2596 results about "Gynecology" patented technology

A system and method are disclosed for removing a uterus using a fluid enclosure inserted in the peritoneal cavity of a patient so as to enclose the uterus. The fluid enclosure includes a distal open end surrounded by an adjustable loop, that can be tightened, a first proximal opening for inserting an electrosurgical instrument into the fluid enclosure, and a second proximal opening for inserting an endoscope. The loop is either a resilient band extending around the edge of the distal open end or a drawstring type of arrangement that can be tightened and released. The fluid enclosure is partially inserted into the peritoneal cavity of a patient in a deflated condition and then manipulated within the peritoneal cavity over the body and fundus of the uterus to the level of the uterocervical junction. The loop is tightened around the uterocervical junction, after which the enclosure is inflated using a conductive fluid. The loop forms a pressure seal against the uterocervical junction to contain the conductive fluid used to fill the fluid enclosure. Endoscopically inserted into the fluid enclosure is an electrosurgical instrument that is manipulated to vaporize and morcellate the fundus and body of the uterus. The fundus and body tissue that is vaporized and morcellated is then removed from the fluid enclosure through the shaft of the instrument, which includes a hollow interior that is connected to a suction pump The fundus and body are removed after the uterus has been disconnected from the tissue surrounding uterus.

Systems, methods, apparatus and devices for performing improved gynecologic and urologic procedures are disclosed. The system and devices provide simplified use and reduced risk of adverse events. Patient benefit is achieved through improved outcomes, reduced pain, especially peri-procedural pain, and reduced recovery times. The various embodiments enable procedures to be performed outside the hospital setting, such as in a doctor's office or clinic.

Devices and methods for delivering drugs and other therapeutic or diagnostic substances to desired locations within the bodies of human or non-human animal subjects. An implantable delivery device comprising a reservoir is initianlly attached to a deliver catheter or delivery tool and is introduced into the body and positioned at a desired site. A therapeutic or diagnostic substance is then introduced into the reservoir and the delivery catheter or deliver tool is then removed, leaving the implantable delivery device implanted within the body. The substance is then delivered from the reservoir at a rate that causes the desire diagnostic or therapeutic effect. Also provided are substance eluting stents that elute substance from a selected surface of the stent (e.g., the outer surface) but not from another surface of the stent (e.g., the inner surface).

A solution is provided for modifying the location at which bodily fluids interact with nutrients in a gastrointestinal tract having a conduit with a first end and a second end. The first end is configured to divert bodily fluids from an entrance within a gastrointestinal tract to a location downstream from the entrance. The solution also provides for a means for attaching the second end to the entrance.

A method and device for tissue removal. The device may be used to remove uterine fibroids and other abnormal gynecological tissue. According to one embodiment, the device includes a housing, an outer tube, and an inner tube. The outer tube is fixed to the housing and includes a side window proximate to its distal end. The side window may have sloped proximal and distal ends. The inner tube has a distal end positioned within the outer tube, the distal end being adapted to rotate and, at the same time, to move back and forth past the side window, with the rotational and translational movement of the inner tube being independently controllable. The distal end of the inner tube may have an external bevel. Suction is applied to the proximal end of the inner tube to draw tissue into the side window and to remove resected tissue through the inner tube.

In general, the present invention contemplates an implantable device for treating excessive bleeding in a body cavity. The device comprises a biocompatible material, for example polyethylene teraphathalate (PET), which is deliverable into the body cavity. The biocompatible material contains an attribute(s) that promotes tissue reaction or growth that results in a tissue response and / or adhesion formation within the body cavity to reduce or stop the excessive bleeding.

A system is provided for reducing intraocular hypertension, the system having an implantable shunt, with a planar member having at least one microchannel disposed within the planar member. There is an inflow port disposed proximate to a first end of the microchannel and an outflow port disposed proximate to a second end of the microchannel. The inflow port is configured such that when the implantable shunt is implanted, the inflow port is located approximately within the region of an angle of an anterior chamber.

A microneedle applicator is provided which has two roughly concentric portions which may be, for example, a solid disk and an annulus surrounding it. On the skin-facing side of the inner portion of the applicator a microneedle array is located. The outer portion of the applicator is placed against the skin, contacting it at a zone. The microneedle array is then pressed towards the skin.

Method and device for distending a gynecological cavity. According to one embodiment, a mechanical, non-fluid device is used to distend the gynecological cavity. Such devices include, for example, self-expanding members, such as resilient baskets, coils, whisks, prongs, and loops, or mechanically expanded members, such as inflatable balloons, mechanically-expanded cages and loops, and scissor jacks. The device may serve a purpose in addition to distension, such as illumination, imaging, irrigation, drug delivery, resection and cauterization.

A brachytherapy application device is described, which includes a tandem having a transparent region at its front end, and which is coupled with a fiber-optic illumination means and endoscope. This improved tandem assembly allows the user to guide the tandem into the uterus of a patient in a safer, more reproducible manner with the reduction in occurrence of uterine perforation during tandem advancement and placement.

An apparatus and method delivers an expandable body member into a uterine cavity of a uterus through a cervical opening and deploys the expandable body member in the uterine cavity. The expandable body member in a compressed state is inserted into the uterine cavity. A fluid is provided to the uterine cavity at a pressure sufficient to inflate the uterine cavity. The expandable body member expands from the compressed state to the expanded state. After expansion of the expandable body member and inflation of the uterine cavity, the fluid pressure is relieved thereby collapsing the uterine cavity about the expandable body member in the expanded state such that an endometrial layer of the uterus and a surface of the expandable body member substantially contact each other in a facially opposing relationship maximizing contact therebetween. The apparatus which performs the method includes an elongated tubular member having the expandable body member connected to a distal portion of the elongated tubular member and a fluid-providing device connected to a proximal portion of the elongated tubular member.

An infusion set comprising a cannula housing portion having a base surface and a septum housing portion pivotally attached to said cannula housing portion. The septum housing portion having an axis and being pivotable between a first position wherein the axis is substantially perpendicular to the base surface and a second position wherein the axis is substantially parallel to the base surface. A cannula is supported in and extends from the septum housing portion such that the cannula is substantially parallel to the axis when the septum housing portion is in the first position.

Systems, methods, apparatus and devices for performing improved gynecologic and urologic procedures are disclosed. The system is configured to permit simultaneous tissue cutting and removal from a target site. The various embodiments enable procedures to be performed outside the hospital setting, such as in a doctor's office or clinic.

Methods for treating spinal pathologies, and more specifically methods for treating articulating surfaces of facet joints of cervical vertebrae. The methods involve providing artificial articulating surfaces for facet joint articular facets. In addition, various types of rasps may be used to prepare the articulating surfaces prior to placement of the artificial articulating surfaces.

An improved anterior cervical plating system and methods of cervical fusion using such a system are provided. The cervical plating system includes an interlocking mechanism that integrated into each of the plates such that any two plates may cooperatively engage through the interlocking mechanism such that a new cervical plate can be interconnected with a pre-existing plate during revision surgery without removal of the pre-existing plate.

Systems, methods, apparatus and devices for performing improved gynecologic and urologic procedures are disclosed. The system and devices provide simplified use and reduced risk of adverse events. Patient benefit is achieved through improved outcomes, reduced pain, especially peri-procedural pain, and reduced recovery times. The various embodiments enable procedures to be performed outside the hospital setting, such as in a doctor's office or clinic. An intrauterine access end procedure system includes a mechanical distension element, to eliminate the need for liquid distension media at pressure sufficient to create a risk of intravasation.

Systems, methods, apparatus and devices for performing improved gynecologic and urologic procedures using a flowable distension media are disclosed. The system and devices provide simplified use and reduced risk of adverse events. Patient benefit is achieved through improved outcomes, reduced pain, especially peri-procedural pain, and reduced recovery times. The various embodiments enable procedures to be performed outside the hospital setting, such as in a doctor's office or clinic.

A method and system of providing therapy to a patient's uterus. The method includes the following steps: inserting an access tool through a cervix and a cervical canal into the uterus; after inserting the access tool into the uterus, creating a seal between an exterior surface of the access tool and an interior cervical os; providing an indication to a user that the seal has been created; delivering vapor through the access tool lumen into the uterus; and condensing the vapor on tissue within the uterus. The system has an access tool with a lumen, the access tool being adapted to be inserted through a human cervical canal to place an opening of the lumen within a uterus when the access tool is inserted through the cervical canal; a seal disposed at a distal region of the access tool and adapted to seal the access tool against an interior cervical os; a sealing indicator adapted to provide a user with an indication that the seal has sealed the access tool with the interior cervical os; and a vapor delivery mechanism adapted to deliver condensable vapor through the access tool to the uterus, the condensable vapor being adapted to condense within the uterus.

Therapeutic devices and methods according to embodiments of the invention alleviate e.g. urinary incontinence in female and male patients. Suction or vacuum, for example, is applied to the genital region, clitoris or clitoral region, the external urethral orifice, and / or other designated areas, e.g. physically stimulating the sacral / pudendal nerves and / or nerve roots and alleviating incontinence. Such embodiments also can encourage or cause clitoral engorgement, or otherwise promote blood flow in the genital region. Vacuum or suction applied to e.g. the clitoris creates a negative pressure in the clitoris that is lower than the systolic blood pressure, tending to promote engorgement of the clitoris with blood. Aspects of the invention are applicable not only to treatment of urinary and fecal incontinence, but also to the treatment of female sexual dysfunction. Aspects of the invention are also applicable to treatment of male incontinence and male erectile dysfunction.

The invention relates to an drug delivery device and a method for delivering multiple drugs over a prolonged period of time. The drug delivery device has two or more unitary segments comprising a drug-permeable polymeric substance, wherein at least one of the segments further comprises a pharmaceutically active agent. The invention also relates to a method for the treatment of a benign ovarian secretory disorder in a female mammal, a method of contraception, and a method of relieving the symptoms associated with menopausal, perimenopausal and post-menopausal periods in a woman.

A surgical fluid management system delivers fluid for distending a uterine cavity to allow cutting and extraction of uterine fibroid tissue, polyps and other abnormal uterine tissue. The system comprises a fluid source, fluid deliver lines, one or more pumps, and a filter for re-circulating the distension fluid between the source and the uterine cavity. A controller can monitor fluid retention by the patient.

A method is disclosed of treating a rituximab-refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient comprising administering an anti-CD20 antibody other than rituximab to the patient in an amount effective to treat the RA.

In certain aspects, the present invention provides compositions and methods for treating or preventing breast cancer in humans.

A method for treating or preventing spontaneous preterm birth in pregnant women and improving neonatal morbidity and mortality. The method includes administering to a pregnant woman in need thereof an effective amount of progesterone sufficient to prolong gestation by minimizing the shortening or effacing of her cervix. Treatment and prophylaxis with progesterone in pregnant women having symptoms of short cervix has been clinically shown to increase neonatal health.

Methods of monitoring the ovulation cycle of an animal by detecting specific analytes in body fluids, computer program products, devices, data processing systems, and kits for monitoring the ovulation cycle and determining the fertility of female mammals.