Senorx, Inc.

Vascular Control Systems, Inc.

Micro Therapeutics, Inc.

Hologic, Inc.

Applied Medical Resources Corporation

Indian Wells Medical, Inc.

Covidien LP

Mariposa Biotechnology, Inc.

Other

Hussmann Corporation

Endonetics, Inc.

Vascular Control System, Inc.

Hysterx, Inc.

Michael L Jones

Paul Lubock

Fred H Burbank

Frank R Louw

Richard L Quick

Greig E Altieri

Richard J Greff

Jill Uyeno

Scott M Evans

R J Serra

George B Wallace

John Merritt

Nancy Forcier

Stephen A De Santis

Jay Alan Lenker

Blair D Walker

Martin Victor Shabaz

George Robert Greene

Jacob Frank Louw

James Alexander Carroll

Ed Olson

Lloyd H Malchow

John Perl, Ii

Edward E Dolendo

Amit Govil

Jonathan M Sackier

Andrew H Cragg

Yu-Tung Wong

Corbett W Stone

Wayne Arthur Noda

Said S Hilal

Ralph V Clayman

Yves Pierre Gobin

Brian S Kelleher

Stephen DeSantis

Guillermo Elizondo-Riojas

Rj Serra

Randy Werneth

Ethan Broadaway

Bhavya Narayanachar

William E Bries

An endoluminal needle or punch is describes wherein the distal end of the endoluminal needle is able to articulate laterally out of the longitudinal axis of the steerable endoluminal needle. The endoluminal needle further comprise a blunted distal end configuration that is minimally traumatic. Under control by the user, at the proximal end of the endoluminal needle, a sharp stylet can be advanced to punch tissue and then be retracted to maximize safety. The endoluminal needle is configured for use within an introducer.

Steerable endoluminal punch

A method for forming a porous implant suitable for a cavity from which tissue has been removed includes incorporating a gas or a pore forming agent into an alginate solution; transferring the alginate solution with the gas or the pore forming agent into a solidified body mold having a desired shape with an outer surface; removing the water from the solidified body; and subjecting the solidified body to a conversion solution to convert the outer surface to a less soluble alginate creating a composition comprising the outer surface having less soluble alginate and a core having more soluble alginate.

Porous bioabsorbable implant

In one form, the invention is directed to a method for forming a porous implant suitable for a cavity from which tissue has been removed, including mixing soluble alginate and a radiopaque imaging agent with water; incorporating a gas or a pore forming agent into the alginate-water mixture; transferring the alginate-water mixture with the gas or the pore forming agent into a mold to form the mixture into a solid body of desired shape; removing the water from the body; and converting at least part of the soluble alginate to a less soluble alginate. In another form, the invention includes forming a mixture by mixing about 0.5 percent to about 4 percent by weight chitosan into an acidified aqueous solution containing 1 percent to 25 percent by weight acetic acid, along with about 0.5 percent to about 5 percent by weight of a powdered radiopaque imaging agent.

The disclosure describes devices and methods for asymmetrical irradiation at a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or cancer. One device includes a lumen which is off-set or off-settable from a longitudinal axis to increase the intensity of radiation received from a radiation source by a first tissue portion surrounding the body cavity and to reduce or minimize radiation received by a second tissue portion (e.g. healthy tissue) surrounding the body cavity.

Brachytherapy device for facilitating asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity

A solution for forming a marker or filler mass for an intracorporeal site. The solution contains a polar, water soluble non-aqueous solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide and a bioabsorbable, essentially water insoluble polymer such as polylactic acid, or copolymers of lactic acid and glycolic acid. The solution may be delivered to the biopsy site by a suitable syringe and delivery tube. The delivery tube is preferably provided with a releasable radiopaque element on the distal tip which can be released within the polymeric marker mass formed in the biopsy cavity.

Marker or filler forming fluid

An intracorporeal marker system includes a tissue marker pellet comprised of a polysaccharide material. The intracorporeal marker system may also include a fibrous marker of bioabsorbable fibers. In one embodiment, for example, an outer layer of bioabsorbable fibers is disposed around at least part of an inner core of bioabsorbable fibers.

Intracorporeal marker and marker delivery device

A system for at least partially filling and marking a cavity within a patient includes a delivery device. A quantity of marker forming fluid is located within the delivery device. The quantity of marker forming fluid is configured to at least partially fill the cavity and form therein a bioabsorbable body after delivery into the cavity from the delivery device. A radiopaque marker, separate from the quantity of marker forming fluid and releasably attached to a portion of the delivery device, is configured to be delivered into the quantity of marker forming fluid in the cavity from the delivery device and configured to remain in the bioabsorbable body upon the formation of the bioabsorbable body in the cavity.

A marker delivery device includes an elongated delivery cannula which has a distal end section, an inner lumen and a discharge opening in the distal end section in communication with the inner lumen. A plunger is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula. The plunger has a distal end. At least one elongated fibrous marker body is pre-formed prior to being inserted into the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula. The at least one elongated fibrous marker body is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula at a location distal to the distal end of the plunger. The pre-formed at least one elongated fibrous marker body includes a fibrous material compressed and impregnated with a binding agent and freeze dried in the compressed condition. A releasable plug is disposed within a distal portion of the inner lumen and distal to the at least one elongated fibrous marker body.

Marker delivery device with releasable plug

A method for treating a site within a patient from which tissue has been removed includes providing at least one press-formed marker body formed of polysaccharide and a suitable binder; and placing the at least one of the press-formed marker body within the site where tissue has been removed so as to provide hemostasis therein.

Deployment of polysaccharide markers for treating a site within a patent

An intracorporeal marker delivery system includes a delivery device including a delivery cannula and a plunger. The delivery cannula has an inner lumen, a distal tip, and a discharge opening in communication with the inner lumen. A radiographically detectable marker having a fibrous-body and a radiographically detectable marker element coupled to the fibrous body is disposed within and pushable by the plunger through the inner lumen of the delivery cannula. An MRI detectable distal tip plug is disposed at least in part within a distal portion of the inner lumen distal to the radiographically detectable marker, and configured to partially occlude the discharge opening in the delivery cannula. An ultrasound detectable short term marker is interposed between the radiographically detectable marker and the MRI detectable distal tip plug in the inner lumen of the delivery cannula.

Fibrous marker and intracorporeal delivery thereof

A merchandiser that includes a case defining a product display area and a base defining a compartment below the product display area. The merchandiser includes a shelf coupled to the case within the product display area adjacent the base. The shelf is disposed over the compartment and includes a first portion and a second portion. Each of the first portion and the second portion define a product support area to support food product. Also, the second portion is pivotable relative to the first portion to provide access to the compartment.

Refrigerated merchandiser with pivotal shelf

A mass includes particles that exhibit an in vivo lifetime and that include a bioresorbable material and bubble cavities disposed in the particles, wherein the bubble cavities have length, width, and height dimensions at least one of which is less than or equal to about 2000 microns. The mass exhibits enhanced detectability by ultrasound energy during the lifetime; the lifetime begins upon exposure to in vivo fluids and ends between about 2 and about 20 weeks afterward; and a zero or non-zero fluid-to-solid ratio.

Cavity-filling biopsy site markers

Growing community of inventors

San Clemente, CA, United States of America

Michael L Jones