The Johns Hopkins University

Paul W Flint

Russell H Taylor

Nabil Simaan

David Stein

Gregory Chirikjian

Charles W Cummings

Peter J Scranton

Featured are systems, devices and apparatuses for use in minimally invasive surgical, diagnostic or therapeutic methods and/or techniques, in particular methods and/or techniques for a mammalian throat. In particular embodiments, a dexterity apparatus including one or more dexterity devices is featured, where each of the dexterity devices comprises surgical tools and each is configured and arranged with end-tip dexterity for enhanced manipulation. A portion of the dexterity devices is snake like, which is re-configurable (i.e., can be bent) so as to in effect maneuver the surgical tool and put the tool in a desired position with respect to the surgical site. Another portion of the dexterity device includes the surgical tool thereby providing the capability of performing surgical actions such as sewing, gripping, soft tissue manipulation, cutting and suction of saliva, blood and other materials from the surgical site.

Devices, systems and methods for minimally invasive surgery of the throat and other portions of mammalian body

A device and method to lateralize, or alternatively medialize, the vocal cord is described that is adjustable so that the final position of the vocal cord can be adjusted to enhance the quality of the patient's voice following the procedure. The multi-component device preferably includes, in the case of lateralization, a collar, a translation bushing, and a piston having a grasping device which is inserted through the thyroid cartilage and activated to grasp the vocalis process region of the arytenoid cartilage and lateralize the arytenoid. In the case of medialization, the multi-component device includes a collar and a bushing mounted for displacement relative to the collar, toward the targeted process, to push the process and/or engage a push-plate to medialize the process.

Vocal cord lateralization and medialization device and method

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Paul W Flint