Medtronic, Inc.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Image-guided Neurologics, Inc.

Finisar Corporation

John David

Thomas I Miller

Matthew S Solar

Kari Parmer

James Grant Skakoon

Charles Loeb Truwit

Rudy A Mazzocchi

Frank Murdock

David Hatcher

Timothy Alan Parmer

Robert Wharen

Gerald W Mills

Raghu Raghavan

Martin Lee Brady

Manish Sharma

James Douglas Struttmann

Donald G Dyke

Theodore William Scone

Daniel Philip Schott

Devices and methods provide accurate targeting, placement, and/or stabilization of an electrode or other instrument(s) into the brain or other body organ, such as to treat severe tremor or other neurological disorders. Targeting is performed using any form of image-guidance, including real-time MRI, CT, or frameless surgical navigation systems.

Device for immobilizing a primary instrument and method therefor

A trajectory guide assembly that guides an instrument relative to a patient includes a mounting seat configured to be supported by the patient. The assembly also includes a trajectory member moveably supported by the mounting seat. The trajectory member defines a trajectory passage. Also, the assembly includes a cap member moveably supported by the trajectory member. The cap member defines a cap opening, and the cap member is selectively moveable to a first position relative to the trajectory member to retain the instrument in both the cap opening and the trajectory passage. Additionally, the cap member is selectively moveable to a second position relative to the trajectory member to release the instrument.

Trajectory guide with instrument immobilizer

A surgical alignment device is disclosed that is controlled remotely through the use of an actuator, where the actuator in turn controls at least one local adjustment device. The alignment device is suited for neurosurgery, although it is not exclusively limited to neurosurgery. The alignment device includes an insertion guide that is coupled to the local adjustment device, the insertion guide being used to guide a device such as a catheter into a patient. The alignment device may also be coupled to a control module such as a microcomputer that controls the orientation of the insertion guide in response to inputs from the surgeon as to a location of interest within the patient.

Robotic trajectory guide

Sheath assembly for an access device and method therefor

A method and apparatus accurately maintains alignment of a surgical instrument. The apparatus includes a base with an attached movable member. The movable member includes a passage forming a portion of a trajectory path. A relaxable or rigid material has a similar passage in common with the passage of the movable member. If a relaxable material is used, the passage portion of the relaxable region is held open by an inserted stem removably attached to the movable member. The instrument is then inserted into the center of the stem and thus into the trajectory path. The stem is removed by withdrawing it from the movable member over the proximal portion of the instrument. This releases the relaxable region to tightly hold the instrument in place. Alternatively, using a relaxable or rigid component, the component is slid laterally to at least partially offset a passage through the component from the passage of the movable member to reduce a combined effective area of the passages and to grasp an instrument.

A surgical alignment device is shown that is controlled remotely through the use of an actuator, where the actuator in turn controls at least one local adjustment device. The alignment device is suited for neurosurgery, although it is not exclusively limited to neurosurgery. The alignment device includes an insertion guide that is coupled to the local adjustment device, the insertion guide being used to guide a device such as a catheter into a patient. The alignment device may also be coupled to a control module such as a microcomputer that controls the orientation of the insertion guide in response to inputs from the surgeon as to a location of interest within the patient.

Deep organ access device and method

Various embodiments of methods and systems for reducing the amount of contamination that enters the optical path of an optical device are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical device includes a housing containing at least one optical component (active, passive, or both) that is configured to process an optical signal. The optical device also includes a first sleeve that encloses a portion of an optical fiber, an optical path configured to convey the optical signal between the optical component(s) and the end of the optical fiber. A flexible seal contacts a portion of the surface of the first sleeve and contacts the surface of a portion of the housing through which the first sleeve passes.

Flexible seal to reduce optical component contamination

Growing community of inventors

Malabar, FL, United States of America

John David