233422 results about "Medicine" patented technology

The present invention provides devices and methods for attachment of an implanted device, such as an artificial stoma device, a gastrointestinal sleeve device or an attachment cuff, within a patient's digestive tract for treatment of obesity. Special surgical fasteners provide a lasting and durable attachment to the gastrointestinal tissue without causing excessive pressure that could result in tissue erosion and detachment of the implanted device. Fastener delivery devices that facilitate peroral placement and deployment of fasteners and secondary devices are also provided. Also described are implantable devices and attachment means that avoid causing excessive pressure within the tissue by having compliance that is compatible with the gastrointestinal tissues where it is attached.

Provided herein are methods, devices and compositions to conductively or to inductively fix substrates, including tissues, using electromagnetic energy. Also provided is a method of controlling the fixing process via feedback monitoring of a property of the composition and/or of the electromagnetic energy used.

A method and apparatus for ablation of a layer of tissue is achieved by providing first and second bodies on opposed sides of the tissue. The first body includes a first ablation member and a source of magnetic force adjacent one side of the tissue. The second body includes a second ablation member and a magnetically attractive element responsive to the magnetic force adjacent the other side of the tissue. The magnetic attraction between the source and the attractive element is adapted to align the first and second bodies in opposed relationship on the opposed sides of the tissue. One of the first and second bodies may include at least one expandible member for controlling the magnetic attraction between the bodies.

Instrument introducers and methods of using the same are provided to facilitate the introduction of a surgical instrument into a cavity or a body opening of a patient. The instrument introducers include a body portion defining a lumen therethrough, a flexible distal end portion having a distal orifice, a proximal end portion having a proximal orifice, and at least one fold formed in at least the distal end portion.

A tissue ablation system is described. The tissue ablation system can include a plurality of electrodes, a viewing window between adjacent electrodes, illuminating elements, and an image sensor. The image sensor can be a CMOS device.

Hemostatic agents and devices are made from oxidized cellulose fiber, the oxidized cellulose having a carboxylation content increased by the action of nitrogen dioxide on virgin cellulose fiber. A composition may be incorporated into the oxidized cellulose fiber to cause a pharmacological effect on a wound to which the hemostatic agents and devices are applied. When applied, the oxidized cellulose fiber causes blood emanating from the wound to clot. The oxidized cellulose fiber can either be resorbed into the wound or removed from the wound after healing. A hemostatic bandage includes a pad of unwoven oxidized cellulose fibers mounted on a substrate. Methods of arresting a flow of blood emanating from a wound using such devices are also disclosed. Methods of fabricating oxidized cellulose are also disclosed.

A monitor for determining a patient's physiological parameter includes a calibration device that provides a calibration signal indicative of an accurate measurement of the patient's physiological parameter. The monitor also includes a processor, which receives a noninvasive signal from a noninvasive sensor positioned over a blood vessel. The processor uses the calibration signal to calibrate a relationship between the noninvasive signal and a property of the physiological parameter. The processor also determines when to recalibrate the relationship.

A medical apparatus and method suitable for remodeling a mitral valve annulus adjacent to the coronary sinus. The apparatus comprises an elongate body having a proximal region and a distal region. Each of the proximal and distal regions is dimensioned to reside completely within the vascular system. The elongate body may be moved from a first configuration for transluminal delivery to at least a portion of the coronary sinus to a second configuration for remodeling the mitral valve annulus proximate the coronary sinus. A forming element may be attached to the elongate body for manipulating the elongate body from the first transluminal configuration to the second remodeling configuration. Further, the elongate body may comprise a tube having a plurality of transverse slots therein.

A method is provided for calibrating a noninvasive glucose monitor for prospective noninvasive glucose determination. Spectroscopic transflectance readings are measured on the patient's skin using a noninvasive glucose monitor. The patient's blood glucose level is measured with an invasive glucose monitor. The noninvasive and invasive measurements are correlated to form an individual algorithm for each patient. Preferably, the position of the patient's skin with respect to the probe of the noninvasive monitor is spatially adjusted while collecting the transflectance measurements such that multiple readings are taken on the patient's skin. The measurements are preferably taken over a period of time and over a plurality of glucose levels in the patient.

A system for performing in vivo procedures is provided. The system may include a tool for performing an in vivo procedure. The tool may have an in vivo sensor for obtaining in vivo information; a functional element for performing an interventional or diagnostic in-vivo procedure; a processor in communication with the tool for receiving and optionally processing the in vivo information obtained by the tool and a monitor in communication with the processor for displaying the optionally processed in vivo information. The communication between the elements of the system may be wireless, or, optionally, wired.

A novel delivery system for targeting drugs to the colon is herein described. The system is a tablet comprised of three parts: 1) an outer enteric coating, 2) an inner semi-permeable polymer membrane containing a plasticizer and 3) a central core comprising swelling excipients and an active ingredient. The novel dosage form described herein will release the drug consistently in the colon by a time-dependent explosion mechanism. This delivery system is particularly suitable for delivering viral protease inhibitors to the colon.

This invention provides devices and methods for mixing and extruding compositions which are medically and non-medically useful. The devices are particularly useful for mixing substances which are relatively inert when alone but become reactive when mixed. A common feature of all of the devices is that they allow the user to mix and ultimately extrude a composition from a single device which includes a single container or multiple interconnected containers.

A blood glucose monitoring system is disclosed which provides for inducing an active pulse in the blood volume of a patient. The induction of an active pulse results in a cyclic, and periodic change in the flow of blood through a fleshy medium under test. By actively inducing a change of the blood volume, modulation of the volume of blood can be obtained to provide a greater signal to noise ratio. This allows for the detection of constituents in blood at concentration levels below those previously detectable in a non-invasive system. Radiation which passes through the fleshy medium is detected by a detector which generates a signal indicative of the intensity of the detected radiation. Signal processing is performed on the electrical signal to isolate those optical characteristics of the electrical signal due to the optical characteristics of the blood.