Neothermia Corporation

Eggers & Associates, LLC

Ethicon, Gmbh

Arthrocare Corporation

Intact Medical Corporation

Cardiox Corporation

Pfometrix, LLC

Hemostatic Surgery Corporation

Apsara Medical Corporation

Andrew R Eggers

Philip E Eggers

Eric A Eggers

Hira V Thapliyal

Peter Wenzler

David Thomas Dobson

Philip Eggers

Ronald A Underwood

Stephen M Brunell

John Kociecki

David R Jacobs

Scott Powers Huntley

Allan Weinstein

Benjamin A Bailey

Benjamin Z Bailey

A system for detecting/quantifying the conductance of a right-to-left cardiac shunt includes a mouthpiece assembly, a solenoid-driven vacuum/pressurization assembly; a controller for operating the solenoid-driven vacuum/pressurization assembly; and a monitor for displaying the instructions from the controller. A microbubble counting cell and digital image sensor are combined with software-based image analysis to determine a number of microbubbles contained in a microbubble counting zone. A monitor enables operator specification of total volume of contrast agent to be injected into the patient. One or more first Doppler ultrasound transducer arrays are positioned adjacent to targeted intracranial arteries at one side of the skull or a pair of first Doppler ultrasound transducer arrays positioned adjacent to targeted intracranial arteries at both sides of the skull. A second Doppler ultrasound transducer is positioned on the precordium of the patient to detect the arrival of microbubble-containing contrast agent in the right atrium of the patient.

System for the detection and quantification of conductance of right-to-left cardiac shunts

Method for the detection and quantification of conductance of right-to-left cardiac shunts

The recovery of an intact volume of tissue proceeds with a delivery cannula distal end positioned in confronting adjacency with the volume of tissue to be recovered. A tissue cutting and capture assembly formed of a plurality of metal leafs is deployed from the distal end of the delivery cannula. The tips of these leafs carry a pursing cable assembly, which is resistively heated by the passage of electrical current through the cable, attaining temperature level sufficient to thermally cut around and circumscribe the tissue volume. These pursing cables are tensioned to complete the envelopment of the tissue volumes by drawing the leaf tips together. An essential attribute of the disclosed apparatus is the confinement of the path of electrical conduction of constant current required to achieve tissue cutting to only those portions of the deploying and retracting resistively heated portion of the electrically conductive cutting and pursing cable that are in direct contact with tissue.

Minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic excision of tissue

The disclosure provides wearable cardiac arrest detection and alerting device that incorporates a non-invasive sensor based on optical and/or electrical signals transmitted into and received from human tissue containing blood vessels, and that transcutaneously quantifies the wearer's heart rate. The heart-rate quantification enables the detection of the absence of any heart beat by the wearable detection and alerting device indicative of the occurrence of a cardiac arrest, wherein the heart is no longer achieving effective blood circulation in the individual wearing the device. The display on the wearable cardiac arrest detection and alerting device may include the elapsed time since the time of detection of a heart rate that is below a predetermine lower limit value, i.e., the detected occurrence of a cardiac arrest event.

Wearable apparatus, system and method for detection of cardiac arrest and alerting emergency response

Apparatus, system and method for the detection and quantification of conductance of right-to-left cardiac shunts

Implant apparatus and method for effecting a controlled heating of tissue within the region of dermis of skin. The heater implants are configured with a thermally insulative generally flat support functioning as a thermal barrier. One surface of this thermal barrier carries one or more polymerically encapsulated heater resistor segments with a lead assemblage exhibiting a 4-point topology. Each of the encapsulated heater segments may be thermally associated with a metal thermal spreader dimensioned in correspondence with and aligned with the heater segments. The implants are located within heating channels at the interface between skin dermis and the next adjacent subcutaneous tissue layer such that the heat spreaders are contactable with the lower region of dermis. During therapy a conformal heat sink is positioned against the skin above the implants and a slight tamponade is applied through the heat sink to assure a proper form of conduction heat transfer. An adjuvant may be employed to infiltrate dermis to significantly lower the thermal threshold transition temperature for dermis or dermis component shrinkage. The method and apparatus also may be employed in the treatment of capillary malformation (port wine stain).

Method and apparatus for carrying out the controlled heating of tissue in the region of dermis

Electrosurgical tissue specimen recovery apparatus and system employing a multi-leaf capture component configured with pursing cables which are electrosurgically excited to define a cutting leading edge. To complete a capture, the cables are loaded in tension to purse and thus converge the tips of the capture component leafs together. The forward regions of the leafs are configured with a combination of a thin flat stainless steel region over which a polymeric cable guide is positioned. The polymeric cable guide and stainless steel leaf driving combination improves frictional aspects as well as the resulting aspect ratio of a recovered tissue specimen.

Electrical apparatus and system with improved tissue capture component

Method, system and apparatus for carrying out accurate electrosurgical cutting. A thin resilient electrode is utilized at the forward end region of an instrument which is deployable from a longitudinally disposed slot positioned rearwardly of the tip of the instrument. Lateral sides of the slot extend between a forward location adjacent the tip and a rearward location. The electrode is deployed by urging it forwardly in compression to form an arch profile supported by the abutting slot sides adjacent the forward and rearward locations. Electrosurgically excitable with a cutting output, the electrode may carry out a cutting action both during its deployment and retraction into the noted slot. This permits a pivoting maneuver effective for circumscribing a volume of targeted tissue.

Accurate cutting about and into tissue volumes with electrosurgically deployed electrodes

The capture component of tissue retrieval apparatus is strengthened to improve its structural integrity when utilized within very dense tissue. Eyelet structures carrying pursing cable are improved through the utilization of slightly expanded constant widths with diminished lengths to avoid fold back phenomena. The pursing cables employed with the capture component exhibit more than a 100% improvement in tensile strength at high electrosurgical cutting temperatures through the utilization of strands having about a 1.4 mil diameter formed with a type 316 stainless steel.

Minimally invasive instrumentation for recovering tissue

Systems and methods are provided for removing fatty tissue underlying a patient's epidermis (e.g., blepharoplasty, brow lifts, eyelid shortening procedures, and the like). These methods include positioning one or more active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s) in close proximity to a target site on an external body surface of the patient. A high frequency voltage difference is applied between the active and return electrode(s), and the active electrode(s) are translated across the external body surface to create an incision therein. The bipolar configuration controls the flow of current to within and around the distal end of the probe, which minimizes tissue necrosis and the conduction of current through unwanted paths in the patient. The residual heat from the electrical energy also provides simultaneous hemostasis of severed blood vessels, which increases visualization and improves recovery time for the patient.

Methods for electrosurgical incisions on external skin surfaces

An electrosurgical generator which provides a constant voltage and variable power output particularly suited for cutting arc formation at an active electrode which exhibits a dynamic active surface area of varying geometry. Essentially constant voltage-based control is achieved through the utilization of a d.c. link voltage the level of which functions to establish the amplitude of the output of an RF resonant inverter. A dual loop feedback control is described wherein output voltage based control signals are slowly introduced at low gain, while link voltage motor-based controls are comparatively rapidly applied. Enhanced development of a controlling d.c. link voltage is achieved through the utilization of an input network incorporating a power factor correction stage.

Electrosurgical generator

System, method and apparatus for carrying out the recovery of an intact volume of tissue wherein a delivery cannula distal end is positioned in confronting adjacency with the volume of tissue to be recovered. A capture component formed of a plurality of metal leafs is deployed from the distal end of the delivery cannula. The tips of these leafs carry a pursing cable assembly which is electrically excited to electrosurgically cut around and circumscribe the tissue volume. These pursing cables are tensioned to complete the envelopment of the tissue volumes by drawing the leaf tips together. Drive to the capture component ultimately is developed from an electric motor and electrosurgical cutting current is supplied initially at a boost voltage level and thereafter at a lower normal cutting voltage level.

Minimally invasive intact recovery of tissue

A pivoting device the two electrically conductive arms ( ) of which are connected pivotably by a screwed joint ( ) having a screw ( ) and a nut ( ). Surfaces ( ) of the arms ( ) which rest against one another, and also the pivoting device ( ), are electrically insulated. The nut ( ) has, at least in part, a noncircular, preferably elliptical, smooth circumferential surface ( ). Holes ( ) in the two arms ( ) for accommodating the screwed joint ( ) are designed in such a way that, in the assembled state, the screw ( ) and the nut ( ) are arranged in a recessed manner in the holes ( ). Electrically insulating material is provided at least in the region of the surface of the screw ( ) and the nut ( ) and/or the inner walls of both holes ( ) in the scissor arms ( ).

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Ostrander, OH, United States of America

Andrew R Eggers