Other

Urological Instruments Research, Inc.

The Institutes of Medical Sciences

Power Analytics Corporation

Urological Instrument Research, Inc.

Advanced Blood Component Technology, Inc.

Maxim D Persidsky

German G Borodulin

Alexander Shkolnik

Andre M Persidsky

Perinchery Narayan

Joachim W Thuroff

Don LeRoy Thatcher

Nan-Sing Ling

Alexander Shkornik

Marshall Stoller

Toothbrush having a peripheral cushioning bumper for preventing impact injury to the teeth and gums of a person using it. The bumper consists of a body of resilient material mounted in a peripheral groove in the side edge of the head of the brush. In some disclosed embodiments, the resilient body is a ring that passes through a tunnel at the base of the head, which prevents the ring from being dislodged and lost or swallowed. In one such embodiment, the head of the brush is formed in two sections, and the bumper is an O-ring which is placed in the groove before the two sections are joined together. In another, the ring is molded in place on the brush.

Toothbrush with protective bumper, and method

A universal mechanical dilator combined with massaging action comprises a probe (12) consisting of a two rods (22 and 24), a drive unit (14) and an adapter (16) that connects the probe (12) to the drive unit. The instrument is intended for dilation of the urethra or other ducts of a human body and can operate in three different modes: pure dilation, pure vibration, and dilations combined with vibrations. This is achieved by using the adapter (16) as an adjustable coupling. The probe (12) together with the adapter (16) can be disconnected from the drive unit (14) and used separately as a mechanical manual dilator. At its distal end, the probe (12) has means for connecting replaceable tips (28a, 32a) used for various applications, i.e., urethral, anal, vaginal, etc. The invention also relates to a method of treatment of voiding or an orectal diseases by combining dilations with vibrations. The instrument can also be used for training sphincteric muscles.

Universal mechanical dilator combined with massaging action

A vibratory device (20) for treating female voiding dysfunctions, such as urinary stress incontinence, by inserting it into a patient's urinary tract and imparting vibrations to the urethral walls and the bladder neck. The device is made in the form of a urological bougie (23) which has a distal end and a proximal end and consists of two resilient rods (26 and 28). The rods are removably interconnected at their distal ends by means of two short extensions (52a and 52b) which are inserted into a cup-shaped cavity (68). This cavity is formed at the end of a cam (66). The cam has an elliptical or oval shape and is driven into rotation from a rotary drive unit (24) through a cam shaft (64) which passes through the hole formed by grooves (54) on the mating surface of the rods. Due to the elliptical configuration of the cam, its rotation causes expansion of the rods (26 and 28). The rods, however, cannot be disconnected during the operation, as their projections (52a and 52b) are confined within the cup-shaped cavity. The probe is covered by a rubber condom-like shell (30) which protects the mucosa of the patient's urethra from pinching. At the same time the outer shell prevents leaking of the urine from the patient's bladder during the treatment procedure. With the shell the vibratory treatment can be carried out with the bladder being filled. In this case vibration can be transmitted to the detrusor muscles, i.e., to the bladder walls. As a result, the vibratory treatment can be more efficiently used.

Vibratory device for treating voiding dysfunction

A combined mechanical dilator-urethrotome comprising a radially-expandable probe (12) consisting of two rods (16 and 18) of a semicircular cross-section which form a complete circle in a closed state of the probe. One of the rods (16) has a core (32) rigidly attached thereto at the proximal end of this rod and arranged at an angle to the direction of the probe. The second rod (18) has a post portion (52) at the proximal end. The post portion (52) has a central opening (51), and the aforementioned core (32) is slidingly inserted into the central opening (51). The end of the core that projects beyond the limits of the post is connected to a handle (14) that can rotate with respect to the core (32) and has a thread engageable with the mating thread on the post. As a result, rotation of the handle causes screwing or unscrewing of the thread of the handle onto or from the thread of the post. Displacement of the handle (14) with respect to the core (32) causes expansion or contraction of the probe. Longitudinal slots are cut in both rods for insertion of a knife (42) that allows incision of constructions that may occur in the urethra. The same slots can be used for attachment of diameter-expanding pads (84) that increase the total outside diameter of the probe and make it suitable for use in a very wide rage of dilation diameters. The instrument can be used as a universal mechanical dilator and a urethrotome.

Combined dilator-urethrotome

Endoscopic instrument having an elongated image guide adapted to be inserted through an opening in the human body. A prism is provided at one end of the image guide for directing images from a predetermined field of view through the image guide and means for. By tilting the prism relative to the image guide the field of view from which images are directed through the image guide is changed to provide continuous scanning for viewing and examining different features of internal cavities and hollow organs of the human body.

Endoscopic instrument with variable viewing angle

Game set and storage system in which game pieces are stored in a preset arrangement relative to their starting positions on the game board. The set includes a game piece holder which has a plurality of compartments for holding the game pieces in an inverted position. The board is placed on the holder in an inverted position with its playing surface facing down and the board serving as a cover for the holder. To set up the game the holder is inverted with the now upright board on the under side thereof, and the board is dislodged from the holder, by pressing against the upper surface of the board with a finger inserted through a hole provided in the holder for that purpose. When the holder is lifted away, the game pieces are left in their proper starting positions on the board.

Game set and storage system

The present invention relates to a game board device, more specifically to a chessboard game device having self-setting capability for its game pieces. Disclosed are five different embodiments of chessboard game devices having the capability of automatically setting-up chess pieces on their chessboards. The third preferred embodiment has a chessboard with a magnetically attractive surface covered by a chessboard sticker, and two holders on either side of a game box, with 16 compartments arranged in two rows of eight in each holder. Each holder contains either black or white chess pieces in its compartments in an inverted position and each chess piece has a magnet disposed in its base. The compartments are arranged to match the starting positions on the chessboard, so that when the chessboard is placed upside-down over the holders, the magnetic bases of the inverted chess pieces make contact with the appropriate squares on the chessboard, and are magnetically attached. When the chessboard is raised, the chess pieces are lifted together with the chessboard out the their compartments. The chessboard is then rotated 180 degrees by hand into its upright position and placed on a tabletop. During play, captured chess pieces are immediately deposited upside-down Into their appropriately labeled compartments as a process for preparing the chessboard to be reset for the next game. The first and second embodiments utilize a split chessboard design where each chessboard half lifts inverted magnetic chess pieces by pivoting action. The fourth and fifth embodiments do not require magnetic attachment means.

Self-setting game board device

An instrument for extracting stones from the urinary tract of a patient comprising a urological catheter (12) and a stone-extracting basket (26) formed from resilient wires and slidingly inserted into catheter (12). The instrument has a drive unit (18) which is connected to the basket via a rod (22). Drive unit (18) transmits to the rod rotation and axial vibrations, which in turn are transmitted to the basket. When rod (22) rotates, curved portion (21) generates radial vibrations which are transmitted to the basket. In order to prevent basket (26) from rotating, but to transmit to it only axial and radial vibrations, rod (24) is connected to basket (26) through a spherical joint (42). On its front end the basket has a filiform (38) which facilitates insertion of the instrument into the urinary tract. In use, after insertion of the catheter to a position in which the basket is aligned with the location of the stone, the basket is released from the catheter and expands. The urologist maneuvers the basket so that the stone is caught inside the basket, and then the basket is pulled back into the catheter to prevent the stone from falling out of the basket. To facilitate extraction, the drive unit is then energized, imparting axial and radial vibrations to the basket, which under these conditions is gradually withdrawn from the patient's body together with the stone caught into the basket.

Vibratory method and instrument for extracting stones from urinary tract

Instrument and method for removing stones (calculi) from the kidneys, the bladder and other parts of the body. A stone is captured in a basket at the distal end of an elongated tubular member and broken into pieces while it is held by the basket. The stone is broken up by a hammering action provided by a reciprocating shaft which extends through the tubular member into the basket and is driven toward the stone by a spring. The stone is removed from the body by withdrawing the tubular member from the body with the pieces of the stone in the basket. Since the tip of the shaft impacts upon the stone inside the basket, the instrument is safe in that the reciprocate tip cannot strike the tissue outside the basket.

Stone extractor and method

A vibratory method for treating female voiding dysfunctions by applying to the inner walls of the urethra radial expansion forces combined with axial friction forces. This improves blood circulation, trains the urethral sphincters, and produces massaging action on the urethral walls. A device for realization of the method comprises a probe (12) formed of two rods (16) and (18) and a drive unit (14). Drive unit (14) have two output elements, which reciprocate simultaneously in mutually opposite directions. Each rod (16, 18) is connected to a respective drive unit. On their inner or mating surfaces the rods have respective cams (32, 34) and curved grooves (36, 38). During reciprocation of the rods, the cams and grooves interact and thus provide radial expansions of probe (12). Massaging action is provided by serrations (40) which are formed on the outer surface of the rods and massage the inner walls of the urethra through application of friction forces. The rods can be made from plastic and used as a sterilized disposable unit.

Vibratory method and device for treating female voiding dysfunctions

A mechanically-expandable urethral bougie (10) especially useful for dilation of urethral strictures comprises a probe formed from two elongated rods (12, 14) connected at their one end, the rods having a semicircular cross-section and grooves at the mating surfaces. These grooves form a guide slot 26 for a core element (28) which has wedging elements (34, 36) engageable with camming surface of the rods. The end of the probe opposite to the connected ends of the rods is provided with a drive mechanism for axial movement of core element (28). When the core elements move in the axial direction, engagement of its wedging elements (34, 36) with camming surfaces of the rods causes expansion or dilation of the probe, depending on the direction of movement. At its front end, the bougie is provided with a leader (52) of a smaller diameter and higher flexibility than the rest of the probe. The leader facilitates the insertion of the bougie into the patient's urethra. Another feature of the invention is a provision of a longitudinal channel which is formed either in one of the probes or in the core element. When the probe penetrates into the bladder, dripping of urine through this channel indicates to the urologist the fact of penetration of the probe into the bladder. Another feature of the probe is the provision of means for positively locking the rods and core in an assembled state.

Expandable urethral bougie

A method and apparatus for treating internal muscle and connective tissue disorders is disclosed. The method includes the steps of inserting a vibration source into a body cavity and applying vibratory massage in the form of expansions and contractions of the body cavity at a predetermined frequency. The apparatus includes a probe shaped for insertion into a body cavity, an actuator for causing the probe to expand and contract, and a mechanism for adjusting the frequency with which the probe expands and contracts.

Vibratory treatment method and apparatus

A vibrational method and apparatus for accelerating and increasing in efficiency of passage of stones from the ureter comprises introducing into the ureter (U) of a catheter (10) with a vibrating head (12) which imparts radial oscillations to the walls of the ureter at a distance of 0 to 30 mm from the areas where the stone (S) is lodged. Catheter (10) is a flexible tube which has a head (12) which is expandable radially and axially by means of an oscillating element (24) driven from a reciprocating vibrational drive (26). Drive (26) has a tapering end (32) which, during its reciprocations, causes expansions and constrictions of the resilient head, due to its interaction with inner projections (18) and (20). The apparatus is universal in its application and can be used without any changes for pushing the stone, located in the upper part of the ureter, back to the kidney, where the stone can be more readily disintegrated by means of subsequent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. By replacing some parts, the apparatus can be converted into an ultrasonic device for accelerating passage of stones or into an ultrasonic device for destruction of stones in the ureter.

Vibrational method for accelerating passage of stones from ureter

Connector and method for joining two conduits together in a sterile manner permitting aseptic fluid transfer between axially extending passageways in the conduits. End caps fabricated of a material which melts and flows at a sterilizing temperature are connected to the terminal ends of the conduits and brought together within an outer sleeve. Heat is applied to the sleeve to melt the plastic material and cause it to flow out of the region between the passageways, thereby providing communication between the passageways and conding the conduits together in a sterile manner.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Maxim D Persidsky