75results about How to "Pain minimization" patented technology

Apparatus is provided including an electrode device and a control unit. The electrode device is configured to be coupled to a site of a subject selected from the group consisting of: a vagus nerve, an epicardial fat pad, a pulmonary vein, a carotid artery, a carotid sinus, a coronary sinus, a vena cava vein, a right ventricle, a right atrium, and a jugular vein. The control unit is configured to drive the electrode device to apply to the site a current in at least first and second bursts, the first burst including a plurality of pulses, and the second burst including at least one pulse, and set (a) a pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the first burst to be on average at least 20 ms, (b) an interburst interval between initiation of the first burst and initiation of the second burst to be less than 10 seconds, (c) an interburst gap between a conclusion of the first burst and the initiation of the second burst to have a duration greater than the average PRI, and (d) a burst duration of the first burst to be less than a percentage of the interburst interval between, the percentage being less than 67%. Other embodiments are also described.

A method of repairing a defect in an annulus fibrosus of an intervertebral disc, without excising the entire nucleus pulposus of the disc. The method includes inserting an introducer needle through the annulus fibrosus by puncturing the annulus fibrosus with the introducer needle, injecting an in situ curable, bio-compatible polymerizable or polymeric material composition into the disc through the introducer needle directly or indirectly so that the in situ curable composition contacts a defect in the annulus fibrosus; and curing said material in situ.

Arrangements are provided including a base having a bore disposed therein extending from a first surface of the base through a second surface of the base, a fluid transport tube having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a lumen having an inner diameter, at least the second end of the tube being received within the bore of the base, and at least one fluid transport enhancing groove having at least a first section disposed in the second surface of the base and in fluid communication with the bore.

A one-piece, single-use disposable device for transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) of prostate tissue to alleviate BPH is disclosed. The device may include a flexible catheter tip including a rigid core and a flexible tip. The device may also include a single use lockout to help ensure that the device is used to perform only one ablation procedure on a single patient. The device may further include a simplified needle deployment mechanism and/or an automatic needle retraction mechanism.

Described herein are systems, apparatus, and methods for precise placement and guidance of tools during surgery, particularly spinal surgery, using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Several minimally invasive approaches to spinal surgeries were conceived, percutaneous technique being one of them. This procedures looks to establish a skin opening as small as possible by accessing inner organs via needle-puncture of the skin. The percutaneous technique is used in conjunction with a robotic surgical system to further enhance advantages of manual percutaneous techniques by improving precision, usability and/or shortening surgery time by removal of redundant steps.

Disclosed herein are biodegradable solid microneedles and a fabrication method thereof. The microneedles are small in diameter and are long and hard enough to pass through the stratum corneum. Thus, the biodegradable solid microneedles can be used for painless transdermal drug delivery, the detection of biological samples such as blood, and biopsy.

A one-piece, single-use disposable device for transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) of prostate tissue to alleviate BPH is disclosed. The device may include a flexible catheter tip including a rigid core and a flexible tip. The device may also include a single use lockout to help ensure that the device is used to perform only one ablation procedure on a single patient. The device may further include a simplified needle deployment mechanism and/or an automatic needle retraction mechanism.

A stent comprising a matrix and a fiber reinforcement about which the matrix is chemically or mechanically attached. The matrix is provided with heavier loads of pharmaceutically active ingredients or genetic materials as a result of the increased strength and mechanical characteristics provided to the stent by the fiber reinforcement. The fiber reinforcement can be comprised of a plurality of mono-filament fibers spaced and oriented in a flat weave pattern to which the matrix is chemically or mechanically attached. Degradation rates of the materials that comprise the matrix and the fiber reinforcement can be varied to vary the time period in which the stent maintains its mechanical characteristics or releases the pharmaceutically active ingredients or genetic materials therefrom. Multiple stage release profiles can be provided by providing multiple layers of matrices and fiber reinforcements, whereby different pharmaceutically active ingredients or genetic materials or different concentrations thereof, can be released according to the degradation profiles of the matrix and fiber reinforcment.

The present invention is directed to a new and improved baseball glove. The glove includes an outer shell that contains a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion. The finger portion comprises two or three finger holsters, the outermost holster accommodates two or three fingers, the remaining finger holster(s) accommodates one or two fingers. One or more finger separator(s) reside within the outermost finger holster to prevent discomfort of the fingers. A web portion is attached between the finger portion and the thumb portion. A protective padding strip is located within the surrounding area immediately adjacent to the web portion. The finger portion and thumb portion are spaced apart to minimize the impact of a caught ball with the user's hand. A web-reinforcement patch is located over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of the web portion and the outer shell.

A biodegradable stent for implantation into a lumen in a human body. The stent in one embodiment is made from a biodegradable fiber having an inner core and an outer layer. The outer layer is a blend of two polymer components. The inner core has a first degradation rate, and the outer layer has a second degradation rate. The second degradation rate is slower than the first degradation rate. The fiber softens in vivo such that the stent is readily passed from the lumen as a softened fragment or filament after a pre-determined period of time through normal flow of body fluids passing through the lumen.

An iontophoretic delivery device utilizing a polymeric gel matrix to ameliorate pH deviation within the device wherein the pH of the polymeric gel matrix is buffered at select pH ranges in order to reduce skin irritation. The polymeric gel matrix is housed within the iontophoretic delivery device as a buffering agent wherein the matrix provides a suitable physiological pH level above 4.0 and particularly the pH level deviates between approximately 4.1 to approximately 4.9, and preferably at the pH 4.5 for an effective operation of the iontophoretic delivery of a medicament to treat affected areas of a living subject's body.

A portable, adjustable disposable medical suction system and method of use is disclosed. The system includes a delivery device to provide a conduit from a surgical site on a patient to the portable, adjustable medical suction system. The suction system may be a battery powered vacuum pump with one or more different adjustments directed to a strength of the vacuum, duration of the vacuum and interval between suction. The delivery device may be an intranasal tampon device or a tube inserted into the surgical site. During surgery and recovery at a surgical center or hospital, the vacuum source attached to the delivery system may be an industrial type vacuum source. Upon discharge, the suction system can be connected to the delivery system so that bleeding can be resolved by the patient in the comfort of his/her own home. The system and method of use is safer and mitigates body fluid borne contamination.

A biodegradable stent for implantation into a lumen in a human body. The stent in one embodiment is made from a biodegradable fiber having an inner core and an outer layer. The outer layer is a blend of two polymer components. The inner core has a first degradation rate, and the outer layer has a second degradation rate. The second degradation rate is slower than the first degradation rate. The fiber softens in vivo such that the stent is readily passed from the lumen as a softened fragment or filament after a predetermined period of time through normal flow of body fluids passing through the lumen.

The invention relates to a sampling needle, in particular to a needle suitable for oocyte retrieval from a human or animal subject, said needle comprising a first tubular region in fluid communication with a second tubular region, the first tubular region comprising a leading end for insertion into a subject and the second tubular region comprising a trailing end for fluid communication with a means for receiving a fluid, in which the first tubular region has an outer diameter which is less than the outer diameter of the second tubular region and the first tubular region has an inner diameter which is less than the inner diameter of the second tubular region. The invention also relates to a method of retrieving a sample, in particular an oocyte, from a human or animal subject.

A lancing device including a drive mechanism with a drive spring and a lancet carrier engaged and driven by the drive spring, and further including a lancet with a sharp lancing tip, wherein the lancet floats relative to the carrier and is decoupled from the drive mechanism during at least a portion of a lancing stroke. In one example embodiment the lancet is held in a sled that floats in the carrier, and in another example embodiment the lancet by itself floats in the carrier.

A user-friendly crane mat carrier is provided for conveniently transporting, storing and supporting crane mats, pads and other items. The economical light weight crane mat assembly can comprise a frame assembly with a main load-supporting bar, crossbars and perimeter bars. The special crane mat carrier can be easily connected to a crane, such as with a drawbar fixture, securing plate and locking plate. A hanger assembly with a suspension bar can be provided to hang the crane mat carrier. A latch mechanism can also be provided to securely lock the crane mat carrier.

Suturing devices, systems, and methods used to suture biological structures. The suturing devices can be configured to place sutures into body tissue from one side of the tissue without requiring a component on an opposite side of the tissue and without requiring insertion of components into the body tissue beyond the needles and the suture.