversing the procedure are also disclosed. | 12-25-2008 |
20090318936 | METHODS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR APPROXIMATION AND FASTENING OF SOFT TISSUE - This invention provides minimally invasive mechanical instruments that are capable of laparoscopic or endoscopic approximation and fastening of soft tissues in a variety of interventional procedures. The devices of the present invention generally consist of a proximal handle assembly incorporating actuation means, an elongate tubular assembly (which may be flexible, rigid or combinations thereof) and a distal tool assembly incorporating mechanisms for engaging tissue at two or more spaced-apart locations on a tissue surface as well as mechanisms for deploying one or more tissue fasteners to securely hold the tissues in the approximated configuration. Typically the devices are provided in an initial collapsed (i.e. pre-deployed) configuration for insertion into the patient. After being deployed to an expanded configuration, tissue is contacted and engaged at two or more locations, and upon subsequent actuation by the user, at least one of the tissue engagement mechanisms, with tissue engaged, is repositioned by moving it toward another engaged tissue location, thereby approximating the engaged tissue locations near the distal end of the device. A variety of fasteners and fastener delivery mechanisms may be integrated into the devices of the present invention to securely and permanently hold the approximated tissues in the approximated configuration. Devices of the present invention provide surgeons the ability to carry out a variety of interventional procedures in which tissue approximation and fastening is required, in a safer and more efficient manner. Certain embodiments of the present invention enable entirely new minimally invasive tissue approximation and fastening procedures to be performed, such as closure of holes in the gastrointestinal lumen created to provide access to the abdominal cavity during natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) or laparoscopic plication gastroplasty procedures that reduce stomach volume from its external surface in the treatment of obesity. | 12-24-2009 |
20110009887 | METHODS FOR REDUCING GASTRIC VOLUME - The present invention involves new interventional methods for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. | 01-13-2011 |
20110066167 | DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR MANIPULATING TISSUE - The present invention involves new interventional methods for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. | 03-17-2011 |
20120160893 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR REDUCING GASTRIC VOLUME - The present invention involves new interventional methods for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. | 06-28-2012 |
20120165845 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR REDUCING GASTRIC VOLUME - The present invention involves new interventional methods for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. | 06-28-2012 |
20130317543 | METHODS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR APPROXIMATION AND FASTENING OF SOFT TISSUE - Devices and tissue fasteners for approximating and fastening tissue using minimally invasive techniques are disclosed. Methods for approximating and fastening tissue by application of one or more tissue fasteners are also provided. In one embodiment, spaced apart tissue locations are engaged by tissue penetrating members of a deformable fastener, one of more of the engaged tissue locations is moved toward another engaged tissue location to approximate the spaced apart locations, and the deformable fastener is deployed to secure the approximated tissue locations. These methods may be used in laparoscopic plication gastroplasty procedures for forming an invaginated tissue fold, to close holes in the gastrointestinal lumen, and in a variety of interventional procedures. | 11-28-2013 |
20130338680 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR RECONFIGURING A PORTION OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT - The present invention involves new interventional methods and devices for reconfiguring a portion of the gastrointestinal tract. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. | 12-19-2013 |
20150088164 | METHODS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR APPROXIMATION AND FASTENING OF SOFT TISSUE - Devices and tissue fasteners for approximating and fastening tissue using minimally invasive techniques are disclosed. Methods for approximating and fastening tissue by application of one or more tissue fasteners are also provided. In one embodiment, spaced apart tissue locations are engaged by tissue penetrating members of a deformable fastener, one of more of the engaged tissue locations is moved toward another engaged tissue location to approximate the spaced apart locations, and the deformable fastener is deployed to secure the approximated tissue locations. These methods may be used in laparoscopic plication gastroplasty procedures for forming an invaginated tissue fold, to close holes in the gastrointestinal lumen, and in a variety of interventional procedures. | 03-26-2015 |