969 results about "Wire loop" patented technology

A free loop knotless suture anchor assembly for attachment of tissue to bone mass. The assembly includes a continuous suture loop and an anchor means for capturing portions of the loop with a snag means or recess thereon or therein the anchor means. Once the loop is captured, the anchor is inserted securely into a bone mass which facilitates in a repair of the torn away soft tissue.

The present invention comprises electrosurgical apparatus and methods for maintaining patency in body passages subject to occlusion by invasive tissue growth. The apparatus includes an electrode support disposed at a shaft distal end having at least one active electrode arranged thereon, and at least one return electrode proximal to the at least one active electrode. In one embodiment, a plurality of active electrodes each comprising a curved wire loop portion are sealed within a distal portion of the electrode support. The apparatus and methods of the present invention may be used to open and maintain patency in virtually any hollow body passage which may be subject to occlusion by invasive cellular growth or invasive solid tumor growth. Suitable hollow body passages include ducts, orifices, lumens, and the like, with exemplary body passages including the coronary arteries. The present invention is particularly useful for reducing or eliminating the effects of restenosis in coronary arteries by selectively removing tissue in-growth in or around stents anchored therein.

A suturing apparatus is adapted for joining two objects which define a near side and a far side. The apparatus includes an elongate support structure having a working channel and an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The structural support is adapted to be positioned over a guidewire extending between the two objects, in an operative position wherein the proximal end is disposed on the near side and the distal end as disposed on the far side. Removal of the guidewire permits use of a stylet for positioning a suture to extend within the working channel from the proximal end to the distal end. A pair of hooks are movable from a proximal position at the proximal end of the support structure through the objects and a pair of slots in the support structure, to a distal position wherein the hooks engage the suture within the working channel at the distal end of the support structure. The actuator is then operable to move the hooks and the engaged suture from the distal position to the proximal position in order to facilitate tying of the suture and joining of the two objects. Alternatively, suture loops can be carried through the objects by unidirectional hooks and into the working channel. The hooks can then be withdrawn leaving the suture loops in the working channel where they can be engaged by a snare and withdrawn proximally between the two objects. Suturing pledgets can be added to the suturing apparatus prior to operative disposition, and a backing member can be provided to support at least the pledgets when the hook passes through the object.

A knotless suture system for anchoring tissue to bone is provided. The system includes a suture anchor configured to radially expand into bone. The suture anchor has a proximal end and a distal end with a bore formed therein. The system further includes a first loop of suture thread attached to the distal end of the suture anchor, a suture needle, and a second loop of suture thread attached to the needle and interlocked with the first loop of suture thread. The system also includes an expander pin that is configured and sized for insertion into the bore of the suture anchor, causing the anchor to radially expand from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter. A method is also provided by which a detached tissue may be securely attached to bone in an anatomically correct position without the need to tie a knot.

An antenna module, that is compatible with a magnetic resonance imaging scanner for the purpose of diagnostic quality imaging, is adapted to be implanted inside an animal. The antenna module comprises an electrically non-conducting, biocompatible, and electromagnetically transparent enclosure with inductive antenna wires looping around an inside surface. An electronic module is enclosed in an electromagnetic shield inside the enclosure to minimize the electromagnetic interference from the magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

A heart valve annulus repair device having a tissue engaging member and a plurality of anchors. The tissue engaging member includes a loop of wire. Each of the anchors has a pointy front end and a back end and a slot that runs in a front-to-back direction. The anchors are distributed about the loop of wire with the front ends of the plurality of anchors facing the heart valve annulus and with the loop of wire passing through the slots. The device further includes means for implanting the anchors into the heart valve annulus tissue so that the tissue engaging member becomes affixed to the heart valve annulus.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a suturing device. The suturing device includes a length of suture that will be delivered to the site of the PFO and placed through the tissue adjacent the opening to close the PFO. As described in greater detail below, the suture is advanced through the tissue surrounding the opening by a pair of needles that penetrate the tissue adjacent to the opening. A knot is then loosely tied with the length of suture and advanced to the site of the PFO. The tails of the suture extending from the knot are then cut and removed. It is also contemplated that a pre-formed or pre-tied knot may be disposed on the device, wherein after deployment of the suture through the tissue adjacent to the PFO and removal of the device a loop of suture having a pre-tied knot will remain, wherein the pre-tied knot may then be tightened to close the PFO. Further still it is contemplated that other means may be utilized to retain the sutures. For example, it is contemplated that a suture clip or other clip like device may be utilized to retain the suture in a position such that the PFO is closed.

A clipping instrument for an endoscope is provided. The clipping instrument includes a flexible sheath, an operation wire, at least one detachable clip assembly, including a pair of openable and closable clipping arms and a fastening ring to encircle proximal portions of the clipping arms, arranged in vicinity of a distal end portion of the flexible sheath. The clipping arms can be projected forward and rotated in opening directions to open outside the flexible sheath to self-openable positions, and to be rotated in closing directions to clip onto a treatment object outside the flexible sheath according to forwarding and retracting movements of the fastening ring through the operation wire. The the pair of clipping arms are configured to be respectively rotatable about an axis independently from the movement of the fastening ring by external force and can be further opened extendedly from the self-openable position by the external force.

A graft ligament strand tensioner comprising: a body; and a pair of suture rails connected to the body, wherein each suture rail comprises a grooved outer channel for receiving a suture loop and a central mandrel for receiving a suture loop, wherein the separation of a suture loop received by the grooved outer channel is larger than the separation of a suture loop received by the central mandrel. A graft ligament strand tensioner comprising: a body; and a plurality of cleats connected to the body, wherein each of the cleats is configured to releasably secure a length of suture. A graft ligament strand tensioner comprising: a body; at least two suture-engaging elements for releasably engaging a pair of sutures, the at least two suture-engaging elements being connected to the body, in spaced-apart fashion, symmetrically about a center axis of the body; and a handle pivotally connected to the body, such that the handle can be laterally positioned relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

A wire loop comprises a wire connecting a first bonding point and a second bonding point therethrough, wherein the wire has a crushed part formed therein by crushing the part of the wire and a top of a ball bonded to the first bonding point with a capillary. The wire loop is formed by a wire bonding method which includes: bonding the wire to the first bonding point; moving the capillary horizontally and vertically while carrying out loop control; bonding the wire to the vicinity of the top of the ball bonded to the first bonding point; and thereafter, moving the capillary horizontally and vertically to the second bonding point while delivering the wire and carrying out loop control, and then bonding the wire to the second bonding point.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for forming a bump for semiconductor interconnect applications, such as reverse wire bonding or stud bumping for flip chip interconnections. The bump is formed by (1) ball bonding at the bump site, (2) raising the capillary a predetermined height after forming the ball bond with the wire paying out of the capillary tip, (3) moving the capillary laterally a predetermined distance, preferably in a direction toward the site of other end of the wire loop, if the bump is to be used as the platform for a stitch bond of a wire loop, (4) raising the capillary further, and (5) moving the capillary diagonally downwardly and in the opposite direction of the first lateral motion. The wire is then severed by raising the capillary, closing the clamps and raising the capillary again to snap the wire pigtail off at the bump.

The equal tension applying device is used to apply equal tension to a group of tendons. The device comprises a 3 to 9 inch elongate flexible member and a hook at each end of the flexible member. Typically a torn ACL is replaced with two loops of tendons defining 4 tendon strands. The ends of each strand have sutures therein. The tendon loops are fixed in a femoral tunnel with a fixation pin and extend into and through a tibial tunnel. The method includes the steps of: tying the ends of the sutures together to form a loop, placing a hook of the elongate tensioning device over the suture loop, applying tension on the device, followed by anchoring the ends of the tendon strands to the tibia.

A filter device for temporary placement of a filter in an artery or vein is disclosed. The devices include (1) an elongate tubular member having a single or double side-wire loop, (2) an elongate member having a filter bonded to a circular rim joined by a plurality of tethers and an independently moveable tether, and (3) an elongate member having a parachute filter joined by a plurality of flexible struts. The filter conforms to the interior of a vessel wall when expanded and contracts to a consistent diameter without bunching when stowed. The filter devices may act as guidewires for guiding a therapeutic catheter to a region of interest within a vessel. Methods of using the filter device to entrap and remove embolic material from a vessel during endovascular procedures are also disclosed.

System for providing an open-cavity semiconductor package. The system includes a method for wire bonding a finger sensor die to an external circuit. The finger sensor die includes a sensor array having one or more die contacts that are wire bonded to one or more external contacts of the external circuit so that a usable portion of the sensor array is maximized. The method comprises steps of forming a ball at a first end of a bonding wire, forming an electrically conductive connection between the ball and a selected external contact of the external circuit, extending the bonding wire to a selected die contact so as to form a wire loop having a low loop height, and forming an electrically conductive stitch connection between a second end of the bonding wire and the selected die contact.

A tissue anchoring system includes a tissue anchor affixed to an end of a cable and supported for insertion on a delivery device, the manipulation of which permits placement of the anchor on a far side of the tissue. A tensioning, crimping and cutting tool designed for use along the cable's longitudinal axis, thus reducing the number of incisions required. A suture anchoring system is also described for introducing a loop of suture into a surgical site and anchoring it, for instance, across a tear in soft tissue.

A wire loop type instrument for an endoscope has a control wire axially movably inserted in a flexible sheath, and a wire loop connected to the distal end of the control wire. The wire loop is formed by an elastic wire. When the control wire is advanced, the wire loop projects from the distal end of the flexible sheath and expands in a loop shape by its own elasticity. When the control wire is retracted, the wire loop is pulled into the distal end of the flexible sheath and folded. The elastic wire is a stranded wire formed by twisting together a plurality of thin metal wires. The control wire is formed by twisting together a pair of elastic wires extending from the rear end of the wire loop in the opposite direction to the direction of twist of each elastic wire.

A ring or rings adapted for endoluminal placement within the stomach, other hollow organ or vessel, and a method for deploying the rings is described. The rings create a small pouch with a reinforced stoma in the stomach for the treatment and control of obesity. An endoluminal suturing device for deploying a circumferential line of interrupted mattress suture bites is inserted into the patient's stomach via the patient's mouth. The distal gastric ring is preloaded on the distal end of the suturing device and is incorporated with suture loops from the double-armed sutures contained within the device. The suturing device can have an expandable area at its distal end that can expand its diameter to between approximately 10 mm and 150 mm. The circumference of this expanded area has a suction opening that is used to draw in tissue when a vacuum is applied to the device. Flexible cannulas containing long flexible suture needles are positioned radially around the circumference of the suction opening. The long needles are are adapted to be advanced through the drawn in tissue incorporating their attached suture material. The expandable area of the device is collapsed, and the device is withdrawn from the patient. With the distal ring anchoring the sutures beneath the incorporated tissue folds, a column of sutures exits the device's suction port as the device is withdrawn. A second, proximal ring is then incorporated with the sutures and may then be endoscopically lowered into the patient's stomach and positioned proximal to the distal ring. The sutures are endoscopically secured and cut, thereby fixing the two rings together with tissue incorporated between them.

An adjustable suture-button construct for ligament reconstruction. The construct is a knotless, adjustable, flexible suture loop, a first fixation device (a free or removable slotted button) and optionally a second fixation device (a fixed, non-removable button). Suture ends of the knotless suture loop provide a variable-length graft support that can be adjusted prior to, during, or after deployment of the constructs. The removable, detachable fixation device is provided with attachment feature(s) to permit assembly onto the adjustable loop. The removable, detachable fixation device is attached to the tibia end of the loop construct after the loop construct is passed through the tibial tunnel (i.e., once the loop exits the anterior tibia cortex). If a fixed, non-removable button is employed, the fixed, non-removable button is securely attached (by stitching, for example) to the graft.

An apparatus for sewing tissue especially useful for tissue ligation, is provided having a housing and a hollow shaft which extends from the housing. At the distal end of the shaft along its interior is a movable driver member disposed opposite a fixed member. A needle is pivotably mounted at one end to the driver member to extend, when the driver member is moved forward, through a slot in the fixed member and an opening in the shaft, and to retract back into the shaft when the driver member is moved backward. At the distal end of needle is a slotted hook for capturing a loop of suture. The free ends of the loop of suture extend through a hole of the fixed member. A lever pivotably mounted in the housing is coupled to the driver member to translate linear motion forwards or backwards to the driver member. In a method for sewing tissue, the needle is driven forward to extend from the apparatus and then through tissue adjacent tissue to be sewn. The loop of suture is then removed from the needle prior to its retraction leaving the loop of suture extending through the tissue. The apparatus is repositioned with the needle on the opposite side of the tissue to be sewn. The loop of suture is captured again on the needle, and then the needle is retracted with the loop of suture into the apparatus. While holding one end of the suture, the apparatus is removed and one side of the loop of suture is drawn through and around the tissue to be sewn. The mid section of the suture is thus behind the tissue and the suture ends on opposite sides of the tissue are available to facilitate securing or tying of the suture to close a wound or to ligate a tissue structure.

An antenna module, that is compatible with a magnetic resonance imaging scanner for the purpose of diagnostic quality imaging, is adapted to be implanted inside an animal. The antenna module comprises an electrically non-conducting, biocompatible, and electromagnetically transparent enclosure with inductive antenna wires looping around an inside surface. An electronic module is enclosed in an electromagnetic shield inside the enclosure to minimize the electromagnetic interference from the magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

An electromagnetic (EM) survey system for determining the presence of liquid or gaseous deposits within the earth's interior. The system includes an EM pulse generator for generating the EM pulses, a data acquisition system for receiving and processing reflected signals from the earth's interior caused by the EM pulses, and a data processing system for analyzing the reflected signals to determine the presence of fluids in the earth's interior. Delivery of the EM pulses to the earth's interior can be accomplished either invasively or non-invasively. In an invasive manner, the EM pulse is delivered to the earth's interior via a set of electrodes buried shallow into the ground. In a non-invasive coupling, the EM pulse is delivered to the earth's interior via a wire loop. The reflected signals are received from the earth's interior via one of a wire loop, set of electrodes, wire antenna, or rod antenna array.

An apparatus for accessing the gastric lumen, allowing elaborate intragastric surgeries to be carried on. The apparatus consists of two parts; an external part and a transgastric part. The named external part is a cylinder ending in a larger part of different shapes, the external part will be equipped with a mechanism to allow instruments to get inside the stomach while preventing gas from escaping out. It will also contain a gas delivery port to allow insufflation of the stomach through the cannula. The named transgastric part consists of a cylinder of variable lengths ending in an internal gastric bolster that will be either solid-type or balloon-type. This part is attached to a tapering introduction system ending in a wire loop to be used for introduction of this part. The apparatus also includes an extraction catheter to be used during removal of transgastric part with solid-type gastric bolster.

An improved method and system for attaching a welded wire grid-work panel to a plurality of face panels of a retaining wall. The method first begins by providing a plurality of stackable face panels, each face panel having a plurality of anchor links fixed within a back portion of the face panels. Each of the anchor links forms a vertical loop extending outwardly generally perpendicular to the back portion of the face panels. Additionally, each anchor link includes two legs extending laterally from each anchor link within the face panel. Next, a first tier of the face panels is disposed at the bottom of the embankment being erected. Soil is then back-filled behind the first tier of panels to a level of the anchor links disposed within the first tier of face panels. A welded wire grid-work panel, which extends perpendicularly from the back portion of the face panels into a soil embankment, is positioned so that a plurality of wire loops at the edge of the grid-work panel aligns with the vertical loops. A connector rod is extended through the vertical loops of the anchor links and the wire loops of the grid-work panel. Next, additional soil is back-filled behind the first tier of face panels and over the anchor links, vertical loops, wire loops, and grid-work panel to a level at a top edge of the first tier of face panels. The method is repeated until the desired height of the embankment is attained.

A stent graft delivery system in which a stent graft ( 6 ) is retained on a delivery device ( 2 ) such that a longitudinal portion of the stent graft is releasably retained on the delivery device to bend therewith. The delivery device ( 2 ) has a guide wire catheter ( 3 ) and the stent graft is retained onto the guide wire catheter by a release wire ( 24 ) which can be withdrawn. The release wire is wound around the guide wire catheter and through the stent graft or suture loops engage around the guide wire catheter and release wire.

A plastic integrated circuit package often includes one or more integrated circuit elements that are sensitive to outside electromagnetic fields and also may generate electromagnetic fields that may interfere with other circuits outside of the package. The package herein has a top metal film to attenuate such electromagnetic fields, using a wire loop extending through the encapsulating compound to the metal film on top of encapsulating compound to provide electrical connection between top EMI film and end-and-ground junctions at grounds on die or on end-and-ground junctions at grounds on substrate.

A filter device for temporary placement of a filter in an artery or vein is disclosed. The devices include (1) an elongate tubular member having a single or double side-wire loop, (2) an elongate member having a filter bonded to a circular rim joined by a plurality of tethers and an independently moveable tether, and (3) an elongate member having a parachute filter joined by a plurality of flexible struts. The filter conforms to the interior of a vessel wall when expanded and contracts to a consistent diameter without bunching when stowed. The filter devices may act as guidewires for guiding a therapeutic catheter to a region of interest within a vessel. Methods of using the filter device to entrap and remove embolic material from a vessel during endovascular procedures are also disclosed.

The antenna includes a Litz wire loop having a plurality of individually insulated wires braided together and a plurality of splices therein to define distributed capacitors. A magnetically coupled feed loop is provided within the electrically conductive loop, and a feed structure, such as a coaxial feed line, feeds the magnetically coupled feed loop.

A wire loop type instrument for an endoscope having a plurality of elastic wires bundled together at distal and proximal ends thereof and adapted to form a loop shape as a whole. When withdrawn into the distal end of a sheath, the elastic wires are folded. When projecting from the distal end of the sheath, the elastic wires expand in the loop shape by their own elasticity. The elastic wires are inserted in a bundle into a pipe-shaped member at at least one of the distal and proximal ends thereof. The elastic wires are fixed to the pipe-shaped member by a fixing material such that portions of the elastic wires which are in the vicinity of the entrance of the pipe-shaped member are not fixed, but the elastic wires are fixed to the pipe-shaped member at portions thereof which are on the inner side of the vicinity of the entrance.

A food jar has an insulated body with a wide-mouth opening for receiving food. A collar is affixed to the opening of the food jar by affixing a throat member to the collar and threading the throat into the wide-mouth body. The throat member includes a gasket at the lower end to seal the throat to the body. A lid is affixed to the collar by a hinge. The lid includes a central projection that extends into sealing contact with the gasket on the throat member to seal the lid to the throat member. A button is mounted in a channel in the lid and biased by a spring to move into an engaging position to engage the collar at an opening in the collar to secure the lid to the collar. A wire loop is provided to engage the button in an embodiment.