University of South Florida

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Philip James Hipol

Stuart Richard Hart

Kevin Andrew Hufford

Mario Alves Simoes

Alfredo Weitzenfeld

Francy Lorena Sinatra

Mark Xavier Sweeney

Susana Lai-Yuen

Mark Antoine Zakaria

Gerard Michael Dileo

Susana K Lai Yuen

Gerard Michael DiLeo

In laparoscopic surgery, small (5-12 mm diameter) incisions are made in an abdominal wall through which instruments dissect and remove specimens that may be several centimeters in diameter. Removal of a sample typically requires either enlarging these incisions or morcellating the sample to pass through sub-centimeter ports. A laparoscopic device permits extraction of the sample to be removed in a female using a vagina, which has sufficient elasticity to accommodate removal of large specimens. A posterior portion of the vagina communicates to an abdomen through a few tissue layers, and is distant from vital anatomic structures. Utilizing the vagina is optimal due to its ease of access to the abdomen and repair, minimal scarring and post-operative pain, and faster recovery following surgery. A deployable collection bag is housed in a sheath, which is deployed into the vagina or an abdominal cavity to extract a large (multiple-centimeter) specimen(s) through the vagina. An optional insufflation system and an inflatable balloon to maintain a pneumoperiotoneum may be used to reduce a number of laparoscopic ports required.

Transvaginal specimen extraction device

An electronic catheter stethoscope measures and analyzes acoustic fields and dynamic pressure variations in the gaseous or liquid fluid inside a conventional medical catheter that is positioned in a patient's urologic, digestive, reproductive, cardiovascular, neurological or pulmonary system. Measurement transducers are installed in a housing connectable to multiple preselected medical catheters. The transducers detect bodily functions that are transmitted to the preselected catheter from within the body. The transducers, housing, electrical interface and signal processing electronics are positioned outside the body.

Electronic catheter stethoscope

A laparoscopy tool includes a sheath and a control wire slideably disposed within a lumen of the sheath. The sheath has a diameter of less than 1.6 mm and is introduced through an abdominal incision. A handle axially displaces the control wire within the lumen and operates a conventional tip with wire-controlled opposing jaws that is introduced through the umbilicus and has a bore formed in its trailing end. A first set of blades in the bore engage grooves formed in the leading end of the control wire and a second set of blades engages the sheath to prevent sheath retraction. A cam displaces the second set of blades away from the sheath for sheath introduction and removal, and toward the sheath to prevent sheath retraction. The tip is removed through the umbilicus and the tool is removed through the abdominal incision when the surgery is completed.

Small diameter laparoscopic tool having releasable tip

Growing community of inventors

Tampa, FL, United States of America

Philip James Hipol