6329results about How to "Convenient treatment" patented technology

An intraluminal prosthesis is provided with a plurality of annular elements. Each annular element includes a plurality of struts and apices connected to form an annular configuration. Each annular element has a compressed state and an expanded state, and has a longitudinal dimension which is smaller in the expanded state than in the compressed state. A plurality of connecting members connect the apices of adjacent annular elements. The connecting members have a plurality of alternating segments that function to compensate for the smaller longitudinal dimension of each annular element in the expanded state. The stent may be provided with varying flexibility along its length and / or circumference, and may include segments that have different diameters.

The present invention teaches a method and apparatus for physiological modulation, including neural and gastrointestinal modulation, for the purposes of treating several disorders, including obesity, depression, epilepsy, and diabetes. This includes chronically implanted neural and neuromuscular modulators, used to modulate the afferent neurons of the sympathetic nervous system to induce satiety. Furthermore, this includes neuromuscular stimulation of the stomach to effect baseline and intermittent smooth muscle contraction to increase gastric intraluminal pressure, which induces satiety, and stimulate sympathetic afferent fibers, including those in the sympathetic trunk, splanchnic nerves, and greater curvature of the stomach, to augment the perception of satiety.

The present invention relates to antibodies or fragments thereof that specifically bind FcgammaRIIB, particularly human FcgammaRIIB, with greater affinity than said antibodies or fragments thereof bind FcgammaRIIA, particularly human FcgammaRIIA. The invention provides methods of enhancing the therapeutic effect of therapeutic antibodies by administering the antibodies of the invention to enhance the effector function of the therapeutic antibodies. The invention also provides methods of enhancing efficacy of a vaccine composition by administering the antibodies of the invention.

Devices and methods provide for ablation of cardiac tissue for treating cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Although the devices and methods are often be used to ablate epicardial tissue in the vicinity of at least one pulmonary vein, various embodiments may be used to ablate other cardiac tissues in other locations on a heart. Devices generally include at least one tissue contacting member for contacting epicardial tissue and securing the ablation device to the epicardial tissue, and at least one ablation member for ablating the tissue. Various embodiments include features, such as suction apertures, which enable the device to attach to the epicardial surface with sufficient strength to allow the tissue to be stabilized via the device. For example, some embodiments may be used to stabilize a beating heart to enable a beating heart ablation procedure. Many of the devices may be introduced into a patient via minimally invasive introducer devices and the like. Although devices and methods of the invention may be used to ablate epicardial tissue to treat atrial fibrillation, they may also be used in veterinary or research contexts, to treat various heart conditions other than atrial fibrillation and / or to ablate cardiac tissue other than the epicardium.

Methods of treating, preventing and / or managing a myeloproliferative disease are disclosed. Specific methods encompass the administration of an immunomodulatory compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, stereoisomer, clathrate, or prodrug thereof, alone or in combination with a second active agent, and / or the transplantation of blood or cells. Particular second active agents are capable of suppressing the overproduction of hematopoietic stem cells or ameliorating one or more of the symptoms of a myeloproliferative disease. Pharmaceutical compositions, single unit dosage forms, and kits suitable for use in methods of the invention are also disclosed.

Devices and methods are provided for the treatment of glaucoma. An ocular implant is adapted such that aqueous humor flows controllably from the anterior chamber of the eye to Schlemm's canal, bypassing the trabecular meshwork. The implant may utilize one or more bioactive agents effective in treating glaucoma or other pathology.

The present invention provides a method of affecting physiological disorders by stimulating a specific location along the sympathetic nerve chain. Preferably, the present invention provides a method of affecting a variety of physiological disorders or pathological conditions by placing an electrode adjacent to or in communication with at least one ganglion along the sympathetic nerve chain and stimulating the at least one ganglion until the physiological disorder or pathological condition has been affected.

A delivery system for a drug or bioactive agent includes an implantable pump and a delivery conduit that may be implanted in an organ or other tissue (e.g., the central or the peripheral nervous system) of a subject. A sensor is also implanted, and a controller unit receives the sensor output and directs drug delivery from within the patient pump accordingly. The sensor directly measures a primary biochemical material or state in the tissue or organ system, and the monitoring unit effects closed loop feedback control of the pump to achieve a desired end. The end may be the regulation of metabolism or maintenance of a stable metabolic or other state, or may be treatment regimen, e.g., by delivery of a dosage level or distribution of a drug in specific brain or nervous an system tissue. The sensed material may be the agent itself, a metabolite, or a related native material, tissue state or condition.

Devices and methods for achieving hemostasis and leakage control in hollow body vessels such as the small and large intestines, arteries and veins as well as ducts leading to the gall bladder and other organs. The devices and methods disclosed herein are especially useful in the emergency, trauma surgery or military setting, and most especially during damage control procedures. In such cases, the patient may have received trauma to the abdomen, extremities, neck or thoracic region. The devices utilize removable or permanently implanted, broad, soft, parallel jaw clips with minimal projections to maintain vessel contents without damage to the tissue comprising the vessel. These clips are applied using either standard instruments or custom devices that are subsequently removed leaving the clips implanted, on a temporary or permanent basis, to provide for hemostasis or leakage prevention, or both. These clips overcome the limitations of clips and sutures that are currently used for the same purposes. The clips come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The clips may be placed and removed by open surgery or laparoscopic access.

A method for treatment of obesity, especially morbid obesity, gastroparesis and other syndromes related to motor disorders of the stomach. The method of this invention utilizes a sensor to detect food entering the patient's stomach, thereby the sensor communicates with and activates at least one electrical stimulation device attached to either the stomach or the small intestine.

Described herein are methods of remodeling the base of a ventricle. In particular, methods of remodeling a valve annulus by forming a new fibrous annulus are described. These methods may result in a remodeled annulus that corrects valve leaflet function without substantially inhibiting the mobility of the leaflet. The methods of remodeling the base of the ventricle include the steps of securing a plurality of anchors to the valve annulus beneath one or more leaflets of the valve, constricting the valve annulus by cinching a tether connecting the anchors, and securing the anchors in the cinched conformation to allow the growth of fibrous tissue. The annulus may be cinched (e.g., while visualizing the annulus) so that the mobility of the valve leaflets is not significantly restricted. The remodeled annulus is typically constricted to shorten the diameter of the annulus to correct for valve dysfunction (e.g., regurgitation).

Processes for forming high density gap-filling silicon oxide on a patterned substrate are described. The processes increase the density of gap-filling silicon oxide particularly in narrow trenches. The density may also be increased in wide trenches and recessed open areas. The densities of the gap-filling silicon oxide in the narrow and wide trenches / open areas become more similar following the treatment which allows the etch rates to match more closely. This effect may also be described as a reduction in the pattern loading effect. The process involves forming then planarizing silicon oxide. Planarization exposes a new dielectric interface disposed closer to the narrow trenches. The newly exposed interface facilitates a densification treatment by annealing and / or exposing the planarized surface to a plasma.

Isolated human monoclonal antibodies which specifically bind to human EGFR, and related antibody-based compositions and molecules, are disclosed. The human antibodies can be produced by a transfectoma or in a non-human transgenic animal, e.g., a transgenic mouse, capable of producing multiple isotypes of human monoclonal antibodies by undergoing V-D-J recombination and isotype switching. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the human antibodies, non-human transgenic animals and hybridomas which produce the human antibodies, and therapeutic and diagnostic methods for using the human antibodies.

A method is provided for predicting an onset of an asthma attack. The method includes sensing at least one parameter of a subject without contacting or viewing the subject or clothes the subject is wearing, and predicting the onset of the asthma attack at least in part responsively to the sensed parameter. Also provided is a method for predicting an onset of an episode associated with congestive heart failure (CHF), including sensing at least one parameter of a subject without contacting or viewing the subject or clothes the subject is wearing, and predicting the onset of the episode at least in part responsively to the sensed parameter. Other embodiments are also described.

Sustained release dosage forms for twice daily oral dosing to a human patient for providing relief from pain are provided. The sustained release dosage form comprises an immediate release component and a sustained release component, wherein the immediate release component and the sustained release component collectively contain a therapeutically effective amount of an opioid analgesic and a therapeutically effective amount of nonopioid analgesic. In a preferred embodiment, the nonopioid analgesic is acetaminophen and the opioid analgesic is hydrocodone and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and in preferred embodiments, the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is bitartrate. The dosage forms produce plasma profiles in a patient characterized by a Cmax for hydrocodone of between about 0.6 ng / mL / mg to about 1.4 ng / mL / mg and an AUC for hydrocodone of between about 9.1 ng*hr / mL / mg to about 19.9 ng*hr / mL / mg (per mg hydrocodone bitartrate administered) and a Cmax for acetaminophen of between about 2.8 ng / mL / mg and 7.9 ng / mL / mg and an AUC for acetaminophen of between about 28.6 ng*hr / mL / mg and about 59.1 ng*hr / mL / mg (per mg acetaminophen administered) after a single dose.

Devices, systems, and methods treat cosmetic defects, and often apply cooling with at least one tissue-penetrating probe inserted through of the skin of a patient. The cooling may remodel one or more target tissue so as to effect a desired change in a composition of the target tissue and / or a change in its behavior. Exemplary embodiments of the cooling treatments will interfere with the nerve / muscle contractile function chain so as to mitigate wrinkles of the skin. Related treatments may be used therapeutically for treatment of back and other muscle spasms, chronic pain, and the like. Some embodiments may remodel subcutaneous adipose tissue so as to alter a shape or appearance of the skin surface.

The present invention relates generally to decellularized extracellular matrix of conditioned body tissues. The decellularized extracellular matrix contains a biological material, preferably vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), produced by the conditioned body tissue that is in an amount different than the amount of the biological material that the body tissue would produce absent the conditioning. The invention also relates to methods of making and methods of using said decellularized extracellular matrix. Specifically, the invention relates to treating defective, diseased, damaged or ischemic cells, tissues or organs in a subject by administering, injecting or implanting the decellularized extracellular matrix of the invention into a subject in need thereof. The invention is further directed to a tissue regeneration scaffold for implantation into a subject inflicted with a disease or condition that requires tissue or organ repair, regeneration and / or strengthening. Additionally, the invention is directed to a medical device, preferably a stent or an artificial heart, having a surface coated or covered with the decellularized extracellular matrix of the invention or having a component comprising the decellularized extracellular matrix of the invention for implantation into a subject, preferably a human. Methods for making the tissue regeneration scaffold and methods for manufacturing a coated or covered medical device having a component comprising decellularized extracellular matrix of conditioned body tissues are also provided.

The present invention comprises methods and compositions comprising metal nanoparticles. The invention comprises metal nanoparticles and surfaces treated with a metal nanoparticle coating. The present invention further comprises compositions for preparing nanoparticles comprising at least one stabilizing agent, one or more metal compounds, at least one reducing agent and a solvent. In one aspect, the stabilizing agent comprises a surfactant or a polymer. The polymer may comprise polymers such as polyacrylamides, polyurethanes, and polyamides. In one aspect, the metal compound comprises a salt comprising a metal cation and an anion. The anion may comprise saccharinate derivatives, long chain fatty acids, and alkyl dicarboxylates.

Systems and methods are provided for collecting, preparing, and / or analyzing a biological sample. A sample collection site may be utilized with one or more sample processing device. The sample processing device may be configured to accept a sample from a subject. The sample processing device may perform one or more sample preparation step and / or chemical reaction involving the sample. Data related to the sample may be sent from the device to a laboratory. The laboratory may be a certified laboratory that may generate a report that is transmitted to a health care professional. The health care professional may rely on the report for diagnosing, treating, and / or preventing a disease in the subject.

The invention generally relates to internal (e.g., implantable, insertable, etc.) drug delivery devices which contain the following: (a) one or more sources of one or more therapeutic agents; (b) one or more first electrodes, (c) one or more second electrodes and (d) one or more power sources for applying voltages across the first and second electrodes. The power sources may be adapted, for example, to promote electrically assisted therapeutic agent delivery within a subject, including electroporation and / or iontophoresis. In one aspect of the invention, the first and second electrodes are adapted to have tissue of a subject positioned between them upon deployment of the medical device within the subject, such that an electric field may be generated, which is directed into the tissue. Furthermore, the therapeutic agent sources are adapted to introduce the therapeutic agents into the electric field. In another aspect, the therapeutic agent sources are polymeric regions that contain one or more types of ion-conductive polymers and one or more types of charged therapeutic agents. In yet another aspect, the therapeutic agent sources are polymeric regions that contain one or more types of electrically conductive polymers and one or more types of charged therapeutic agents.

Disclosed is a system for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms using a stent and a aneurysm pocket fill structure delivery system. One embodiment of the present invention uses a highly radiopaque, drug eluting stent that is deployed with its sidewall over the ostium of the aneurysm pocket. A fill structure delivery catheter is then advanced through the patient's vascular system until the catheter's distal end is situated within the aneurysm pocket. Compressed aneurysm pocket filling structures are then pushed through the fill structure delivery catheter. As the aneurysm pocket filling structures emerge from an opening in the catheter's distal end, they promptly expand so that their minimum dimension is sufficiently large so that they cannot pass through the spaces between the struts of the stent that cover the ostium of the aneurysm pocket.

Devices, systems, and methods treat cosmetic defects, and often apply cooling with at least one tissue-penetrating probe inserted through of the skin of a patient. The cooling may remodel one or more target tissue so as to effect a desired change in a composition of the target tissue and / or a change in its behavior. Exemplary embodiments of the cooling treatments will interfere with the nerve / muscle contractile function chain so as to mitigate wrinkles of the skin. Related treatments may be used therapeutically for treatment of back and other muscle spasms, chronic pain, and the like. Some embodiments may remodel subcutaneous adipose tissue so as to alter a shape or appearance of the skin surface.

Pharmaceutical compositions comprising 2-[6-(3-Amino-piperidin-1-yl)-3-methyl-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrimidin-1-ylmethyl]-4-fluoro-benzonitrile and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are provided as well as kits and articles of manufacture comprising the pharmaceutical compositions as well as methods of using the pharmaceutical compositions.

The present invention relates to devices for detection and therapy of active atheromatous plaque and / or thin-capped fibro-atheroma ("vulnerable plaque"), using selectively targeted fluorescent, radiolabeled, or fluorescent and radiolabeled compositions. The present invention further relates to methods and devices for detection and theraphy of active atheromatous plaques and / or vulnerable plaques, using selectively targeted beta-emitting compositions, optionally comprising fluorescent compositions.