970results about How to "Avoid insufficient length" patented technology

An endoscopic accessory medical device is provided. The device can include a handle, a flexible shaft, and an end effector. The handle can include an actuator for operating the end effector through a wire or cable pulling member that extends through the flexible shaft. The handle and actuator can be operable with a single hand, such that the operation of the end effector can be accomplished with the same hand that is used to hold the handle and advance the end effector through an endoscope. The handle can include an actuation mechanism that is decoupled from operation of the end effector when the actuator is in a first open position, which becomes operatively coupled to the end effector when the actuator is moved to a second position, such as by squeezing the actuator, and which operates the end effector when the actuator is moved further to a third position.

This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.

The invention relates to a device forming an endoluminal endoprosthesis. The device comprises at least a first segment, and upstream from said segment, at a predetermined distance therefrom, it comprises a "fixing" upstream segment made of a biocompatible material so as to be deployable from a closed or non-deployed position for insertion purposes to a deployed working position, the deployed working position being designed to be located in a healthy zone of blood vessel and being separated from the first segment by a predetermined distance defined by links of predetermined length. The invention makes it easy to recatheterize a blood vessel such as the abdominal aorta suffering from an aneurysm.

Apparatus and methods are provided for providing access to a body lumen. The apparatus includes a tubular member including a proximal end, a distal end sized for insertion into a body lumen, and a lumen extending therebetween. A pushable stiffening member extends from the distal end of the tubular member. An expandable sheath extends along at least a portion of the stiffening member, the sheath being expandable from a contracted condition to facilitate insertion into a body lumen, and an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen communicating with the tubular member lumen. A distal portion of the sheath is steerable, e.g., using a pull wire disposed within a lumen of the sheath or within the stiffening member. In addition or alternatively, the stiffening member may be biased to a predetermined shape to facilitate introduction.

Disclosed are Bacillus thuringiensis strains comprising novel crystal proteins which exhibit insecticidal activity against lepidopteran insects. Also disclosed are novel B. thuringiensis genes and their encoded crystal proteins, as well as methods of making and using transgenic cells comprising the novel nucleic acid sequences of the invention.

This invention provides a shunt for implantation between the anterior chamber of the eye and the epithelial-lined space through the frontal sinus bone of a patient for the treatment of glaucoma. The shunt includes a tube having a length sufficient to span the distance between the anterior chamber of the eye and the epithelial-lined space of the patient, the tube having an open anterior chamber end and a closed epithelial-lined space end, and a seal device associated with the tube between the anterior chamber and epithelial-lined space ends, for sealing a hole in the frontal sinus bone, and for anchoring the tube against movement from the frontal sinus bone. The shunt also includes a fluid pressure openable valve in the tube, located at or near the epithelial-lined space sinus end, allowing for controlled flow of aqueous humor through the tube when implanted. The invention also extends to a method of treating glaucoma in a patient by surgically implanting the shunt between the anterior chamber of the eye and the frontal sinus.

In an active-matrix display device and a method for driving the active-matrix display device, a fifth transistor is connected between a power line and a drain terminal of a first transistor so that a power-supply voltage, namely the fixed voltage required for the compensation of the threshold voltage, is supplied by the power line via a fifth transistor and not by a signal line. Thus, a sufficient length of time for the threshold voltage compensation period can be maintained, and a second transistor of each pixel can accurately be compensated for threshold voltage irregularities.

The devices and methods described herein relate to jointless construction of complex structures. Such devices have applicability in through-out the body, including clearing of blockages within body lumens, such as the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and / or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen

Implantable devices, instruments, kits and methods for treatment of obesity. One or more devices can be implanted adjacent to or in contact with the stomach to occupy a space to prevent the stomach from expanding into that space as food is taken into the stomach. Alternatively, one or more devices may be implanted and expanded to displace at least a portion of the wall of the stomach to decrease the internal volume of the stomach that is available to receive food. Devices may be anchored to one or more internal structures at one or more locations without piercing through the wall of the stomach. Devices can be implanted using minimally invasive methods, such as percutaneous or laparoscopic methods. Delivery instruments are also provided. An intra-gastric sizing device is provided to facilitate implantation of an extra-gastric device in some method embodiments.

In one embodiment, a method includes implanting an implant entirely under the subject's skin. The implant includes a passive electrical conductor of sufficient length to extend from subcutaneous tissue located below one of a surface cathodic electrode and a surface anodic electrode to the tibial nerve. The surface electrodes are positioned in spaced relationship on the subject's skin, with one of the electrodes positioned over the pick-up end of the electrical conductor such that the portion of the current is transmitted through the conductor to the tibial nerve, and such that the current flows through the tibial nerve and returns to the other of the surface cathodic electrode and the surface anodic electrode. An electrical current is applied between the surface cathodic electrode and the surface anodic electrode to cause the portion of the electrical current to flow through the implant to stimulate the tibial nerve.

Many media streams contain “objects” that repeat. Repeating objects in a media stream are defined as any section of non-negligible duration, i.e., a song, video, advertisement, jingle, etc., which would be considered to be a logical unit by a human listener or viewer. An “object controller” identifies such repeating objects as they occur, and provides an interactive user interface for allowing users to specify how individual repeating objects are to be handled either in real time, or upon subsequent occurrences of particular repeating objects. In general, the object controller includes a mechanism for identifying repeating objects, a mechanism for identifying temporal endpoints of those objects, a user interface for specifying actions to be taken when a particular object repeats within a media stream, and, in one embodiment, a buffer having sufficient length to allow for real-time deletion of objects from the media stream without obvious interruption in the str.

The present invention features novel compositions, linkers, derivatized solid supports, and methods for the efficient solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides, including RNA, DNA, RNA-DNA chimeras, and analogs thereof.

Devices and methods for visually confirming the positioning of a distal end portion of an illuminating device placed within a patient include inserting a distal end portion of an illuminating device internally into a patient, emitting light from the distal end portion of the illuminating device, observing transillumination resulting from the light emitted from the distal end portion of the illuminating device that occurs on an external surface of the patient, and correlating the location of the observed transillumination on the external surface of the patient with an internal location of the patient that underlies the location of observed transillumination, to confirm positioning of the distal end portion of the illuminating device.

The present invention is directed to small interfering RNA molecules targeted against a gene of interest in respiratory epithelial cells, and methods of using these RNA molecules.

Apparatus and methods are provided for providing access to a body lumen. The apparatus includes a tubular member including a proximal end, a distal end sized for insertion into a body lumen, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. A pushable stiffening member extends from the distal end of the tubular member, the elongate member terminating in a distal tip. An expandable sheath extends along at least a portion of the stiffening member, the sheath being expandable from a contracted condition to minimize a profile of the sheath to allow insertion along with the stiffening member into a body lumen, and an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen communicating with the tubular member lumen. In one embodiment, the sheath includes an outer lumen and an inner lumen floating within the outer lumen, and the stiffening member is carried in the inner lumen.

This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.

Many media streams contain “objects” that repeat. Repeating objects in a media stream are defined as any section of non-negligible duration, i.e., a song, video, advertisement, jingle, etc., which would be considered to be a logical unit by a human listener or viewer. An “object controller” identifies such repeating objects as they occur, and provides an interactive user interface for allowing users to specify how individual repeating objects are to be handled either in real time, or upon subsequent occurrences of particular repeating objects. In general, the object controller includes a mechanism for identifying repeating objects, a mechanism for identifying temporal endpoints of those objects, a user interface for specifying actions to be taken when a particular object repeats within a media stream, and, in one embodiment, a buffer having sufficient length to allow for real-time deletion of objects from the media stream without obvious interruption in the str.

An endoscopic accessory medical device is provided. The device can include a handle, a flexible shaft, and an end effector. The handle can include an actuator for operating the end effector through a wire or cable pulling member that extends through the flexible shaft. The handle and actuator can be operable with a single hand, such that the operation of the end effector can be accomplished with the same hand that is used to hold the handle and advance the end effector through an endoscope. The handle can include an actuation mechanism that is decoupled from operation of the end effector when the actuator is in a first open position, which becomes operatively coupled to the end effector when the actuator is moved to a second position, such as by squeezing the actuator, and which operates the end effector when the actuator is moved further to a third position.

An apparatus for delivering a clip to close an opening through tissue includes a sheath and a carrier assembly including a clip therein that is slidable on the sheath. An actuator assembly is connectable to the sheath, and telescoping actuator members extend from the handle that are connectable to the carrier assembly for advancing the carrier assembly along the sheath. An obturator on the actuator assembly includes splines that may be deployed beyond a distal end of the sheath, and expanded to a transverse expanded configuration for positioning the sheath before deploying the clip. The actuator members include cooperating detents that selectively release the actuator members as the carrier assembly reaches predetermined positions along the sheath for deploying the clip from the carrier assembly, and that collapse the splines to allow removal of the apparatus after deploying the clip.

A bone screw assembly for joining bone fragments having a screw shaft, a compression head and a sleeve. The compression head has external threads for providing double compression of the bone fragments. The sleeve extends along and around the screw shaft to provide reinforcing strength and alignment to the screw.

Devices that employ external compression stocking-type garments in the treatment of edema, chronic wounds, deep venous thrombosis prevention or claudication all share a number of significant limitations. These include the frequent need for custom fitting to assure an appropriate fit, vigilant maintenance to assure a continued “good fit,” limited compliance with proper use by patients and difficulty of application. There is a large body of evidence demonstrating that patients often decline to wear the compressive stockings as prescribed or in the form that would be most beneficial because they find these devices to be difficult to put on and take off. Building on the limitations of existing therapies, and distilled lessons learned from the field of prosthetics and wound healing, the present invention employs vacuum-assisted negative pressure to provide compression and help pump fluid from the tissues of affected limbs. The device is embodied in the form of a flexible stocking-like garment that will utilize a pumping mechanism to generate negative pressure around the limb and thus create vacuum compression that will mobilize fluid in a limb and increase venous return to the heart. Through the use of a circumferential wrap, the present invention provides a major advance in both the distribution of vacuum and the securing of the device over the limb.

Methods and instrumentation for surgical procedures relating to preparation of vertebral bodies and a disc space for insertion of spinal implants is disclosed. One instrument is a shim having a blade and a shaft having a first end connected with the blade. The blade is inserted into a distracted disc space to maintain distraction during subsequent procedures. Another instrument is a driver for driving the blade of the shim into the distracted disc space. Various methods contemplate the use of these instruments to maintain disc space distraction during disc space preparation for receiving an implant.

This relates to methods and devices for improving treatment to a wall, a cavity or passageway with a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.

This invention provides a shunt for implantation between the anterior chamber of the eye and the epithelial-lined space through the frontal sinus bone of a patient for the treatment of glaucoma. The shunt includes a tube having a length sufficient to span the distance between the anterior chamber of the eye and the epithelial-lined space of the patient, the tube having an open anterior chamber end and a closed epithelial-lined space end, and a seal device associated with the tube between the anterior chamber and epithelial-lined space ends, for sealing a hole in the frontal sinus bone, and for anchoring the tube against movement from the frontal sinus bone. The shunt also includes a fluid pressure openable valve in the tube, located at or near the epithelial-lined space sinus end, allowing for controlled flow of aqueous humor through the tube when implanted. The invention also extends to a method of treating glaucoma in a patient by surgically implanting the shunt between the anterior chamber of the eye and the frontal sinus.

In one embodiment, a lamp comprises an optically transmissive enclosure. An LED array is disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection. A gas is contained in the enclosure to provide thermal coupling to the LED array. A board supports lamp electronics for the lamp and is located in the enclosure. The LED array is mounted to the board and LEDs are mounted on a submount formed to have a three dimensional shape. The board is electrically coupled to the LED array and the submount may be thermally coupled to the gas for dissipating heat from the plurality of LEDs.

Apparatus and methods are provided for providing access to a body lumen. The apparatus includes a tubular member including a proximal end, a distal end sized for insertion into a body lumen, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. A pushable stiffening member extends from the distal end of the tubular member, the elongate member terminating in a distal tip. An expandable sheath extends along at least a portion of the stiffening member, the sheath being expandable from a contracted condition to minimize a profile of the sheath to allow insertion along with the stiffening member into a body lumen, and an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen communicating with the tubular member lumen. In one embodiment, the sheath includes an outer lumen and an inner lumen floating within the outer lumen, and the stiffening member is carried in the inner lumen.

An injection device that comprises a chamber configured for containing a substance to be injected and a needle operatively associated with the chamber and having a length sufficient to deliver the substance to an intradermal injection site. A collar surrounds the needle, defining a collar cavity. The collar also has a peripheral forward skin-contacting surface that surrounds and is radially spaced from the needle and injection site by an area that is sufficiently large to allow a patient's skin to move into the collar cavity to properly position the needle for intradermal delivery of the substance to the injection site to allow spread of the injected substance under the skin while inhibiting or preventing backpressure within the skin from forcing the substance out through the injection site.

A horticultural light fixture for reducing the temperature impact of the light source on growing plants, including a hollow sheet metal tube, having first and second round hollow ends and a cutaway portion on the underside open towards the plants with at least one lamp socket mounted within said metallic tube, locating the lamp over the cutaway portion, further including a reflector mounted within the metallic tube and extending out through the cutaway portion, constructed and arranged to deflect light from the lamp toward the plants, having a transparent portion fittingly attached to the reflector between the lamp and the plants being impermeable to the heated atmosphere while allowing light to pass through.

An endoscopic accessory medical device is provided. The device can include a handle, a flexible shaft, and an end effector. The handle can include an actuator for operating the end effector through a wire or cable pulling member that extends through the flexible shaft. The handle and actuator can be operable with a single hand, such that the operation of the end effector can be accomplished with the same hand that is used to hold the handle and advance the end effector through an endoscope. The handle can include an actuation mechanism that is decoupled from operation of the end effector when the actuator is in a first open position, which becomes operatively coupled to the end effector when the actuator is moved to a second position, such as by squeezing the actuator, and which operates the end effector when the actuator is moved further to a third position.