Alpha Scientific Corporation

Alpha Scientific Corporaton

Alpha Scientific Instruments, Inc.

Daniel S Levine

Marshall S Levine

David E Levine

Neal B Cohen

A minimally invasive suture insertion device utilizing small gage needles is provided for threading one or more sutures through subcutaneous tissue, both locally and from remote access points, to support, attach, sever, ligate or constrict tissue, vessels, ligaments, nerves or other anatomical features, or for pulling another device into position defined by a suture pathway. A manually operated suture transfer device and method are provided for use in various surgical applications. The suture transfer device operates as an instrument for inserting sutures into and through desired pathways. Tethered cannulas are coupled to the positioned sutures and dock, transversely, with a captured component having a capacity for engaging a single suture or multiple sutures, together or in turn within subcutaneous tissue from local or remote access points.

Surgical suturing device with transverse engagement

An apparatus for remotely and subcutaneously positioning a tethering strand in tissue includes a housing, an actuator coupled with the housing for longitudinal reciprocation relative to the housing, and a nested pair of needles including a first needle coupled with the housing and a second needle coupled with the actuator. One of the needles has a sharpened tip and another one of the needles has a blunted tip. The first needle has a first length and the second needle has a second length, and the first length and the second length are selected so that advancement of the second needle using the actuator causes the sharpened tip to project beyond the blunted tip, and so that retraction of the second needle using the actuator causes the blunted tip to project beyond the sharpened tip.

Surgical suturing device, method and tools used therewith

A suture insertion device is provided for positioning a suture inside a layer of subcutaneous tissue from a remote access point. A tether insertion device is provided for positioning a tether within subcutaneous tissue for operating on the suture from a remote access point. The suture insertion device and the tether insertion device cooperate to form the suture into a tissue-supporting sling useful for performing various surgical procedures, including but not limited to plastic surgery such as mid face lifts, neck lifts, brow lifts, under eye lifts, breast lifts, and organ repositioning.

A pliable pad includes a layer formed of an absorbent material and a formable material arranged generally parallel to each other. The selected formable material, such as aluminum foil, is capable of assuming a desired shape and of retaining the desired shape which has been assumed. As a result, the formable material can be shaped so that the pliable pad defines a basin for collecting and absorbing liquids. The pliable pad can also include one or more layers for defining a liquid barrier. The pliable pad can be used to collect excess liquid produced during a medical procedure, such as the irrigation of a wound, or can be used in other, non-medical applications in which liquid is to be collected.

Pliable pad for collecting and absorbing liquids

An automatic device prepares blood films or smears on microscope slides. The device has essentially one moving part, namely a carriage which holds the slide, and which is movable back and forth along a frame. The slide is dispensed from a magazine, onto the carriage, and the carriage moves to a position where a drop of blood is conveniently placed onto the slide. The carriage then moves to a position permitting contact between the blood and a spreading blade mounted on a flexible member. The carriage is moved in a forward direction, causing the blade to move relative to the slide, creating the blood smear. The slide is then lifted from the carriage and moved onto a storage platform. Meanwhile, the blade is cleaned as it passes over a cleaning pad on the carriage. Movement of the carriage in both directions insures that both sides and the end of the blade are cleaned. The device includes a bar code reader and printer, making it possible to read a bar code located on a specimen container, and to print indicia onto the slide, which may correspond to the coded information. The device also includes apparatus for automatically rejecting blank slides which have stuck together.

Automatic blood film preparation method

Automatic blood film preparation device

A device for removing fluid from a flexible tube includes a container having an opening and a sharp cannula located inside the container. The cannula is positioned to puncture the flexible tube when it is inserted through the opening, so that fluid in the tube flows through the cannula and collects at the bottom of the container. A diluent may be added to the container through the same opening. The cannula is affixed to the wall of the container by passing the cannula through a dimple formed in that wall. A spout formed in the container allows fluid to be dispensed from the container. When dispensing fluid from the container, the opening is preferably sealed with a finger, and the size of the spout determines the rate at which fluid flows out of the spout.

Growing community of inventors

Wayne, PA, United States of America

Daniel S Levine