Vanderbilt University

Other

Medical Industries America, Inc.

Robert L Galloway

Michael I Miga

Robert J Maciunas

George S Allen

James D Stefansic

Alan J Herline

Logan W Clements

Martin R Zink

William C Chapman

Charles A Edwards, Ii

Louise A Mawn

Tuhin K Sinha

Thomas R Harris

Candice Danielle Pinson

Charles Rex Galloway

Calvin R Maurer, Jr

Judith T Lewis

Michael P DeLisi

David M Cash

Phic Lovan

Wayne A Bass

A drug delivery device includes a catheter; a retention cap attached to an end of the catheter, having an operably openable surface; a flexible membrane having a rim securely connected to an inner surface of the catheter to define a first volume and a second volume therein, such that the second volume is substantially the same as a desired drug volume; and a pressurizable member coupled to the catheter. In use, the desired drug volume is preloaded into the second volume of the catheter that in turn is slided into a guidance device, when the guidance device is placed in a target, the pressurizable member applies a pressure into the first volume to exert a force upon the flexible membrane to operably squeeze the second volume, which in turn pressurizes the operably openable surface of the retention cap to open, thereby unloading the desired drug volume into the target.

Drug delivery device and applications of same

A drug delivery device includes a catheter having first and second ends; a flexible membrane having a rim securely connected to an inner surface of the catheter to define a first volume between the first end and the flexible membrane, and a second volume between the flexible membrane and the second end, such that the second volume is substantially the same as a desired drug volume; and a pressurizable member coupled to the catheter for operably delivering a drug. In use, a desired volume of the drug is preloaded into the second volume of the catheter that in turn is slid into a guidance device, when the guidance device is placed in a target of interest, the pressurizable member applies a pressure into the first volume to exert a force upon the flexible membrane to operably squeeze the second volume, thereby unloading the drug into the target.

A method and system of compensation for intra-operative organ shift of a living subject usable in image guide surgery. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of generating a first geometric surface of the organ of the living subject from intra-operatively acquired images of the organ of the living subject, constructing an atlas of organ deformations of the living subject from pre-operatively acquired organ images from the pre-operatively acquired organ images, generating a second geometric surface of the organ from the atlas of organ deformations, aligning the second geometric surface of the organ to the first geometric surface of the organ of the living subject to determine at least one difference between a point of the first geometric surface and a corresponding point of the second geometric surface of the organ of the living subject, which is related to organ shift, and compensating for the intra-operative organ shift.

Apparatus and methods of compensating for organ deformation, registration of internal structures to images, and applications of same

A flexible endoscope for ophthalmic orbital surgery includes a flexible probe housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The endoscope also includes an image fiber disposed in the lumen that communicates image information from the distal end of the flexible probe, a purge fluid/gas port disposed at the proximal end of the flexible probe that accepts purge fluid/gas and a purge fluid/gas conduit disposed in the lumen and in fluid communication with the purge fluid/gas port. The fluid/gas conduit delivers purge fluid/gas to the distal end of the endoscope. The endoscope also includes an access conduit disposed in the lumen that receives one of an ablation instrument, a coagulating instrument and a medication delivery instrument.

Ophthalmic orbital surgery apparatus and method and image-guide navigation system

A method and apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data used while performing image-guided surgery is disclosed. Physical space data is collected by probing physical surface points of surgically exposed tissue. The physical space data provides three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of the physical surface points. Based on the physical space data collected, point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space are determined. In one embodiment, the surface of surgically exposed tissue of a living patient is illuminated with laser light. Light reflected from the illuminated surface of the exposed tissue is received and analyzed. In another embodiment, one or more magnetic fields of known shape and size are established in the proximity of the exposed tissue. Data associated with the strength of the magnetic fields is acquired and analyzed.

Method and apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing image-guided surgery

An improved wheelchair leg rest extension system. The system includes a ball screw assembly provided within a steel sleeve of the wheelchair frame, and actuated by an electric motor to raise and lower a leg rest, while protecting the ball screw assembly from damage, and reducing the unsightliness and potential for damage associated with external extension and retraction means.

Leg extension assembly

A method and apparatus for collecting and processing physical space data used while performing image-guided surgery is disclosed. Physical space data is collected by probing physical surface points of surgically exposed tissue. The physical space data provides three-dimensional (3-D) coordinates for each of the physical surface points. Based on the physical space data collected, point-based registrations used to indicate surgical position in both image space and physical space are determined. The registrations are used to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of an ablative instrument used to perform the image-guided surgery, an ablation zone of the instrument, the surgically exposed tissue, and a particular portion of the tissue to be resected or ablated. The image data is updated on a periodic basis.

An improved chair back tilt apparatus for a wheelchair. The apparatus includes a seat and a back support pivotally coupled to the seat. A backrest is slidably coupled to the back support and coupled to the seat by a rigid L-shaped support. A linear motion actuator is secured between the seat and the back support to recline the seat. As the seat reclines, the L-shaped support pulls the backrest downward. The L-shaped support also forces the backrest upward as the seat is returned to its original position thereby substantially eliminating back shear associated with prior art back tilt systems.

Chair back tilt apparatus

An improved wheel chair leg rest shock absorption apparatus. The apparatus includes a frame having a telescoping linkage slidably received therein. A leg rest is coupled to the linkage and means are coupled to the linkage for extending and retracting it. A spring assembly is coupled to the leg rest to absorb shock force applied to the leg rest and prevent deformation and damage to the apparatus. The spring assembly absorbs shock regardless of whether the leg rest is raised or lowered.

Shock absorption system for wheelchair

An A-mode ultrasound transducer is tracked in three-dimensions by an optical position tracking system as the transducer is scanned over the skin to generate measurements of bone surface distance from the transducer. A processor correlates the ultrasound data with position and orientation data to generate a three-dimensional physical space model of the bone surface which is registered with an image space model of the bone surface generated from a tomographic image to produce an alignment of the two models. The ultrasound transducer is replaced by an instrument which is also optically tracked. The alignment is used to translate instrument position in physical space to a position in image space for generation on a monitor of a composite display of the instrument and the tomographic image. This composite display can be used to guide positioning and orienting the instrument in physical space with respect to sites of interest observed in the tomographic image on the display.

Apparatus and method for bone surface-based registration of physical

In a coordinate system defined by a coordinate space digitizer, the location of an implanted symmetric object may automatically be determined based on differences between the characteristic acoustic impedances of at least a portion of an implanted object and one or more materials surrounding that object. An A-mode ultrasound transducer may be attached to a coordinate space digitizer or pointing device such that an attached computer tracks the position and orientation of the ultrasound transducer. The reflected radio-frequency (rf) ultrasound signals may automatically be analyzed along with the transducer position and orientation corresponding to each received rf signal to detect the position of the implanted object. The time delay between received ultrasound echoes is used to compute the depth of the object from the transducer. This allows for an accurate determination of the three-dimensional coordinates of the implanted object.

Automatic ultrasonic localization of targets implanted in a portion of

An interactive system for guiding the use of a surgical tool uses at least one imaging technique, such as CT scanning. A mechanical arm has a fixed base at a first end and a tool holder that holds the surgical tool at a second end. A display displays one or more images from the image space of a patient's anatomy. A computer is coupled to the display and the mechanical arm. The computer tracks the location of the surgical tool through physical space, performs a transforming rotation of the physical space to the image space, and causes the display to display the location of the surgical tool within the image space.

Interactive image-guided surgical system for displaying images

Interactive image-guided surgical system

Infrared sensitive indicator-dilution tracer concentration, specifically, 1,2 propanediol, can be optically measured in blood drawn from the systemic arterial system to indicate lung vascular function and transcapillary transport, i.e. pulmonary blood flow, extravascular lung water, transcapillary permeability-surface area, fluid filtration coefficients, etc. that may be helpful in diagnosing lung diseases, particularly Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

Growing community of inventors

Nashville, TN, United States of America

Robert L Galloway