131 results about "Distal portion" patented technology

A nasal interface device for use in the nares of a patient for positive airway pressure applications includes a pair of nasal prongs, each prong having a bore, a first end, a second end, and at least one deformable flap disposed proximate to the first end of each prong. The device further includes a body having a distal portion and a proximal portion forming a chamber, the proximal portion having apertures to receive the second ends of the nasal prongs, the chamber being in communication with the bores of the nasal prongs, and at least one exhalation port disposed within the body. The device includes at least one gas inlet on the distal portion of the body, the at least one gas inlet in communication with the chamber. In one preferred aspect of the invention, the at least one flap is deformable within the nares of a patient thereby creating a substantially airtight seal.

An apparatus for accessing a body lumen includes a tubular member including a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction into a body lumen, and a passage extending along a steerable distal portion of the tubular member. The passage includes a first region extending substantially parallel to a center of modulus of the distal portion and a second region offset from the center of modulus. A steering element is disposed through the passage extending along the distal portion that includes a proximal end disposed adjacent the tubular member proximal end, and a distal end fixed to the tubular member distal end beyond the distal portion. A steering adjustment member is slidable within the passage for selectively directing a portion of the steering element between the first and second regions to vary the steerability of the distal portion.

An alignment guide for aligning instrumentation along a proximal femur includes a neck portion configured to wrap around a portion of the neck of the femur, a head underside portion configured to abut a disto-lateral portion of the femoral head and a medial head portion configured to overlie a medial portion of the head. Portions of the guide can have an inner surface generally a negative of the femoral bone of a specific patient that the guide overlies; such surfaces can be formed using data obtained from the specific patient. The neck portion can be configured to rotationally stabilize the guide by abutting and generating a first gripping force on the neck. The femoral head portions can be configured to grip the head portion of the femur and can support a bore guide that is configured to guide an instrument to the femur in a specified location and along a given axis.

In vivo medical stimulation probes include an elongate lead having at least one stimulation electrode disposed on a distal portion thereof. The probes may include a plurality of axially spaced apart RF chokes disposed on and/or in an axially extending shielding layer of the lead in advance of the at least one electrode to inhibit induced RF current from forming and/or traveling along the shielding layer.

A helical fastener having a high retentive surface area is provided and has a first end for enhancing penetration into tissue and a second end comprising a coil sectioning a diameter of the fastener for receiving longitudinal and rotational forces. The helical fasteners are attached to body tissue by a fastener applicator having a proximal portion comprising a handle and an actuator and an elongate distal portion for housing a plurality of fasteners. A transferring action of the actuator provides longitudinal and rotational movement of the fasteners out of the distal portion and into body tissue.

A hovering remote-control flying craft having a molded frame assembly includes a plurality of arms extending from a center body with an electric motor and corresponding propeller on each arm. In various embodiments, the motor and propeller are mounted downward-facing at a distal portion of each arm with a motor cover over the motor. The center body can be formed of a two-piece molded structure that sandwiches a circuit board to provide structural support for the frame. The circuit board can include a plurality of tabs that facilitate mounting of wire connectors, and can also provide antennas and emitters for both IR and RF communications. In some embodiments, a removable safety ring protects the propellers from lateral contact.

The present invention generally relates to medical devices, and more particularly to an improved medical imaging device. In one embodiment, an imaging device includes a drive shaft having proximal and distal ends received within the lumen; and an imaging transducer assembly coupled to the distal end of the drive shaft and positioned at the distal portion of the elongate member. The imaging transducer assembly includes one or more imaging transducers formed with a piezoelectric composite plate using photolithography based micromachining.

An apparatus and method for determining an expanded diameter of a catheter balloon. An optical sensor includes an elongated optical fiber with at least one diffraction grating formed in a core of a distal portion thereof. The fiber distal portion is coupled to the inflatable balloon. Broadband light is transmitted to the diffraction grating by an optical interrogator. A portion of the light is reflected from the diffraction grating and is received by a wavelength detector. The wavelength of the reflected portion of light is dependent on the strain applied to the diffraction grating. The wavelength detector determines the strain in the balloon and correlates the strain to the diameter of the balloon.

A surgical stapling device an elongated body portion having proximal and distal portions, and a head portion positioned adjacent the distal portion of the elongated body portion. The head portion includes a shell assembly and an anvil assembly movable relative to the shell assembly between un-approximated and approximated positions. The anvil assembly includes a center rod and an anvil head connected to the center rod. The center rod includes at least one aperture extending transversely therethrough and configured and dimensioned to receive a flexible member such that the flexible member extends transversely through the center rod.

A medical cauterization snare assembly with a tubular member, an electrically conductive cauterization loop ejectable from a distal end of the tubular member, and a capture pouch also ejectable from the distal end of the tubular member. The pouch is attached to an auxiliary loop which has a size larger than that of the cauterization loop. Alternatively, the tubular member is formed at its distal end with a first port or opening and in a distal end portion with a second port or opening spaced from the first port or opening. The two ports or openings both face in a distal direction (i.e., away from the user). The cauterization loop is alternately ejectable from and retractable into the first port or opening, while the capture pouch is separately ejectable from the second port or opening. Alternatively, the capture pouch is attached to the cauterization loop, to only a proximal portion of the loop to divide the loop's area into a proximal section covered by the pouch and an open or uncovered distal section.

A device for needle biopsy is provided. The device includes a handle member having proximal and distal portions. A proximal handle member is disposed to the proximal portion of the handle member and a distal handle member is disposed to the distal portion of the handle member. A sheath lumen is disposed within the handle member and extends from the distal portion of the handle member. A needle housing member is partially disposed to the proximal portion of the handle member and a needle is disposed within the sheath lumen. A plurality of protrusions are disposed upon the needle.

A device for performing therapeutic or diagnostic procedures within the cerebrovasculature includes a catheter having a distal portion, a proximal portion and a lumen extending therebetween, the catheter including an expandable region for engaging the vessel wall, thrombus, atheroma, or other structures. The device further includes an elongate stretching member, which can be a guidewire, insertable longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter, the elongate stretching member being configured for stretching at least a portion of the catheter and causing the expandable region to transition from an expanded state to a collapsed state, and wherein the elongate stretching member is retracted proximally relative to the catheter causes the expandable region to transition from the radially collapsed state to a radially, or laterally expanded state.

The invention provides an osteosynthesis and compression screw that is self-boring and self-tapping for the purpose of coaptation of small bone fragments. The screw comprises: a proximal portion formed by a screw head provided with an outside thread; an intermediate portion having no thread; and a distal portion provided with an outside thread. Wherein: each of the screw head and the distal portion includes at least one groove, firstly extending over the entire axial length of its thread, and secondly being formed through each thread in such a manner to form tapping means; and the terminal zone of the distal portion is provided with preparation means for preparing a housing in the bone fragments for receiving the intermediate and distal portions of the screw.

A device for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a lumen defined by the walls of a vessel in a patient's body, comprising: a filter element being expandable from a collapsed configuration when the filter element is restrained to an expanded configuration when the filter element is unrestrained, and an elongate support member, the filter being carried on a portion of the elongate support member, wherein the filter element has proximal and distal portions and a central portion, the filter element having a shape in the expanded configuration which defines a cavity having a proximal facing opening, and wherein the proximal portion of the filter element comprises a radiopaque element in the form of a discontinuous loop extending around a portion of a perimeter of the proximal facing opening, the discontinuous loop having a gap and the gap being proximate to the elongate support member.

An artificial knee joint, which makes a drag (a contact stress) acting on a sliding surface upon bending small so as to evade an extraordinary abrasion and damage of a sliding surface of a tibia component and which prevents an bending angle from being decreased by preventing lifting of a femoral component in a rotational movement. The artificial knee joint comprises a femoral component to be secured to a distal portion of a femur and a tibia component to be secured to a proximal portion of a tibia, comprising an inner sliding surface and an outer sliding surface receiving a load of the femoral component at the tibia component.

In the inner sliding surface, both of a front side and a rear side are formed in a sectional shape of circular arc in the front-to-back direction thereof, while in the outer sliding surface, a front side is formed in a sectional shape of a circular arc and a rear side is formed in a linear sectional shape in the front-to-back direction thereof.

A distraction screw includes a proximal portion secured to a first vertebra, a distal portion secured to a second vertebra and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion is coupled to the proximal and distal portions and is positioned in an intervertebral space. The intermediate portion is configured and adapted to enable distraction of the first vertebra relative to the second vertebra.

A laminate web having a nonwoven web in facing relationship with a polymer film. The laminate web has a first side comprising the polymer film and a plurality of discrete tufts including fibers integral with and extending from the nonwoven web. Each of the tufts has a tuft base proximal to the nonwoven web and a distal portion opposing the tuft base. At least part of the distal portion of each of the tufts is covered by a cap, each cap being an integral extension of said polymer film extending over the distal portion of a discrete tuft. The cap has a first opening including a location of rupture in the polymer film above which the tuft extends.

A bone screw is provided having a head and a shank with opposed first and second helical threads extending there around. In one embodiment, the shank has a proximal portion with a constant minor diameter, and a distal portion with a minor diameter that decreases in a proximal-to-distal direction to form a taper. The opposed first and second helical threads preferably define a thread depth that remains constant along the length of the shank. In an exemplary embodiment, a major diameter of the shank at a distal tip of the shank is equal to or less than the minor diameter of the proximal portion of the shank.

An accelerometer is included within the confined space and limited volume of a distal portion of a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an end component, a joint coupled to the end component, a shaft coupled to the joint, and a force transducer and accelerometer apparatus. The force transducer and accelerometer apparatus is coupled between the joint and the shaft. The force transducer and accelerometer apparatus includes a force sensor and an accelerometer. The accelerometer includes an optic fiber having a Fiber Bragg Grating. Information acquired from the Fiber Bragg Grating is used to drive a vibro-tactile haptic feedback output device coupled to a master control arm surgeon grip.

An indwelling catheter device and a method of treatment using the indwelling catheter device are provided. The indwelling catheter device includes an elongate shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a first lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and an inflation lumen extending at least partially through the shaft. The distal portion of the shaft includes a first opening connected to the first lumen. The catheter device further includes a balloon operably connected to an outer surface of the shaft proximal to the first opening wherein the balloon at least partially surrounds the shaft. The inflation lumen is connected to the balloon for selective inflation and deflation of the balloon for disrupting migration of the occluding material and inhibiting the material from occluding the first opening when the catheter device is indwelling.

A microwave antenna including a feedline, a radiating section, an inflow hypotube, a puck, a transition collar and a sleeve. The feedline includes a coaxial cable including an inner and outer conductor, and a dielectric disposed therebetween. The radiating section includes a dipole antenna coupled to the feedline and a trocar coupled to the distal end of the dipole antenna. The inflow hypotube is disposed around the outer conductor and configured to supply fluid to the radiating portion. The puck includes at least two ribs with inflow slots defined between two adjacent ribs. The transition collar is coupled to the distal end of the inflow hypotube and the first end of the puck. The transition collar includes at least two outflow slots configured to receive fluid from a distal end of the inflow hypotube and to transition the fluid from the outflow slots to a distal end of the radiating section. The sleeve overlays the two outflow slots of the transition collar, the puck and at least the distal portion of the radiating section. The sleeve forms a fluid-tight seal with the transition collar proximal the outflow slots and defines a first gap for transitioning the fluid to exit the outflow slots of the transition collar to the distal end of the radiating section.

A medical instrument insertable through a cannula, the instrument comprising an elongate shaft; and an operative tip having a first jaw and a second jaw movable with respect to the first jaw. The operative tip disposed at a distal end of said elongate shaft and being disposed on said shaft for rotation relative to at least a distal end portion of said shaft about a longitudinal axis of said distal end portion.

A system for performing minimally invasive procedures in a working space within a body lumen of a patient including a flexible catheter configured to receive a working instrument therethrough. The flexible catheter has a working space expanding system positioned at the distal portion, the working space expanding system including first and second flexible elements movable from a non-expanded insertion position to an expanded position forming an expanded region to expand the working space within the body. The first and second flexible elements are connected at a distal region by a coupling structure. A stabilizing member stabilizes the distal portion of the flexible catheter.

An implantable medical lead is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the lead includes a body and an electrical pathway. The body may include a distal portion with an electrode and a proximal portion with a lead connector end. The electrical pathway may extend between the electrode and lead connector end and include a coiled inductor including a first portion and a second portion at least partially magnetically decoupled from the first portion. The first portion may include a first configuration having a first SRF. The second portion may include a second configuration different from the first configuration. The second configuration may have a second SRF different from the first SRF. For example, the first SRF may be near 64 MHz and the second SRF may be near 128 MHz.

An IV catheter includes a catheter having a wall defining a lumen, a proximal end, and a distal end. An adapter has a proximal end, a distal end and an internal cavity. The adapter is in fluid communication with the catheter lumen. A septum is positioned within the adapter cavity at the adapter proximal end. An extension tube extends laterally from the adapter and is in fluid communication with adapter cavity. A tip shield has a distal end, a proximal end and an internal cavity. The tip shield is positioned adjacent adapter proximal end and coaxially aligned with adapter. A hub has a proximal portion, a distal portion and an internal cavity. The hub is positioned adjacent the tip shield proximal end and is aligned coaxially with the tip shield. A cannula has a wall defining a lumen, a beveled distal end, an aperture in the wall of said cannula near the cannula distal end and a proximal end in the shape of a hook. The cannula passes through and is coaxially aligned with the catheter, adapter, tip shield and hub.

A flexible, kink-resistant, delivery catheter or sheath (83) for percutaneously delivering implantable medical devices. The delivery catheter sheath includes a flat wire coil (95) with uniform spacing between the turns, which is compression fitted about and proximal the distal portion of an inner, lubricous material polytetrafluoroethylene tube (84). The delivery catheter or sheath further includes an outer tube (85) of a heat formable polyamide material, which is heat formed and compressed through the spaces between the turns of the wire coil to mechanically connect to the roughened outer surface of the inner tube. The distal portion (87) of the inner tube is expanded and everted or folded-back over itself and connected to the distal end of the outer tube to form a lumen having a larger diameter than the rest of the catheter.

A humeral anchor assembly is provided that includes a humeral anchor and at least one screw. The humeral anchor is configured to form a part of or support a part of a shoulder prosthesis. The humeral anchor has a distal portion configured to be anchored in a proximal region of a humerus and a proximal portion. The proximal portion includes a proximal face configured to engage an articular component within a periphery thereof. The proximal portion also includes at least one aperture disposed adjacent to the periphery. The at least one screw is disposed through the at least one aperture. The screw has a first end portion engaged with the proximal portion of the anchor and a second end portion disposed in or through cortical bone of the humerus.

In one aspect of the invention, a cross-pin includes a distal portion having an axis, a distal end, and a proximal end. A proximal cylindrical portion includes a threaded exterior surface. A junction may be interposed between the distal and proximal portions to enable the proximal portion to rotate relative to the distal portion. In another aspect of the invention, a graft retaining system for retaining a graft in a bone tunnel includes a graft block having a proximal end and a distal end, and sized to fit within the bone tunnel. A cross pin transverse to the bone tunnel attaches the graft block adjacent the tunnel. An intermediate connector is attached to the graft block at a point distal to the cross pin and connects the graft to the graft block so as to apply compressive forces to the graft block.

A medical instrument for manipulating, in particular retracting tissue or an organ in the human or animal body, comprises an elongated shaft having a distal portion introducible into the body, and at least one working element arranged at a distal end portion of the shaft for manipulating the tissue or organ. The at least one working element comprises at least one magnetically acting element producing a magnetic field for manipulating the tissue or organ. A method for manipulating, in particular retracting tissue or an organ uses the instrument.

A suture cutting apparatus for cutting a suture during a surgical procedure. The suture cutting apparatus is arranged for receipt on a fingertip. The apparatus comprises a hollow, generally cylindrically shaped housing, the housing has a first or distal end and a second or proximal end. A razor blade is supported on the distal end of the housing. The first or distal end of the housing is closed by a hemispherically shaped enclosure. The hemispherically shaped enclosure has a flange on a distal portion thereof to support the blade. The flange has a V-shaped notch disposed thereon, and the blade is arranged in the notch.