514 results about "Body organs" patented technology

A single fold system for tissue approximation and fixation is described herein. The devices are advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create at least one fold within a hollow body organ. The system comprises a tissue acquisition and folding device and a tissue stapling or fixation device, each of which is used together as a system. The acquisition device is used to approximate a single fold of tissue from within the hollow body organ and the stapling device is advanced through a main lumen defined through the acquisition device and is used to affix the tissue. The stapling device is keyed to maintain its rotational orientation relative to the acquisition device and to provide the user positional information of the stapling device. The acquisition device is also configured to provide lateral stability to the stapling device prior to the stapling device being clamped onto tissue.

A collapsible medical device and associated methods of occluding an abnormal opening in, for example, a body organ, wherein the medical device is shaped from plural layers of a heat-treatable metal fabric. Each of the fabric layers is formed from a plurality of metal strands and the assembly is heat-treated within a mold in order to substantially set a desired shape of the device. By incorporating plural layers in the thus-formed medical device, the ability of the device to rapidly occlude an abnormal opening in a body organ is significantly improved.

Devices, systems and methods support tissue in a body organ for the purpose of restoring or maintaining native function of the organ. The devices, systems, and methods do not require invasive, open surgical approaches to be implemented, but, instead, lend themselves to catheter-based, intra-vascular and/or percutaneous techniques.

An apparatus for applying sealant to a target tissue of a surgical site is provided. The apparatus includes a handle, conduit and an end effector. The handle has means configured and adapted for operating the end effector and dispensing biological sealant to the surgical site via the end effector. The conduit stores and/or carries sealant towards the end effector. The end effector is configured to clamp around a body organ or tissue and apply and confine biological sealant in a substantially uniform manner thereto.

A method for treating at least one of a plurality of disorders characterized at least in part by vagal activity includes positioning an electrode around a body organ innervated by the vagus. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity. The electrical signal is applied at a frequency selected for the signal to create a neural conduction block to the vagus with the neural conduction block selected to at least partially block nerve impulses on the vagus. The application of the electrical signal is discontinued. The application of the signal and the discontinuing of the signal are repeated with durations of the discontinuing and the application selected to treat the disorder.

Methods and devices for providing a minimally-invasive placement of a mechanical structure for reducing the volume of a hollow body organ. Anchors may be secured within the hollow body organ and then cinched together using a tensioning member to form a stricture within the hollow body organ. In another embodiment a tensioning member may be threaded along the hollow body organ and then cinched to reduce the volume. The strictures may be placed anywhere within the hollow body organ, and more than one stricture may be formed within the hollow body organ.

Devices and methods for tissue acquisition and fixation, or gastroplasty, are described. Generally, the devices of the system may be advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or more plications within the hollow body organ. A tissue treatment device attached to a distal end of a flexible elongated member and has a cartridge member opposite an anvil member. The cartridge member and the anvil member are movable between a closed position and an open position relative to one another, and the cartridge member is re-loadable with a removable staple cartridge to form multiple plications within the organ with the same tissue treatment device.

A method for treating at least one of a plurality of disorders characterized at least in part by vagal activity includes positioning an electrode at a body organ innervated by the vagus. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity. The electrical signal is applied at a frequency in excess of 3,000 Hz for the signal to create a neural conduction block to the vagus with the neural conduction block selected to at least partially block nerve impulses on the vagus.

The invention relates to heart treatment devices and methods for performing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in the region between a bodily organ and a covering of the bodily organ. The invention can be used for example to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure in the pericardial space.

Devices and methods for tissue acquisition and fixation, or gastroplasty, are described. Generally, the devices of the system may be advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body, e.g., transorally, endoscopically, percutaneously, etc., to create one or several divisions or plications within the hollow body organ. Such divisions or plications can form restrictive barriers within a organ, or can be placed to form a pouch, or gastric lumen, smaller than the remaining stomach volume to essentially act as the active stomach such as the pouch resulting from a surgical Roux-En-Y gastric bypass procedure. Moreover, the system is configured such that once acquisition of the tissue by the gastroplasty device is accomplished, any manipulation of the acquired tissue is unnecessary as the device is able to automatically configure the acquired tissue into a desired configuration.

Non-intrusive peripheral systems and methods to track, identify various acting entities and capture the full motion of these entities in a sports event. The entities preferably include players belonging to teams. The motion capture of more than one player is implemented in real-time with image processing methods. Captured player body organ or joints location data can be used to generate a three-dimensional display of the real sporting event using computer games graphics.

The present invention relates to an endoscope, more specifically to an endoscope that provides both forward view and rear view of a hollow body organ. It comprises of a rear view module that contains a rear image lens and a rear illumination bulb. The rear view module is designed and is attached to a conventional endoscope in a way that when deployed, the rear image lens and the rear illumination bulb face backward. In this position, the rear image lens provides a rear view and the rear illumination bulb illuminates the area under view of the rear image lens. The present invention enables the operator to obtain forward and rear views of a hollow organ either separately or simultaneously. The ability to obtain forward and rear view at the same time enables the operator to perform a complete examination of a hollow organ that includes both forward and rear view in a single insertion. The present invention enables surgical procedures to be performed in areas that are otherwise inaccessible and out of view of conventional endoscopes. This is made possible by a rear instrument channel located proximal to the rear view module. The present invention also improves distension and visualization of a hollow internal organ by having a rear air/water channel also located proximal to the rear view module. The present invention widens the field of vision of conventional endoscopes by enabling the addition of more than one forward image lens and more than one forward illumination bulb.

Devices, systems, and methods use a catheter device sized and configured for introduction to a targeted site in a hollow body organ or blood vessel. The catheter device includes a first release mechanisms coupled to the prosthesis to secure at least one region of the prosthesis to the catheter shaft, and a second release mechanism coupled to the prosthesis in cooperation with the first release mechanism to prevent full release of the at least one region of the at least one region of the prosthesis from the catheter shaft after actuation of the first release mechanism. A fastening device sized and configured for introduction to the targeted site in the hollow body organ or blood vessel occupied by the catheter device, includes an actuator to deploy a fastener in the at least one region of the prosthesis after actuation of the first release mechanism and before actuation of the second release mechanism.

Methods and devices for providing a minimally-invasive placement of a mechanical structure for reducing the volume of a hollow body organ. Intragastric bands may be secured within the hollow body organ and then reduced in diameter to form a stricture within the hollow body organ. The strictures may be placed anywhere within the hollow body organ, and more than one stricture may be formed within the hollow body organ.