Zimmer Spine, Inc.

Endius, Inc.

University of Michigan

Sherwood Medical Company

Histosonics, Inc.

Ultracision Inc.

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Thomas W Davison

Adam Sher

Timothy E Taylor

John Peter Unger

James J Pagliuca

Stephen DiMatteo

Charles A Cain

William W Roberts

Dejan Teofilovic

Russell Carl Jahnke

James A Bertolina

Paul J Smith

Gene P DiPoto

Zhen Xu

Timothy L Hall

J Brian Fowlkes

Ronald Crouther

Gary Whipple

David C Fecht

Robert D Banning

Bernard F Galat

James E Robbins

A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can deliver Lithotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to fractionate urinary stones. Another feature of the device is that it can deliver Histotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to erode urinary stones. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured to target and track urinary stones in the patient during therapy. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.

Ultrasound lithotripsy and histotripsy for using controlled bubble cloud cavitation in fractionating urinary stones

A surgical access system for accessing a surgical target site within a spine includes a retractor and an elongated element. The refractor has a closed configuration defining a lumen with an internal circumference, and an open configuration in which the internal circumference, at least at the distal end of the retractor, is enlarged relative to said closed configuration. The open configuration creates and maintains an operative corridor to said target site. The elongated element is releasably coupled to an interior wall of the retractor and has an extension extending distal of the distal end of the retractor into the surgical target site. When coupled to the retractor, the elongated element covers a body structure at the target site without blocking access to the operative corridor.

Method for securing vertebrae

A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can acoustically couple an ultrasound therapy transducer to a patient. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured to conform to the anatomy of a patient's perineal area to acoustically couple an ultrasound therapy transducer to the patient for treatment of BPH. The medical imaging and therapy device can be used in therapeutic applications such as Histotripsy, Lithotripsy, and HIFU, for example. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.

Disposable acoustic coupling medium container

A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes the following steps: inserting a first cannula () into the body () of the patient; moving a first fastener () through the cannula () and securing the first fastener () to a first vertebrae (); moving a second fastener () through the cannula () and securing the second fastener () to a second vertebrae (); moving a first fixation element () through the cannula (); and fixing the first fixation element () to the first and second fasteners ().

Method of securing vertebrae

A cannula () receives surgical instruments () for performing a surgical procedure on a body (). The cannula () comprises a tube structure () defining a passage () through which the surgical instruments () are inserted into the body (). The tube structure () has a proximal end () and a distal end (). The tube structure () includes an expandable portion () for enabling an increase in the cross-sectional area of the passage () at the distal end (). The expandable portion () of the tube structure (), when expanded, has a conical configuration.

Cannula for receiving surgical instruments

A surgical access system for accessing a surgical target site within a spine includes a retractor and an elongated element. The retractor has a closed configuration defining a lumen with an internal circumference, and an open configuration in which the internal circumference, at least at the distal end of the retractor, is enlarged relative to said closed configuration. The open configuration creates and maintains an operative corridor to said target site. The elongated element is releasably coupled to an interior wall of the retractor and has an extension extending distal of the distal end of the retractor into the surgical target site. When coupled to the retractor, the elongated element covers a body structure at the target site without blocking access to the operative corridor.

System for performing a procedure at a spinal location

A method of fixing first and second vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes inserting a first cannula into the body of the patient. A fusion device is moved through the cannula and inserted between the first and second vertebrae. A first fastener is moved through the cannula and secured to the first vertebra. A second fastener is moved through the cannula and secured to the second vertebra. A first fixation element is moved through the cannula. The first fixation element is fixed to the first and second fasteners. The fusion device has first and second ends, upper and lower surfaces for engaging the first and second vertebrae, and first and second side surfaces extending between the upper and lower surfaces. Each of the first and second side surfaces extend along an arc from the first end of the fusion device to the second end. The upper and lower surfaces have teeth that extend between the first and second side surfaces along secant lines of circles partially defined by the first and second side surfaces.

Growing community of inventors

North Attleboro, MA, United States of America

Thomas W Davison