Conceptus, Inc.

Pivot Medical, Inc.

Pro Duct Health, Inc.

Stryker Corporation

Aesculap Ag

Bayer Essure Inc.

Cytyc Health Corporation

Cardiomind, Inc.

Other

Alien Technology Corporation

Biosensors International Group, Ltd.

Pivoc Medical, Inc.

Stryker Puerto Rico Limited

Julian N Nikolchev

Dai T Ton

Steven Robert Bacich

Donnell William Gurskis

Ashish Khera

James Flom

William Kaiser

Chris Pamichev

Amy Thurmond

David T Hung

Charles F Milo

J Brook Burley

William R George

Matthew Frushell

Susan M Love

Brett Page

John Kerin

James Doty

Shawn O'Leary

Thomas J Palermo

Richard E Hill

Lynette Ross

Benjamin J Matthias

Phillip M Olsen

Paritosh Ambekar

Ed Carcamo

Marc Schraner

Kevin L Hudelson

Chris Ken

Nicholas J Terzulli

Tom Kramer

John Savarese

Hal David Martin

Ivan Sepetka

Thomas Weisel

Eyal S Ron

Frank P Becking

Jeremy Graul

Christopher G M Ken

Andrew Lantz

Robert E Woodard

Phong Pham

Xuanmin He

Dai Ton That

Geoff Willis

Nicholas C DeBEER

Tina Patel

Nicholas C Debeer

Joe Kavinaugh

Annette Bianchi

Linda Gont

Pam Sayavong

Brett M Page

Michael Leunig

A method for creating space in a joint formed at the convergence of two bones, the method comprising: applying force to a body part so as to separate the two bones from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the joint is in a healthy state, whereby to distract the joint and create an intrajoint space; inserting an assembly of three balloons into the intrajoint space while the assembly of three balloons is in a contracted condition; expanding the assembly of three balloons within the intrajoint space; and reducing the force applied to the body part so that the joint is supported on the assembly of three balloons, with the two bones remaining separated from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the joint is in a healthy state.

Method and apparatus for distracting a joint

A method for providing therapy to a patient, the method comprising: providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of the patient, wherein providing microfracture therapy to the acetabular cup of the patient comprises forming at least one hole extending from the acetabular shelf to the cortical bone bed of the acetabular cup, such that blood may flow from the cancellous bone underlying the cortical bone bed to the surface of the cortical bone bed, whereby to form a blood clot at the surface of the cortical bone bed.

Method and apparatus for providing arthroscopic microfracture therapy

An exemplary surgical method includes possessing a loader that holds a curved-tip cartridge, and a surgical stapler that includes an anvil and channel at a distal end thereof; causing at least one of the loader and the channel to move toward the other; as a result of the causing, engaging the loader and the curved-tip cartridge with the channel; and causing at least one of the loader and the channel to move away from the other, such that the curved-tip cartridge remains engaged with the channel. That method further may include actuating the surgical stapler; grasping the unloader; sliding the unloader toward the channel; disengaging the curved-tip cartridge from the channel with the unloader; and withdrawing the unloader away from said channel, wherein the withdrawing causes the curved-tip cartridge to disengage from the channel.

Surgical stapler cartridge loading and unloading

Apparatus for distracting the hip joint of a patient, said apparatus comprising: a perineal post for engagement with a leg of the patient, said perineal post comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is configured for mounting to a table, and further wherein said second portion is movable relative to said first portion so as to change the geometry of the perineal post relative to a patient supported on the table.

Apparatus and method for distracting the hip joint

Apparatus for securing a first object to a second object, the apparatus comprising: an elongated body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end, the lumen comprising a first section and a second section, the first section of the lumen being disposed distal to the second section of the lumen, and with the first section of the lumen having a wider diameter than the second section of the lumen; at least one longitudinally-extending slit extending through the side wall of the elongated body and communicating with the lumen, the at least one longitudinally-extending slit having a distal end and a proximal end, with the distal end of the at least one longitudinally-extending slit being spaced from the distal end of the elongated body; and an elongated element extending through the lumen of the elongated body.

Method and apparatus for re-attaching the labrum to the acetabulum, including the provision and use of a novel suture anchor system

A method for providing therapy to a patient, the method comprising:

A method for securing a first object to a second object comprising providing apparatus comprising an elongated body having a lumen; an enlargement; a first elongated element, the distal end of the first elongated element being connected to the enlargement and the proximal end of the first elongated element extending through the lumen; and a second elongated element connected to the first elongated element external to the elongated body; inserting the elongated body into the second object; moving the second elongated element proximally so as to cause proximal movement of the first elongated element so as to cause the enlargement to move into a second portion of the lumen, whereby to laterally expand the elongated body; and securing the first object to the second object with the second elongated element.

Method and apparatus for re-attaching the labrum to the acetabulum including the provision and use of a novel suture anchor system

Apparatus for distracting the hip joint of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

Apparatus for use in debriding a bone, said apparatus comprising:

Method and apparatus for reconstructing a hip joint, including the provision and use of a novel arthroscopic debridement template for assisting in the treatment of cam-type femoroacetabular impingement

A microfracture instrument for applying microfracture therapy to a bone, the microfracture instrument comprising:

Method and apparatus for performing arthroscopic microfracture surgery

A method for creating space in a joint formed at the convergence of two bones, comprising applying force to a body part so as to separate the two bones from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the joint is in a healthy state, whereby to distract the joint and create an intrajoint space; inserting an assembly of three balloons into the intrajoint space while the assembly is in a contracted condition; expanding the assembly of three balloons within the intrajoint space; and reducing the force applied to the body part so that the joint is supported on the assembly of three balloons, with the two bones remaining separated from one another by a distance which is greater than the distance that they are normally separated from one another when the joint is in a healthy state.

Apparatus for securing a first object to a second object, comprising an elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end, and a lumen extending therebetween, the lumen comprising a first section and a second section, the first section being disposed distal to the second section, and with the first section having a wider diameter than the second section; at least one longitudinally-extending slit extending through the side wall of the elongated body and communicating with the lumen, the slit having a distal end and a proximal end, with the distal end of the slit being spaced from the distal end of the elongated body; and an elongated element extending through the lumen, the elongated element comprising a proximal end and a distal end and having an enlargement at its distal end, the enlargement having a diameter greater than the second section.

Growing community of inventors

Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Julian N Nikolchev