93616 results about "Medical treatment" patented technology

An electrosurgical medical device and method for creating thermal welds in engaged tissue that carries the electrosurgical components in a disposable cartridge. The instrument also can carry a blade member in a disposable cartridge, thus making the instrument system inexpensive to use. In another embodiment, the electrical leads of the cartridge have a surface coating of a thermochromic material to provide the physician with a visual indicator of operational parameters when applying energy to tissue.

An electrosurgical medical device and technique for creating thermal welds in engaged tissue that provides very high compressive forces. In one exemplary embodiment, at least one jaw of the instrument defines a tissue engagement plane carrying first and second surface portions that comprise (i) an electrically conductive material and (ii) a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material having a selected increased resistance that differs at each selected increased temperature over a targeted treatment range. One type of PTC material is a doped ceramic that can be engineered to exhibit a selected positively sloped temperature-resistance curve over about 37° C. to 100° C. The 70° C. to 100° C. range can bracket a targeted “thermal treatment range” at which tissue welded can be accomplished. The engineered resistance of the PTC matrix at the upper end of the temperature range will terminate current flow through the matrix. In one mode of operation, the engagement plane cause ohmic heating within tissue from Rf energy delivery tissue PTC matrix is heated to exceed the treatment range. Thereafter, energy density in the engaged tissue will be modulated as the conductivity of the second portion hovers within the targeted treatment range to thereby provide optical tissue heating for purposes of tissue welding.

An electrosurgical medical device and method for creating thermal welds in engaged tissue. In one embodiment, at least one jaw of the instrument defines a tissue engagement plane that carries a recessed central portion. In another embodiment, the controller coupled to the Rf source is adapted to switch from a power control operational mode to a voltage controlled operational mode at a selected transition impedance level.

An electrosurgical medical device and method for creating thermal welds in engaged tissue. In one embodiment, at least one jaw of the instrument defines a tissue engagement plane carrying a conductive-resistive matrix of a conductively-doped non-conductive elastomer. The engagement surface portions thus can be described as a positive temperature coefficient material that has a unique selected decreased electrical conductance at each selected increased temperature thereof over a targeted treatment range. The conductive-resistive matrix can be engineered to bracket a targeted thermal treatment range, for example about 60° C. to 80° C., at which tissue welding can be accomplished. In one mode of operation, the engagement plane will automatically modulate and spatially localize ohmic heating within the engaged tissue from Rf energy application—across micron-scale portions of the engagement surface.

Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. Various materials and coating methodologies may be utilized to maintain the drugs, agents or compounds on the medical device until delivered and positioned.

An identification type instrument assembly detachably connected to a main body of a medical apparatus for use in diagnosis and treatment. The instrument assembly is provided with identification signal output means for actively outputting unique self-identification signals prepared in advance under a predetermined procedure, and the connected instrument assembly can be specified in the main body by the identification signals outputted from the identification signal output means when the instrument assembly is connected to the main body.

A system for processing data provided by medical devices. The system includes a medical device having a memory device configured to store medical device information. The system also includes an information system connected to the medical device. The information system includes at least a server configured to receive at least a portion of the medical device information from the memory device of the medical device. The server is also configured to employ the medical device information to process at least one of patient data, prescription data and inventory/ordering data. The medical device information may include serial number data, device identifier data, operation data and/or usage data for the medical device. The patient data may include at least one of patient tracking data, patient recordkeeping data and patient billing data. The prescription data may include prescription issuance data, prescription filling data and prescription tracking data. The inventory/ordering data may include at least one of maintenance and replacement schedule data, administrator notification data, and automatically-generated medical device order data.

A device, kit and method may include or employ an implantable device (e.g., annuloplasty implant) and a tool operable to implant such. The implantable device is positionable in a cavity of a bodily organ (e.g., a heart) and operable to constrict a bodily orifice (e.g., a mitral valve). The tissue anchors may be guided into precise position by an intravascularly or percutaneously deployed anchor guide frame of the tool and embedded in an annulus of the orifice. Constriction of the orifice may be accomplished via a variety of structures, for example by cinching a flexible cable or via a anchored annuloplasty ring, the cable or ring attached to the tissue anchors. The annuloplasty ring may be delivered in an unanchored, generally elongated configuration, and implanted in an anchored generally arch, arcuate or annular configuration. Such may approximate the septal and lateral (clinically referred to as anterior and posterior) annulus of the mitral valve, to move the posterior leaflet anteriorly and the anterior leaflet posteriorly, thereby improving leaflet coaptation to eliminate mitral regurgitation.

An improved articulating device for use with a medical insertion instrument comprising in part a first tube having a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of bending segments, a second tube axially disposed within the first tube, and means for transmitting an axial deflecting pull load. Such device has improved controlled for positioning an end of the device at a selected position within the body. The articulating device has a generally constant moment of inertia and a polar moment of inertia that generally decreases from its proximal to distal end.

A portable augmented motor-sensory interface (“PAMI”) system for “tele-controlled” surgery includes a PAMI tele-controller and a portable PAMI medical field unit positioned at a different, distant location and configured for wireless communications with the tele-controller. (“Tele-control” refers to electronically translating and/or transmitting a physician's actions over a long distance.) The field unit has a surgical module, including robotic effectors/arms, configured for carrying out medical procedures, and a video sensor boom for electronically viewing a wound site. The tele-controller has a user interface with input controls and a display that outputs sensory information relating to the patient and field unit. For treating a patient, the field unit is deployed next to the patient and a communications link is established to the tele-controller. A physician at the tele-controller receives sensory input from the field unit through the user interface display, and manipulates the input controls for tele-controlling the surgical module.

The present invention is a more durable expanded material that enables thinner wall thicknesses and a more flexible reinforcement suitable for stenting. The present invention is especially useful in the construction of grafts, stents, and stent-grafts which are used, for example, in repairing or replacing blood vessels that are narrowed or occluded by disease, aneurismal blood vessels, or other medical treatments. The inventive material and configurations allow expansion or contraction in size or adjustment in size in an incremental manner so that the optimum size, shape, and fit with other objects can be obtained. The present invention is also optionally capable of more accurately delivering one or more active ingredients such as drugs over longer periods of time. The present invention optionally includes surface modifications and additives that increase the surface adhesion of active ingredients, coatings, or combinations thereof. Finally, the present invention optionally includes growing cells on the inventive material so that the expanded material, reinforcement, or combinations thereof are useful, for example, in producing lab-grown blood vessels or organs.

A medical master/slave manipulator is excellent in operability and capable of reducing burden on the operator. The medical master/slave manipulator includes a master unit provided with an operation control portion, a slave unit provided with a working device, an interlocking mechanism interlocking the slave unit with the master unit, an orientation difference measuring mechanism for measuring the orientation difference between the orientation of the master unit and that of the slave unit, and a control mechanism for controlling the slave unit to adjust the orientation of the slave unit to that of the master unit so that the orientation difference is reduced to zero in a transient master/slave operation mode in which an operation mode changes from an unrestricted operation mode to a master/slave operation mode.

Apparatus and methods for endoscope assemblies having working channels with reduced bending and stretching resistance are disclosed. In one embodiment, an endoscope assembly includes a sheath having a body portion adapted to at least partially encapsulate an endoscopic insertion tube, and a working channel attached to the body portion and extending along at least a portion of the body portion. The working channel includes a component for reducing the resistance of the assembly to bending and stretching. In alternate aspects, the working channel may include a cut, a gap, a sliding portion, or an expansion section. Endoscope assemblies having a working channel in accordance with the invention advantageously reduce the articulation and stretching resistance of the assembly during articulation of the endoscope assembly. Also, because the axial forces (tension and compression) within the working channel are reduced, the working channel can be fabricated out of a relatively hard, inelastic material, thereby reducing the friction within the working channel and improving the physician's ability to perform a medical procedure.

A medical instrument that includes an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends; a tool for performing a medical procedure; a control handle; a distal motion member for coupling the distal end of the instrument shaft to the tool; a proximal motion member for coupling the proximal end of the instrument shaft to the control handle; actuation means extending between the distal and proximal motion members for coupling motion of the proximal motion member to the distal motion member for controlling the positioning of the tool; a control tube through which the instrument shaft and tool extend; the control tube including, along the length thereof, a curved section; the curved section of the control tube, upon rotation thereof, providing an additional degree of freedom by displacing the tool out of a plane defined by the curved section of the control tube.