Longevity Surgical, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Vapore, Inc.

Other

Magnequench Limited

Magnequench International, Inc.

Barry Hal Rabin

Peter S Harris

Thomas M Young

Richard N Wright

Mark L Richardson

Robert A Lerner

Charles Howard Sellers

Richard Williamson

Erick Matthew Davidson

Viswanathan Panchanathan

Warren Saul Breslau

Gary E Korth

Charles H Sellers

Joseph James Worden

Wilhelm Ervens

Warren Breslau

Devices and tissue fasteners for approximating and fastening tissue using minimally invasive techniques are disclosed. Methods for approximating and fastening tissue by application of one or more tissue fasteners are also provided. In one embodiment, spaced apart tissue locations are engaged by tissue penetrating members of a deformable fastener, one of more of the engaged tissue locations is moved toward another engaged tissue location to approximate the spaced apart locations, and the deformable fastener is deployed to secure the approximated tissue locations. These methods may be used in laparoscopic plication gastroplasty procedures for forming an invaginated tissue fold, to close holes in the gastrointestinal lumen, and in a variety of interventional procedures.

Devices and systems for approximation and fastening of soft tissue

New interventional methods and devices for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity, are disclosed. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged and approximated to create one or more tissue folds that are then secured by placing one or more tissue fasteners to produce one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. Minimally invasive devices for engaging, approximating and fastening soft tissues are disclosed that enable these new interventional methods to be carried out safely, efficiently and quickly.

Devices for engaging, approximating and fastening tissue

The present invention involves new interventional methods and devices for reconfiguring a portion of the gastrointestinal tract. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications.

Devices for reconfiguring a portion of the gastrointestinal tract

Methods for approximating and fastening tissue by application of one or more tissue fasteners are provided. In one embodiment, spaced apart tissue locations are engaged by tissue penetrating members of a deformable fastener, one of more of the engaged tissue locations is moved toward another engaged tissue location to approximate the spaced apart locations, and the deformable fastener is deployed to secure the approximated tissue locations. These methods may be used in laparoscopic plication gastroplasty procedures for forming an invaginated tissue fold, to close holes in the gastrointestinal lumen, and in a variety of interventional procedures.

Methods for approximation and fastening of soft tissue

The present invention involves new interventional methods for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged, approximated and fastened to create one or more tissue folds forming one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications.

Methods and devices for reducing gastric volume

The present invention involves new interventional methods for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged and approximated to create one or more tissue folds that are then secured to produce one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. The serosal tissue may optionally be treated during the procedure to promote the formation of a strong serosa-to-serosa bond that ensures the long-term stability of the tissue plication. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. Methods for reversing the procedure are also disclosed.

Methods for reducing gastric volume

Devices and systems for manipulating tissue

A capillary pump is provided for producing pressurized and unpressurized vapor emissions from liquid feed. In its simplest form, the capillary pump incorporates a liquid feed intake, a porous vaporization component, and a heat transfer component. Additional components, such as an insulator component, a feed pre-heat component, a liquid feed reservoir and/or delivery system, an integrated or associated heater component, a vapor collection chamber, a heat distribution component, an orifice component and/or vapor release component, may also be associated with or integrated in the improved capillary pumps. Capillary pump arrays are provided, and numerous applications for capillary pumps are disclosed.

Capillary pumps for vaporization of liquids

The present invention concerns capillary force vaporizers for use in vaporizing liquids and emitting pressurized vapors. In one embodiment, the inventive capillary force vaporizer includes a porous member, a heater component to convey heat to the porous member, and a vapor containment region. The porous member further includes a capillary network, a surface for receiving liquid and a vaporization area in which vapor is produced from the liquid. The vapor is collected and pressurized within the vapor containment region, which includes one or more openings for the release of vapor at a velocity greater than zero. Several different embodiments for capillary force vaporizers and systems comprising capillary force vaporizers are disclosed along with methods for their use.

Capillary force vaporizers

The invention relates to magnets, particularly bonded magnets, of the Re&mdash;Fe&mdash;B type made from atomized magnetic powders and to methods of producing the powders and the magnet. The magnetic powders comprise, by weight, about 15% to 25% of RE; about 0.8% to 2.0% of B; about 1% to 10% of T; and balanced with Fe, Co, or mixtures thereof; wherein RE is one or more rare earth elements selected from the group consisting of Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Er, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm, Yb and Lu, and T is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W. To produce bonded magnets, the atomized powders are heat treated, combined with a binder, pressed or molded, and cured to produce the bonded magnets. As compared to bonded magnets made from melt-spun powders or from other conventional atomized powders, bonded magnets of the present invention exhibit one or more of the following properties: less loss of intrinsic coercivity under repeated injection molding cycles; less internal magnetic shearing loss; improved flowability of the magnetic powders; improved Br and part integrity; less environmental degradation after exposure to high temperature and less flux loss; complex shapes and high part integrity; lower viscosity of the magnetic powder-binder mixtures; and high magnetic strength even for small-dimension magnets.

Bonded magnets made with atomized permanent magnetic powders

A rare earth permanent magnet alloy having a composition expressed as R,F,B,T,M,D,. In this formula, R is one or more of rare earthy elements, such as neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, dysprosium and/or praseodymium; F is Fe or Fe and up to 20 atomic percent of Co by substitution; B is boron; T is one or more elements selected from the group of Ti, Zr, Cr, Mn, Hf, Nb, V, Mo, W and Ta; M is one or more elements selected from the group of Si, Al, Ge, Ga, Cu, Ag, and Au; and D is one or more elements selected from the group of C, N, P, and O. In this formula, x, y, z, m, n are atomic percentages in the ranges of 3<x<15, 4<y<22, 0.5<z<5, 0.1<m<2, and 0.1<n<4. Fine amorphous particles of such alloy are made by atomization and/or splat-quenching. Both substantially-spherical, irregular and substantially plate-like particles are simultaneously produced.

Rare earth permanent magnet and method for making same

A process for synthesizing intermetallic compounds from elemental powders. The elemental powders are initially combined in a ratio which approximates the stoichiometric composition of the intermetallic compound. The mixed powders are then formed into a compact which is heat treated at a controlled rate of heating such that an exothermic reaction between the elements is initiated. The heat treatment may be performed under controlled conditions ranging from a vacuum (pressureless sintering) to compression (hot pressing) to produce a desired densification of the intermetallic compound. In a preferred form of the invention, elemental powders of Fe and Al are combined to form aluminide compounds of Fe.sub.3 Al and FeAl.

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Idaho Falls, ID, United States of America

Barry Hal Rabin