5878results about How to "Easy to slide" patented technology

A improved flexible annular stapler for joining annular organs (163, 164) is disclosed. The novel stapler features greater accuracy of operation and better control by the operator, as well as additional functions, such as internal illumination (76) and viewing facility (82), and accommodation of a large number of accessories, such as fibroscopes (90) and catheters. The novel stapler features easy attachability of both stapling jaws (18, 25) and easy detachability of the head (11). The novel features of the flexible stapler, and associated methods performed thereby, are particularly useful for closed surgery.

The present invention relates to a posterior vertebral joint prosthesis. The left or right posterior vertebral joint prosthesis of the invention presents a smooth bearing surface and said surface presents antero-posterior curvature.

A medical implant, having a proximal and a distal end, that is preformed to assume a superimposed structure at an implantation site but can be made to take on a volume-reduced form making it possible to introduce it with a micro-catheter and a guide wire arranged at the proximal end, with the implant in its superimposed structure assuming the form of a longitudinally open tube and having a mesh structure of interconnected strings or filaments. The implant has a tapering structure at its proximal end where the strings or filaments converge at a connection point.

Apparatus and methods are provided for sealing a puncture extending through tissue to a blood vessel. A delivery sheath is introduced-into the puncture, and a sealing compound, e.g., precursor polymers that mix to create a hydrogel, is introduced through the delivery sheath into the puncture. The delivery sheath is then removed, an introducer sheath is advanced through the puncture into the vessel, and instruments are introduced through the introducer sheath into the vessel to perform a medical procedure. After completing the procedure, the introducer sheath is withdrawn. The sealing compound may expand into the puncture and / or tissue recoil of the surrounding tissue may cause the sealing compound to at least partially occlude the puncture to facilitate sealing and / or hemostasis.

A hearing aid includes a first half shell and a second shell attached to the first shell. A microphone, battery, electronics, a receiver and a flexible tip are mounted within a housing formed by the first half shell and the second half shell. A mechanical securing mechanism, located on the first half shell and the second half shell, attaches the first half shell to the second half shell. A flexible tip for a hearing aid includes a tip portion, a sound port attached to the tip portion and a vent formed in the flexible tip. The vent provides static pressure equilibrium between an ear canal and an ambient pressure.

The present invention relates to a modular hearing aid having a base unit and a detachable earmold. A battery, an earmold tip and a receiver can be integrated with the earmold. The earmold can also include a removably attached module. The module can have a shell, electronics, a receiver or a microphone. A hearing aid also includes a flexible hearing aid tip having a vibration isolator portion and a mushroom shaped tip portion. The vibration isolator portion mechanically decouples a receiver from a hearing aid base unit while the mushroom shaped tip portion provides an acoustic seal in the ear canal of a user. The internal components of a hearing aid can be potted to attenuate vibrations created by the receiver during operation.

An apparatus for sealing a puncture extending through tissue to a blood vessel includes a guidewire including an expandable tamp, a retaining sheath for covering the tamp, and a delivery sheath including a primary lumen for receiving the guidewire therethrough and a secondary lumen for delivering sealing compound into the puncture. The guidewire is advanced into the puncture with the tamp in a contracted condition, the tamp is expanded within the vessel after retracting the retaining sheath, and the guidewire is retracted to seal the puncture from the vessel. The delivery sheath is advanced over the guidewire, and sealing compound is introduced into the puncture through the delivery sheath. After introducing the sealing compound, the delivery sheath is removed, and an introducer sheath is advanced over the guidewire to provide access to perform a medical procedure via the vessel after removing the guidewire.

The present invention relates to an intervertebral disc prostheses that comprise at least three pieces including an upper plate (1), a lower plate (2) and a mobile core (3) at least relative to the lower plate (2), the upper surface of the core (3) being in contact with at least a part of the lower surface of the upper plate (1), limit stops (22, 31) allowing friction to be limited, while limiting or preventing the movements of the core (3) relative to the lower plate (2), in translation and in rotation, respectively, along an axis substantially parallel to the lower plate (2) and about an axis substantially perpendicular to the lower plate (2) and the lower surface of the core (3) has at least one hole (41) facilitating sliding of the core (3) relative to the upper surface of the lower plate (2) with which it is in contact.

Garniture tongue of a garniture device of a rod machine arranged for compressing a material. The garniture tongue includes a rod guide surface and the garniture tongue being composed at least in part of a steel alloy with high titanium carbide content. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Floor panels (1, 1′) are shown, which are provided with a mechanical locking system having a tongue (30) of magnetic material that could be locked vertically by a magnetic field.

Apparatus is provided, including a tube (421) shaped to define a tube lumen at least one implant (100) reversibly coupled to the tube (421), and configured for implantation within a body of a patient. The apparatus also comprises two or more longitudinal guide members (470) disposed at least in part along a distal portion of the tube (421), the longitudinal guide members (470) having distal portions thereof configured to be reversibly coupled to the implant (100), and arranged such that application of a force to a first one of the longitudinal guide members (470) steers the distal portion of the tube (421) toward a first location along the implant (100), and application of a force to a second one of the longitudinal guide members (470) steers the distal portion of the tube (421) toward a second location along the implant (100). Other embodiments are also described.

A retractor is provided for performing spinal surgery with a minimal approach, and which spares the lumbar muscles from surgical disruption. A preferred embodiment includes a blade having first and second faces wherein the faces are positioned substantially transverse to one another, and wherein at least one of the faces has a tapered width. Alternatively, both the first and second faces are tapered. Additionally, a third face positioned transverse to the first face and substantially parallel to the third face may be incorporated into the retractor. The second face also preferably includes at least one tooth, and more preferably, a plurality of teeth at its distal end for laterally engaging an articular process of a vertebra of the spine.

Floor panels are shown, which are provided with a mechanical locking system having tongue of magnetic material that could be locked vertically by a magnetic field.

An apparatus for stabilizing vertebrae while permitting a range of motion therebetween may include first and second fasteners for engaging adjacent vertebrae and a motion preserving device that can be coupled to the first and second fasteners. The motion preserving device may include a longitudinal member that includes an array of load-bearing elements. The longitudinal member may be configured to permit the load-bearing elements to move relative to each other and / or relative to other portions of the member. In some embodiments, the longitudinal member is relatively inflexible along a longitudinal axis and relatively flexible in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Apparatus is provided, including a tube (421) shaped to define a tube lumen at least one implant (100) reversibly coupled to the tube (421), and configured for implantation within a body of a patient. The apparatus also comprises two or more longitudinal guide members (470) disposed at least in part along a distal portion of the tube (421), the longitudinal guide members (470) having distal portions thereof configured to be reversibly coupled to the implant (100), and arranged such that application of a force to a first one of the longitudinal guide members (470) steers the distal portion of the tube (421) toward a first location along the implant (100), and application of a force to a second one of the longitudinal guide members (470) steers the distal portion of the tube (421) toward a second location along the implant (100). Other embodiments are also described.

Catheters having a tapered, atraumatic distal tip are provided. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the distal portion of the catheter has a generally non-cylindrical and substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration. The inner surface cross-sectional configuration of the distal portion of the catheter may match the outer surface, or it may have a cylindrical or oval configuration. The terminal orthogonal surface of the distal catheter tip is chamfered or rounded or contoured. In another embodiment, inner and / or outer catheter surfaces have a three dimensional surface conformation and may be dimpled or grooved. The grooves may be generally liner or curved or helical or in a spiral configuration. Dimpled and / or grooved surface discontinuities may be provided in connection with and in addition to lubricious coatings, surfaces, and the like.

Artificial disc devices are disclosed that restore correct anatomical intervertebral spacing for damaged discs while maintaining a substantially normal range of biomechanical movement for the vertebrae between which they are implanted. The disc devices include center bearing and outer or annular bearing portions with the center bearing portion including generally axially extending locating surfaces which cooperate with the facing vertebral surfaces to resist migration. The outer bearing portion is for load bearing or load sharing with the center bearing portion and includes surfaces that extend radially toward the periphery of the vertebrae so that subsidence about the center bearing portion is minimized. Alternate forms of the disc devices include one with an axially enlarged center ball bearing having an annular ring bearing extending thereabout and another having upper and lower plate members with a central bumper member and a surrounding resilient annular member therebetween.

The magnetic tape has a nonmagnetic layer containing nonmagnetic powder and binder on a nonmagnetic support, and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and binder on the nonmagnetic layer; wherein the combined thickness of the nonmagnetic layer and the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.60 μm, the coefficient of friction as measured on the base portion of the surface of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.35, at least the magnetic layer contains one or more components selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid and a fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived carbon, C, concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio in a C1s spectrum obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy conducted at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees on the surface of the magnetic layer is greater than or equal to 45 atom %.

An apparatus for stabilizing vertebrae while permitting a range of motion therebetween may include first and second fasteners for engaging adjacent vertebrae and a motion preserving device that can be coupled to the first and second fasteners. The motion preserving device may include a longitudinal member that includes an array of load-bearing elements. The longitudinal member may be configured to permit the load-bearing elements to move relative to each other and / or relative to other portions of the member. In some embodiments, the longitudinal member is relatively inflexible along a longitudinal axis and relatively flexible in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

A device for inserting a lens into an eye has a grip body (1) with a lens holder (13) for holding the lens, and a plunger (2) which can be displaced in the grip body (1) for guided insertion of the lens into the eye. A ball-bearing bush (3) is arranged in the grip body (1), the plunger (2) being mounted so as to be laterally displaceable in this ball-bearing bush (3). This allows the device to be operated using one hand, said device additionally having good slide properties and permitting an at all times guided lateral or rotational movement of the plunger.

A suture thread having a textured exposed surface, wherein the texture of the exposed surface enables the suture thread to easily move in a first longitudinal direction, but resist movement in a second longitudinal direction. The texture of the exposed surface being formed by imprinting or by cutting microscopic, angled incisions.

An endoscopic system and method that is adaptable for therapeutic applications as well as sensor operation and is capable of producing 3-dimensional human vision simulated imaging with real dynamic convergence, not virtual convergence. Applications may include use in any space, including but not limited to, intra-abdominal cavities, intra-thoracic cavities, and intra-cranial cavities. Further, two or more diagnostic / sensor probes may be used, with at least two being the same kind to create the 3-dimensional effect, such as but not limited to, camera, ultrasound, and magnetic-resonance imaging. Diagnostic / sensor probes are each mounted to the end of a different arm, with the other ends of the two arms both being attached to the same hinge that allows them to turn freely on the same axis from side-to-side within a 180 degree angle range of movement on the distal end of a main tubular shaft system. Medical, as well as other applications, are contemplated.

Apparatus is provided for use with a biologically-compatible-fluid pressure source, the apparatus including an elongate carrier, adapted to be inserted through a proximal opening of a body lumen, and a piston head coupled to a distal portion of the carrier. The piston head is adapted to form a pressure seal with a wall of the lumen after the carrier has been inserted into the lumen, and to be advanced distally through the body lumen in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source. The apparatus is configured to facilitate distal advancement of the piston head by facilitating passage of fluid out of the lumen from a site within the lumen distal to the piston head. The apparatus additionally includes an optical system, coupled to the carrier in a vicinity of the distal portion, the optical system having distal and proximal ends. The optical system includes an image sensor, positioned at the proximal end of the optical system; an optical member having distal and proximal ends, and shaped so as to define a lateral surface, at least a distal portion of which is curved, configured to provide omnidirectional lateral viewing; and a convex mirror, coupled to the distal end of the optical member, wherein the optical member and the mirror have respective rotational shapes about a common rotation axis.

A ride surface for water ride attractions and the like is provided. The ride surface is fabricated from a reinforced membrane material tensioned over a supporting framework. The tensioned membrane ride surface serves the dual role of providing structural support for water flow and riders thereon while at the same time providing an impact safe surface that is non-injurious to riders who may fall thereon. The tensioned membrane can be adjusted actively and / or passively in order to accommodate different and varied ride experiences. Optionally, the shape of the membrane ride surface can be changed either dynamically or passively by special tensioning techniques and / or by using auxiliary support structures such as air bladders, pressure / suction, foam supports or / or the like.

A feedthrough terminal assembly for an active implantable medical device utilizes an insert to establish a reliable electrical connection between capacitor electrode plates, via inner surface metallization of a capacitor aperture, and an associated terminal pin 10, which passes at least partially therethrough. The inserts are preferably resiliently flexible, such as a spring, to establish this connection. The insert also serves to establish a mechanical connection between the capacitor and the terminal pin.