Other

Surgrx, Inc.

Oratec Interventions, Inc.

Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc.

Emkinetics, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Vidacare Corporation

Arqos Surgical, Inc.

Fempulse, LLC

Perfect Surgical Techniques, Inc.

Oratec Inventions, Inc.

Automatic Defibrillator, Inc.

Truckai, Csaba

Strul, Bruno

Haessler, Alexandra

Bruno Strul

Csaba Truckai

John H Shadduck

Hugh R Sharkey

James Allen Baker, Jr

Daniel Rogers Burnett

Daren Stewart

Christopher Hermanson

Franklin R Koenig

James H Ahlman

Manoocher Birang

Stuart D Edwards

John E Ashley

Robin B Bek

Kee S Lee

Alexandra Haessler

Ramiro L Reyes

Daren L Stewart

Pierre R Lamond

John H Shattuck

A device for stimulating nerves adjacent the vagina includes a nerve stimulating element coupled to a main body. The nerve stimulating element is positioned and designed to stimulate the vesical, Frankenhauser's and/or inferior hypogastric plexuses. The device may reside in the vaginal fornices. An implant is also provided which has a nerve stimulating element in contact with a uterosacral ligament. The device positioned in the vagina may be used to charge a power source for an implant which may be a capacitor.

Devices and methods for stimulating nerves

An energy emitting apparatus for providing a medical therapy includes one or more energy generators, a logic controller connected to the one or more energy generators, and optionally one or more sensors that are connected to the logic controller for detecting muscle stimulation or electric conduction in a target nerve. The energy generators produce energy focused on the target nerve upon receiving a signal from the logic controller, and the energy can be varied by the logic controller according to an input provided by the one or more sensors. In certain embodiments, the energy emitting apparatus includes one or more conductive coils that produce a magnetic field focused on the target nerve upon receiving an electric current. In certain embodiments, a variety of cooling mechanisms or systems may be implemented for cooling the coil.

Cooling systems and methods for conductive coils

Energy emitting systems are provided which include an adjustable conductive coil configured to generate a magnetic or electromagnetic field focused on a target nerve. The coil includes a central aperture which may be adjustable between a first configuration and a second configuration having a radius greater than the radius of the first configuration. The adjustable or movable nature of the coil allows the conductive coil to conform to, accommodate, or be positioned on a particular anatomical structure of a patient to position the coil in proximity to the underlying target nerve. In certain embodiments, methods of magnetic induction therapy are provided which include positioning a conductive coil relative to a portion of a patient's body by adjusting the central aperture of the coil such that the coil may conform to, accommodate or be positioned on the portion of the patient's body in proximity to the underlying target nerve.

Method and apparatus for electrical stimulation therapy

The present invention relates to the field of electrosurgery, and more particularly to systems and methods for ablating, cauterizing and/or coagulating body tissue using radio frequency energy. More in particular, the systems utilize voltage threshold means for controlling the voltage applied to tissue in a cycle-to-cycle manner.

Voltage threshold ablation apparatus

An embodiment of the invention includes an electrosurgical jaw structure that carries cooperating PTC bodies in both series and parallel circuit components for controlled RF energy application to engaged tissue to effectively weld tissue.

Electrosurgical instrument

A working end of a surgical instrument that carries first and second jaws for delivering energy to tissue. In a preferred embodiment, at least one jaw of the working end defines a tissue-engagement plane that contacts the targeted tissue. The cross-section of the engagement plane reveals that it defines a surface conductive portion that overlies a variably resistive matrix of a temperature-sensitive resistive material or a pressure-sensitive resistive material. An interior of the jaw carries a conductive material or electrode that is coupled to an Rf source and controller. In an exemplary embodiment, the variably resistive matrix can comprise a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material, such as a ceramic, that is engineered to exhibit a dramatically increasing resistance (i.e., several orders of magnitude) above a specific temperature of the material.

Electrosurgical jaw structure for controlled energy delivery

A working end of a surgical instrument that carries first and second jaws for delivering energy to tissue. In a preferred embodiment, at least one jaw of the working end defines a tissue-engagement plane that contacts the targeted tissue. The cross-section of the engagement plane reveals that it defines a surface conductive portion that overlies a variably resistive matrix of a temperature-sensitive resistive material or a pressure-sensitive resistive material. An interior of the jaw carries a conductive material or electrode that is coupled to an Rf source and controller. In an exemplary embodiment, the variably resistive matrix can comprise a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material, such as a ceramic, that is engineered to exhibit a dramatically increasing resistance (i.e., several orders of magnitude) above a specific temperature of the material. In use, the engagement plane will apply active Rf energy to captured tissue until the point in time that the variably resistive matrix is heated to its selected switching range. Thereafter, current flow from the conductive electrode through the engagement surface will be terminated due to the exponential increase in the resistance of variably resistive matrix to provide instant and automatic reduction of Rf energy application. Further, the variably resistive matrix can effectively function as a resistive electrode to thereafter conduct thermal energy to the engaged tissue volume. Thus, the jaw structure can automatically modulate the application of energy to tissue between active Rf heating and passive conductive heating of captured tissue to maintain a target temperature level.

A surgical system for controlled application of ultrasound energy to engaged tissue volumes for creating effective biological welds or seals in tissue. The invention provides an ultrasound transmission assembly including piezoelectric elements coupled to an elongate waveguide that is reciprocatable in an interior of an introducer. The reciprocatable waveguide assembly of the invention is adapted to have multiple functionality: (i) to couple ultrasound energy to both opposing jaws to thereby deliver energy to both sides of engaged tissues to create uniform thermal weld effects; (ii) to apply very high compressive forces to captured tissues over the length of elongate jaws by engaging substantially the entire length of the jaws, and (iii) to transect the captured tissues contemporaneous with the delivery of energy to create the thermal weld. The invention further provides for use of other energy sources to deliver thermal energy to tissue, for example microwave energy, Rf energy and laser energy, either in combination with ultrasound energy or independently.

Surgical system for applying ultrasonic energy to tissue

Methods for heating tissue completely, thoroughly, and uniformly comprise delivering radio frequency energy through a bipolar surgical instrument having first and second jaws with first and second electrode members within the treatment region. Tissue is grasped between the first and second jaws of the bipolar instrument. The electrode members are energized at a power level to deliver electrical energy to and heat tissue between the first and second electrode members. The power level is increased at a predetermined rate from an initial level. The initial level and predetermined rate are selected to avoid creating a vapor layer and to permit an impedance increase to occur as a result of complete tissue desiccation. A tissue impedance may also be measured and compared to a preset impedance limit for terminating the power delivery when the measured impedance exceeds the impedance limit.

Method and system for heating tissue with a bipolar instrument

Methods and apparatus are provided for cleaning a thin disc. In accordance with a first aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes a tank adapted to contain a fluid, and at least one support mechanism adapted to support a thin disc such that the thin disc is at least partially submerged in the fluid. The apparatus further includes a plurality of transducers each adapted to produce energy waves in the fluid, and a controller adapted to adjust the energy waves produced by each transducer so as to scan an energy wave maximum along a surface of a thin disc supported by the at least one support mechanism.

Method and apparatus for cleaning a thin disc

An improved biopsy needle assembly for efficient removal of multiple biopsy cores from a single needle penetration. The needle apparatus comprises an elongate assembly of paired sleeves with an open notch in the wall of the outer sleeve for engaging a tissue volume in the bore of that sleeve. An inner sleeve or blade member with a sharp blade edge is moveable from a retracted position to an extended position to both (i) excise the tissue volume, and (ii) function as valve means to alter the open notch between an open position and a closed position. The invention provides a looped inflow-outflow passageway system for using high-pressure fluid flows to push or expel the excised tissue from the bore in working end where the excised tissue is captured. The looped passageway system is coupled to a remote pressurization source.

Pressure-assisted biopsy needle apparatus and technique

A system for occlusion of aneurysms comprising a class of polymer embolic elements that carry a conductive material to provide the element with a specified resistivity. The embolic element is introduced into a targeted vascular malformation from a catheter sleeve that carries an electrode arrangement at its distal terminus. After introducing any selected length of the embolic element into the vascular malformation to mechanically occlude the malformation, the physician delivers electrical current within a first selected power range to the electrode at the catheter terminus. The electrical current flows to the embolic element wherein the specified resistivity of the element controllably causes a selected thickness of coagulum to form about the surface of the embolic element to more fully occupy the volume of the malformation with occlusive material. A controller and feedback circuitry allow the embolic element to be maintained at a selected temperature to insure even build-up of the desired coagulative layer about the electrode, without risk of creating hot-spots within the aneurysm. Thereafter, the physician delivers electrical current at second higher power level to electrode arrangement to cause the embolic element to act as a fuse at the catheter terminus to divide any selected length of deployed embolic element from the remainder of the embolic element still within the catheter sleeve.

Growing community of inventors

Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Bruno Strul