Medtronic, Inc.

Leland Stanford Junior University

Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Ilh, LLC

Siris Medical, Inc.

Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.

Akros Medical, Inc.

Medronic, Inc.

Clph, Llc.

Nicholas J Mourlas

Stephen Arie Leeflang

Christian Scott Eversull

Christine P Ventura

David John Miller

Asha Shrinivas Nayak

Charles Horrell

Colin Morehouse Carpenter

Ran Davidi

Todd F Atwood

Christopher Loew

Jon Thompson

Todd Kent

Jessica Galie

Matthew A Tomlinson

Stephen A Leefiang

Anthony Flannery

Christian A Eversull

Boyko Gueorguiev-rüegg

Torsten Pastor

Dominic Gehweiler

Tim Schepers

Michael Swords

Firas Souleiman

Ivan Zderic

An example method is provided for maintaining stability to an injury defined by a separation of two bones (e.g., the tibia and fibula), the separation being an injured distance greater than a pre-injury distance between the two bones in a first human patient. The method may include delivering a first apparatus for approximation of the two bones in the first human patient comprising the injury, the first apparatus including a flexible segment disposed between a first anchor and a second anchor. The method may further include maintaining, by the first apparatus, a restored distance between the two bones in the first human patient after a repetitive dynamic loading, the restored distance approximately equal to the pre-injury distance.

Methods and devices for achieving semi-rigid bone fixation

An apparatus for the approximation of two bones with a first anchor having a proximal end and a distal end configured for insertion into a first hole in a first bone. A second anchor has a proximal end and a distal end configured for insertion into a second hole in a second bone. A flexible link extends between the first and second anchors limiting a spacing from the first anchor to the second anchor when in a deployed configuration. The first hole comprises a first diameter, the second hole comprises a second diameter and the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter. The second diameter is uniform across the entire length of the second hole.

Methods and devices for semi-rigid bone fixation

A catheter system comprises an elongate catheter body including a distal end, a cannulation lumen extending through the catheter body and terminating at the distal end of the catheter body, and a steering element extending through the catheter body for steering the distal end. The catheter system also comprises an imaging element secured to a distal end portion of the catheter body and configured to obtain optical images of an area located distally of the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter body includes a ridge extending axially along an outer surface of the distal end portion, wherein a width of the ridge measured about a circumference of the catheter body is less than a length of the ridge measured along the longitudinal axis, and the imaging element is radially aligned with the ridge with at least a portion of the imaging element disposed within the ridge.

Catheter systems with imaging assemblies

Apparatus and methods are provided for the approximation of two bones, the apparatus including a first anchor that is rotationally driven into a first bone by a second bone anchor, which receives driving torque from a driver tool. After the first anchor is secured in the first bone, the second anchor is disengaged from the first anchor but remains connected to the first anchor by a flexible link of a designed length. The second bone anchor is secured in the second bone and has provisions to be lengthened or shortened to adjust the overall length of the implant, thereby adjusting the approximation between the two bones.

A catheter system comprises an elongate catheter body including a distal end. The catheter system also comprises a cannulation lumen extending through the elongate catheter body and terminating at the distal end of the elongate catheter body. The catheter system also comprises a steering element extending through the elongate catheter body for steering the distal end of the elongate catheter body and an imaging element extending within the elongate catheter body. The imaging element is configured to obtain optical images of an area located distally of the distal end of the elongate catheter body.

A system for facilitating creation of a patient treatment plan includes components configured to receive at least one feature associated with patient data and search a database of previously planned radiation treatments to identify one or more matching plans from the database based on the at least one feature. Parameters corresponding to the identified matching treatment plans may be used to facilitate creation of the patient treatment plan.

Multi-objective radiation therapy selection system and method

A system for delivering a lead comprises an imaging device comprising a proximal end and an expandable distal end having an inner balloon and an outer balloon. The outer balloon is concentric with the inner balloon. The expandable distal end includes a channel defined between the inner balloon and the outer balloon. The imaging device further comprises a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends and an imaging assembly for imaging through the expandable distal end. The system further comprises an elongate rail comprising a proximal end and a distal end positionable through the lumen of the imaging device and the channel. The elongate rail comprises a fixation element on the distal end. The system also comprises a lead comprising a proximal end, a distal end introduced through the lumen of the imaging device guided by the elongated rail, and one or more electrodes on the distal end.

Apparatus and methods for placing leads using direct visualization

Devices, systems, and methods for semi-rigid bone fixation

Apparatus and methods are provided for accessing body lumens and/or for delivering instruments into body lumens, e.g., vessels within a patient's vasculature. A flexible sheath is provided that is expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen therein. The sheath is lubricious and has a relatively thin wall, thereby providing a collapsible/expandable guide for delivering fluids and/or instruments through tortuous anatomy and/or into relatively narrow passages. The sheath is advanced from an entry site to a body lumen in the contracted condition. Once the sheath reaches a target body lumen, the sheath is expanded to the enlarged condition, thereby defining a lumen within the sheath, and fluids and/or instruments are introduced into the body lumen via the sheath lumen. Upon completing the procedure, the sheath is removed from the body lumen.

Expandable guide sheath and apparatus and methods for using such sheaths

An apparatus for imaging a body structure within a body cavity includes a catheter including proximal and distal ends, an imaging element on the distal end, and an extension extending distally from the distal end for contacting a surface of a body cavity into which the catheter is introduced. The extension has a length to maintain the optical imaging element away from the surface. Optionally, a transparent member, e.g., an expandable balloon, may be attached to the distal end of the tubular member and the extension to isolate the imaging element from contact with fluid within the body cavity. During use, the catheter is inserted into a chamber of a beating heart, and the extension and/or balloon is placed against the wall of the chamber. Sufficient force is applied to stabilize the imaging element relative to the wall while the heart is beating.

Apparatus and methods for locating morphological features within a body cavity using a catheter including proximal and distal ends, a transparent balloon carried on the distal end, and an optical imaging assembly carried on the distal end for imaging through the balloon. The balloon includes a channel extending therethrough to a lumen extending through the catheter. A guidewire or other localization member is received in the lumen that is extendable through the channel. During use, the catheter is inserted into a right atrium of a heart, and the balloon is expanded and placed against the wall of the heart to locate the coronary sinus. Sufficient force is applied to clear blood between the surface and the wall and clear the field of view of the imaging assembly. The catheter is manipulated to locate the coronary sinus, whereupon the localization member is advanced into the coronary sinus.

Apparatus and methods for coronary sinus access

Apparatus and methods are provided for delivering a guidewire, agents, and the like through an occlusion in a body vessel or other body lumen. The apparatus includes a flexible catheter or other elongate member including a proximal end, a distal end sized for insertion into a body lumen, and a first lumen extending from the proximal end to a distal region of the tubular member. An expandable sheath is provided on the distal region of the catheter that is expandable from a contracted condition to minimize a profile of the sheath to allow insertion along with the tubular member into a body lumen, to an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen communicating with and extending distally from the first lumen of the tubular member.

Expandable sheath for delivering instruments and agents into a body lumen and methods for use

An apparatus for providing access to a body lumen includes a tubular proximal portion and an expandable distal portion, which extends distally from a distal end of the proximal portion. The expandable distal portion includes an expandable sheath and a stiffening member. The proximal portion has a first lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, and the expandable sheath defines a second lumen that is in fluid communication with the first lumen and extends distally from the proximal portion to a distal terminal opening of the second lumen. The stiffening member is attached directly to the expandable sheath so as to extend alongside the second lumen, and the distal terminal opening of the second lumen is defined by a portion of a perimeter of a distal terminal end of the expandable sheath that becomes spaced apart from the stiffening member when the sheath is expanded.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Nicholas J Mourlas