120results about How to "Structural damage" patented technology

A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site. The tissue retraction assembly has a plurality of blades which may be introduced while in a closed configuration, after which point they may be opened to create an operation corridor to the surgical target site, including pivoting at least one blade to expand the operative corridor adjacent to the operative site.

The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the spine. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more electrode terminals in the presence of electrically conductive fluid to contract collagen fibers within the tissue structures. In one aspect of the invention, a system and method is provided for removing a vertebral disc in preparation for implanting a prosthetic disc or removing a portion of the vertebral disc such as the nucleus pulposus in preparation for placing a prosthetic nucleus within the annulus of the disc. The present invention also teaches shrinking residual tissue in preparation for placing the implants.

A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.

A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.

The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the spine. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more electrode terminals in the presence of electrically conductive fluid or saline-rich tissue to contract collagen fibers within the tissue structures. In one aspect of the invention, a system and method is provided for contracting a portion of the nucleus pulposus of a vertebral disc by applying a high frequency voltage between an active electrode and a return electrode within the portion of the nucleus pulposus, where contraction of the portion of nucleus pulposus inhibits migration of the portion nucleus pulposus through the fissure.

A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site. The tissue retraction assembly has a plurality of blades which may be introduced while in a closed configuration, after which point they may be opened to create an operation corridor to the surgical target site, including pivoting at least one blade to expand the operative corridor adjacent to the operative site.

A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site. The tissue retraction assembly has a plurality of blades which may be introduced while in a closed configuration, after which point they may be opened to create an operation corridor to the surgical target site, including pivoting at least one blade to expand the operative corridor adjacent to the operative site.

A surgical access system comprising a tissue retraction assembly equipped with two or more electrodes for use in monitoring the status of nearby neural structures, including the localized depth of neural structures relative to one or more components of the tissue retraction assembly. Additional neurological testing may be performed to monitor the health and status of the neural structures during the portions of the surgical procedure in which the tissue retraction assembly is used to maintain the operative corridor.

The method and apparatus for drilling holes and optionally inserting fasteners of the present invention provide for efficiently drilling holes through a multiple-layer structure because the layers are securely held together during the drilling by an electromagnet and a clamp, each on opposite sides of the structure. The electromagnet and clamp hold the layers together so tightly that burrs do not form within the holes and debris does not accumulate between the layers and, therefore the layers do not have to be disassembled after drilling. In addition, the apparatus and method of the present invention provide for initially drilling the hole with a countersink and for inserting a fastener into the hole, through the electromagnet, immediately after drilling the hole, such that the hole does not have to be revisited after reassembly and drying of the sealant in order to drill a countersink and/or insert a fastener.

A bracket for mounting an air conditioning unit in a window has a base plate having a front edge and a rear edge and a pair of support legs connected to the base plate and extending from the rear edge, each support leg having an end face that faces in a same direction as the front edge and a support trough connected to the front edge. There are adjustable arms connected to the support trough. These arms are slidable in opposite directions to increase the width of the bracket and fit it exactly to the width of the window frame. When the bracket is positioned in a window frame of a structure, the support trough fits within the window frame and the end faces of the each support leg rest against an exterior of the structure.

A method of heating an aircraft fuselage comprises the step of supplying heat energy to air occupying an interior space enclosed by an aircraft fuselage shell structure so as to drive moisture from air in a region disposed immediately adjacent the structure to air in a region disposed from the structure within the enclosed space (20), thereby substantially preventing ice formation on the interior of the structure when the exterior of the structure is exposed to temperatures in the region of −35° C. to −85° C. The heat energy may be supplied by either a heater mat or a heat pipe assembly (16) in an aircraft fuselage.

The invention relates to the hot cracking gasifying treatment of the urban rubbish and the equipment. The method can adopts the non-selected rubbish to burn and gasify directly, uses the heat energy produced by the organics of the rubbish to crack the organics, the residual heat of the cracking gas to remove the water in the rubbish and the physical form characteristic of the rubbish to purify the furnace gas. The rectangle gasifying furnace (1) comprises eight main structural parts: the burner gas lead-out assembly (2), the feed cabin (3), the rectangle suction cabin (4), the rectangle drying chamber (6), the rectangle gasifying chamber (8), the fuel return heating combustion chamber (10), the melting combustion chamber (12), the slurry cabin (14). The invention can effectively prevent the producing of dioxin and does not have the high-cost and complex exhaust treatment processes of the usual rubbish burning treatment.

There are gluten-degrading enzymes found in Rothia species bacteria that are capable of breaking peptide bonds in -XPQ-, -QQP-, -PPF-, -LYP- and/or -PFP-containing peptides. These enzymes are acidic enzymes; they retain protease activity at acidic pH, eg., at 3.0, and have isoelectric points in a pH range of 2.0-7.0. Embodiments herein provide isolated enzyme compositions and probiotic compositions comprising at least one acidic gluten-degrading enzyme or a Rothia species bacteria. Also provided herein are methods of treatment of celiac disease or a related disorder, treatment of gluten-containing foodstuff, degrading and/or detoxifying gluten comprising the acidic gluten-degrading enzyme and/or compositions.