121results about How to "Less disruptive" patented technology

Prosthetic joints, components for prosthetic joints, superhard bearing and articulation surfaces, diamond bearing and articulation surfaces, substrate surface topographical features, materials for making joints, bearing and articulation surfaces, and methods for manufacturing and finishing the same, and related information are disclosed, including a prosthetic hip joint having sintered polycrystalline diamond articulation.

Prosthetic joints, components for prosthetic joints, superhard bearing and articulation surfaces, diamond bearing and articulation surfaces, substrate surface topographical features, materials for making joints, bearing and articulation surfaces, and methods for manufacturing and finishing the same, and related information are disclosed, including prosthetic knee joint having at least one diamond articulation surface.

Prosthetic joints, components for prosthetic joints, superhard bearing and articulation surfaces, diamond bearing and articulation surfaces, substrate surface topographical features, materials for making joints, bearing and articulation surfaces, and methods for manufacturing and finishing the same, and related information are disclosed, including methods for manufacturing a diamond prosthetic joint component.

A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque prior to balloon angioplasty which microperforates the plaque with small sharp spikes acting as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque. The spikes may also be used to transport medication into the plaque. The plaque preparation treatment enables subsequent angioplasty to be performed at low balloon pressures of about 4 atmospheres or less, reduces dissections, and avoids injury to the arterial wall. The subsequent angioplasty may be performed with a drug-eluting balloon (DEB) or drug-coated balloon (DCB). The pre-angioplasty perforation procedure enables more drug to be absorbed during DEB or DCB angioplasty, and makes the need for a stent less likely. Alternatively, any local incidence of plaque dissection after balloon angioplasty may be treated by applying a thin, ring-shaped tack at the dissection site only, rather than applying a stent over the overall plaque site.

An air delivery system for providing a supply of air from a source of air at positive pressure to an interfacing structure located at the entrance to the airways of a patient includes a manifold adapted to connect with the supply of positive air pressure and at least one tube connected to the manifold and adapted to deliver the supply of air to the interfacing structure. Each tube is structured to allow movement between an open phase in which the tube allows the passage of air and a collapsed phase in which the tube is collapsed. Each tube is structured such that weight of a typical patient's head against bedding apparel is sufficient to collapse the tube from the open phase to the collapsed phase.

A laser shock peening process for producing one or more compressive residual stress regions in a medical device is disclosed. A high-energy laser apparatus can be utilized to direct an intense laser beam through a confining medium and onto the target surface of a workpiece. An absorption overlay disposed on the target surface of the workpiece absorbs the laser beam, inducing a pressure shock wave that forms a compressive residual stress region deep within the workpiece. Medical devices such as stents and guidewires having one or more of these compressive residual stress regions are also disclosed.

An intravascular device can comprise a carrier and an expansion apparatus. The device can be used for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque. The carrier can be reversibly expandable and collapsible within a vessel and can have ribbon strips extending between opposite ends in a longitudinal direction of the carrier. The ribbon strips can each be formed with a plurality of elongated protrusions thereon. The expansion apparatus can be used to actuate the ribbon strips each with the plurality elongated protrusions to pierce a luminal surface of the plaque with lines or patterns of microperforations which act as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque.

A method of removably anchoring well tubing in a well bore may include selecting a well having a bore diameter and an anchor positioned therein. The anchor may have a housing defining an anchor diameter and extension members extending therefrom toward the bore diameter. The bore diameter and anchor diameter may be spaced apart a distance defining an annulus therebetween and extending along the well. A tool sized to cut substantially exclusively within the annulus may be selected. The tool may be positioned within the annulus, rotated, and advanced to drive past the housing to remove the extension members between the housing and the bore diameter to free the anchor.

A radio-frequency electrode that is specially configured to provide a reasonably uniform electric field distribution at the skin surface of a patient being treated to improve the skin appearance. Harmful burning is avoided by employing one of the following four features: pre-applying to the skin a thermal gel, a known thermally and electrically-conductive material, using low radio-frequency power at 3.8-4 MHz, relying on the natural cooling provided by a highly conductive electrode material, and continuously moving the electrode while in contact with the skin. Preferably, all four features are combined in carrying out the cosmetic procedure of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the highly conductive electrode material is an alloy comprised mainly of silver with a small percentage of ingredients added to strengthen the silver alloy electrode and preserve its luster and the active surface of the electrode is configured as a section of a sphere, or as dome shaped.

A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque perforates the plaque with microperforations by small sharp spikes to act as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque. In preferred embodiments, expansion may be obtained by mechanical apparatus, expansion balloon, or balloon-assisted deployment. The plaque treatment enables a subsequent balloon angioplasty to be performed without creating substantial dissections and at low balloon pressure so as to avoid injury to the arterial wall. The plaque treatment may include dilatation of the plaque at low pressure, sufficiently that no subsequent balloon angioplasty is needed. The plaque preparation may be followed by applying one or a few ring tacks to secure the compressed plaque with minimal emplacement of foreign material.

A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque prior to balloon angioplasty. An intravascular device can comprise a carrier configured for expansion within a vessel. The carrier can have a s plurality of ribbon strips extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end. An open slot can be positioned between adjacent ribbon strips. A plurality of spikes can be positioned on each of the ribbon strips. The spikes can act as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in plaque in the vessel. The spikes may also be used to transport medication into the plaque. The plaque preparation treatment can enables subsequent angioplasty to be performed at low balloon pressures, can reduces dissections, and avoids injury to the arterial wall.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for flow control over Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) data links. A method of negotiating such flow control between two PPP peers is disclosed, along with methods for operating flow control across a PPP link. In one embodiment, flow control frames carry an IEEE802.3x MAC control frame payload—the PPP implementation repackages such frames as MAC control frames and passes them to a MAC, which performs flow control. In another embodiment, flow control frames allow flow control commands to be applied differently to different service classes such that PPP flow can be controlled on a per-class basis.

Described herein are method and apparatus for servicing software components of nodes of a cluster storage system. During data-access sessions with clients, client IDs and file handles for accessing files are produced and stored to clients and stored (as session data) to each node. A serviced node is taken offline, whereby network connections to clients are disconnected. Each disconnected client is configured to retain its client ID and file handles and attempt reconnections. Session data of the serviced node is made available to a partner node (by transferring session data to the partner node). After clients have reconnected to the partner node, the clients may use the retained client IDs and file handles to continue a data-access session with the partner node since the partner node has access to the session data of the serviced node and thus will recognize and accept the retained client ID and file handles.

An expandable interbody device for placement between adjacent vertebrae having an upper structure, a lower structure and a screw mechanism, wherein actuation of the screw mechanism moves the upper and lower structures between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. A deployment tool couples to the expandable interbody device for positioning the device between adjacent vertebrae, actuating the screw mechanism and delivering a material to a chamber of the expandable interbody device.