Siesta Medical, Inc.

Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Howmedica Osteonics Corporation

Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Zuno Medical, Inc.

Christopher Feezor

Erik Van Der Burg

Peter Martin

Daniel L Cox

Christopher T Cheng

Nathaniel Cohen

Joffrey Sarphati

Michael Olmes

Jason Van Tassel

Wouter Erik Roorda

Paul M Consigny

Stephen R Dugan

Gordon S Stewart

Gina Zhang

Gene Park

Nancy Kirsten

Tedd Hinton

Syed F A Hossainy

Syed Faiyaz Ahmed Hossainy

Yung-Ming Chen

Gregory M Hyde

William Earl Webler, Jr

Santosh V Prabhu

Dagmar Beyerlein

Deborah L Kilpatrick

Barbara E Stamberg

Denise Horrilleno Burns

Carla Rosa Pienknagura

Karim Said Osman

Jin Cheng

Syed FA Hossainy

Erik Van Den Burg

An apparatus for sterilizing items and storing the sterilized items prior to use includes a container configured to receive items to be sterilized, a trap door coupled with the container, and a mechanism operatively coupled with the trap door and the container. The trap door is reconfigurable between an open configuration providing a fluid passage into the apparatus and a closed configuration in which the items are sealed within the apparatus. The mechanism is configured for selective reconfiguration of the trap door from the closed configuration to the open configuration and to automatically reconfigure the trap door from the open configuration to the closed configuration after completion of a sterilization cycle for items disposed within the apparatus.

Sterilization tray

Suture passer systems for tissue suspension and tissue compression are described. The system can include a shaft and a needle, wherein the needle is freely rotatable with respect to the shaft. The suture may include an overmolded segment. Methods of placing one or more implants, sutures, fastener, bone anchors and other devices are also described. The methods include moving tissue, including the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle, palatopharyngeal arch, and palatoglossal arch. The methods include hyoid bone suspension.

Systems and methods for tissue suspension and compression

An apparatus for sterilizing items and storing the sterilized items prior to use includes a container configured to receive items to be sterilized, a trap door coupled with the container, and a mechanism operatively coupled with the trap door and the container. The trap door is reconfigurable between an open configuration providing a fluid passage into the apparatus and a closed configuration in which the items are hermetically sealed within the apparatus. The mechanism is configured for selective reconfiguration of the trap door from the closed configuration to the open configuration and to automatically reconfigure the trap door from the open configuration to the closed configuration after completion of a sterilization cycle for items disposed within the apparatus.

Cartilage support implants for nasal valve support and delivery systems are described. The cartilage support implant can include one or more elongate bodies comprising one or more anchors. The cartilage support implant can be designed to be a permanent implant extending along the midline of a patient's nose, from the nasal bone to the lower lateral cartilage. Methods of placing the cartilage support implant and retrieving the cartilage support implant are also described.

Systems and methods for nasal support

Systems and methods of placing one or more suture loops into tissue, such as the base of the tongue, are described. A system can include a variable-thickness suspension line for suspending tissue, including a suture having a first thickness dimension; an elastomer surrounding a portion of the suture and defining a central segment of the suspension line having a second thickness dimension greater than the first thickness dimension, and at least one transition zone extending from the central segment of the suspension line to a lateral end of the suspension line, the transition zones having a thickness dimension that tapers from the second thickness dimension to the first thickness dimension.

Tether line systems and methods for tongue or other tissue suspension or compression

Suture passer systems and methods for tongue or other tissue suspension and compression

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a knotless suture anchor for implanting in bone including an outer tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer wall, and an at least one aperture through the outer wall; an inner member being rotatably disposed within the outer tubular member, the inner member having an at least one aperture for receiving at least one suture thread; a pointed tip configured to facilitate impaction of the anchor into the bone; and at least one suture thread guide positioned on the outer tubular member, wherein the at least one suture thread is positioned through the at least one suture thread guide, the at least one aperture of the outer tubular member, and the at least one aperture of the inner member.

Knotless suture anchor for soft tissue repair and method of use

An insertion tool is used to implant a knotless suture anchor to secure soft tissue to a rigid structure such as bone. The anchor has an inner member that receives suture thread and rotates within an outer tubular member. An inner shaft on the insertion tool engages the inner tubular member and is used to rotate the inner tubular member so that the suture thread is wrapped onto the inner tubular member thereby increasing contact with the outer tubular member of the anchor which applies pressure to the wrapped suture thread to retain it in position on the inner tubular member while simultaneously and adjustably tensioning the suture thread. The insertion tool has an outer shaft that engages the outer tubular member of the anchor and prevents the outer tubular member from rotating as the inner shaft on the insertion tool rotates the inner tubular member on the anchor.

Insertion tool for knotless suture anchor for soft tissue repair and method of use

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for holding soft tissue in apposition with a bone using a suture, the method including engaging the soft tissue with an engaging portion of a suture thread; engaging an end of the suture thread with a rotatable shaft of an anchor; implanting the rotatable shaft in the bone; and rotating the shaft in a first direction to wrap the engaged suture thread onto the shaft thereby increasing tension on the suture and on the soft tissue.

A stent for implantation in a body lumen for protecting from rupture a fibrous cap in order to treat vulnerable plaque. One embodiment of the stent achieves staged expansion through stronger and weaker circumferential regions, and includes optional anchors positioned at the circumferential transition between the stronger and weaker regions. During the first stage expansion, the weaker region expands moving the anchors laterally apart. The anchors straddle the fibrous cap and embed into the vessel wall. The second stage expansion of the stent exerts gentler stresses by the weaker region against the fibrous cap while the stronger region exerts greater stresses on the remainder of the vessel wall to open the vessel.

Stent with anchors to prevent vulnerable plaque rupture during deployment

A knotless suture anchor provides a method for securing soft tissue to a rigid structure such as bone. The anchor has an inner member that receives suture thread and rotates within an outer tubular member. As the inner member rotates, the suture thread is wrapped onto the inner member thereby increasing contact with the outer tubular member which applies pressure to the wrapped suture thread to retain it in position on the inner member while simultaneously and adjustably tensioning the suture thread. A ratchet prevents undesirable counter-rotation, although the ratchet can be released to permit loosening of the suture thread. Also described is a suture bridge and suture platform for providing further stabilization of a tendon. A method for repairing rotator cuff tears is also described.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Christopher Feezor