2855results about How to "Improve the force" patented technology

In various embodiments, an anvil of a disposable loading unit including a first member having staple pockets for deforming staples, a first cover plate secured to the first member, and a second cover plate secured to at least one of the first member and the first cover plate, wherein the first and second cover plates can be configured to support the first member. In at least one embodiment, an anvil can include a first member inserted into a second member, where at least one of the first and second members can be deformed to retain one to the other. In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a disposable loading unit comprising a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a sleeve, wherein the sleeve can be configured to be slid relative to the staple cartridge and the anvil to hold the anvil in a closed position.

In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, wherein the shaft defines an axis, and a disposable loading unit which is assembled to the shaft in a direction which is transverse to the shaft axis. Such a connection between the disposable loading unit and the shaft can prevent, or at least inhibit, the disposable loading unit from being unintentionally displaced proximally and / or distally relative to the shaft of the surgical instrument. The surgical stapling instrument and / or disposable loading unit can further include a threaded collar and / or detent assembly configured to hold the disposable loading unit in place. In various embodiments, a disposable loading unit can include a lockout feature which can prevent, or at least inhibit, an expended disposable loading unit from being reassembled to the elongated body of the surgical instrument.

A surgical stapling instrument including an actuator configured to be retracted relative to the distal end of the disposable loading unit and rotate an anvil between an open position and a closed position. The actuator can include a cam, where the cam can include an arcuate profile having an apex configured to be in contact with the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position. In at least one such embodiment, the anvil can apply a clamping force to the soft tissue prior to the staples being deployed to prevent, or at least inhibit, soft tissue from flowing, or ‘milking’, out of the distal end of the disposable loading unit. In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a disposable loading unit having an anvil which can be moved between open, closed, and / or collapsed positions to facilitate the insertion of the disposable loading unit through a trocar.

In various embodiments, a disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling instrument can include an anvil, a staple cartridge, a staple cartridge channel for operably supporting the staple cartridge, and a connector for removably attaching the disposable loading unit to the surgical instrument. In at least one embodiment, a first staple cartridge can be replaced with another staple cartridge after the first staple cartridge has been at least partially expended. In various embodiments, a staple cartridge can include a staple driver for deploying staples from the staple cartridge and a cutting member for incising tissue, wherein a new staple driver and a new cutting member can be provided with each new staple cartridge. The anvil can be removably attachable to the disposable loading unit such that a new anvil can be utilized with a new staple cartridge.

In various embodiments, an anvil of a disposable loading unit including a first member having staple pockets for deforming staples, a first cover plate secured to the first member, and a second cover plate secured to at least one of the first member and the first cover plate, wherein the first and second cover plates can be configured to support the first member. In at least one embodiment, an anvil can include a first member inserted into a second member, where at least one of the first and second members can be deformed to retain one to the other. In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a disposable loading unit comprising a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a sleeve, wherein the sleeve can be configured to be slid relative to the staple cartridge and the anvil to hold the anvil in a closed position.

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, wherein the shaft defines an axis, and a disposable loading unit which is assembled to the shaft in a direction which is transverse to the shaft axis. Such a connection between the disposable loading unit and the shaft can prevent, or at least inhibit, the disposable loading unit from being unintentionally displaced proximally and / or distally relative to the shaft of the surgical instrument. The surgical stapling instrument and / or disposable loading unit can further include a threaded collar and / or detent assembly configured to hold the disposable loading unit in place. In various embodiments, a disposable loading unit can include a lockout feature which can prevent, or at least inhibit, an expended disposable loading unit from being reassembled to the elongated body of the surgical instrument.

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

A balloon for use in compressing cancellous bone and marrow (also known as medullary bone or trabecular bone). The balloon comprises an inflatable balloon body for insertion into said bone. The body has a shape and size to compress at least a portion of the cancellous bone to form a cavity in the cancellous bone and / or to restore the original position of the outer cortical bone, if fractured or collapsed. The balloon desirably incorporates restraints which inhibit the balloon from applying excessive pressure to various regions of the cortical bone. The wall or walls of the balloon are such that proper inflation of the balloon body is achieved to provide for optimum compression of the bone marrow. The balloon can be inserted quickly into a bone. The balloon can be made to have a suction catheter. The balloon can be used to form and / or enlarge a cavity or passage in a bone, especially in, but not limited to, vertebral bodies. Various additional embodiments facilitate directionally biasing the inflation of the balloon.

A device for connecting and locking structural panels, particularly floor panels, having a groove forming an upper lip and a lower lip over the entire length of at least one lateral border and with a tongue formed on the opposite lateral border corresponding to the groove. To lock panels that have been connected, the tongue is provided with at least one projection and the groove exhibits at least one indentation on the lip that faces the projection, which device is characterized by the indentation being longer than the projection, and on its lateral border (I3, I4) the lip provided with at least one indentation exhibits at least one recess reaching back to the indentation. The length of the recess is at least as great as the length of the projection, and seen in the longitudinal direction, the recess and the projection occupy positions that are staggered, one relative to the other.

Described herein are systems and methods for operation of a prosthetic valve support structure (32) having additional reinforcement coupled with panels (36). Multiple support members (620) are distributed across the inner surface of the valve support structure (32) at regular intervals. Each support member (620) can include a looped portion (621) to act as a hinge (52). Each looped portion (621) is in a location coincidental with the interlace between adjacent panels (36).

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices may be adapted for use in minimally invasive or endovascular surgical procedures.

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

A modular stent comprises at least one stent module including an intermediate segment consisting of one of either a closed-cell segment or a Z-segment and a pair of end segments connected to respective longitudinal ends of said intermediate segment, each end segment consisting of the other of said closed-cell segment or Z-segment, each closed-cell segment consisting solely of at least one annular closed-cell ring and each Z-segment consisting solely of at least one annular Z-ring. A method of manufacturing a stent form a small diameter tube includes laser-cutting the small diameter tube to define a plurality of longitudinally adjacent Z-rings, providing interconnector portions of said tube integrally joining facing aligned or offset Z-rings, expanding the small diameter tube, and removing predetermined interconnector portions from the expanded tube to provide the predetermined desired arrangement of interconnected closed-cell rings and Z-rings.

A surgical stapling instrument including an actuator configured to be retracted relative to the distal end of the disposable loading unit and rotate an anvil between an open position and a closed position. The actuator can include a cam, where the cam can include an arcuate profile having an apex configured to be in contact with the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position. In at least one such embodiment, the anvil can apply a clamping force to the soft tissue prior to the staples being deployed to prevent, or at least inhibit, soft tissue from flowing, or ‘milking’, out of the distal end of the disposable loading unit. In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can include a disposable loading unit having an anvil which can be moved between open, closed, and / or collapsed positions to facilitate the insertion of the disposable loading unit through a trocar.

An artificial disc replacement (ADR) includes a pair of opposing endplate components, each attached to one of the upper and lower vertebrae, a cushioning component disposed between the endplate components; and a filler material contained within the cushioning component. The filler material may be a gas, liquid, foam, or gel, including a hydrogel. In a preferred embodiment, the ADR may further include one or more opposing, spaced-apart projections configured to impinge if the endplate components are subjected to an excessive force. Such projections may allow for unrestricted motion between the endplates until impingement, or may restrict translation between the endplates until a greater excessive force is reached. One or both of the endplate components may include a modified surface to increase adherence to the respective vertebral endplates.

Carbon nanotube structures are disclosed in which nanotubes are disposed over a porous support such as a foam, felt, mesh, or membrane. Techniques of making these structures are also disclosed. In some of these techniques, a support is pretreated with a templated surfactant composition to assist with the formation of a nanotube layer.

An orthodontic appliance 1 for promoting development of a dental arch form in a patient who has an underdeveloped dental arch form is disclosed. The appliance 1 includes an arch-shaped base member 2 that is made of a resiliently flexible material, and a teeth engaging member 5 that encloses at least part of the base member 2. The teeth engaging member 5 defines upper and / or lower dental arch receiving channels 46, 47 and is made of a resiliently flexible material that is softer than the base member and is deformable. The appliance 1 has a resting form in which the resilient materials of the base member 2 and the teeth engaging member 5 are in their resting condition. The appliance 1 can be flexed or deformed out of the resting form to fit the underdeveloped dental arch form into the dental arch receiving channel 46, 47. When deformed the appliance 1 exerts a return force that is directed to returning it to its resting form which in use urges the underdeveloped dental arch to expand into a developed dental arch form.

An implant for treating rectocele and / or prolapsus of the vaginal fornix is thin and flexible and includes a support body from which there extend at least two upper suspension stabilizers disposed on either side of a sagittal plane and two lower suspension stabilizers disposed on either side of the sagittal plane. The implant may be constructed from a suitable biocompatible material such as a woven synthetic material, or a knitted material of polypropylene or polyester fibers.

An improved guidewire for assisting in implantation of a cardiac lead includes three sections. The most distal zone is sufficiently floppy to prevent trauma to the vessel walls through which the guidewire and lead are inserted. An intermediate zone is generally stiffer and has a cross-section less than or equal to the cross-section of the distal zone. The third zone is stiffer yet and is joined to the intermediate zone by a shoulder. The shoulder cooperates with protrusions on the lead to transfer forces between the guidewire and lead. A finishing wire having temporary locking means to lock the finishing wire to the lead is employed to remove the guide catheter without moving the lead from its desired location. Lubricious coatings are also provided to reduce friction between the lead and guidewire.

A leg support garment of a tights type that has stretchability and is applied in close contact with the human body so as to support the legs is provided with a stretchable part having a relatively great straining force. The stretchable part having a relatively great straining force includes a stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force that substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on a medial side of the knee joint of the human body, and on a superior side of the knee joint, extends through a length of not less than ¼ of that of the thigh, along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus sartorius, the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis. Thus, it is possible to provide a leg support garment that is capable of effectively protecting the knees and stably maintaining the knee joints without decreasing the degree of freedom of the movement of the knee joints, that provides a good feeling when worn, and that is useful for preventing and reducing gonalgia of the knees, and further, for preventing injuries to the ligamentum collateralle medialis caused by sports or the like.

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Surgical instrument for inserting an intervertebral prosthesis, having first and second prosthesis holders (52A, 52B) for a pair of prosthesis plates, which holders are connected to one another by a parallel guide (57) and can be spread by a lever arrangement (131). The first of the prosthesis holders is arranged on an elongate instrument body in order to give the surgeon an exact picture of the orientation of the prosthesis and to allow force to be exerted in exactly this direction. The actuating lever (131) is articulated with its front end on the second prosthesis holder (52B) so as to pivot about a spindle (130) extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the instrument body (51) and to the direction of spreading. Behind this spindle (130), it has a limit stop (133) which acts directly or indirectly on the instrument body (51) or the first prosthesis holder (52A). The lever arrangement can also be the other way around.

A method for scanning a surface of a workpiece 1 at a constant scanning speed / va / using a scanning probe 2 mounted on a support 3 on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) 4. The CMM contains a first set of drive means (6, 7, 8) to move the support according to three linear axis (x,y,z), and the support 3 contains a second set of drive means (14, 17) for actuating the movement of the scanning probe 2 with two degrees of freedom relative to said support 3. The method involves control means 33 coupled to the sets of drive means (6, 14, 17), and memory means for storing theoretical profiles and coordinates of the surface to scan.