Syntheon, LLC

Hy-pat Corporation

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Edwards Lifesciences Cardiaq LLC

Covidien Ag

Edwards Lifesciences Ag

Other

Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

Environmental Aeroscience Corp.

Exquadrum, Inc.

Alien Arms, LLC

Environmental Areoscience Corp.

Syntheon Tavr, LLC

Korey R Kline

Kevin W Smith

Derek Dee Deville

Matthew A Palmer

Carlos Rivera

Richard Cartledge

Max Pierre Mendez

Thomas O Bales, Jr

Michael Walter Kirk

M Sean McBrayer

Sean McBrayer

Theodore C Slack, Jr

Matthew P Palmer

George A Nunez

Eric Petersen

Thomas O Bales

Andrew E Mossberg

Sean Mcbrayer

Manouchehr A Miraki

Kevin K Dang

Anthony Joseph Cesaroni

Bryan A Janish

Cole Lyons Crockwell

M Sean Mcbrayer

Kevin E Mahaffy

Eric E Schmidt

Eric Peterson

Kevin Smith

Philip C Pelfrey

Thomas Bales

Elias Wilson

Byron Henning

Michael J Dennett

Scott Bartel

Derek DeVille

Richard George Cartledge

M Mcbrayer

Jr Thomas O Bales

Brian Janish

Thomas O Bales Jr

Derek Lee Deville

A prosthetic heart valve can comprise a stent frame radially movable between a contracted configuration and a maximum expanded configuration. The stent assembly can comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending jack strut assemblies, wherein each jack strut assembly comprises a proximal jack strut comprising a distal surface, a distal jack strut comprising a proximal surface, and a jack screw connecting the proximal jack strut and the distal jack strut. The proximal surface of each distal jack strut does not contact the distal surface of each respective proximal jack strut when the stent assembly is in the contracted configuration. The proximal surface of each distal jack strut contacts the distal surface of each respective proximal jack strut when the stent assembly is in the maximum expanded configuration.

Actively controllable stent, stent graft, heart valve and method of controlling same

A multiple-firing clip device includes a hollow shaft defining a lateral opening communicating with an environment and a distal shaft portion between the lateral opening and a distal end opening. A shuttle longitudinally moves on the shaft and comprises a shuttle body defining a lumen surrounding the shaft, a snare, and a snare-extender slide defining a snare track to form a snare travel path in which the snare is disposed from the body and through the track and a portion of the body. The slide moves along a given extent defining a slide distance and a distal end and movement of the slide to the distal end shortens the snare travel path to extend the snare portion through the lateral opening, through the distal shaft portion, and distally out from a distal side of the body longer than the given extent to secure a suture with the snare.

Multiple-firing suture fixation device and methods for using and manufacturing same

A method for operating a medical device, comprising: (1) providing a surgical end effector at a distal end of an instrument shaft and a rotating actuator at a proximal end of the instrument shaft, and (2) operating the rotating actuator to perform at least one of actuating the surgical end effector by sliding the rotating actuator in a proximal direction and rotating the surgical end effector with respect to the instrument shaft and about a shaft axis.

Surgical stapling and cutting device

A compression-self-adjusting staple that comprises a substantially U-shaped staple having a bridge, two legs extending from the bridge at an angle thereto, and a compression device. The compression device is at least partly disposed between the legs and has a bias portion with a compression surface that is movably disposed between the legs and a compression resistor. The compression resistor is connected to the bridge and to the compression surface and is formed into a plurality of bends that resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a pre-set compressive force.

Adjustable compression staple and method for stapling with adjustable compression

A prosthetic heart valve includes a frame, a valve, and an expansion element. The frame is movable between contracted and expanded configurations and includes first struts and second struts non-hingedly coupled together. The second struts are configured to pivot relative to the first struts as the frame moves between the contracted and expanded configurations. The valve is coupled to the frame and includes leaflets. The expansion element extends through a lumen of the first struts. The expansion element is slidable relative to the lumen of the first struts and is configured to move the frame incrementally from the contracted configuration and the expanded configuration and from the expanded configuration to the contracted configuration.

A multiple-firing clip device comprises a shaft comprising an exterior surface, an interior receiving therein suture fixation clips, and a distal end opening shaped to eject a suture fixation clip therefrom. The shaft defines a lateral opening and a distal shaft portion between the lateral opening and the distal end opening. A shuttle moves on the shaft and comprises a shuttle body, a snare having a distal snare portion, and a snare extension slide movable from the shuttle body along a given extent defining a slide distance and a distal end. The shuttle extends at least the distal snare portion distally through the lateral opening from the environment into the interior, through the distal shaft portion, and through the distal end opening along a length that is at least equal to the slide distance when the snare extension slide moves to the distal end of the given extent.

A surgical device comprising an instrument shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a control handle connected to the proximal end of the instrument shaft, a surgical end effector connected to the distal end of the instrument shaft at a joint, wherein the surgical end effector is configured to articulate, at the joint and with respect to the instrument shaft, about an articulation axis, and wherein the surgical end effector had a pull-to-release articulation lock configured to retain the joint in a fixed position and the control handle has an articulation lock actuator that is configured to, when actuated, release the articulation lock.

A delivery apparatus can include a handle portion and at least one rotatable drive shaft. The handle portion has an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism includes a motor and one or more actuators. The rotatable drive shaft has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion is coupled to the motor, and the distal end portion is configured to be releasably coupled to a prosthetic heart valve. The actuation mechanism is configured to control and monitor expansion of the prosthetic heart valve. The handle is configured for actuating the actuation mechanism, tracking a response of native tissue when the prosthetic heart valve is in contact with the native tissue, and stopping expansion of the prosthetic heart valve once a rate of change of expansion of the prosthetic heart valve declines below a threshold.

A hybrid rocket engine is described that achieves stable, highly efficient hybrid combustion by having a core flow of fuel-rich gas generator gases, with the flow being surrounded with an annular injection of oxidizer. The fuel-rich gas serves to vaporize and decompose the oxidizer, such as nitrous oxide, and prepare it for effective, stable combustion. In one embodiment, this is done at the head-end of a combustion chamber. The combustion products can then be expanded through a nozzle to create thrust. The engine can be an upper stage engine that can include modular thrust chambers and an integrated aerospike nozzle. The thrust chambers can be arranged in an array that rings the top of the aerospike nozzle.

Stable hybrid rocket technology

An assembly includes a prosthetic heart valve and a delivery apparatus. The prosthetic heart valve has a plurality of pivotably connected struts and one or more adjustable elements rotatably coupled to the struts. Rotating the adjustable elements in a first direction relative to the struts radially expands the prosthetic heart valve. Rotating the adjustable elements in a second direction relative to the struts radially contracts the prosthetic heart valve. The delivery apparatus includes one or more motors, one or more drive wires coupled to the motors, and a memory. The drive wires are coupled to the adjustable elements of the prosthetic heart valve. The motors are configured to rotate the drive wires and the adjustable elements to expand and contract the prosthetic heart valve. The memory is configured for storing one or more characteristics of the motors, the drive wires, or the prosthetic heart valve.

A variably-flexible device that comprises a hollow body, a steering element that steers a steerable portion of the hollow body, the steering element being comprised of steering tendons disposed within the hollow body, a torque-transmitting element that extends into the steerable portion of the hollow body, and stiffening element disposed within the hollow body to selectively maintain the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition.

Variably flexible insertion device and method for variably flexing an insertion device

A variably-flexible, locking insertion device includes a hollow body having a proximal end with an entrance for receiving an instrument, a distal end with a tip for protrusion of the instrument, and a handle to be gripped by an operator. A device transitions the hollow body between a relatively flexible condition and a relatively stiff condition. Tendons are disposed within the hollow body for maintaining the hollow body in the relatively flexible and relatively stiff conditions, the tendons being neither in tension nor compression when the hollow body is in the relatively stiff condition.

Torque-transmitting, variably-flexible, locking insertion device and method for operating the insertion device

A multiple-fire securing device includes a hollow outer shaft, a reloader, a reloader movement assembly, a rail, and securing structures each defining an inner securing orifice. The reloader longitudinally moves within the outer shaft and has a distal end shaped to temporarily contact one of the securing structures. The rail is disposed within the reloader and has an installing location. The securing structures are disposed on the rail. The reloader movement assembly moves the reloader longitudinally in a distal direction to deliver a first securing structure to the installing location from a first proximal position and moves the reloader proximally away from the installing location without the first securing structure to a position in which the distal end of the reloader temporarily contacts a second one of the securing structures. The second and successive securing structures are moved one at a time to the installing location.

Multiple-firing securing device and methods for using and manufacturing same

A substantially U-shaped staple has a bridge, legs, and an internally disposed compression device with a bias portion having a compression surface movably disposed between the legs and a compression resistor connected to the bridge and to the compression surface and is formed to resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a force.

Growing community of inventors

San Fernando, CA, United States of America

Korey R Kline