88results about How to "Easily advanced" patented technology

A cervical intervertebral prosthesis includes lower and upper anchoring plates with a prosthesis core arranged between them to create an articulated connection. The anchoring plates are designed to bear with their anchoring plate surfaces on adjacent vertebral bodies. At least one anchoring plate surface has a rib-like projection thereon which can be used to engage in the vertebral body with a form fit. In order to produce a corresponding recess in the vertebral body, an instrument having a handle, a stem, a head part and an excavating element that can be retracted into the head part may be used. This permits considerably improved securing of the cervical intervertebral prosthesis against unintended movement. The medullary canal running along the posterior margin of the vertebral column is in this way protected from damage.

A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel includes an obstruction engaging element and an expandable capture element. The capture element preferably has a flexible cover and an expandable support structure. The engaging element engages the obstruction and moves the obstruction into the capture element. The capture element protects the obstruction when the obstruction is moved into the catheter.

A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel includes an obstruction engaging element and an expandable capture element. The capture element preferably has a flexible cover and an expandable support structure. The engaging element engages the obstruction and moves the obstruction into the capture element. The capture element protects the obstruction when the obstruction is moved into the catheter.

Bilumen catheters and methods of using same for facilitating implantation of cardiac leads for applying electrical stimulation to and / or sensing electrical activity of the heart through one or more electrode positioned at an implantation site within a heart chamber or cardiac vessel adjacent a heart chamber, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for introducing such a cardiac lead having low torqueability and pushability through a tortuous pathway to enable attachment of the cardiac lead at the implantation site employing a bilumen guide catheter are disclosed. The bilumen catheter body includes a relatively large diameter delivery lumen to introduce a small diameter cardiac lead and a small diameter guide lumen to receive a stylet or guidewire to locate the guide catheter body distal end at the implantation site. The small diameter lumen within a small diameter guide tube extends distally from the delivery exit port of the delivery lumen.

An improved system and method for placing implantable medical devices (IMDs) such as leads within the coronary sinus and branch veins is disclosed. In one embodiment, a slittable delivery sheath and a method of using the sheath are provided. The sheath includes a slittable hub, and a substantially straight body defining an inner lumen. The body comprises a shaft section and a distal section that is distal to, and softer than, the shaft section. A slittable braid extends adjacent to at least a portion of one of the shaft section and the distal section. In one embodiment of the invention, the sheath further includes a transition section that is distal to the shaft section, and proximal to the distal section. The transition section is softer than the shaft section, but stiffer than the distal section.

A wire guide includes a mandrel that has a proximal portion and a distal portion. A coating having a low coefficient of friction is disposed on at least part of the proximal portion and the distal portion of the mandrel, where a part of the proximal portion and distal portion of the mandrel without the coating indicates a marking on the wire guide. This marking on the wire guide allows a user to determine a trimmable length of a catheter, and the low friction coating enables the user to easily advance the catheter over the wire guide.

Apparatus and method for navigating surgical tools within a body cavity. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for displacing a surgical tool within a body conduit such as an intestine. Embodiments comprise a balloon catheter having a shaft, and a surgical tool operable to slide along that shaft. In some embodiments the surgical tool comprises a second balloon catheter.

Guide catheters and methods of using same for facilitating implantation of cardiac leads for applying electrical stimulation to and / or sensing electrical activity of the heart through one or more electrode positioned at an implantation site within a heart chamber or cardiac vessel adjacent a heart chamber and more particularly to a method and apparatus for introducing such a cardiac lead having low torqueability and pushability through a pathway to enable attachment of the cardiac lead at the implantation site are disclosed. The catheter body comprises delivery lumen to introduce a small diameter cardiac lead and a guide lumen to receive a guide tool to locate the catheter body distal end at the implantation site. The small diameter lumen within a small diameter guide tube extends distally from the delivery exit port of the delivery lumen. The catheter body is shaped to bias the delivery lumen exit port toward the heart.

Guide catheters for facilitating implantation of cardiac leads for applying electrical stimulation to and / or sensing electrical activity of the heart through one or more electrodes positioned at an implantation site within a heart chamber or cardiac vessel adjacent a heart chamber. Such a cardiac lead has low torqueability and pushability through a pathway to enable attachment of the cardiac lead at the implantation site. The catheter body comprises a delivery lumen to introduce a small diameter cardiac lead and a guide lumen to receive a guide tool to locate the catheter body distal end at the implantation site. The small diameter lumen within a small diameter guide tube extends distally from the delivery exit port of the delivery lumen. The catheter body is shaped to bias the delivery lumen exit port toward the heart.

A first medical instrument includes a flexible catheter having a distal end which has a substantially bullet-nose shape, which is insertable into a body lumen of a patient, and which has at least one guidewire passageway opening. The first medical instrument also includes a medical guidewire having a working portion extendable beyond the at-least-one guidewire passageway opening. A second medical instrument includes a flexible catheter, a medical guidewire having a working portion extendable beyond the distal end of the catheter, and at least one wire length counter which is operably connectable to the medical guidewire to measure a length of the working portion being extended beyond the distal end of the catheter. A third medical instrument includes a flexible catheter, a medical guidewire, and a force / torque-limiting clutch operatively connectable to the medical guidewire.

An improved system and method for placing implantable medical devices (IMDs) such as leads within the coronary sinus and branch veins is disclosed. In one embodiment, a slittable delivery sheath and a method of using the sheath are provided. The sheath includes a slittable hub, and a substantially straight body defining an inner lumen. The body comprises a shaft section and a distal section that is distal to, and softer than, the shaft section. A slittable braid extends adjacent to at least a portion of one of the shaft section and the distal section. In one embodiment of the invention, the sheath further includes a transition section that is distal to the shaft section, and proximal to the distal section. The transition section is softer than the shaft section, but stiffer than the distal section.

An endoscopic instrument has a portion having an outer surface with a non-circular cross-sectional shape. The non-circular cross-sectional shape may be provided to the instrument by providing peripheral projections or fins along the length of the portion or by providing the periphery of the portion with a polygonal shape. Where fins are used, the fins are preferably quite small and only have a minimal effect on the fluid flow cross sectional area between the interior of the working channel and the endoscopic instrument. The resulting instrument has significantly reduced backlash while maintaining adequate fluid flow in the working channel. According to a second embodiment of the invention, a portion of the interior of the working channel of the endoscope has an interior surface having a non-circular cross sectional shape by the inclusion of a plurality of radially spaced and inwardly directed ribs or by being polygonally shaped. The resulting endoscope reduces the backlash of an endoscopic instrument inserted therein while maintaining adequate fluid flow in the working channel.

A stent made up of at least two connected bands, each band having a pattern of undulations formed from long, short and mid-sized segments connected together by turns. In particular, the pattern includes a repeating series having five segments: a long segment, a short segment, a mid-sized segment, a mid-sized segment, a short segment (LSMMS). When adjacent bands are connected together to form the stent body, the LSMMS segment configuration forms a series of consecutive tapered gaps between the consecutive unconnected close ended turns of adjacent bands which provide greater flexibility for the stent. The series of consecutive tapered gaps allow the stent to flex with little or no interference with adjacent bands when the stent is tracked around a small radius bend in a vessel. In addition, the length of the longest rigid element of the stent is decreased to further improve flexibility. A rigid element is formed by the lengths of the segments on both sides of a connection between adjacent bands. By decreasing the length of this rigid element, the length which must be tracked around the bends of a vessel is shortened and thus the stent is easier to advance.

A system and method for positioning a medical instrument at a desired biological target tissue site is provided. The system includes an elongated sheath having a deflectable distal end configured to deflect or otherwise position at least a portion of a medical instrument during a surgical procedure allowing for the placement of the deflected portion adjacent or proximate to a predetermined target tissue surface. The positioning system may be incorporated into the medical instrument. The medical instrument may be an ablation system.

A tape measure that incorporates a marking device for allowing an individual to measure and mark a wide variety of materials in a more efficient and economical manner, and for measuring and marking the beginning point of reference and the measured position point simultaneously. The tape measure has a housing, a coiled measuring tape, a tape tip, a chalk line, a chalk receptacle, a chalk line recharger, an activator, and an advancer. The chalk line is easily advanced and retracted for making marks at varying distances. The chalk is stored in a chalk storage receptacle that allows the chalk line to be re-chalked and is refillable for multiple uses. The activator allows the retractable chalk line to transfer a chalk substance from the chalk line to the surface to be measured and marked.

The disclosure describes a device for asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or lumpectomy. The device includes an elongated tubular shaft having an inner lumen and a tubular wall with a plurality of lumens extending within the wall which are configured for receiving a radiation source. The distal portion of the tubular shaft is cut into a plurality of longitudinally separated wall segments with a lumen extending within at least one of the wall segments. A support member is positioned within the separated wall segments to support and position the wall segments in a desired configuration for brachytherapy. An expandable member such as an inflatable balloon is mounted on the distal shaft portion about the separated wall segments wall which when inflated secures the distal shaft portion within a desired intracorporeal site for brachytherapy treatment.

A power screwdriver is disclosed including a screw advance mechanism for advancing a screwstrip, and a hinged feed track for feeding the screwstrip to the screw advance mechanism.