The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 09, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 13, 1996
Applicant:
Inventors:
Mark G Fontenot, Lafayette, LA (US);
Richard Feinberg, Bellingham, WA (US);
Assignee:
Stryker Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
600473 ; 600476 ;
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for illuminating the region of a body member to be subjected to a surgical procedure by inserting an infrared conducting fiber into the body member, the fiber emitting infrared light energy over a limited range at the precise location where the procedure is to occur. The procedure may involve an organ, a blood vessel, even a nerve. Mechanisms and detectors may be employed to locate the infrared emissions.