Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Olympus Endo Technology America Inc.

Olympus Corporation

Olympus Medical Systems Corporation

Ndo Surgical. Inc.

Richard Andrews

James J Frassica

Robert E Ailinger

Michael D Laufer

Jeffrey Cerier

Amos G Cruz

Jonathan O'Keefe

Neal H Marshall

Michael Barenboym

Vincent A Puicci, Jr

Hiroaki Miyoshi

Ram Chuttani

Randall B Chinnock

Randal B Chinnock

Vincent A Piucci, Jr

Takehiro Nishiie

Matthew S Carlone

David E Gately

A rotary unit includes a first taper tubular portion which is contiguous to a first axial direction side of a unit main body portion and in which a first unit end of the rotary unit is positioned, an outer diameter of the first taper tubular portion becoming smaller toward the first axial direction. The rotary unit includes a first projecting portion extended on an outer peripheral portion of the first taper tubular portion with projecting toward an outer peripheral direction and wound toward a first around-axis direction as the first projecting portion extends from the first axial direction toward a second axial direction.

Rotary unit and insertion device

An assist tool attachable to an insertion section of an insertion apparatus includes a tube including a longitudinal axis. The tube is provided with a lumen through which the insertion section is insertable. The tool includes a connecting mechanism. The connecting mechanism receives a drive force and is rotated together with the tube with respect to the insertion section inserted through the lumen. The tool includes a locking mechanism provided on a more distal end side than the connecting mechanism in the tube. The locking mechanism includes a convex portion or a concave portion engaged with the insertion section to restrict movement of the tube along the longitudinal axis with respect to the insertion section. Furthermore, an insertion apparatus to which the tool is attached and an introduction apparatus including them is provided.

Assist tool, insertion apparatus to which the assist tool is attached, and introduction apparatus including them

A spiral unit includes a base tube extended along a longitudinal axis and made of a first thermoplastic resin, and a fin disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the base tube along a fin axis spirally extended around the longitudinal axis and made of a second thermoplastic resin. The fin includes a strip portion provided in a state of being bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the base tube and spirally extended along the fin axis. The second resin being mixed with a magnetic material in the strip portion.

Spiral unit, insertion apparatus, and manufacturing method of spiral unit

An apparatus for accessing a bodily passageway includes: an endoscope including an insertion portion configured to inserted into the bodily passageway; a drive tube including a lumen configured to receive the endoscope; a helically-wound thread disposed on an outer wall of the drive tube and configured such that rotation of the drive tube causes the drive tube with the endoscope to move along the passageway; a flexible drive shaft configured to transfer rotary motion generated by a power supply; and a rotatable drive collar disposed on the endoscope and configured to rotate the drive tube relative to the endoscope, the rotatable drive collar including a stator, a rotor rotatable over the stator and detachably coupled to the drive tube, a rotary gear configured to transfer the rotary motion from the flexible drive shaft to the rotor to rotate the drive tube, and a watertight seal disposed between the stator and the rotor.

Rotate-to-advance catheterization system

A steerable rotate-to-advance device for accessing a bodily passageway, said steerable rotate-to-advance device comprising:

A system of rotate-to-advance medical devices including catheters, dilators, occluders, stents, suprapubic catheters and camera introducers configured with external screw threads and depending substantially on rotation for means of advancement and emplacement in mammalian genitourinary and gastrointestinal passages and organs.

A medical instrument for engaging tissue includes a flexible shaft, a tissue piercing coil at a distal portion of the shaft, and a tissue stabilizer positioned over the shaft and biased in a distal direction such that as the tissue piercing coil enters tissue, the tissue stabilizer is urged against a surface of the tissue. A medical instrument for reconfiguring tissue includes a flexible shaft defining a lumen housing actuating controls, and a distal actuating assembly with a sealing portion configured to substantially seal the shaft lumen from contact with bodily fluids. A cartridge assembly includes first and second members configured for releasable attachment to a medical instrument, and a holder configured to receive the first and second members and to be released from the first and second members upon action of the first and second members attaching to the medical instrument.

Tissue reconfiguration

A method includes advancing an apparatus having an elongated member transorally into the stomach. The apparatus includes a distal end effector having first and second members configured to engage tissue. The first and second members are movable relatively toward one another generally in a first plane. The method includes moving the distal end effector relative to the elongated member in the first plane such that the distal end effector is retroflexed out of alignment with the elongated member to position the first and second members for engagement with the tissue. At least one of the first and second members carries a fixation device for fixing engaged portions of tissue together.

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, RI, United States of America

Richard Andrews