Surgery inventions 05/06

20060111605 - Methods and apparatus for intraocular brachytherapy: A method for performing intraocular brachytherapy and an apparatus for performing the same is disclosed. The apparatus preferably comprises a hand-held delivery device that advances a radiation source into an associated cannula or probe that is positioned adjacent the target tissue. The handpiece provides for shielded storage of the radiation...

20060111606 - Magnetic therapeutic devices and methods for alleviating pain and assisting healing in humans and animals: A magnetic therapeutic device having one or more flexible strands (such as monofilament nylon line) detachably connectable at a first end with a first end magnetic clasp and a second end with a second end magnetic clasp while the strands hold magnetized hematite beads (which substantially surround the strands) and,...

20060111607 - Cardiac support with metallic structure: A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for the jacket to surround...

20060111608 - Shower attachment having the appearance of a human structure and method therefor: A shower attachment is configured to have the appearance of a human structure. In one embodiment, the human structure is a male penis, and the shower attachment in this embodiment has a shaft and a glans. Water enters the shower attachment and, preferably, exists through one or more openings in...

20060111609 - Articulating endoscopic instrument: An endoscopic instrument comprises a shaft, comprising a proximal end and a distal end. A grip comprising a handle is arranged at said proximal end of said shaft and a tool having at least an open and a closed position is arranged at said distal end of said shaft. Said...

20060111610 - Endoscope device and control method for the same: An endoscope device comprises: an endoscope including an insertion portion and a first balloon attached to a distal end of the insertion portion; and an insertion guide that is to be covered on the insertion portion to guide insertion of the insertion portion, the insertion guide comprising a second balloon...

20060111611 - Endoscope sleeve dispenser: Apparatus (20) for sheathing an endoscope (22) includes a dispenser (24), having entry and exit ports (36, 39) defining a transit passage through which the endoscope may pass, and a flexible sleeve (26), at least a portion of which is bunched in a vicinity of the dispenser. The sleeve includes...

20060111612 - Endoscope and endoscope tip forming member: An endoscope including an elongated insertion section configured to be inserted into a lumen of a subject's body from the distal end side thereof, a tip forming portion which forms a distal end portion of the insertion section, and a bending section which is formed on the insertion section and...

20060111613 - Selectively rotatable shaft coupler: The present invention is a system for dissipating loops in an elongated medical device having one end secured to an anchor point, such as a housing. The system includes a selectively rotatable shaft coupler that connects a shaft to the anchor point that allows a limited amount of shaft rotation...

20060111614 - Shape lockable apparatus and method for advancing an instrument through unsupported anatomy: Apparatus and methods are provided for placing and advancing a diagnostic or therapeutic instrument in a hollow body organ of a tortuous or unsupported anatomy, comprising a handle, an overtube disposed within a hydrophilic sheath, and a distal region having an atraumatic tip. The overtube may be removable from the...

20060111615 - Articulating sheath for flexible instruments: A sheath useful for remote steering, guidance and/or manipulation of a flexible instrument, including e.g. an endoscope, received through the sheath....

20060111616 - Articulating mechanism components and system for easy assembly and disassembly: A component-based system for assembling articulating mechanisms that generally includes a variety of link, joint, central and spacer components together with connecting cables of varying lengths....

20060111617 - Flexible shaft for an endoscope and such an endoscope: A flexible shaft for an endoscope comprises a shaft body which, in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, has a first portion with a first degree of flexibility, and, proximally from the first portion, has at least a second portion with a second degree of flexibility which is less than...

20060111618 - Universal, programmable guide catheter: A guide catheter apparatus that comprises the following: (a) a guide catheter portion that includes a plurality of electroactive polymer actuators disposed along its axial length and (b) a control unit coupled to the actuators and sending control signals to the actuators. The actuators change the shape of the guide...

20060111621 - Musical personal trainer: Systems and methods for sonification, user influence through sound, and biofeedback, sonification of motion and physiological parameters during physical exercise and the use of music and sound in order to influence the emotional, psychological and physiological state of an exerciser, and the use of sonification and influence in a feedback...

20060111620 - Providing medical services at a kiosk: A medical kiosk (10) provides medical services. The medical test to be performed are determined (110). A test kit is dispensed from the medical kiosk (120). The necessary tests are performed. The test kit is decontaminated (172) and the results of the tests are recorded....

20060111619 - Sub-millimetre wavelength camera: The invention relates to an imaging device to be used with millimeter and/or sub-millimeter radiation comprising at least a pair of substrates, at least one of which is patterned on at least one surface with a patterning defining at least one radiation detector, each radiation detector comprising: an antenna adapted...

20060111622 - Apparatus and method for monitoring deep tissue temperature using broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy: A method for noninvasively determining deep tissue temperature comprises measuring data relating to spectral shifts of chromophore absorption in tissue using broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy and generating a temperature reading corresponding to the spectral shift of an absorption peak of the chromophore. A bound water correction is made to the...

20060111623 - Blind source separation of pulse oximetry signals: A method and apparatus for the application of Blind Source Separation (BSS), specifically independent Component Analysis (ICA) to mixture signals obtained by a pulse oximeter sensor. In pulse oximetry, the signals measured at different wavelengths represent the mixture signals, while the plethysmographic signal, motion artifact, respiratory artifact and instrumental noise...

20060111624 - Electrode assembly and a system with impedance control: An electrode assembly arranged to change the impedance of the skin area (12a, 12) under the contacting surface (11) of the electrode (10). For this purpose the body of the electrode (10) comprises the impedance control means (14) arranged to discharge an amount of the electrolyte from a depot (14)....

20060111626 - Electrode structures having anti-inflammatory properties and methods of use: Electrode structures for implantation include an electrode, an elastic backing attached to the electrode, and a sequestered drug on the backing or the electrode which is released to control and/or limit the growth of scar tissue. The elastic backing includes a tissue contacting side which contacts a tissue structure, and...

20060111625 - Method for producing a secondary cell having flat wound electrode body: A method for producing a secondary cell having a flat wound electrode body that inhibits the bending of the electrode board caused by charging and discharging and inhibits resulting swelling of the cell and deterioration of cycle characteristics is provided. The method has the steps of: winding, with a winding...

20060111627 - Catheter and method for mapping purkinje fibers: An improved catheter is provided that is particularly useful for mapping the Purkinje fibers for potential diagnosis of ventricular fibrillation. The catheter comprises an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. Mounted at the distal end of the catheter body is...

20060111628 - Image analysis method for abnormal hip structures based on transverse sections: An image analysis method for abnormal hip structures. A plurality of transverse sections of a bone structure are provided. Structural features on the transverse sections are obtained. Abnormities of the structural features of the bone structure are recognized. Structural and feature properties of the bone structure are estimated according to...

20060111629 - Removable localizing wire: A localizing wire comprising an anchor portion that can change shape from a collapsed shape to an expanded shape and thereby anchor within a tissue mass. A localizing wire having an exterior portion that can lie flat against the tissue mass. A localizing wire that can be repositioned or withdrawn...

20060111630 - Method of tomographic imaging: The invention relates to a method of tomographic imaging, and in particular a CT or MR method, for the repetitive production of diagnostic slice images of a part of a patient's body. To allow a geometrical transformation (2) to be determined, current reference slice images (1) of the part of...

20060111631 - System, apparatus and method for forensic facial approximation: A system, method and apparatus for performing a facial approximation is described. The system includes an acquisition subsystem and a facial approximation algorithm. The method includes the steps of acquiring models of known skulls and a model of a questioned skull, comparing the models of the known skulls with the...

20060111632 - Wireless breach detection: Methods and systems for detecting wall breach in inflatable prostheses rely on intrusion of a body fluid or inflation medium to electrically alter a signaling circuit. In one embodiment, an open portion of a circuit is closed to enable or modify a transmitted signal. In another embodiment, electrical current is...

20060111633 - Instantaneous ultrasonic measurement of bladder volume: An apparatus and methods to quantify the volume of urine in a human bladder with a limited number of acoustic beams is disclosed. In a first version the apparatus is composed of a transducers assembly that transmits a plurality of narrow ultrasound beams in different directions towards the bladder and...

20060111634 - User interface for medical imaging including improved pan-zoom control: An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object that includes a display system for displaying a scanned image of the organic object in a plurality of display modes wherein the display system further includes a user input device sensor for sensing a motion of a user input device...

20060111635 - Sleep staging based on cardio-respiratory signals: A method for diagnosis of a sleep-related condition of a patient having a thorax. The method includes receiving physiological signals from sensors coupled to the thorax of the patient, and analyzing the physiological signals, independently of any electroencephalogram (EEG) or electro-oculogram (EOG) signals, in order to identify sleep stages of...

20060111638 - Noninvasive pulse measurement method and system with constant pressure for extremities of a human body: The invention is related to a noninvasive pulse measurement system with constant pressure for extremities of a human, and the constant pressure is modulated among 30 to 120 mmHg. There are an auto-mode and a manual mode for measurement algorithm. The auto-mode completes measurement and recording processes automatically during 2...

20060111636 - Wrist-mount blood pressure monitor: A wrist-mount blood pressure monitor includes a housing having an anterior leg and a posterior leg rigidly connected together. The anterior leg is opposed and spaced a distance from the posterior leg so that a wrist is allowed to fit in the space between the legs. An inflatable bladder is...

20060111637 - Wrist-mount blood pressure monitor with auditory feature: A wrist-mount blood pressure monitor includes a housing having an anterior leg and a posterior leg rigidly connected together. The anterior leg is opposed and spaced a distance from the posterior leg so that a wrist is allowed to fit in the space between the legs. An inflatable bladder is...

20060111639 - Blood pressure measuring device and monitor system with wireless transmission of pressure signals: A blood pressure measuring apparatus with a wireless transmission of pressure signals comprises a tourniquet used for being bound around an arm of a human body and a main body fixedly combined with the tourniquet; the main body can control the expansion and the compression of the tourniquet to process...

20060111640 - Wireless transmitted electrocardiogram monitoring device: A wireless transmitted electrocardiogram monitoring device is disclosed. A conductive fabric of the device features on that it is used to be a sensing component with characters of comfort, air permeability, softness, and stretchability thus achieves long-term signal measurement. The processing and transmission method of electrocardiogram signals is characterized in...

20060111642 - Method and apparatus for signal assessment including event rejection: An improved method and apparatus for non-invasively assessing one or more physiologic parameters, such as for example those associated with the circulatory system of a living organism. In one exemplary embodiment, the invention evaluates cardiac events (e.g., beats) present within an ECG waveform to determine which beats should be retained...

20060111641 - System and method for icg recording and analysis: An ICG control system for improved performance of Impedance Cardiography and improved reporting of the hemodynamic parameters obtained during an Impedance Cardiography (ICG) session. When the ICG control system is used, impedance waveforms, ECG Waveforms, and hemodynamic parameters are recorded continuously for each session. The parameters and/or pictorial representations are...

20060111643 - Arrhythmia memory for tachyarrhythmia discrimination: This document discusses, among other things, a method of identifying a non-fatal tachyarrhythmia episode by determining a degree of similarity between the episode and a template generated from a previous tachyarrhythmia episode....

20060111644 - Patient-specific seizure onset detection system: The present invention provides methods and systems for patient-specific seizure onset detection. In one embodiment, at least one EEG waveform of the patient is recorded, and at least one epoch (sample) of the waveform is extracted. The waveform sample is decomposed into one or more subband signals via a wavelet...

20060111645 - Two wire oscillator system for determining body empedance: An apparatus for determining body impedance comprising: first and second electrodes suitable for being electrically coupled to the body; and a variable frequency relaxation oscillator coupled to the electrodes; wherein, the period of oscillation is indicative of the body impedance....

20060111646 - Marking biopsy sites: A needle biopsy system for marking a sampling site is described....

20060111648 - Urine collection apparatus: Urine collection apparatus is provided which can be used to assist bedridden and/or incontinent patients, particularly female patients. The apparatus includes a urine collector which is shaped for location against the perineal region of a patient adjacent the urethra. The urine collector comprises a hollow body having opposed ends in...

20060111647 - Urine specimen container for female patients: The female urine specimen container of the present invention comprises a urine collection cup having an opening contoured to fit the female anatomy having a generally triangular shape with rounded corners, a bottom having a generally triangular shape with rounded corners, a front wall and a pair of side walls...

20060111649 - Catheter having improved torque response and curve retention: A medical device and methods for making and using the same. The medical device may include a core member or core wire and a braid disposed about the core member. The braid is made up of a plurality of wires. At least one of the wires making up the braid...

20060111650 - Penile volumetric measuring device: A volumetric measuring device for measuring a body part. The device includes a fluid container filled with fluid. The fluid container has a body part opening for permitting the insertion of a body part and a displaced fluid opening for permitting the flow of fluid that has been displaced as...

20060111651 - Device and method for determining parameters of blind voids: Device for determining the size of a blind void comprises an elongated rigid rod, an actuator slidably movable relative to the rod, the actuator having a distal end for insertion into the void, a distal flexible element fixed at one end thereof to the rod, a second flexible element fixed...

20060106273 - Directional-ionizing energy emitting implant: The directional-ionizing energy emitting implant is for attachment either to natural tissue or a prosthetic device, and delivers a prescribed dosage of energy to targeted tissue. The insert device includes an energy-source material within the insert device that delivers the prescribed dosage of energy to the targeted tissue, while minimizing...

20060106274 - Portable electrotherapy device: The invention discloses an electrotherapy device for generating specifically designed low frequency pulsed magnetic fields (Cnp waveforms). The device comprises a memory storing at least one digital Cnp waveform and a digital to analog converter converting the at least one digital Cnp waveform into an analog Cnp waveform for application...

20060106275 - Sleep guidance system and related methods: A sleep efficiency monitor and methods for pacing and leading a sleeper through an optimal sleep pattern. Embodiments of the present invention include a physiological characteristic monitor for monitoring the sleep stages of a sleeper, a sensory stimulus generator for generating stimulus to affect the sleep stages of a sleeper,...

20060106276 - Relaxation device and method: A device for inducing a relaxation state in a user is provided. The device includes a pair of light sources directed toward a user's eye. The two light sources emit different colors, preferably blue and red. A second pair of light sources may be directed toward the user's other eye....

20060106279 - Devices, systems, and methods for reshaping a heart valve annulus, including the use of a bridge implant having an adjustable bridge stop: Implants or systems of implants and methods apply a selected force vector or a selected combination of force vectors within or across the left atrium, which allow mitral valve leaflets to better coapt. The implants or systems of implants and methods make possible rapid deployment, facile endovascular delivery, and full...

20060106278 - Devices, systems, and methods for reshaping a heart valve annulus, including the use of an adjustable bridge implant system: Implants or systems of implants and methods apply a selected force vector or a selected combination of force vectors within or across the left atrium, which allow mitral valve leaflets to better coapt. The implants or systems of implants and methods make possible rapid deployment, facile endovascular delivery, and full...

20060106277 - System for the treatment of stress urinary incontinenc: The invention relates to an improved system for the treatment of incontinence. The inventive system comprises means of returning the vesical neck and the urethra to the original position thereof in a less aggressive manner, through the use of a mesh that can be positioned beneath the urethra and tautened...

20060106280 - Scope dock: A medical device for allowing a physician to unhand a scope or other instruments while maintaining control of the scope or other instruments during a medical procedure. The medical device includes at least one docks and a harness for attaching the dock to the physician's body. The harness can be...

20060106281 - Multi-functional endoscopic system for use in electrosurgical applications: A multi-functional endoscopic system, for use in electrosurgical applications, that includes an imaging endoscope that may be used in combination with various electrosurgical devices, all of which are sufficiently inexpensive to manufacture, such that the endoscope and electrosurgical devices are considered single use, disposable items. The multi-functional endoscopic system of...

20060106282 - Pulsed infrared imaging and medical intervention system: The present invention in a preferred form uses pulse technology to produce wavelengths of light within the infrared spectrum in order to selectively view surgical sites normally occluded by conditions such as smoke, fluids, tissues, and/or haze and to direct laser energy to the surgical site. The invention allows selected...

20060106283 - Methods and devices for endoscopic imaging: Embodiments include devices and methods. One embodiment includes a method for imaging an endometrial cavity, including acquiring a plurality of images using an imaging system. A first part of the imaging system is positioned within the endometrial cavity. At least portions of two or more of the images are combined...

20060106284 - Communication method of storage device, image storage system and image storage device: This is the communication method of an image storage device for recording medical information. The communication method comprises a receiving information from a plurality of devices for providing at least one of setting information, status information, inspection image information and patient information, and transmits at least one of the setting...

20060106285 - Fluid delivery system for use with an endoscope: A fluid delivery system for use with an endoscope. Certain embodiments of the invention include a single, large fluid source and pump installed upon an operator console, in combination with a small fluid reservoir and pump installed within a proximal connector of the imaging endoscope, multiple fluid sources that feed...

20060106286 - Endoscopic vision system: The present invention relates to an endoscopic visioning system and related method for both forward and backward viewing of a body lumen. According to an embodiment, the system includes an endoscope, a vision head including a light source and a vision chip on both a proximal and a distal side...

20060106287 - Optical window for an intracorporeal device: Optical windows for intracorporeal devices, intracorporeal devices comprising a window and a method for forming a window for an intracorporeal device are provided. The method comprises placing within a mold an assembly comprising a mandrel located within a pair of parts separated by a collar of window material, heating the...

20060106288 - Remote tissue retraction device: A medical device for managing tissue in an organ, such as the stomach, for retracting or positioning tissue and related organs to allow certain regions of the stomach to be acquired for a gastroplasty procedure. The medical device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end,...

20060106289 - Equine wireless physiological monitoring system: An accelerometer senses equine respiratory structural vibrations. The accelerometer includes a sensing surface configured to be attached to one of hair, skin, bone, ligament, cartilage, and other tissue of a horse. The accelerometer is responsive to respiratory structural vibrations of the horse and outputs a signal corresponding to the respiratory...

20060106291 - Human physiological and chemical monitoring system: A human physiological and chemical monitoring system includes a device worn by a person to monitor, detect, record and/or analyze information received from sensors in contact with the wearer's body. Based upon the information generated, the system can indicate that the wearer has likely engaged in a sexual activity....

20060106290 - System and method for delivering medical examination, treatment and assistance over a network: A method for providing a covering physician service includes informing a patient of a practicing physician of the availability of the plurality of patient terminals and referring the patient to one of the patient terminals upon the agreement of the patient. A call from the patient at the patient terminal...

20060106292 - System and method for employing multiple coil architectures simultaneously in one electromagnetic tracking system: The presently described technology provides a method for simultaneously employing two or more coil architectures in an electromagnetic tracking system. The method includes providing a transmitter that includes three single-coil transmitters, one or more receivers each including three single-coil receivers, and a receiver array that includes a plurality of single-coil...

20060106293 - Optical imaging and oximetry of tissue: Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting at least one region of a sample having an absorption level different from a background level of absorption in the sample by obtaining thicknesses of the sample and intensities of light transmitted through the sample at a plurality of locations. The system includes...

20060106294 - Sensor assembly: A flexible finger sensor having a finger entrance, a sensor holder at a distal end of the assembly, and a fenestrated region disposed between the finger entrance and the sensor holder. A displacement resistant finger sensor and method of use for reducing motion-related artifacts by mechanical isolation from external forces...

20060106296 - Multi-tip steerable catheter: An improved catheter is provided that is particularly useful for simultaneously mapping electrical activity at multiple locations within the heart. The catheter comprises an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. A control handle is attached to the proximal end of...

20060106297 - Multifunctional catheter handle: The invention is directed to a multifunctional catheter handle. The handle comprises a handle body and a core mounted within the handle body. A piston is provided having a distal end mounted in the handle body and a proximal end extending outside the handle body, to which a catheter body...

20060106295 - Soft linear mapping catheter with stabilizing tip: A catheter adapted for mapping near a tubular region of a heart, has an elongated tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends, an intermediate section distal of the catheter body, and a mapping assembly at the distal end of the intermediate section. The electrode-carrying mapping assembly has a generally...

20060106298 - Internal reference coronary sinus catheter: A deflectable unilateral or bidirectional catheter for mapping and/or ablation, has a catheter body and a catheter tip section carrying a reference sensor and a scaffolding structure that is deployed for stabilizing and anchoring the catheter in or near the coronary sinus of the heart. In one embodiment, a control...

20060106299 - Magnetic resonance imaging device and data processing method for magnetic resonance imaging device: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 20 includes a scan executing unit that executes scan to generate sensitivity map data of an RF coil 24, a region reduction unit 44b that applies region reduction to a signal region near a no-signal region of image data obtained by the scan, a sensitivity...

20060106300 - Selective mr imaging of magnetic susceptibility deviations: Method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of at least one specific element, wherein the signal of background tissue represented in an MR image is at least partially dephased by applying a gradient imbalance or additional gradient, wherein signal around said element is accordingly conserved, resulting in a selective depiction of...

20060106301 - Device for irradiation therapy with charged particles: The present invention is related to a device for irradiating a patient with a charged particle beam, comprising a number of beam channels attached to a vertical wall, wherein a deflection magnet is present at the end of each channel. This deflection magnet is able to deflect the beam in...

20060106302 - Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising: a magnet configured to form a static magnetic field in an imaging area; a cylindrical structure having a guide; a radio frequency coil configured to receive a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated by transmitting a radio frequency signal into a object set in the...

20060106303 - Interventional devices for chronic total occlusion recanalization under mri guidance: Disclosed is a guide catheter that includes one or more RF antennas to enhance the visibility of the guide catheter in MR imagery. One embodiment of the guide catheter includes a loop coil at the distal end of the guide catheter and a loopless antenna between the distal end and...

20060106305 - Heart valve leaflet locator: Disclosed are methods and devices for determining valve leaflet orientation. A catheter is provided with a conformable, radiopaque target. The target is deployed within a valve, such as the mitral valve. The conformable target conforms to the coaptation axis in response to closing of the valve leaflets. That coaptation axis...

20060106304 - System and method for enhancing microscope images of tissue using citric acid and agents of the like: A system and method for enhancing images of ex-vivo or in-vivo tissue produced by confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, two-photon microscopy, or ultrasound, is provided by applying to the tissue a solution or gel having an effective concentration of citric or other alpha-hydroxy acid which enhances tissue structures, such as...

20060106306 - Method and instrument for minimally invasive sentinel lymph node location and biopsy: The present invention is directed to instruments and instrumental techniques for locating cancer cells in lymph nodes which utilize a radiation detector operatively connected to an ultrasound probe for locating the exact position of radiation tagged tissue, particularly in sentinel lymph nodes followed by placement of a biopsy device. Also...

20060106307 - Three-dimensional ultrasound computed tomography imaging system: A three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound computed tomography (UCT) system for providing a 3-D image of a target is presented. The 3-D UCT system includes an imaging chamber having a plurality of piezoelectric elements. The plurality of piezoelectric elements are arranged as a plurality of cylindrical rings. When activated, the plurality of...

20060106308 - Blood flow reestablishment determination: A method for monitoring a clot dissolution treatment in a patient's vasculature comprises positioning a catheter at a treatment site in the patient's vasculature. The method further comprises performing a clot dissolution treatment at the treatment site. The clot dissolution treatment comprises delivering ultrasonic energy and a therapeutic compound from...

20060106309 - Aberration correction beam patterns: For imaging, broad transmit beams are used to increase frame rate. Two or more receive beams are formed in response to each of the broad beam transmit operations. For aberration correction, narrow transmit beams are used, such as a beam associated with receiving along a single scan line. By altering...

20060106311 - Gel pad for use with an ultrasonic monitor: An ultrasonic monitor implemented on a PCB includes a gel pad comprised of a gel layer and a membrane layer. Ultrasonic signals are transmitted between the ultrasonic monitor and a living subject through the gel pad. An air gap is formed in the PCB underneath transducer elements to provide for...

20060106314 - Imaging transducer assembly: The present invention is generally directed towards an imaging transducer assembly. Generally, the imaging transducer assembly is combined with a sensor of a medical positioning system. In one aspect, the transducer assembly and the sensor share the same voltage source. In another aspect of the invention, the sensor surrounds a...

20060106313 - Medical apparatus, use and methods: In accordance with one embodiment, a vibratory transducer has an armature suspended in a magnetic field. The armature has a plurality of electrical conductive paths to provide electrical current flow in said armature to react with said magnetic field and cause movement in the armature controlled by variation in the...

20060106312 - Pen device for mapping of tissue: An transducer accessory or producing at least one guideline on a sonogram having a shadow mask adapted to an ultrasound transducer, and additionally useful for or marking skin using a marking device such as a pen....

20060106310 - Ultrasonic monitor for measuring blood flow and pulse rates: An ultrasonic monitor implemented on a PCB includes a gel pad comprised of a gel layer and a membrane layer. Ultrasonic signals are transmitted between the ultrasonic monitor and a living subject through the gel pad. An air gap is formed in the PCB underneath transducer elements to provide for...

20060106315 - Guided hypodermic cannula: A ultrasound transducer and needle assembly has a needle having a lumen and a distal end having a point at a first radial location, and a support rod interior to the lumen. The ultrasound transducer and its support rod are fixed in the lumen at a second radial location, the...

20060106317 - Optical system and use thereof for detecting patterns in biological tissue: The present invention provides an optical system comprises a scanning spectrometer incorporating an electronic light modulator and digital signal processing means. The spectrometer technique combined with optical signal encoding provides the ability to obtain spectral signatures and identify optical patterns of biological tissue. One example of biological tissue scanning includes...

20060106319 - Signal processing method for use with an optical navigation system: A signal processor and method are provided for detecting movement of a surface relative to an optical sensor having an array of photosensitive elements. Generally, the method involves: (i) sampling each of a number (M) of phase signals from the photosensitive elements, each of the M signals having a magnitude...

20060106318 - System and method for displaying an image stream: A system and method may allow displaying a plurality of image streams, where the image streams may be divided, for example into a number of selected subset couplet images which follow predetermined criteria. According to some embodiments, each couplet may be displayed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. A workstation may accept...

20060106316 - System for in vivo sampling and analysis: A system for in vivo analysis which includes agglutinative particles capable of interacting with at least one analyte so as to cause an optical change; and at least one in vivo imaging system (220, 230, 240) configured for detecting the optical change in vivo. The system may be incorporated within...

20060106320 - Electronically scanned optical coherence tomography with frequency modulated signals: An improved Optical Coherence Domain Reflectometry (OCDR) system is provided. One embodiment of this OCDR system outputs a detector signal carrying image depth information on multiple modulation frequencies, where each modulation frequency corresponds to a different image depth. The image depth information from the detector signal may be resolved by...

20060106321 - Device, system, and method for detecting, localizing, and characterizing plaque-induced stenosis of a blood vessel: The present invention is of system, device, and method for detection, localization, and characterization of plaque-induced stenosis of a blood vessel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a balloon catheter having an expandable balloon insertable into a blood vessel, which balloon comprises a plurality of pressure sensors operable to...

20060106322 - Method and system relating to monitoring and characterizing heart condition: A method and a system for monitoring and characterizing a person's heart condition for various medically related purposes. The method includes the steps of (a) acquiring a selected person's acoustic heart signature, (b) acquiring, substantially simultaneously, that same person's electrical heart signature, (c) choosing elements of determined interest from these...

20060106323 - Cardiac rhythm monitoring device: The present invention is a cardiac rhythm-monitoring device, which allows patients to perform a preliminary screening for supraventricular arrhythmia. The device detects beat-to-beat heart rhythms (i.e. the R-R interval between individual heart beats) and performs a screening test to determine if there are indications of arrhythmia. The test looks for...

20060106324 - Fish biopsy device: The invention relates to a fish biopsy device. The device (1) comprises at least one hook having a tip portion (4), a bend (3) and a shank (2). The tip portion comprises a tube of a non-pliable material having a sharpened end (5) and the tube bore optionally includes a...

20060100475 - Expandable brachytherapy device: A brachytherapy device for the provision of brachytherapy is disclosed. The brachytherapy device has at least one source lumen located outside a movable surface of the device. The source lumen may be secured to the movable outer surface in a manner whereby relative movement of the source lumen relative to...

20060100476 - Brachytherapy needle and methods for assembling same: Needles and methods of plugging a needle having a tip opening with an inside diameter and a needle tip length, wherein the methods generally comprise the steps of, providing a plug material having a predetermined viscosity; providing a delivery device for introducing the plug material into the needle tip opening,...

20060100477 - Infrared communication with infant care apparatus: An infant care apparatus for providing heat to an infant. The infant care apparatus has an internal electronic communication device the allows it to send and receive information to and from the infant care apparatus for use by that infant care apparatus. A personal digital assistant (PDA) is provided that...

20060100478 - High vapor pressure attenuation device: Disclosed herein is an attenuation device, comprising a flexible housing and a high vapor pressure media having a vapor pressure approximately equal to the intravesical pressure of the bladder and a permeability of less than 1 ml/day at body temperature through the outer wall of the flexible housing. In one...

20060100479 - Implantable medical device for controlled release of substance: A medical device for controlled release of one or more substances into a body cavity containing an electrolytic fluid, such as a urinary bladder. The device comprises a plurality of blister-like vesicles mounted on a first surface, each vesicle having at least a metallic portion formed from a first metal....

20060100480 - Apparatus and methods for achieving endoluminal access: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for pleating at least a portion of a patient's body lumen, such as the colon. Pleating is achieved via relative motion between an endoscope and a flexible conduit having an engagement element configured to reversibly engage the body lumen....

20060100481 - Flexible sleeve slidingly transformable into a large suction sleeve: A sleeve is provided for placing over a flexible endoscope. The sleeve has a port between its distal and proximal openings and the port is connected to a vacuum source. Once the endoscope is retracted proximal to the suction port, the sleeve's proximal opening is sealed off and the entire...

20060100482 - Method for dealing with singularities in gravity referenced endoscopic imaging: A method for avoiding rapid or sudden image rotation or reversal in a gravity leveled endoscopic imaging system is disclosed. A mathematical neighborhood of a singular viewing configuration is defined and within this neighborhood the endoscopic image orientation follows specified rules....

20060100483 - Integrated viewing assembly for an endoscope: An integrated viewing assembly for an endoscope having an eyepiece and a handle incorporating a light source. The viewing assembly includes a hub having distal and proximal ends, a middle portion and an outer surface defining a port. The distal end defines a receiver in fluid communication with the port...

20060100484 - Electrical bending endoscope: An electrical bending endoscope includes: an elongated insertion section having a bending portion that is bendable within a predetermined range; a control section that is arranged to the proximal end of the insertion section; a driving source that generates the driving force for bending the bending portion; a driving-force transmitting...

20060100485 - Fluid control input device for endoscope: A fluid control input device for endoscope includes a moving member that is moved in accordance with the operation for instructing the switching of a channel arranged in the endoscope by an operator, a restoring member that restores the moving member to a predetermined restoring position, an operated amount detecting...

20060100486 - Endoscopic capsule for observing tumors: An endoscopic capsule for wireless transmission of medical images is provided. The capsule comprises a light transmitting unit and a light receiver. If a diseased tissue contains a contrast medium concentrated in the diseased tissue and the diseased tissue is irradiated by excitation light emitted by the light transmitting unit...

20060100487 - Surgical retractor with mounting rail: A retractor assembly for retracting a surgical incision in a patient, having a plurality of perimeter mounting rails. The retractor having first and second generally opposed spreader arms movable relative to each other along a guide member connected thereto, through the actuation of a drive mechanism. Each of first and...

20060100488 - Method and system for detecting electrophysiological changes in pre-cancerous and cancerous tissue: Methods and systems are provided for determining a condition of a selected region of epithelial tissue and/or an organ in a body as well as to diagnose disease, susceptibility, premalignancy or cancer and to measure response to therapy, introduction of a drug and to assess the margins of a tumor...

20060100490 - Cross-sectional mapping of spectral absorbance features: Designs, implementations, and techniques for optically measuring a sample to obtain spectral absorbance map of the sample. Light at different wavelength bands may be used to detect different absorption features in the sample. Multiple light sources may be used including tunable lasers....

20060100489 - Method and apparatus for determining tissue viability: A tissue viability monitor (TVM) for determining viability of a biological tissue comprising: at least one light source controllable to illuminate the tissue with light that generates photoacoustic waves therein; at least one acoustic transducer that generates signals responsive to the photoacoustic waves; and a controller that receives the signals...

20060100491 - Apparatus and method for measuring blood component using light trans-reflectance: An apparatus for measuring a blood component using the trans-reflectance of light irradiated to a transflective member disposed behind a test site. The apparatus includes an optical source unit irradiating light to the test site of a test subject; a transflective unit transflecting light transmitted through the test site; a...

20060100492 - Intra-esophageal catheter: The disclosure is directed to an intra-esophageal catheter for sensing one or more physiological conditions within the esophagus, stomach or small bowel. The catheter includes features that facilitate catheter insertion and deployment, and reduce patient discomfort during deployment and indwelling use of the catheter. The intra-esophageal catheter has a main...

20060100493 - Sensor system for determining the concentration of glucose in blood: The proposed sensor system comprises an implantable sensor (1′) and a user device associated with the latter. A sensitive liquid is enclosed in the sensor (1′), into which glucose can penetrate. The viscosity of the mixture consisting of the sensitive liquid and the glucose is measured. The user device, which...

20060100494 - System and method for monitoring blood glucose levels using an implantable medical device: T-wave amplitude and QT interval are derived from patient cardiac signals. Then blood glucose levels are determined based on a combination of the T-wave amplitude and the QT interval. By using a combination of both T-wave-based and QT interval-based signals, blood glucose levels can be reliably detected throughout a wide...

20060100495 - Extended treatment zone catheter: A catheter having an extended treatment zone for cooling tissue is provided. The catheter includes an elongate catheter body having a distal tip, and a fluid injection conduit disposed inside the catheter body defining a return lumen therein. The fluid injection conduit further defines two or more injection orifices including...

20060100496 - Device and method for in vivo illumination: An in vivo imaging device including a hybrid illumination unit. The hybrid illumination unit may include, for example, a plurality of discrete light sources and/or resistors and/or optical resin....

20060100497 - Medical information system, program product for use in the medical information system and method of processing data to manage a medical procedures: A medical information system includes a data-acquiring unit which acquires, in time sequence, condition data representing at least one of conditions of medical apparatuses used in a medical procedure, conditions of medical instruments used in the medical procedure, conditions of medical articles used in the medical procedure, conditions of patient...

20060100498 - Process for selecting bone for transplantation: A procedure for determining a plan for cutting a bone sample for use as an implant provides scanning the bone with a CT scanning system to provide slice images of the bone. The scanning system then determines the cortical or cancellous bone dimensions and density of the bone. Determining such...

20060100499 - System and method for real-time localization for gated mr imaging: A system and method for MR imaging is disclosed that includes displaying a series of MR images of an ROI in real-time and localizing a slice within the ROI. The method also includes using a parallel imaging technique to acquire gated MR data from the localized slice and reconstructing a...

20060100500 - System, imaging suite, and method for using an electro-pneumatic insufflator for magnetic resonance imaging: Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for using an electro-pneumatic insufflator for magnetic resonance imaging, such as for virtual colonoscopy. Embodiments of the invention further provide a MRI imaging suite and a method for distension of a body part to be imaged. As an alternative to the...

20060100501 - System for positioning on a patient an observation and/or intervention device: The present invention relates to a system for positioning with respect to a patient's body an observation and/or intervention device having a portion penetrating into the patient's body comprising a base laid on the patient's body; a means for supporting the device formed of a first portion movably assembled on...

20060100502 - Anatomical visualization and measurement system: In another preferred form of the present invention, there is provided a method for determining the risk of rupture of a blood vessel using an appropriate set of 2-D slice images obtained by scanning the blood vessel, the method comprising: generating a mesh model of the blood vessel using the...

20060100503 - Magnetic resonance imaging system for non-contrast mra and magnetic resonance signal acquisition method employed by the same: A magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a first RF coil for acquiring a magnetic resonance signal from a subject, and a device for estimating a cardiac phase of the subject based on the magnetic resonance signal acquired by the first RF coil. The first RF coil, for example, is an...

20060100504 - Method for providing pelvic orientation information in computer- assisted surgery: A computer-assisted surgery system for guiding an operator in altering a pelvis. A sensing apparatus is provided for tracking a reference tool and a bone altering tool. A position calculator calculates a position and orientation of a pelvic frame of reference as a function of the tracking of the reference...

20060100505 - Surgical navigation using a three-dimensional user interface: A system for controlling a medical device in a patient. A display system displays an image of a volume of the patient in a virtual three-dimensional space. A stylus is controllable to actuate a virtual element in the virtual space. A navigation system controls the medical device in the patient...

20060100506 - System and method for magnetic-resonance-guided electrophysiologic and ablation procedures: A system and method for using magnetic resonance imaging to increase the accuracy of electrophysiologic procedures includes an invasive combined electrophysiology and imaging antenna catheter which includes an RF antenna for receiving magnetic resonance signals and diagnostic electrodes for receiving electrical potentials. The combined electrophysiology and imaging antenna catheter is...

20060100507 - Method for evaluation of medical findings in three-dimensional imaging, in particular in mammography: In a method for medical evaluation in three-dimensional imaging, in particular in mammography, projection exposures of a subject to be examined are generated and are stored in electronic form. Slice images are reconstructed from the projection exposures with a reconstruction method. A physician reviews and medically evaluates the slice images...

20060100509 - Data processing for real-time tracking of a target in radiation therapy: A facility for processing data is described. The facility receives a stream of digital location indications, each location indication identifying a location of a patient while undergoing radiation therapy. In response to each location indication of the string, in substantially real-time relative to the receipt of the position indication, the...

20060100508 - Method and apparatus for expert system to track and manipulate patients: A system and method to track and manipulate the bony anatomy of a patient. A plurality of fiducials is placed on the bony anatomy of a patient. The relative spatial relationships of the fiducials are scanned and a signal generated before, during and after a surgical procedure. The patient is...

20060100510 - Method and apparatus for using tomography for placement of an instrument: A method and apparatus for using a tomography to facilitate the placement of an instrument in a vessel or in an organ of a patient's body wherein a specific or selected region of the patient is defined. X-ray radiation is projected onto the selected region, the X-ray radiation being emitted...

20060100511 - Tube: The invention relates to a device and method of using the device for administration of a homogeneous preparation to a patient. More particularly the invention relates to a tube for use in controlled and substantially steady state administration of a segregating particulate dispersion by infusion. The tube of the invention...

20060100512 - Apparatus and method for enhancing quality of sectional plane image in 3 dimensional ultrasound data: The present invention relates to an apparatus for enhancing the quality of a sectional plane image in a 3-dimensional ultrasound image. The apparatus for enhancing a sectional plane image in a 3-dimensional ultrasound image, includes: a display region calculation unit for selecting a reference sectional plane image in 3D ultrasound...

20060100513 - Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: An ultrasonic probe comprises a transducer part, a heat-receiving part, a refrigeration unit and a cable unit. The cable unit includes a signal line, a refrigerant supply tube, a refrigerant ejection tube and a heat insulator. The heat-receiving part absorbs heat generated from the transducer part. The refrigerant supply tube...

20060100514 - Cardiac ablation using microbubbles: In a cardiac ablation procedure, ultrasonic energy is emitted from an ultrasonic ablation device (28) and is focused on myocardial tissue (30) within the wall of the heart or within the wall of a blood vessel connected to the heart (10). Ultrasound attenuation of the cardiac tissue is selectively increased...

20060100515 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic diagnostic method: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a transmission and reception unit, a blood flow image generating unit, a Doppler spectrum image generating unit and a scanning sequence setting unit. The transmission and reception unit transmits first and second ultrasonic waves to an object and receive first and second echo signals from...

20060100516 - Efficient architecture for 3d and planar ultrasonic imaging - synthetic axial acquisition and method thereof: An improved device and method for collecting data used for ultrasonic imaging. The data is gathered over numerous transmit and echo receive cycles, or iterations and combined into a synthetic acquisition representing a complete echo characteristic acquisition. At each iteration, only a portion, or subset, of the echo characteristic is...

20060100518 - Automated diastolic function analysis with ultrasound: Automated analysis of heart function is provided with ultrasound images. A clip of ultrasound images of the heart is used to detect two or three dimensional motion, such as determining a two-dimensional motion vector by tracking wall segments with B-mode data. The amplitude of motion during the e-wave and/or a-wave...

20060100517 - Integrated pressure and volume measurement methods and apparatus: An apparatus for measuring pressure volume loop parameters of a patient (10), the apparatus comprising: an intra cardiac blood flow measurement device (11) for producing at least a first output indicative of the blood flow of a patient (10); a pressure sensor means (14) producing at least a second output...

20060100519 - Ultrasonograph and method for controlling movement of display body of ultrasonograph: The operability of setting movement of a Doppler sample gate for setting a Doppler measurement portion on a sectoral or circular ultrasonogram is improved. An ultrasonograph is provided with calculation means (25) for determining the position where a Doppler sample gate is displayed after the gate is moved, with reference...

20060100520 - Ultrasound system with iterative high pass filter selection: Disclosed herein is the iterative selection of an optimal high pass filter for progressive, ordered filtering of clutter from ultrasound color flow imaging data wherein a criterion for selecting the optimal high pass filter is if a mean frequency of filtered signal data is less than a clutter frequency threshold...

20060100521 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, ultrasonic probe and navigation method for acquisition of ultrasonic image: A pre-acquired reference image, a currently picked-up ultrasonic image, and position information indicating a relation between a position of the ultrasonic probe when the reference image was picked-up and a current position of the ultrasonic probe are displayed on a display portion as navigation information. Also, when the following diagnosis...

20060100522 - Piezocomposite transducers: The embodiments described herein provide for an ultrasound imaging device having a piezocomposite transducer. The imaging device is preferably insertable within a living being and configured to image the interior of the living being. The piezocomposite transducer can be formed from piezoceramic and polymeric materials. The piezocomposite transducer can be...

20060100523 - Noninvasive blood vessel location device and method: A handheld device for sensing and indicating the location of a blood vessel, and marking the skin adjacent to the blood vessel. The operation of the device is based on determining the difference in signal transfer amplitude between two partially overlapping infrared light paths, and moving the device until this...

20060100524 - Analysis apparatus and method: The present invention relates to an analysis apparatus, in particular a spectroscopic analysis apparatus, for analysing an object, such as the blood of a patient, and a corresponding analysis method. An excitation system (exs) emits an excitation beam (exb) to excite a target region and a beam separation unit (hm)...

20060100525 - Biological optical measurement system: A typical task assigned for measuring a brain activity signal lasts from 10 to 30 seconds. The frequency band of the Mayer wave noise signal is very close to the frequency bands of brain activity signals, a result, it is difficult to reduce the Mayer wave noise signal using a...

20060100526 - Optical bioinstrumentation for living body: In a probe positioning technology, an optical bioinstrumentation includes a region selecting unit that is used to delineate a region of interest in an anatomical image of a subject, a computing unit that determines a recommended probe position according to the region of interest, a probe position sensor that detects...

20060100528 - Optical image measuring apparatus and optical image measuring method: Provided is an optical image measuring apparatus capable of speedily measuring a velocity distribution image of a moving matter. Including a broad-band light source, means for increasing a beam diameter, a polarizing plate converting the light beam to linearly polarized light, and a half mirror, a wavelength plate converting the...

20060100527 - Speckle noise removal in optical coherence tomography: A system, method and apparatus for speckle noise removal based upon structural correlation in an OCT imaging system. In accordance with the present invention, several two- or three-dimensional OCT image scans can be acquired for processing by an adaptive algorithm. Specifically, at each image point an image intensity can be...

20060100529 - Combined intra-rectal optical-mr and intra-rectal optical-us device for prostate-, cevix-, rectum imaging diagnostics: We present, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a system combining optical imaging technologies with anatomical imaging technologies (e.g., MR, ultrasound). The system can be used for a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, (1) cancer diagnosis and staging; (2) image guidance; and (3) radiation therapy planning....

20060100530 - Systems and methods for non-invasive detection and monitoring of cardiac and blood parameters: Methods and systems for long term monitoring of one or more physiological parameters such as respiration, heart rate, body temperature, electrical heart activity, blood oxygenation, blood flow velocity, blood pressure, intracranial pressure, the presence of emboli in the blood stream and electrical brain activity are provided. Data is acquired non-invasively...

20060100531 - Instrumented retrievable implantable device: Instrumented retrievable implantable device (2), comprising an expandable section, for placement inside a body lumen, preferably in a blood vessel. The device (2) comprises a joined sensor (70) for monitoring one or more physiological parameter for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Data access is assured by a passive RF transponder, in...

20060100532 - Apparatus, medium, and method for measuring body fat: An apparatus, medium, and method for measuring body fat. The apparatus may include a current generating unit generating a current having a predetermined range of variable frequency and applying the current to a desired area in a human body to be measured, a detector unit detecting a voltage generated from...

20060100533 - Apparatus and method for measuring bio signals: An apparatus and a method for measuring bio signals are provided. The apparatus includes a body, a plurality of electrodes, and a controller. The body is filled with predetermined packing material. The electrodes are positioned at an outermost portion of the body and touch the skin of a subject to...

20060100535 - Integrated, plural-signal, heart-signal sensor system and related data-presentation methodology: A system and a related methodology for gathering, during a selected time span, and from a common anatomical site, time-contemporaneous ECG-electrical and heart-sound signals including (1) processing such signals to effect (a) time-based, related ECG fiducials, and (b) systolic and diastolic heart-sound indicators, and (2) creating a reportable data stream...

20060100534 - Methods for real-time autonomic nervous system monitoring using total heart rate variability, and notched windowing: The present invention is a method and apparatus for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of the autonomic nervous systems. The present invention allows for monitoring of the autonomic nervous system using spectral analysis of both heart rate and respiratory signals. A preferred embodiment uses short-time Fourier transform (STFT) with a novel modified...

20060100536 - Graph display processing unit and method thereof: An object of the present invention is to provide a graph display processing device and method that facilitates easy viewing of data with periodicity. With each recognition of a cardiac cycle, a CPU of an electrocardiogram display device (100) finds a point between an R-wave and an S-wave in the...

20060100537 - Spirometer: A spirometer for measuring fluid flow, particularly associated with exhalation of respiratory patients. The spirometer of this invention preferably has a fluidic oscillator wherein the fluid oscillates within a chamber of the fluidic oscillator. An oscillation frequency of the fluid flow within the chamber is correlated to a flow rate....

20060100538 - Device for detecting electrical potentials of the forehead region of a patent: A device for detecting electrical potentials in the forehead area of a patient has a transverse member adapted to rest against the forehead of the patient, a vertical member extending crosswise to the transverse member and a mask on the vertical member. Electrodes are provided on the transverse members at...

20060100539 - Method and device for measurement of electrical bioimpedance: A method of measuring of an electrical bio-impedance, the method being characterized in that a symmetrical bipolar pulse-form periodical excitation signal (electrical current or voltage) is applied to the input (11) of the bio-object (1), a corresponding reaction of the bio-object to the mentioned excitation signal is measured from the...

20060100540 - Methods for the assessment of neuromuscular function by f-wave latency: Methods are provided for the assessment of neuromuscular function by F-wave latency. Stimuli are applied to a nerve that traverses a wrist or an ankle joint of an individual. Stimulation of the nerve causes a muscle innervated by that nerve to respond, thereby generating a myoelectric potential. One component of...

20060100541 - Specimen labeling system: A method for handling, labeling, identifying and/or organizing specimens removed from a patient during surgery performed in the sterile field may include placing a specimen identification sheet in or near the sterile field. The specimen may be placed onto one section of the specimen identification sheet. The section advantageously has...

20060100543 - Integrated analytical test element: A lancet integrated test element (LIT) includes an incision forming member that has a cutting end configured to form an incision in tissue. A test element is attached to the incision forming member to test fluid from the incision. The test element has a sampling end with a sample opening...

20060100542 - Integrated spot monitoring device with fluid sensor: A bodily fluid sampling device is operable to breach the skin surface and allow bodily fluid to emerge from the breach location. The bodily fluid sampling device further evaluates the amount of bodily fluid emerged from breach location and determines whether the amount is sufficient or insufficient for a particular...

20060100545 - Loop tip wire guide: A wire guide has first and second portions with first and second diameters, respectively. A resilient loop positions a distal end of the wire guide adjacent another section of the wire guide. A closure member comprising at least one attachment tab maintains the distal end in a fixed position relative...

20060100544 - Steerable loop tip wire-guide: A steerable wire-guide comprises an elongate member having a longitudinal axis. The elongate member comprises a leading portion and a body portion. The leading portion comprises a loop and the body portion comprises a first wire and a second wire. The first and second wires are movable relative to each...

20060100546 - Self-contained real-time gait therapy device: A self-contained, real-time self-use gait therapy device with a gait sensor, actuator, output speaker, and battery receptacle enclosed in a component case with a belt clip. Based upon step duration, step impact force, or step form data generated by the gait sensor, the actuator drives the speaker, producing beeps on...

20060094923 - Systems and methods for treating a patient using radiation therapy: Apparatus and methods for treating a patient using radiation therapy. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a tube configured to receive a radiation source and an expandable member. The tube has a first end configured to be inserted into a patient and a second end that is generally configured to...

20060094924 - System and method to reduce discomfort using nerve stimulation: A novel method and system for performing transcutaneous magnetic stimulation is disclosed herein. In the method, a first magnetic field is generated using a first magnetic stimulation device for transcutaneously stimulating a treatment area, and a second magnetic field for transcutaneously stimulating the treatment area is generated by a second...

20060094925 - Cardiac harness: A cardiac harness for treating or preventing congestive heart failure is configured to be placed about at least a portion of a patient's heart so as to apply a mild compressive force on the heart. In one embodiment, the cardiac harness is configured so that the variation of load as...

20060094926 - Multi-material penis constriction device: An implantable constriction device (2) for constricting penile blood vessels of a patient for treating impotence comprises an elongate composite structure (84) adapted to constrict the exit penile veins or corpus cavernosa of the patient to restrict the penile venous blood flow. The elongate composite structure is composed of a...

20060094927 - Operating instrument system for endoscope: An endoscope operating instrument system which includes a back-and-forth movement mechanism for providing a back-and-forth movement drive force required to operate a forceps located at a distal end of the operating instrument and an insertion/withdrawal mechanism designed to insert and withdraw the insert section via an endoscope channel. A winding...

20060094928 - Fuel cell for microcapsule-type robot and microcapsule-type robot powered by the same: A fuel cell for a microcapsule-type robot uses alcohol or an aqueous alcohol solution as a fuel and was hydrogen peroxide or an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution as an oxidizing agent. A microcapsule-type robot also uses the fuel cell. The fuel cell may be used in a microcapsule-type endoscope and...

20060094930 - Catheter system for vascular re-entry from a sub-intimal space: A catheter system and corresponding methods are provided for accessing a blood vessel true lumen from a sub-intimal plane of the vessel. The catheter system includes visualization elements for determining the orientation of the true lumen with respect to the sub-intimal plane at an identified entry site from a position...

20060094929 - Distal portion of an endoscopic delivery system: The disclosure describes an endoscopic delivery system that includes an endoscope and a tissue-receiving member. The tissue-receiving member includes an opening to receive the distal end of the endoscope. The tissue-receiving member also defines a tissue-receiving space that receives tissue when vacuum pressure is applied to the space through the...

20060094931 - Articulating mechanism for remote manipulation of a surgical or diagnostic tool: The invention provides an articulating mechanism useful, for example, for remote manipulation of various surgical instruments and diagnostic tools within, or to, regions of the body. Movement of segments at the proximal end of the mechanism results in a corresponding, relative movement of segments at the distal end of the...

20060094932 - Articulated surgical probe and method for use: A surgical probe includes an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis. An actuator is located at a proximal end of the positioning shaft that is operatively connected to the articulated digit so as to move it between a continuous range of...

20060094933 - Articulated surgical probe and method for use: A surgical probe includes an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis. An actuator is located at a proximal end of the positioning shaft that is operatively connected to the articulated digit so as to move it between a continuous range of...

20060094936 - Automatic wireless pan/lan switching: A communication system is used by a portable patient monitoring device in connecting to a plurality of other devices, including a docking station suitable for attaching to the portable patient monitoring device. The portable patient monitoring device processes signal parameters acquired from a patient. The communications system includes an adaptive...

20060094934 - Method and apparatus for processing bio-information: A bio-information processing apparatus includes a bio-information sensor for measuring the bio-information of a subject in a non-contact manner and in a nonrestricted manner; and a circuit for estimating the psychological state of the subject and the intensity thereof on the basis of the measured value of the bio-information measured...

20060094935 - Portable psychophysiology system and method of use: A portable biofeedback system including a test module and a personal computer for acquiring psychophysiological data. The test module includes a plurality of inputs for sensors for acquiring data from a patient. The test module also includes user manipulatable controls to adjust the hardware functionality of the test module. The...

20060094937 - Monitoring apparatus of arterial pulses and method for the same: A monitoring apparatus includes an antenna board including a transmission antenna for transmitting an ultra wideband electromagnetic wave to an arterial blood vessel and a reception antenna for receiving the ultra wideband electromagnetic wave scattered by the arterial blood vessel, an analog board with a plurality of electronic devices for...

20060094938 - Safety and health information reporting system: A safety and health information reporting system including a wearable device, a metabolic index calculating part, an activity index calculating part, a safety and health status determining part and a determination result output part. The wearable device is worn by a living body. The metabolic index calculating part calculates a...

20060094939 - Method and arrangement for optical coherence tomography: The invention relates to a method for optical coherence tomography comprising the steps of: providing of a reference light beam and a measurement light beam, combining of the reference light beam and the measurement light beam to provide a combined light beam, modulating of the reference light beam, sampling of...

20060094940 - Method for selecting wavelengths for optical data acquisition: There is provided a method for optimizing wavelength selection for multiwavelength optical data acquisition of chromophores in a turbid medium. The optimization is based on the minimization of a criterion based on the variance matrix of chromophores estimate features. The method can advantageously be used to obtain physiological information from...

20060094941 - Optical measurement apparatus and blood sugar level measuring apparatus using the same: An apparatus for non-invasively measuring blood sugar levels based on temperature measurements. A blood sugar level non-invasively measured by a temperature measuring method is corrected by blood oxygen saturation and blood flow volume. Optical sensors detect scattered light, reflected light, and light exiting from a body surface after penetrating the...

20060094942 - Non-invasive measurement system and method for measuring the concentration of an optically-active substance: A method and system for non-invasively measuring the concentration of an optically-active substance in a subject are provided. The system includes a light source adapted to transmit light towards a subject or object having a concentration of an optically-active substance, a polarizer positioned between the light source and the subject,...

20060094943 - Use of time indexed plethysmographic spectral data in assessing saturation estimation validity: Detector signals in a pulse oximeter are analyzed to determine a quality of the signals in relation to desired information content or artifact content. The analysis involves performing a transform on a signal to obtain frequency related information and analyzing the frequency related information to obtain a value independent of...

20060094945 - System and method for analyte sampling and analysis: The invention relates to a transdermal analyte monitoring system comprising a medium adapted to interface with a biological membrane and to receive an analyte from the biological membrane and an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein the medium is adapted to react continuously with the analyte, an electrical...

20060094944 - System and method for analyte sampling and analysis with error correction: The invention relates to a transdermal analyte monitoring system comprising a medium adapted to interface with a biological membrane and to receive an analyte from the biological membrane and an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein the medium is adapted to react continuously with the analyte, an electrical...

20060094946 - System and method for analyte sampling and analysis with hydrogel: The invention relates to a transdermal analyte monitoring system comprising a medium adapted to interface with a biological membrane and to receive an analyte from the biological membrane and an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein the medium is adapted to react continuously with the analyte, an electrical...

20060094947 - Method, system, and computer program product for the evaluation of glycemic control in diabetes from self-monitoring data: A method, system, and computer program product related to the diagnosis of diabetes, and is directed to predicting the long-term risk of hyperglycemia, and the long-term and short-term risks of severe hypoglycemia in diabetics, based on blood glucose readings collected by a self-monitoring blood glucose device. The method, system, and...

20060094948 - Electrode arrangement: An electrode arrangement (10) comprises a knitted electrically conductive electrode portion (12) containing electrically conductive yarn and at least one portion (14) of moisture impermeable electrically conductive material attached to the electrode portion (12). During use the electrode portion (12) and portion of material (14) are applied to a wearers...

20060094950 - Apparatus and method for cone beam computed tomography breast imaging: Cone beam volume CT breast imaging is performed with a gantry frame on which a cone-beam radiation source and a digital area detector are mounted. The patient rests on an ergonomically designed table with a hole or two holes to allow one breast or two breasts to extend through the...

20060094951 - Computer-aided-design of skeletal implants: The present invention is directed to a computer aided design method for producing an implant for a patient prior to operation comprising the steps of: generating data with a non-invasive 3D (3-dimensional) scan of the patient's defect site that digitally represents the area that will receive the implant; designing and...

20060094949 - Methods and systems for real time response to medical emergencies: An emergency medical system, computer readable mediums with a computer programs for and methods for responding to an emergency in real time are disclosed. The emergency medical systems includes a emergency medical station and an operations center. The emergency medical station includes a controller, a video camera, a communication module,...

20060094952 - Methods and apparatuses for fast chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging: Systems and methods are described for chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging in the presence of multiple chemical species. A method includes obtaining a plurality of MRI data signals using a Dixon technique in combination with partially parallel imaging techniques and/or inversion recovery techniques, and processing the plurality of MRI data...

20060094953 - Targeted infusion of agents for treatment of als: A system and method for treating Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) by delivery of an agent within the brain. At least one image of a target region is acquired, and at least one magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (MR-DTI) scan of the target region is acquired. A diffusion tensor is calculated...

20060094954 - Method for intelligent qualitative and quantitative analysis assisting digital or digitized radiography softcopy reading: The present invention describes a method and system for intelligent diagnostic relevant information processing and analysis. Information associated with a patient is processed via an image reading platform. Based on such processed information, a matrix of diagnosis decisions containing diagnostic related information is generated via a matrix of diagnosis decision...

20060094955 - Method and apparatus for processing information: An objective viewpoint image of an object captured at an objective viewpoint position is obtained, a measurement value of a sensor is received, information about the image coordinates of calibrating indices is detected from an objective viewpoint image, and two kinds of arrangement information of the calibrating indices and the...

20060094957 - Marker and cut down guide assembly for human mammary duct procedures and method: A biopsy assembly suitable for marking of a biopsy site and providing a cut down guide. The assembly includes a pliable filament having an indicator for marking the biopsy site and a stiffener guidable along the filament to provide a cut down guide....

20060094956 - Restricted navigation controller for, and methods of controlling, a remote navigation system: A control and control method for a remote navigation system including an orientation controller that orients the distal end of a medical device in an operating region in a subject, and a length controller that extends and retracts the distal end of the medical device, to navigate the distal end...

20060094958 - Method and apparatus for calibrating non-linear instruments: A method and apparatus for performing a calibration and navigation of a member. The member may be calibrated relative to a selected portion, such as a sensor on an instrument. The calibrated member may then be navigated with a selected system. The calibration technique can be infinitely flexible and not...

20060094960 - Synchronized power supply for medical imaging: An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object by projecting ultrasound signals with a transmit carrier frequency. The ultrasonic image scanning system includes a switching mode power supply operated with a programmable clock in synchronization with the transmit carrier frequency. The switching mode power supply further provided with...

20060094959 - System and method for medical imaging with robust mode switching via serial channel: In one embodiment of the invention, there is an ultrasound processing system that communicates images over a single asynchronous serial channel according to a scheme that does not require an isochronous serial channel and that switches among ultrasound imaging modes robustly. For example, the system is configured to packetize ultrasound...

20060094961 - System, software arrangement and method for segmenting an image: A logic arrangement, system and method for segmentation using magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) are provided. For example, as an end product, an image associated with at least one portion of an anatomical structure is generated. In particular, first data associated with the at least one portion of the anatomical structure...

20060094962 - Aperture shading estimation techniques for reducing ultrasound multi-line image distortion: In an ultrasound imaging system, line-to-line image distortion is reduced by estimating aperture shading caused by the presence of an occlusion in a test subject. A plurality of transmit beams are transmitted towards a subject using an ultrasound transmitter having an aperture (201). Each transmit beam is associated with a...

20060094964 - Method and apparatus for non-invasive continuous monitoring of cerebrovascular autoregulation state: A non-invasive method for continuous real-time monitoring of cerebrovascular blood flow autoregulation state includes simultaneous non-invasive monitoring of intracranial blood volume respiratory waves and lung volume respiratory waves, real-time decomposition of intracranial blood volume respiratory waves and lung volume respiratory waves into narrowband sinewave first harmonic components, determination therefrom of...

20060094963 - Minimum arc velocity interpolation for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging: Minimum arc interpolation is performed on velocity information distributed in three dimensions. By using complex representations of the velocity information, the interpolation may more accurately represent the angle or velocity for spatial conversion. Tri-linearly interpolating velocity information converts the information representing a three-dimensional volume to a reconstruction grid. The interpolation...

20060094965 - Apparatus for control of non-invasive parameter measurements: Improved methods and apparatus for non-invasively assessing one or more parameters associated with fluidic systems such as the circulatory system of a living organism. In a first aspect, an improved method of continuously measuring pressure from a compressible vessel is disclosed, wherein a substantially optimal level of compression for the...

20060094966 - Pressure measurement device: A device measures pressures in animals and humans and includes a pressure transmission catheter (PTC) filled with a pressure transmitting medium and implantable in an area in having a physiological pressure. A transducer communicates with the pressure transmitting medium to provide a pressure signal representing variations in the physiologic pressure...

20060094967 - Method and apparatus to provide diagnostic index and therapy regulated by subject's autonomic nervous system: A system and method are provided for determining an index of autonomic nervous system (ANS) or sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity for use in patient monitoring or therapy delivery control. An ANS or SNS index is calculated as a function of multiple monitored physiological variables that strongly correlate to changes...

20060094968 - Data compression method for implantable medical devices: A method of data compression of physiological signals for use in implantable medical devices (IMDs) in which temporal information in the input data points is retained in the compressed sample points with a potential loss of amplitude precision. The data compression method includes distributing the stream of data samples or...

20060094969 - Heart rate monitor, method and computer software product: The invention provides a heart rate monitor, a method and a computer software product. The method determines from the user's electrocardiogram a reference value of a heart rate variable characterizing the heart rate; determines at least one environmental parameter value obtainable from air pressure using air pressure measurement; associates the...

20060094970 - Techniques for selective channel processing and data retention in an implantable medical device: Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. An implanted device obtains data and stores the data in the data record in a first data structure that is age-based. Before an oldest data record is lost, the oldest data record may...

20060094971 - Techniques for data retention upon detection of an event in an implantable medical device: Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. Upon detection of a possible occurrence of a physiological event by one group of monitoring elements, an implanted device records data received from another group of monitoring elements. The implanted device obtains and...

20060094972 - Techniques for user-activated data retention in an implantable medical device: Apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. Upon indication by a patient of a possible manifestation of a neurological event, the implanted device obtains and stores data in the data record in a first data structure that is age-based. Before an oldest...

20060094973 - Division approximation for implantable medical devices: Methods and devices for performing division approximation in implantable and wearable self-powered medical devices. The present invention provides rapid methods for performing an approximation of division on fixed point numbers, where the methods are easily implemented in small, low power consumption devices as may be found in implantable medical devices....

20060094974 - Systems and methods for detecting brain waves: A system for monitoring brain waves includes a detection electrode that is detects brain waves and is located on the part of the ear that is in or above the ear canal. The detection electrode also generates a brain wave data signal. A reference electrode is included in the system,...

20060094975 - Non-invasive sensor to analyze visually the level of muscle activity: Embodiments of a sensing device for measuring muscle activity comprise an interface with electrodes, an active amplifier, and an electronic circuit in connection with a display, said display comprising at least one semiconducting polymer LED....

20060094977 - Apparatus for measurement of living body: Disclosed is an apparatus for measurement of a living body, comprising: a personal data input unit; a basal metabolism input unit; a standard value storage unit; a comparison unit; and a display unit. According to the invention the personal data input unit enters at least an age of a person...

20060094978 - Apparatus for measurement of living body: Disclosed is an apparatus for measurement of a living body, comprising: a personal data input unit; a basal metabolism input unit; a standard value storage unit; a comparison unit; and a display unit. According to the invention the personal data input unit enters at least an age of a person...

20060094979 - Body impedance measurement apparatus: A relay 201 is provided for opening and closing the signal path connecting the measurement circuits and an electrode, and a relay 213 is provided for opening and closing a DC power line extending from an AC-DC adaptor 3 connected to a commercial AC power supply 5. In the measurement...

20060094976 - Devices and methods for selective surgical removal of tissue: Methods and apparatus are provided for selective surgical removal of tissue, e.g., for enlargement of diseased spinal structures, such as impinged lateral recesses and pathologically narrowed neural foramen. In one variation, tissue may be ablated, resected, removed, or otherwise remodeled by standard small endoscopic tools delivered into the epidural space...

20060094980 - Detecting thermal discrepancies in vessel walls: An infrared, heat-sensing catheter particularly useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries and its use are detailed. In one embodiment, an infrared fiberoptic system (with or without ultrasound) is employed at the tip of the catheter to locate inflamed, heat-producing,...

20060094981 - Mobile terminals including compensation for hearing impairment and methods and computer program products for operating the same: A mobile terminal includes a processor that is programmed to provide a user of the mobile terminal with a hearing test and to determine a set of coefficients. A microphone is configured to receive audio signals therethrough. A digital filter is programmed with the determined set of coefficients and is...

20060094982 - Ultra miniature pressure sensor: A method of measuring blood pressure and velocity proximally and distally of a stenosis in a vessel carrying blood includes the steps of providing a guide wire having both a pressure sensor and a velocity sensor disposed on a distal region of the guide wire, introducing the guide wire into...

20060094983 - Methods and apparatus for securing medical instruments to desired locations in a patient's body: Devices and methods are provided for securely affixing a medical instrument to desired tissue in a patient's body, using a fixation agent. Such medical instruments may comprise localization wires or tissue acquisition instruments, such as biopsy instruments, for example. In the case of tissue acquisition instruments, the inventors have discovered...

20060094984 - Urine cell sample enhancement: The present invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of cells collected in a urine sample comprising the steps of applying energy wave forms to a bladder wherein the energy loosens cells attached to the inner lining of the bladder, and collecting urine sample containing the loosened cells....

20060094985 - Autonomous, ambulatory analyte monitor or drug delivery device: The invention relates to analyte monitoring/drug (pharmaceutical agent) delivery device. The invention is suited for monitoring various blood constituents such as glucose. The device has a housing that at least partially encloses a plurality of microneedles disposed on a carrier and an electronics portion. Each microneedle is in fluid communication...

20060094986 - Test strip container with integrated meter: A system for diagnostic testing may include a meter for performing a diagnostic test on a sample applied to a test media and a container configured to contain test media compatible with the meter. The meter may include a closure portion for selectively closing the opening of the container. The...

20060094987 - Catheter guidewire loading device and method: A loading device for facilitating the loading of a guidewire into a lumen defined by a catheter. A catheter may have a shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end, defining one or more lumens having one or more catheter ports. A guidewire has a flexible wire-like structure...