Symbiosis Corporation

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Syntheon, LLC

Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Infocus Corporation

Id, LLC

Lary Research & Development, LLC

Vein Rx, Inc.

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Saul Gottlieb

Charles R Slater

Matthew A Palmer

Juergen Andrew Kortenbach

Vincent A Turturro

Michael Sean McBrayer

Kevin W Smith

Jose Luis Francese

Jurgen A Kortenbach

Matthew S Solar

Leonard Pinchuk

Robert Sixto

John Jairo Damarati

Nigel MacDonald

Thomas O Bales, Jr

Banning Gray Lary

Dana W Ryan

Devin Lee Moore

Jean-Marie Arthur Parel

Peter K Kratsch

David S Rowley

Kirk William Charles

John B Martin

Joel F Giurtino

Gregory J Murphy

Francisco Fantes

Yasushi Pedro Kato

Joe Kopp

Lionel Gillespie

F Anthony Headley, Jr

Charles S Termin

John D Fulkerson

Jerry C Buck

An apparatus for the transoral invagination and fundoplication of the stomach to the esophagus includes a clip applier having sharp toothed jaws for grasping and damaging the fundus prior to applying the clip. The clip applier has an overall diameter of less than 7 mm. The clip applier jaws are coupled to a pull wire via a linkage which increases the mechanical advantage and thus permits greater grasping force. A plurality of clip designs are also provided.

Surgical clip application assembly

A preferred apparatus for delivering an intravascular drug such as a sclerosing agent (or a microfoam sclerosing agent) to a varicose vein includes a catheter having three concentric tubes. The innermost tube has a guide wire lumen and an inflation lumen. The distal end of the innermost tube has an integral inflatable occlusion balloon in fluid communication with the inflation lumen. The intermediate tube has a lumen through which the innermost tube extends. The distal end of the intermediate tube has a self-expanding balloon with a plurality of fluid pores in fluid communication with the intermediate tube lumen. The outer tube has a lumen through which the intermediate tube extends. Sclerosing agent is dispensed through the intermediate tube to pores located at the distal end of the intermediate tube or in the self-expanding balloon. Veins are sclerosed as the self-expanding balloon is pulled through and ultimately out of the vein.

Apparatus for delivering an intravascular drug

A surgical implant device for treating glaucoma includes an elongate duct structure formed from a material comprising polyisobutylene and a glassy segment. The material of the elongate duct structure preferably has a general block structure with a central elastomeric polyolefinic block and thermoplastic end blocks (e.g., a triblock polymer backbone comprising polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene). The elongate duct structure provides a fluid passageway for diverting aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eye. Preferably, the elongate duct structure defines a lumen channel having an inside diameter between 0.05 mm and 0.3 mm. The material of the elongate duct structure is biocompatible and biostable. Moreover, the material will not encapsulate in the eye and thus provides an unobstructed flowpath that diverts aqueous humor from the anterior chamber. Different embodiments of the implant device divert the aqueous humor to different parts of the eye (e.g., a space between the conjuctiva and sclera, Schlemm's canal, or a fluid reservoir formed on a posterior surface of the eye).

Glaucoma implant device

The invention may include a biopsy instrument having a proximal end and a distal end. The biopsy instrument may include a distal assembly for performing a surgical operation, an elongate flexible member connected to and extending in a proximal direction from the distal assembly, the flexible member including a conduit thereth rough, a proximal actuation handle coupled to a proximal end of the flexible member, the proximal actuation handle including an access opening in fluid connection with the conduit, and a sample collector including a catcher handle and a catcher body. The catcher body may be configured for insertion into the access opening and is removably attached to the catcher handle.

Biopsy instrument having irrigation and aspiration capabilities

Apparatus for the endoluminal treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Methods and apparatus for sclerosing the wall of a varicose vein

A biopsy instrument and method of using such are provided wherein the biopsy instrument includes a proximal actuation handle, an elongate flexible member, and a distal assembly. The flexible member, connected to and extending from the actuation handle, includes an aspiration conduit for fluid connection with a vacuum source and for permitting the flow of fluid from the distal end to the proximal end of the biopsy instrument. The flexible member may include an irrigation conduit for supplying irrigation fluid to the distal end. The actuation handle includes a stationary member and an actuation device, and may include a sample chamber, a sample collector, valves for regulating the vacuum in the aspiration conduit and the fluid flow in the irrigation conduit, and a pressure increasing device for selectively increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied to the distal end. The distal assembly, coupled to the distal end of the flexible member, may be comprised of a movable jaw and a stationary jaw, or of first and second movable jaws. With the jaws in a closed position, the distal assembly may provide a substantially fluidtight passageway at the distal end of the aspiration conduit. The movable jaws are coupled to the actuation device, such that actuation of the actuation handle moves the movable jaws relative to the flexible member, thereby opening and closing the digital assembly.

An endoscopic or laparoscopic biopsy forceps instrument is provided which includes a flexible tubular member having proximal and distal ends, a biopsy jaw assembly at the distal end of the tubular member, an actuation assembly to operate the jaw assembly between open and closed positions, and a control assembly to deflect the biopsy jaw assembly relative to a lumen through which the instrument extends and to rotate the jaw assembly about the longitudinal axis of the instrument.

Rotatable and deflectable biopsy forceps

An endoscopic multiple sample bioptome includes a hollow outer member and an axially displaceable inner member extending therethrough. The proximal ends of the outer and inner members are coupled to an actuator for axially displacing one relative to the other. The distal end of the outer member is coupled to one of a cylinder having a sharp distal edge and a jaw assembly, while the distal end of the inner member is coupled to the other. The jaw assembly includes a pair of opposed, preferably toothed jaw cups each of which is coupled by a resilient arm to a base member. The arms are bent to lie in planes which intersect the axis of the base member and to locate the jaws apart from each other. The base member is mounted inside the cylinder and axial movement of the jaw assembly and cylinder relative to each other draws the arms into the cylinder and brings the jaw cups together in a biting action. The biting action is enhanced according to the invention by arranging the cutting edge of each jaw to lie in a plane which intersects the plane in which the distal portion of the jaw arm lies. The biting action is further enhanced by providing a closing cam on the outer surface of the jaws which is engaged by the cylinder when the jaws are closed. The arrangement of the cutting edges also presents a smooth surface to the interior of an endoscope and the closing cams prevent the sleeve from sliding completely over and off of the jaws.

Endoscopic multiple sample bioptome with enhanced biting action

A biopsy instrument and method of using such are provided wherein the biopsy instrument includes a proximal actuation handle, an elongate flexible member, and a distal assembly. The flexible member, connected to and extending from the actuation handle, includes an aspiration conduit for fluid connection with a vacuum source and for permitting the flow of fluid from the distal end to the proximal end of the biopsy instrument. The flexible member may include an irrigation conduit for supplying irrigation fluid to the distal end. The actuation handle includes a stationary member and an actuation device, and may include a sample chamber, a sample collector, valves for regulating the vacuum in the aspiration conduit and the fluid flow in the irrigation conduit, and a pressure increasing device for selectively increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied to the distal end. The distal assembly, coupled to the distal end of the flexible member, may be comprised of a movable jaw and a stationary jaw, or of first and second movable jaws. With the jaws in a closed position, the distal assembly may provide a substantially fluidtight passageway at the distal end of the aspiration conduit. The movable jaws are coupled to the actuation device, such that actuation of the actuation handle moves the movable jaws relative to the flexible member, thereby opening and closing the distal assembly.

Jaw assembly for an endoscopic instrument

A luminal port assembly insertable into an anatomical passageway includes a housing having a seal which creates a fluid-tight seal between the housing and the tissue of the anatomical passageway. At least one port is provided in the housing. Each port is preferably angularly movable relative to the housing and includes a substantially fluid-tight valved passageway and an insufflation conduit. A mechanism for retaining the luminal port assembly within the anatomical passageway is also provided.

Luminal port device having internal and external sealing mechanisms

An endoscopic biopsy forceps instrument includes a distal jaws assembly detachable from a proximal handle assembly. The proximal handle assembly includes a centrally slotted shaft and a spool having a laterally seated cross block which passes through the central slot. The distal jaws assembly includes jaws mounted on a clevis at the distal end of a coil and coupled to a pull wire which extends through the coil to its proximal end. The proximal end of the coil is provided with a connecting sleeve provided with a frustoconical portion having double-helical threads for removably coupling the coil to a shaft having a distal frustoconical portion having double-helical threads. The proximal end of the pull wire is provided with a grooved mating member and the spool is provided with a locking assembly having a spring-biased push button latch for releasably engaging the grooved mating member. The grooved mating member has an elongate cylindrical distal portion, a central cylindrical portion having a relatively larger diameter, a proximal cylindrical grooved portion, and a proximal conical portion having a rounded apex. The elongate distal portion has a bore into which the pull wire is secured. The mating member end of the pull wire can be snapped into the locking assembly and the coil can be quickly and securely coupled to the shaft.

Biopsy forceps having detachable handle and distal jaws

Growing community of inventors

Miami, FL, United States of America

Saul Gottlieb