Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or aids and accessories therefor inventions 04/07

20070093886 - Deployment system for an endoluminal device: The present invention is directed to a deployment system for an endoluminal device. The deployment system includes a confining sheath placed around a compacted endoluminal device. A deployment line is provided in the system that is an integral extension of the sheath. As the deployment line is actuated, the sheath... Agent: Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

20070093887 - Artificial valve with center leaflet attachment: The present invention provides self-expanding or otherwise expandable artificial valve prostheses for deployment within a bodily passageway, such as a vessel or duct of a patient. The valve prostheses include a support structure having an outer frame and supporting a valve leaflet.... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione/chicago/cook

20070093888 - Medical implants with limited resistance to migration: An implant adapted to be retained in a body lumen includes a barb for engaging the lumen wall. The barb includes a yieldable element adapted to yield in response to a force, above a predetermined limit, tending to cause migration of the implant. The barb may comprise a shape memory... Agent: Wanda Cunningham

20070093889 - Non-fragmenting low friction bioactive absorbable coils for brain aneurysm therapy: Non-fragmenting low friction bioactive absorbable coils are disclosed that improve long-term anatomic results in the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The coils are composed of at least one biocompatible and bioabsorbable polymer. The coils are then coated with a polymer to reduce the friction. The coating can contain drugs, such... Agent: Fenwick & West LLP

20070093890 - Heart valve implant: A method according to one embodiment may include providing a heart valve implant including an anchor capable of engaging coronary tissue, a shaft coupled to said anchor, and a valve body coupled to said shaft. The method may further include at least partially collapsing the heart valve implant and percutaneously... Agent: Grossman, Tucker, Perreault & Pfleger, PLLC

20070093891 - Intraocular lens for correcting corneal coma: When fitting a patient for an intraocular lens, a series of measurements is taken on the patient's eye that determines a required lens power. Next, a range of preferred shape factors may be found, which determine the base (i.e., spherical) radii of the two lens surfaces, essentially independent of the... Agent: Advanced Medical Optics, Inc.

20070093892 - Maintaining preoperative position of the posterior lens capsule after cataract surgery: Intraocular lens implant that includes a lens optic and lens haptics configured to maintain a preoperative position of the posterior lens capsule after cataract removal and insertion of a lens implant. The lens haptics have proximal and distal portions, with the distal portions lying in a common plane and the... Agent: Alcon

20070093893 - Breast implant injector: A breast implant injector device comprising a hollow guide cylinder having an open injection end and an opposed filling end, the cylinder having an elongated slot extending from the injection end toward the filling end, and an elongated plunger which can be pushed through the interior of the hollow cylinder.... Agent: Frenkel & Associates

20070093894 - Incorporation of antimicrobial combinations onto devices to reduce infection: This invention relates to a method for coating a medical device comprising the steps of applying to at least a portion of the surface of the medical device, a bactericidal coating layer, wherein the bactericidal coating layer comprises a bactericidal agent; and applying to at least a portion of the... Agent: Dallas Office Of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

20070093895 - Method of performing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using biodegradable interference screw: A method of replacing an ACL with a graft. The method provides for the drilling bone tunnels in a femur and a tibia. A replacement graft is provided having first and second ends. A biodegradable composite screw is provided. The screw is made from a biodegradable polymer and a bioceramic... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070093896 - Method and instrumentation for the preparation and transplantation of osteochondral allografts: Provided are procedures and instruments for preparing and transplanting osteochondral allograft plugs to a host bone to repair an articular cartilage defect. An allograft bone plug having a cartilage plate and cancellous bone tissue attached thereto is removed from a donor bone. The allograft plug is further shaped by removing... Agent: Leydig Voit & Mayer, Ltd

20070093899 - Apparatus and methods for treating bone: Implants and methods for minimally invasive augmentation and repositioning of vertebrae may comprise one or more expandable members, e.g., stents, implants, surrounding a balloon-tipped catheter or other expansion device, inserted into a vertebral body or other bone. Expansion of the expandable member within the vertebral body or other bone may... Agent: Jones Day

20070093902 - In situ bioprosthetic filler and methods, particularly for in situ formation of vertebral disc bioprosthetics: Bioprosthetic devices include an exterior biological tissue member which at least partly defines a cavity, and a proteinaceous biopolymer which fills the cavity, and intercalates and is chemically bound (fixed) to the tissue of the surrounding biological tissue member. In preferred forms, the bioprosthetic device is a bioprosthetic vertebral disc... Agent: Attention Of Jeffery B. Arnold Merchant & Gould P.C.

20070093900 - Modular articulating and fusion spinal disc implant system: The present invention provides an intervertebral implant for replacing intervertebral disc material and controlling relative motion between adjacent vertebral bodies. The intervertebral implant may have at least one end plate and an intermediate component which slides into engagement with the end plate. The intermediate component may be engageable with the... Agent: Medicinelodge Inc.

20070093901 - Selectively expanding spine cage, hydraulically controllable in three dimensions for enhanced spinal fusion: A selectively expanding spine cage has a minimized diameter in its unexpanded state that is smaller that the diameter of the neuroforamen through which it passes in the distracted spine. The cage conformably engages between the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae to effectively distract the anterior disc space, stabilize the... Agent: Glenn Patent Group

20070093897 - System and method for fusion cage implantation: A system and method facilitate insertion of a fusion implant into the intervertebral space of a spine. The fusion implant may have a first bone engaging surface and a second bone engaging surface. An attachment interface on an insertion tool allows the implant to be releasably secured to the insertion... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20070093898 - Transforaminal hybrid implant: An implant configured for placement through a transforaminal surgical approach made of at least two different materials. The implant may include materials with varying radiolucency and mechanical properties. Such a hybrid implant may offer controlled radiographic visibility and optimized structural properties for implant placement, including placement for use in spinal... Agent: Krieg Devault LLP

20070093903 - Spine replacement system for the treatment of spine instability and degenerative disc disease: Apparatuses and methods for single disc arthroplasty and multi-segmental spine replacement. The implant assembly includes a first cage (20) adapted to be rigidly attached to a first vertebra, a second cage (20) adapted to be rigidly attached to a second vertebrae, and a spinal disc replacement prosthesis (10) positioned between... Agent: Jenkins, Wilson, Taylor & Hunt, P. A.

20070093904 - Implant with one piece swivel joint: An implant for permanent or temporary introduction into the human or animal body includes a base body for connecting spaced body parts and/or other implant components, said implant having a load axis, along which primarily tensile and/or compressive forces are transmissible, with at least one rotary axis formed at right... Agent: Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP

20070093905 - Degenerative disc regeneration techniques: In the repair/regenerate of the intervertebral disc, all or a portion of the nucleus pulposus or annulus fibrosus is excised and treated for reinsertion into the disc or adjacent or alternate level disc. Alternatively certain bioactive agents may be injected into the degenerative disc without excising disc material.... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070093907 - Hydrogel spinal disc implants with swellable articles: Spinal disc implants containing one or more swellable articles such as dehydrated microspheres.... Agent: Law Office Of Collen A. Beard, LLC

20070093906 - Nucleus implant and method: The present invention provides intervertebral disc nucleus inserts that may fully or partially replace the natural, or native, intervertebral nucleus. The present invention may include a hydrogel bag outer body that includes an interior cavity for introducing a spiral implant device. The hydrogel bag may be introduced through a cannula... Agent: Wood, Herron & Evans (zimmer Spine)

20070093908 - Modular femoral stem component for a hip joint prosthesis: A prosthetic femoral stem component comprising a body element, a neck element and a stem element, with the body element, neck element and stem element being secured to one another with a modular connection, wherein the modular connection comprises a taper junction and an engaged-fit junction.... Agent: Mark J. Pandiscio Pandiscio & Pandiscio, P.C.

20070093909 - Orthopaedic device for implantation in the body of an animal and method for making the same: A method of preparing a orthopaedic implant which includes removing low-molecular-weight compounds from a mass of polymeric material from which the implant is made.... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070093910 - Implantable digestive tract organ: An implantable digestive organ is provided for the transport of materials through the digestive tract and in one particular application to an artificial large bowel for replacing all or part of a colon or large bowel. The prosthetic organ of one embodiment includes an outer support structure, an expandable member... Agent: Levine Bagade Han LLP

20070093911 - Soft tissue implant such as breast implant, calf muscle implant or the like: A soft tissue implant such as a breast implant, calf muscle prosthesis and the like, comprises an external shell-type envelope (1) of flexible plastic material, in particular of silicone; a liquid to viscous filler material (5) contained in the envelope (1); and a metal-containing, biocompatible, continuous coating (9) on the... Agent: Mcglew & Tuttle, PC

20070093912 - Porous and nonporous materials for tissue grafting and repair: Implants having improved mechanical properties and/or degradation profiles, kits including such implants, and methods of producing and using the same.... Agent: Globus Medical, Inc. Attn: Brian Malm

20070088422 - Apparatus and methods for delivery of multiple distributed stents: Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using multiple, discreet stent structures. Stent structures may be balloon expandable or self-expanding and are delivered by a delivery catheter which is repositioned to spaced-apart delivery sights. By coating the stents with particular biologically active substances, hyperplasia within and between the implanted... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP (client No 021629-000000)

20070088421 - Device for deploying an implantable medical device: Device useful for implanting an implantable device within the vasculature of a patient. The device includes a deployment line, a control component for actuating the deployment line, and an actuation mechanism for translating constant-rate actuation of the control component into variable rate retraction of the deployment line from a remotely... Agent: Kevin J. Boland W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

20070088423 - Method and apparatus for caged stent delivery: The method and apparatus for caged stent delivery is provided herein. The device can be used to position and deliver any type of stent to a preselected treatment site within an intraluminal cavity. The device comprises a tubular portion, a plurality of arms attached to the distal end of the... Agent: Neil D. Gershon

20070088420 - Stent deployment systems and methods: A stent deployment system includes a catheter shaft, an expandable member mounted to the catheter shaft, and one or more stents or stent segments slidably positioned on the expandable member. The stent deployment system is adapted for deployment of stents or stent segments in very long lesions and in tapered... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP (client No 021629-000000)

20070088424 - Endoluminal delivery assembly: A stent graft delivery system in which a stent graft (6) is retained on a delivery device (2) such that a longitudinal portion of the stent graft is releasably retained on the delivery device to bend therewith. The delivery device (2) has a guide wire catheter (3) and the stent... Agent: Cook Group Patent Office

20070088425 - Endoluminal prosthesis: An endoluminal prosthesis is disclosed and comprises a first generally tubular stent, a second generally tubular stent, and a generally tubular graft member concentrically disposed between the first and second stents. One or more of the first and second stents may have a body portion and a flaring portion. The... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione/chicago/cook

20070088426 - Shape memory alloy articles with improved fatigue performance and methods therefore: Articles made of shape memory alloys having improved fatigue performance and to methods of treating articles formed from shape memory alloy materials by pre-straining the articles (or desired portions of the articles) in a controlled manner so that the resultant articles exhibit improved fatigue performance. The shape memory articles are... Agent: Wayne House W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

20070088430 - Endoluminal stent having mid-strut interconnecting members: An endoluminal stent composed of a plurality of circumferential expansion elements arrayed to form the circumference of the stent and extending along the longitudinal axis of the stent, and a plurality of interconnecting members that interconnect adjacent pairs of circumferential expansion elements, the interconnecting members joining struts of adjacent pairs... Agent: Rosenbaum & Associates

20070088428 - Intraluminal device with asymmetric cap portion: A device is provided for placement at a bifurcation of a vessel. The device comprises an anchor portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an anchor body connecting the proximal and distal ends. The anchor body comprises a series of struts configured to provide a radial force to... Agent: Rissman Jobse Hendricks & Oliverio, LLP

20070088427 - Intraluminal stent delivery system, and method of treating a vacaular condition: An intraluminal stent, an intraluminal stent delivery system, and a method of treating a vascular condition. The stent includes a framework with a plurality of flap portions projecting substantially beyond a central core region. The flap portions are movable from a compressed position and an extended position when the stent... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070088429 - Stent with dual support structure: The present disclosure relates to a stent including a stent body having a stent axis. The stent body includes structural members defining openings through the stent body. The structural members are provided with regions having different widths. The relative sizes of the widths are selected to control the length of... Agent: Rissman Jobse Hendricks & Oliverio, LLP

20070088431 - Heart valve delivery system with valve catheter: A heart valve delivery system is provided wherein a prosthetic valve is carried on a valve catheter inside a delivery sleeve. A step balloon protrudes from the delivery sleeve and provides a tapered surface for facilitating advancement through a body vessel. The step balloon also aids in crossing the leaflets... Agent: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

20070088432 - Indwelling shunt device and methods for treating glaucoma: The present invention is directed to a novel indwelling shunt implant and an associated surgical method for the treatment of glaucoma in which the implant device comprises at least one spiral body and/or grooved or corrugated body and is placed to divert aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the... Agent: Lott & Friedland, P.A.

20070088433 - Accommodating intraocular lens system utilizing direct force transfer from zonules and method of use: An accommodating intraocular lens is provided having optical parameters that are altered in-situ, wherein an optic portion of the lens includes a lens piston that alters the shape of a lens element of the lens to alter the optical power of the lens, responsive to forces applied to a haptic... Agent: Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP

20070088434 - Implantable prosthesis for positioning and supporting a breast implant: An implantable prosthesis for use in positioning a breast implant comprising a sheet of a prosthetic material configured to form a sling-shaped receiving area for receiving and supporting the breast implant. The surface area of the implantable prosthesis contacting the breast implant comprises a biocompatible or chemically inert material to... Agent: Patzik, Frank & Samotny Ltd.

20070088435 - Novel polymers for delivering nitric oxide in vivo: Disclosed are novel polymers derivatized with at least one —NOx group per 1200 atomic mass unit of the polymer. X is one or two. In one embodiment, the polymer is an S-nitrosylated polymer and is prepared by reacting a polythiolated polymer with a nitrosylating agent under conditions suitable for nitrosylating... Agent: Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, P.C.

20070088436 - Methods and devices for stenting or tamping a fractured vertebral body: Intravertebral bone stents and tamps made from shape memory metal... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070088437 - Osteoimplants and methods for their manufacture: An osteoimplant is made up of a coherent aggregate of elongate bone particles.... Agent: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070088438 - Spinal disc annulus reconstruction method and deformable spinal disc annulus stent: A spinal disc annulus repair device for repair and reconstruction of the spinal disc wall (annulus) after surgical invasion or pathologic rupture, which may incorporate suture closure or other means of stent insertion and fixation, designed to reduce the failure rate of conventional surgical procedures on the spinal discs.... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20070088439 - Artificial disc with endplates having cages to promote bone fusion: The present invention provides an anchor to attach an artificial disc to vertebral bodies. The artificial disc comprises a superior endplate and an inferior endplate. A disc section extends between the endplates. The superior endplate comprises a first wall defining a first cavity, the first cavity to contain material to... Agent: Holland & Hart, LLP

20070088440 - Articular disc prosthesis and method for implanting the same: An articular disc prosthesis and method of implanting the same within an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebral bodies. The prosthesis includes a pair of articular components and an articular ball disposed therebetween. Each of the articular components includes an outer shell portion and a removable inner insert portion. The insert... Agent: Krieg Devault LLP

20070088441 - Artificial spinal disc: The present invention relates to methods and devices for the treatment of disc disease and spinal deformities with an artificial disc replacement.... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Fulbright Tower

20070088442 - Passive wear-indicating sensor for implantable prosthetic device: A method is provided for non-invasively detecting mechanical wear of a prosthetic device implanted in a patient, the method comprises using a non-invasive imaging technique to image the prosthetic device that includes a wear indicating composition; and detecting whether the wear indicating composition has been released from the prosthetic device,... Agent: Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP

20070088443 - Prosthetic implant support structure: A prosthetic system that includes a prosthetic implant and a support structure secured to an inner surface of the cavity in the end of the bone is disclosed. The support structure defines a channel that extends through the length of the support structure. The prosthetic implant is received in the... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070088444 - Method for repairing a bone defect using a formable implant which hardens in vivo: A method for the repair of bone defects which requires only the resection of the defective portion of the bone. After resecting a defective portion of the bone, a formable implant may be inserted through an incision in the skin and placed over the resected portion of the bone. The... Agent: Zimmer Technology - Baker & Daniels

20070088445 - Fistula graft with deformable sheet-form material: Described are medical products, systems, and methods for treating fistulae having a primary opening, such as in the alimentary canal. Certain methods of the invention include providing an implantable material including a compliant sheet form biocompatible material, and forcing this sheet form biocompatible material into the primary opening so as... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070083254 - Catheter with stent and method for the production of a catheter with stent: A catheter system for the introduction and implantation of a stent comprises a catheter (1) with an expandable portion (2) at its one end, elements at the opposite catheter end intended for communication with means for expanding the expandable portion, and a stent (3) made of a material to which... Agent: Hoffmann & Baron, LLP

20070083252 - Method for placing a stent through a constricted lumen, and medical device: A method for advancing a stent through a constricted lumen of a patient, in which a medical device having an access tube is urged into the lumen via a slip wire. The access tube defines a tubular body having a slip wire connected thereto. The access tube is advanced into... Agent: Peter L. Brewer Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz Law Firm

20070083255 - Prosthesis delivery systems and methods: Apparatus and method deliver a prosthesis into a hollow body organ or blood vessel. The systems and methods make use of a catheter. A carrier on the distal end of the catheter is sized and configured to carry the prosthesis. A release mechanism and an enclosure mechanism on the distal... Agent: Ryan Kromholz & Manion, S.c.

20070083253 - Stent delivery system using a steerable guide wire: A thin-walled guide wire tube is fixedly and sealably attached to both a proximal section and a distal section of a balloon angioplasty catheter. A stent is co-axially mounted onto the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter. Because the guide wire tube forms an inner liner for the balloon... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070083256 - Loading and delivery of self-expanding stents: A covered self-expanding stent (20) can be restrained against axial movement with a pusher (40) within the lumen of the stent that carries a spiral of wire (48) that provides protrusions that are accommodated within a luminal covering layer (24) radially inside the stent body. The protrusions distribute the stress... Agent: Morrison & Foerster, LLP

20070083257 - Aneurysm occlusion device: A system and method for occluding an aneurysm formed in a dilatation area of a body vessel are disclosed. The system comprises a wire guide, a core wire, and an occlusion device. The wire guide comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and has a passageway that extends from... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione/chicago/cook

20070083258 - Intraluminal device and therapeutic agent combination for treating aneurysmal disease: Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070083259 - Annuloplasty device having shape-adjusting tension filaments: A system for treating mitral valve regurgitation includes a tensioning device having a flexible annuloplasty ring, a plurality of anchoring members and a tensioning filament attached to the flexible ring. One embodiment of the invention includes a method for attaching a flexible annuloplasty ring to the annulus of a mitral... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070083260 - Intraocular lens spacer for cataract surgery: A device for maintaining the normal depth of a posterior chamber of the eye. One or more spacers are implantation in the lens capsule of a patient at a position anterior to an implanted posterior intraocular lens following removal of the natural crystalline lens. The spacer or at least one... Agent: Koppel, Patrick & Heybl

20070083261 - Method of maintaining the preoperative dimensions of the eye in an intraocular lens placement procedure: The spatial relationship of structures within the eye, and more particularly the distance from a surface of the cornea to the posterior of the crystalline lens, or the posterior of the lens capsule and the retina or the cornea and the retina, is determined preoperatively, thus establishing the preoperative anatomical... Agent: Koppel, Patrick & Heybl

20070083262 - Tracheostomy tube combination radial snap and bayonet cannula connector: A medical device tube having extended retention tabs with notches therein for improved coupling of an inner cannula connector to an outer cannula connector. The medical device tube comprises an outer cannula connector having retention tabs on an outer cannula connector flange attached to the proximal end of an outer... Agent: Fletcher Yoder (tyco International, Ltd.)

20070083263 - Ossiclse prosthesis with elastic rotary joint: An ossicle prothesis (10) which includes, at one end, a first fastening element (11) designed as a top plate for mechanical connection with the tympanic membrane and, at the other end, a second fastening element (12) for mechanical connection with a component of the ossicular chain or with the inner... Agent: Striker, Striker & Stenby

20070083265 - Devices and methods for facilitating controlled bone growth or repair: Bone implantable devices and methodologies permit careful application of biologically active substances and management of bone growth processes. The device includes a body defining a carrier receiving area for locating adjacent bone. Carrier material is located in the carrier receiving area. Substance is delivered onto carrier material through a port.... Agent: Fellers Snider Blankenship Bailey & Tippens

20070083266 - Devices and methods for treating facet joints, uncovertebral joints, costovertebral joints and other joints: The present invention describes methods, devices and instruments for resurfacing or replacing facet joints, uncovertebral joints and costovertebral joints. The joints can be prepared by smoothing the articular surface on one side, by distracting the joint and by implant insertion. Implants can be stabilized against a first articular surface by... Agent: Philipp Lang, M.d., Mba Vertegen, Inc.

20070083264 - Flexure limiter for spinal prosthesis: Apparatus including a first spinal prosthetic member that may articulate with a second spinal prosthetic member, the first and second spinal prosthetic members flexing relative to one another about a lateral-medial axis corresponding to a lateral-medial axis of a body, and a flexure limiting member attached to the first and... Agent: Dekel Patent Ltd., David Klein

20070083267 - Posterior metal-on-metal disc replacement device and method: Provided is a device and method for replacing a diseased or damaged intervertebral disc in the spine of a patient. The device provided having at least two units, each of the units having an articulation surface and a bone contacting surface, the articulation surfaces of each of the at least... Agent: Perry E. Van Over & Associates PLLC

20070083268 - Bioabsorbable plug implants and method for bone tissue regeneration: A bioabsorbable plug implant, suitable for bone tissue regeneration, comprising a first portion, and a second portion extending outwardly from the first portion, the first and second portions formed from expandable material. A method for bone tissue regeneration comprising the steps of: providing a bioabsorbable plug implant, wherein the implant... Agent: Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti PC

20070083269 - Method of producing endosseous implants or medical prostheses by means of ion implantation and endosseous implant or medical prosthesis thus obtained: The invention relates to a method of producing medical prostheses or implants having a surface microroughness and/or an induced oxide layer, comprising a treatment involving the ionic implantation of controlled amounts of elements such as CO, C, H, N or O in endosseous implants or prostheses produced from metals, metal... Agent: Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

20070083270 - Orthopedic prosthetic devices containing compositions for repair of defects in osseous tissues: Implantable orthopedic prosthetic devices containing tissue repair compositions that contain demineralized bone fragments and homogenized connective tissue.... Agent: Baker & Mckenzie LLP

20070083271 - Anti-obesity devices: Method and apparatus for limiting absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive system is presented. A gastrointestinal implant device is anchored in the pyloric portion of the gastrointestinal system and extends beyond the ligament of Treitz. All food exiting the stomach is funneled through the device. The... Agent: Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, P.C.

20070083272 - Prosthetic knee joint: The invention relates to a prosthetic knee-joint comprising an upper part with a fixing device for a receptacle of a leg stump and a lower part that is pivotally connected to the upper part by a multi-axial articulation device. The lower part can be straightened at all times in an... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070078504 - Device for placing a vascular implant: The invention relates to a device (21) for placing a vascular implant (10) including comprising a device (1) for dilating a vessel, consisting of an outer envelope and a tapered end piece for introduction into a vessel whereby said end piece consists of a nose (14) formed at the distal... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070078506 - Method and apparatus for decompressing aneurysms: A method of treating an aneurysm comprising placing an aspiration catheter in communication with the aneurysm. A prosthesis is deployed across an opening to the aneurysm to isolate at least a portion of the aneurysm. Material is aspirated from the aneurysm. Embolizing or other material may be introduced into the... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070078505 - Two-balloon catheter device for coronary angioplasty and its use: The invention relates to a two-balloon catheter device for coronary angioplasty and its use, which finds application in medicine for the treatment of stenosis (constriction or narrowing) of the coronary blood vessels. The two-balloon catheter device consists of a first balloon, monolithically fit into a first carrying catheter with a... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070078507 - Process for preparing cells for therapeutic and/or prophylactic reimplantation: A heart stimulation device that markedly increases the coronary rate instantaneously and durably, causes dilatation of the walls to regress and opposes thromboses and arrhythmia. The device causes genetic involution of pathological processes by affecting the mechanosensitivity of specific genetic expressions or by addition of partial autologous cell dedifferentiation, obtained... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070078508 - Stent: A stent shaped as a three-dimensional body which is formed by interlaced threads (1) arranged in multistart turns of a helical line. The threads (1) are arranged in at least two groups (2 and 3) of the helical turns featuring opposite senses of helix. The stent ends are established by... Agent: Hoffmann & Baron, LLP

20070078509 - Valved balloon stent: This invention is concerned with a valved inflatable balloon stent that is fixed through interventional cathterization to function as a valve e.g. cardiac valve.... Agent: Woodcock Washburn LLP

20070078510 - Prosthetic cardiac and venous valves: A prosthetic heart or venous valve, the valve including a central tissue structure with multiple tissue lobes extending from a common central area, wherein each of the lobes includes a longitudinal slot. The valve further includes a plurality of leaflets, each extending from the central tissue structure and positioned between... Agent: Kagan Binder, PLLC

20070078511 - Hybrid bifurcated stent: A stent assembly has a first stent body and a second stent body. The first stent body defines a first lumen having a first longitudinal axis therethrough, and the second stent body defines a second lumen having a second longitudinal axis therethrough. An end of the second stent body is... Agent: Vidas, Arrett & Steinkraus, P.A.

20070078512 - Variable lamination of vascular graft: The vascular graft includes a conduit structure having outer and inner wall surfaces. The conduit structure includes a longitudinal central portion having a flexibility. The conduit structure further includes a pair of longitudinal intermediate portions each of which are integral with the central portion and located longitudinally such that the... Agent: Hoffmann & Baron, LLP

20070078513 - Controllable drug releasing gradient coatings for medical devices: Implantable medical devices having a polymer gradient coating capable of controllably releasing at least one pharmaceutical compound to a localized area are disclosed. More specifically, the gradient coatings comprise at least two layers where at least one of these layers incorporates at least one pharmaceutical compound. Each of the layers... Agent: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.IPLegal Department

20070078514 - Method of implanting an annuloplasty prosthesis: A simplified and more easily employed tool for holding an implantable annuloplasty prosthesis during passage of sutures through the prosthesis and for conveniently and efficiently releasing the prosthesis from the tool. Separation of the implantable prosthesis and the tool may be conveniently accomplished without requiring the use of a sharp... Agent: Attn: Jeffrey J. Hohenshell Medtronic, Inc.

20070078515 - Deformable intraocular lenses and lens systems: An intraocular lens includes a deformable optic, a rigid optic, and a support structure. The deformable optic is disposed about an optical axis and comprises a solid material and a deformable surface. The rigid optic is disposed about the optical axis and comprises a solid material and a rigid surface.... Agent: Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. Legal Department

20070078516 - Graft prosthetic composite for proximal humerus: A proximal humeral prosthesis includes a humeral head having a distal end and a proximal end adapted to be coupled to a glenoid cavity of a scapula; a humeral stem core having an outer surface, a distal end, and a proximal end adapted to be coupled to the distal end... Agent: Williams, Morgan & Amerson

20070078517 - Bicompartmental implants and method of use: The present invention provides a method and device for restoring individual patient joint kinematics using minimally invasive surgical procedures. The instrumentation of the invention sculpts the articular surface of a first bone that normally articulates in a predetermined manner with a second bone. The instrumentation includes a bone sculpting tool... Agent: Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP

20070078518 - Cannulated hemi-implant and methods of use thereof: The present invention provides a cannulated hemi-implant with a base and a threaded stem for fixing the stem of the implant within a medullary canal of a phalanx or other bone in the foot. The implant includes a tri-part head capable of both cutting bone and self-threading, with bone forming... Agent: The Webb Law Firm, P.C.

20070078519 - Joint prosthesis with positionable head: A prosthesis for a joint includes a stem for engagement with a bone. The stem includes a surface defining a bore. The prosthesis further includes a joint component. The joint component includes a bearing surface for articulating engagement with at least one of a natural opposing joint component and a... Agent: Maginot, Moore & Beck LLP

20070078520 - Traceable nanocrystals and preparation thereof: Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is widely accepted as bone graft substitutes for clinical application. A novel method is to synthesize an applicable HAp nanoparticles which emit fluorescence or maintain magnetic property with quenching. The present invention is related to utilize CdSe/ZnS or magnetic nano particles as the nuclei for the growth of... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070078521 - Aluminum oxide coated implants and components: The invention provides a medical implant device or component thereof comprising a metal substrate, an intermediate coating, and an outer coating of aluminum oxide, as well as a method of making such a medical implant device or component thereof.... Agent: Leydig Voit & Mayer, Ltd

20070078522 - Particulate acellular tissue matrix: A method of processing an acellular tissue matrix to give a particulate acellular tissue matrix includes: cutting sheets of dry acellular tissue matrix into strips; cryofracturing the dry acellular tissue matrix strips at cryogenic temperatures; separating the resulting particles by size at cryogenic temperatures; and freeze drying the fraction of... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070078523 - Lower limb prosthesis: A lower limb prosthesis comprising a foot, a pylon, a socket, a connector between the socket and the pylon, an adapter between the foot and the pylon, and a liner in the socket, the liner being substantially rigid at room temperatures and moldable at a temperature between approximately 50 degrees... Agent: Sandia Corporation