Surgery inventions 07/07

20070173682 - Controlled inflation of a pneumatic l-vad: A drive unit to control the peak pressure of air for the inflation of a left ventricular assist system is disclosed. The control of the peak pressure can address the problem of the “kick” experienced by patients when the peak inflation pressure reaches approximately 200 mm Hg. The peak pressure... Agent: Gifford, Krass, Sprinkle,anderson & Citkowski, P.c

20070173680 - Apparatus and method for performing therapeutic tissue ablation and brachytherapy: A method, therapeutic probe, and system for treating a tissue margin surrounding an interstitial cavity is provided. The interstitial cavity may be created by resecting tissue, e.g., malignant tissue, from the patient's body to create the interstitial cavity. The interstitial cavity may assume any shape, but in a typical method,... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070173681 - Electromagnetic field stimulator device for anatomic biophysical chondroprotection: Electromagnetic field stimulator device in which a current generator device supplies a solenoid with current the waveform of which includes the repetition of a ramp having a certain slope. This current causes the generation of an electromagnetic field that induces on a control probe irradiated by the electromagnetic field, an... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070173683 - In the ear auxiliary microphone system for behind the ear hearing prosthetic: An In The Ear (ITE) microphone improves the acoustic response of a Behind The Ear (BTE) Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system during telephone use. An acoustic seal provided by holding a telephone earpiece against the ear provides improved coupling of low frequency (up to about 1 KHz) sound waves, sufficient... Agent: Advanced Bionics Corporation

20070173684 - Method of presenting audible and visual cues for synchronizing the breathing cycle with an external timing reference for purposes of synchronizing the heart rate variability cycle with the breathing cycle: The invention consists of a broad method of presenting audible and visual cues for synchronizing the breathing cycle with an external timing reference for purposes of synchronizing the heart rate variability cycle with the breathing cycle, thereby achieving coherence of the heart rate variability cycle. A family of audible and... Agent: Withrow & Terranova, P.l.l.c.

20070173685 - Method of implating a medical device using a suture tab extender: A method of implanting a surgically implantable band, the method comprising the steps of providing a band with an elongated body member having a first end with a first latching member positioned thereon, and a second end with a second latching member positioned thereon. The first latching member has a... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070173686 - Capsular endoscope device with an orientation/release mechanism: The present invention discloses a capsular endoscope device with an orientation/release mechanism. The capsular endoscope device of the present invention has a casing with the front end thereof having a hose, and the front end of the hose has a capsular-endoscope control device, which a capsular endoscope can be attached... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070173687 - External forceps channel device for endoscope: The present invention was made in the light of the foregoing backgrounds, and an object thereof is to provide a forceps channel add-on device for an endoscope, provided on an outer periphery of an insertion portion of the endoscope. The forceps channel add-on device for an endoscope is an external... Agent: Hedman & Costigan P.C.

20070173688 - Laproscope with flexible binocular camera: Disclosed herein is a stereoscopic laparoscope apparatus comprising a laparoscope, a computer adapted to convert and store image information of the patient's affected part from the laparoscope, and a monitor used to output the image information. The laparoscope comprises a supporting unit including a manipulator, and a pair of parallel... Agent: Mathews, Shepherd, Mckay, & Bruneau, P.A.

20070173689 - Object observation system and method of controlling object observation system: An object observation system of the present invention has an observation apparatus for observing a body to be examined, a three-dimensional image recording apparatus for recording three-dimensional images, which are obtained in advance, of the body to be examined, and an image constructing apparatus for constructing a three-dimensional image based... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070173690 - Endoscope inserting direction detecting method and endoscope inserting direction detecting system: At step S1, a red image is acquired from among red, green, and blue images constituting a received endoscopic image. At step S2, M sampling-pixels (where M denotes an integer equal to or larger than 1) are selected from the data of the red image. At step S3, a gradient... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070173691 - Capsule-type medical device: A capsule-type medical device comprises a capsule main unit having functions for being inserted into the body cavity and performing medical acts such as taking images or the like. The capsule main unit comprises therein a magnet which is acted upon by external magnetism, and a spiral portion on the... Agent: Paul J. Esatto, Jr. Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070173692 - Endoscope image pick-up apparatus: An image pick-up unit inserted in the body picks up an image of the body, and transmits by radio the image to an extra-corporeal unit which is arranged outside the body. The image pick-up unit includes an image pick-up portion capturing an image, a data transmitting portion for transmitting the... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070173693 - Endoscope: An endoscope (1000) comprising a flexible elongated solid body (110) comprising cavities wherein at the distal portion of the body there is a section with greater flexibility than other portions of the body, for enabling an operator to steer the head (200) along twists and convolutions and a stiffening mechanism... Agent: Mark M Friedman Bill Polkinghorn

20070173694 - Bending control device: At a distal end side of an insertion portion of an endoscope, an image pickup portion for capturing an image and a bending portion capable of being bent are provided, and a bending instruction operation portion executes a bending instruction operation for the bending portion. According to the bending instruction... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070173695 - Endoscope device: An endoscope device includes an objective lens group that is provided at a distal end of an insertion portion that is inserted into a lumen of a subject and is used to observe or photograph the subject, and an illumination device that is provided at a distal end of the... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070173696 - Capsular endoscope: According to the present invention, a capsular endoscope having at least an image pickup optical system, an illumination unit, an image pickup portion, and a circuit board comprises a marker shooting unit that indwells a marker member in a body cavity. Consequently, a predetermined marker is indwelled in a desired... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070173697 - Combined flexible and rigid intubating video laryngoscope: A combined flexible and rigid intubating video laryngoscope. The laryngoscope has a handle, and a rigid blade, having a proximal end connectible to the handle and a distal end projecting therefrom. The laryngoscope also has a flexible video endoscope having a distal end connectible near the distal end of the... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070173702 - Automatic patient healthcare and treatment outcome monitoring system: A system generates criteria associating subjective narrative text describing a treatment outcome with acquired patient medical data and linking a narrative treatment outcome description to documented data during patient assessment documentation. A patient healthcare monitoring system includes an acquisition processor for automatically acquiring data representing outcomes of multiple corresponding assessments... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070173704 - Corporeal condition assessment and food selection: Disclosed are methods and systems for determining a body condition, for food selection by type and/or amount and for establishing a food identification system which may be used therewith.... Agent: Thomas H. Neighbors Iii

20070173703 - Method, apparatus, and medium for managing weight by using calorie consumption information: A method of managing weight by using calorie consumption information, the method including: receiving target information from a user; receiving calorie consumption data of the user; analyzing the calorie consumption data based on the target information; and providing feedback to the user for a result of the analyzing the calorie... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070173705 - Apparatus for monitoring health, wellness and fitness: The invention is a system for monitoring and reporting the activity level and caloric expenditure of an individual. The system has sensors in electronic communication with a wearable device. A processor is programmed to communicate with the sensor and a computing device to activity data from movement-related data. A remote... Agent: Bodymedia, Inc. C/o Portfolioip

20070173700 - Disease risk information display device and program: A disease risk information display device and program, for enabling straightforward understanding of which degree of risk there is to what kind of disease, is provided with an analysis processing section 18 for carrying out singular value decomposition taking medical data for a plurality of individuals as input data and... Agent: Mattingly, Stanger, Malur & Brundidge, P.C.

20070173698 - Fail-safe risk management system and methods: A medical diagnostic system and methods that use the complaints or symptoms presented by the patient, along with the physician's top-of-mind diagnoses, to identify in real-time a list of fail-safes that correspond to potential high-risk diagnoses that the patient may be suffering from. The fail-safes are preferably listed in rank... Agent: John P. O'banion O'banion & Ritchey LLP

20070173699 - Method and system for user sensitive pacing during rapid serial visual presentation: A method and system provide for user sensitive pacing in an image triage that is based on rapid serial visual presentation. The physical or cognitive state of a user is monitored during the image triage, and images are shown to the user at a predetermined image presentation rate. The image... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070173701 - Physiological measurement communications adapter: A sensor signal is input at a patient location and a physiological waveform responsive to the sensor signal is generated. The physiological waveform is wirelessly communicated from the patient location to a monitor location. The physiological waveform is adapted to a particular patient monitor at the monitor location. The adapted... Agent: Law Office Of Glenn R. Smith

20070173706 - Method and apparatus for insertion of a sensor: A device and method for delivering a device such as a sensor or fluid transport structure or a fluid transport structure sensor combination into, for example, mammalian skin. Such a device allows a sensor to penetrate mammalian skin without the use of an introducer device such as a needle. A... Agent: Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C. Pacwest Center, Suite 1900

20070173707 - Method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue by sensing two bands of infrared radiation: A method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue based upon infrared imaging in two different bands of infrared wavelengths is described. The use of two series of infrared images taken in two different bands of infrared wavelengths increases sensitivity to the subtle temperature changes caused by diseased skin and... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070173708 - Analyte sensor: The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transcutaneous measurement of glucose in a host.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070173709 - Membranes for an analyte sensor: The present invention relates generally to devices for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices for measurement of glucose in a host that incorporate a hydrophilic electrode domain and/or a cellulosic-based interference domain.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070173710 - Membranes for an analyte sensor: The present invention relates generally to devices for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices for measurement of glucose in a host that incorporate a hydrophilic electrode domain and/or a cellulosic-based interference domain.... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070173712 - Method of and system for stabilization of sensors: A blood glucose sensing system includes a sensor and a sensor electronics device. The sensor includes a plurality of electrodes. The sensor electronics device includes stabilization circuitry. The stabilization circuitry cases a first voltage to be applied to one of the electrodes for a first timeframe and causes a second... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

20070173711 - Sensor with layered electrodes: A thin film sensor, such as a glucose sensor, is provided for transcutaneous placement at a selected site within the body of a patient. The sensor includes several sensor layers that include conductive layers and includes a proximal segment defining conductive contacts adapted for electrical connection to a suitable monitor,... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

20070173713 - Method and apparatus for determining intra ocular pressure of an eye: A tonometer, which uses an applanation prism that reflects light inversely related to an applanated area of the cornea, determines intraocular pressure (IOP) by making initial contact with the cornea, and then pressing the prism against the eye through a predetermined departure range from the initial contact value. The departure... Agent: Brown & Michaels, PC 400 M & T Bank Building

20070173714 - In vivo image display apparatus, receiving apparatus, and image display system using same and image display method thereof: An object of the present invention is to alleviate an image diagnosing work in a work station or the like. In a viewer 7 for displaying, on a display unit 11, image data based on a radio signal transmitted from a capsule endoscope to be inserted into a subject, an... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070173716 - Method for planning an examination of a subject in an imaging system: In a method for planning an examination of an examination subject in the magnetic resonance system, wherein images of the examination subject are acquired at different table positions on which the examination subject rests, at least one overview image is generated with which further images in the examination subject are... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070173715 - Method of using a system including an assembly exposed to a cryogenic region: A method can be used to perform an operation on a system that includes an assembly and a vessel that includes a wall and a thermal shield. The method can include breaking a thermal connection between the assembly and the thermal shield, separating the assembly and a surface within the... Agent: Larson Newman Abel Polansky & White, LLP

20070173717 - Medical apparatus with a multi-modality interface: The invention relates to a medical examination and/or treatment apparatus comprising an x-ray image recording device, a radiation source, a radiation receiver, a control and processing device and an image generating device, wherein at least one invasive sensor device with an imaging system can be connected to the medical examination... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070173719 - Method and system for representing an examination region of a subject supplemented with information related to the intracorporeal influence of an agent: In a method and system for representation of at least one examination region of an examination subject, together with at least one item of information relating to the intracorporeal influence of at least one agent to be administered to the examination subject, which information is to be retained for a... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070173718 - Needle biopsy imaging system: Imaging techniques. Radiation is directed from a source onto a sample using an endoscope having cellular or subcellular resolution. The endoscope includes one or more fibers. The fibers have a proximate end and a distal end, and the distal end is lensless. A focal plane of the endoscope is substantially... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

20070173720 - Collagen density and structural change measurement and mapping in tissue: A method and system for two and three dimensional mapping of tissue density and/or structural changes from image data and/or spatial reflected or transmitted signal maps, and correlating the maps to changes in collagen density. The method and system includes the steps of: receiving an image or spatial maps of... Agent: Foley & Lardner LLP

20070173722 - Adaptive grating lobe suppression in ultrasound imaging: Adaptive grating lobe suppression is provided. Received ultrasound data is measured, compared or otherwise processed to determine the presence of grating lobe energy. A further process is then altered as a function of the level of grating lobe energy. In one embodiment, the adaptive grating lobe suppression is implemented in... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070173721 - Protocol-driven ultrasound examination: The present invention relates to a system and method for performing a protocol-driven ultrasound examination for generating an image of moving cardiac structure and blood of a heart. One embodiment comprises a front-end and at least one processor. The front end is arranged to transmit ultrasound waves into the moving... Agent: Mcandrews Held & Malloy, Ltd

20070173723 - Ultrasonic enhanced-contrast imager and method: An ultrasonic enhanced-contrast imager and method includes an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave to and from an organism, a transmitting section for transmitting an ultrasonic signal to the ultrasonic probe, a receiving section for processing a response signal ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic probe, a... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070173724 - System and method for three-dimensional airway reconstruction, assessment and analysis: This invention relates to a system and method for three-dimensional airway reconstruction, assessment and analysis. Specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for acquiring one- and two-dimensional data regarding a cavity, such as an esophagus or an airway, and manipulating that data to reconstruct a three-dimensional geometrical object... Agent: Hunton & Williams LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070173725 - Method of measuring superficial chemical species and apparatus for measuring the same: A method of processing skin surface observation measuring data able to address various sicknesses and reduce an error in sickness detection, and a measuring apparatus requiring no filter with a simple structure. The measuring apparatus comprises a means of applying a white light to a biological surface as a sample,... Agent: Sacco & Associates, Pa

20070173726 - Bio-signal detection device and method of managing health of user using the device: A bio-signal detection device and a method of managing the health of a user is used with a health management system. The device includes a main body having palm support portions formed on the top of both sides thereof, a sensing unit formed on at least one of the palm... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070173727 - Method and apparatus for isolating the vascular component in digital temerature monitoring: Methods and apparatus are provided for identifying and minimizing neurovascular contributions to determinations of endothelial function, including by digital temperature monitoring such that an accurate status of vascular reactivity can be obtained. Methods are also provided for identifying individuals having increased sympathetic nervous system activity impacting peripheral vascular function as... Agent: Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri, L.L.P.

20070173728 - Cyclic variation of heart rate detection and treatment: Systems and methods provide for detection of repeated disordered breathing episodes and presence of cyclic variation of heart rate (CVHR) and/or associated presence of cyclic variations in hemodynamic changes resulting from such disordered breathing episodes. A therapy may be delivered to mitigate the CVHR. The therapy for CVHR mitigation or... Agent: Hollingsworth & Funk, LLC

20070173729 - Simple approach to precisely 02 consumption, and anesthetic absorption during low flow anesthesia: A process for determining gas(x) consumption, wherein said gas(x) is selected from; a) an anesthetic such as but not limited to; i) N2O; ii) sevoflurane; iii) isoflurane; iv) halothane; v) desflurame; or the like b) Oxygen (O2).... Agent: Herman & Millman

20070173730 - Breathing biofeedback device: A breathing biofeedback device, having a microphone configured to acquire sounds of a user's breathing; a controller communicatively connected with the microphone, the controller processing the signals acquired by the microphone to produce an output signal, the controller processing the signal whereby the microphone signal is first pre-amplified to a... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070173731 - Breath and breath condensate analysis system and associated methods: A system for collecting an exhaled breath sample and exhaled breath aerosol from a subject includes a condensation chamber having an outerwall defining an interior space. The outer wall has an inlet port and an outlet port therethrough in fluid communication with the interior space. The inlet port is placeable... Agent: Jacqueline E. Hartt, Ph.d Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.

20070173733 - Detection of and interaction using mental states: A method of detecting a mental state includes receiving, in a processor, bio-signals of a subject from one or more bio-signal detectors, and determining in the processor whether the bio-signals represent the presence of a particular mental state in the subject. A method of using the detected mental state includes... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070173732 - Method and apparatus for wireless brain interface: An implantable logic circuit configured to receive analog bioelectric signals from one or more implanted electrodes, perform amplification, A/D conversion of the received analog bioelectric signals, signal sampling, and to communicate the signals to a remote processing system over a wireless communications link. Power for the implantable logic circuit is... Agent: Polster, Lieder, Woodruff & Lucchesi

20070173734 - Method and system for removing noise by using change in activity pattern: A noise removal method and system using a change in activity pattern, in which it is recognized that noise components exist in different frequency bands and different filters for removing noise are stored according to each activity pattern, thereby optimally removing the noise components. A method of removing noise by... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070173735 - Vascular introduces with temperature monitoring probe and systems for endovascular temperature control: An introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly that is insertable into a blood vesel of a human or veterinary patent to measure the temperature of blood flowing through that blood vessel. The introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly may be used in conjunction with an indwelling heat exchange catheter system to warm or cool... Agent: Stout, Uxa, Buyan & Mullins LLP

20070173736 - Apparatus and methods for endometrial biopsies: Apparatus and methods for endometrial biopsies, wherein an applicator is disposed on the distal end of an outer tube and an injection device is connected to the proximal end of the same tube. The applicator comprises one or more ridges on its outer surface that anchor the applicator in the... Agent: Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP

20070173737 - Cell collection device: This invention relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for collecting cells or tissue samples from the cervix of a patient for medical testing.... Agent: Theodore Allen, Esq Cytyc Corporation

20070173738 - Sampling device and method for obtaining samples of internal body substancesand method for producing a sampling device: A sampling device for obtaining samples of internal body substances in the digestive system is a swallowable capsule which allows a sample of the body substance to enter the capsule through an inlet which opens in the digestive tract following contact with the substance to be collected. The capsule inlet... Agent: Browdy And Neimark, P.l.l.c. 624 Ninth Street, Nw

20070173740 - Lancet integrated test element tape dispenser: A lancet integrated test element tape includes a plurality of lancet integrated test elements. The lancet integrated test elements each include a lancet configured to form an incision in tissue and a test element configured to analyze body fluid from the incision in the tissue. A cartridge includes a supply... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070173742 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in a body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site that includes an electrically powered drive force generator. A penetrating member is operatively coupled to the force generator. The force generator moves the member along a path out... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070173743 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in a body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site that includes an electrically powered drive force generator. A penetrating member is operatively coupled to the force generator. The force generator moves the member along a path out... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070173739 - Stack magazine system: A meter system for analyzing body fluids includes a supply magazine for storing a stack of test elements, a meter for analyzing fluid samples, and a transport system for transporting test elements from the supply magazine to the meter. The test element in one embodiment includes a lancet integrated test... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070173741 - Tissue penetration device: A body fluid sampling system is provided for use on a tissue site. A drive force generator is coupled to penetrating members. The penetrating members are at least partially housed in a penetrating member housing. The penetrating member housing has openings for the penetrating members. The penetrating members are launched... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070173745 - Rod length measuring instrument: There is disclosed an apparatus and method for measuring the distance between the bone anchors inserted into vertebrae comprising two legs pivotally coupled to each other, the two legs are also coupled to a proportional magnifier which is coupled to a scale. The proportional magnifier allows the scale to be... Agent: Carr LLP (ist)

20070173744 - System and method for detecting intervertebral disc alignment using vertebrae segmentation: A computer-implemented method for intervertebral disc alignment includes providing a spine image and a click point on the spine image, applying an adaptive thresholding technique to segment vertebrae regions at the click point from the spine image, and filtering segmented vertebrae regions with a morphological operation. The method further includes... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167666 - Asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity: The disclosure describes devices and methods for asymmetrical irradiation at a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or cancer. One device includes a lumen which is off-set or off-settable from a longitudinal axis to increase the intensity of radiation received from a radiation source... Agent: Edward J. Lynch Duane Morris LLP

20070167667 - Methods for asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity: The disclosure describes devices and methods for asymmetrical irradiation at a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or cancer. One device includes a lumen which is off-set or off-settable from a longitudinal axis to increase the intensity of radiation received from a radiation source... Agent: Edward J. Lynch Duane Morris LLP

20070167664 - Brachytherapy apparatus and methods of using same: Apparatus, systems and methods for delivering brachytherapy to a target tissue region of a human or other mammalian body. In some embodiments, a flexible brachytherapy device is implanted that includes a therapy delivery portion having one or more radioactive sources securely retained thereto, and a tail portion extending from the... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070167668 - 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... Agent: Knoble, Yoshida & Dunleavy

20070167665 - Helical brachytherapy apparatus and methods of using same: Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for delivering brachytherapy into a target tissue region, e.g., a breast. In some embodiments, a flexible brachytherapy device is implanted that includes a therapy delivery portion having one or more radioactive sources securely retained thereto, and a tail portion extending from the therapy delivery... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070167669 - Ferromagnetic injection aneurysm repair: A method of treating an aneurysm includes injecting a ferromagnetic material into the aneurysm and applying a magnetic field to the ferromagnetic material to form a ball in the aneurysm.... Agent: Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC

20070167670 - Implantable cardiac assist device with a phased electrode array: The present invention provides a fully implantable cardiac massage apparatus having a phased electrode array. The cardiac massage apparatus of the invention can provide both “active” contraction of the heat, wherein the device electrically stimulates the heart to contract, or “passive” contraction of the heart, wherein the device squeezes the... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

20070167671 - Dual feedback control system for implantable hearing instrument: The invention is directed to an implanted microphone having reduced sensitivity to vibration. In this regard, the microphone differentiates between the desirable and undesirable vibration by utilizing at least one motion sensor to produce a motion signal when an implanted microphone is in motion. This motion signal is used to... Agent: Marsh, Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP

20070167672 - Feedback sensing for a mechanical restrictive device: An apparatus comprises an implantable mechanically adjustable band configured to form a restriction in a patient. The band defines an inner diameter. The mechanical adjustability of the band is configured to permit the inner diameter defined by the band to be selectively varied. The apparatus further comprises an adjustment mechanism... Agent: Frost Brown Todd, LLC

20070167673 - Endoscope: In an endoscope, scopes that include a scope-side memory and a connector are selectively and detachably connected to a processor that includes a processor-side memory and a connection member. A parameter stored in the scope-side memory can be written to the processor-side memory. The connector that is connectable to the... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070167674 - Endoscope, endoscope system, and method of manufacturing endoscope: An endoscope of the invention is the endoscope for applying a propulsion force in a direction of insertion axis of an insertion portion main body in accordance with rotation of the insertion portion main body based on driving force of a driving member, and the endoscope includes a flexible elongated... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167677 - Endoscopic apparatus and method: The present invention is directed to a medical device, such as an endoscopic device, configured to be loaded into a channel of an endoscope prior to insertion of the endoscope into a body, and a method of performing an operative procedure with an endoscopic device. The endoscopic device comprises an... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20070167675 - Overtube and medical procedure via natural orifice using the same: An overtube according to this invention includes: an insertion part, that is inserted into a subject and has a lumen, through which a device insertion part of a device for performing a medical procedure inside a body of the subject is removably inserted, the insertion part being inserted into the... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167676 - Overtube and medical procedure via natural orifice using the same: An overtube according to this invention includes: an insertion part, that is inserted into a subject and has a lumen, through which a device insertion part of a device for performing a medical procedure inside a body of the subject is removably inserted, the insertion part being inserted into the... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167678 - Tools for implantation and extraction of posteriorly placed lumbar articial discs including: a totally wireless electronically embedded action-ended endoscope utilizing differential directional illumination with digitally controlled mirrors and/or prisms,: A hand manipulated endoscopic medical device is disclosed. The medical device includes a body having a proximal end, which is hand manipulated, and a distal end which includes a manipulator. A light emitting device is centrally disposed at the distal end. An imaging device is centrally disposed at the distal... Agent: Mcgrath, Geissler, Olds & Richardson, PLLC

20070167679 - Medical treatment endoscope: The medical treatment endoscope according to the present invention includes a sheath having a flexibility; at least one arm member having a bending part that projects out from a front end of the sheath and performs bending actions; an open/close mechanism which directs the arm member from a direction along... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167680 - Medical treatment endoscope: The medical treatment endoscope according to the present invention includes a sheath having a flexibility; at least one arm member having a bending part that projects out from a front end of the sheath and performs bending actions; an open/close mechanism which directs the arm member from a direction along... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167681 - Portable imaging system employing a miniature endoscope: A cart or man-portable system and method for performing endoscopic procedures is provided. A portable display device, such as a laptop computer, is coupled to a handle comprising a miniature camera and fiber optic illumination subsystem. A sterile disposable portion is fitted over the illumination subsystem and inserted into a... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070167682 - Endoscopic methods and devices for transnasal procedures: Medical devices, systems and methods that are useable to facilitate transnasal insertion and positioning of guidewires and various other devices and instruments at desired locations within the ear, nose, throat, paranasal sinuses or cranium.... Agent: Law Office Of Alan W. Cannon

20070167683 - Endoscopic system with integrated patient respiratory status indicator: The system 10 includes an endoscopic probe 20 and an expired air sampling device 24 functionally connected to a control console 28. In use, the endoscopic probe 20 is routed through a body lumen of a patient to, for example, visualize a selected region of a patient's body. As the... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070167684 - Endoscope device, endoscope system, and method for inserting endoscope device into body cavity: An endoscope device includes an insertion portion cover as an insertion portion main body insertable into an examinee's body and having flexibility, and a helical shaped portion as a propulsion force generating portion which is rotatably placed around an outer circumference of the insertion portion cover, centered around the axis... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070167685 - Endoscope: An endoscope comprises: a rubber member having a slide area with another member constituting the endoscope, wherein polyalkylsiloxane is coated over the slide area of the rubber member.... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070167686 - Laryngoscope with camera attachement: The invention relates to medical devices for carrying out internal examination, such as laryngoscopes (1). The laryngoscope is provided with a camera element (7) within a channel (6) inside the blade (3).... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070167688 - Healthcare management systems and associated methods: The present invention relates to healthcare management systems and associated methods, including healthcare management methods in computing environments that provide prescription fulfillment management, care support services, patient opinion information, healthcare treatment adherence, and the ability to interface a healthcare management system with other systems. Certain aspects are directed toward a... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20070167689 - Method and system for enhancing a user experience using a user's physiological state: A method (50) of altering content provided to a user includes the steps of creating (60) a user profile based on past physiological measurements of the user, monitoring (74) at least one current physiological measurement of the user, and altering (82) the content provided to the user based on the... Agent: Motorola, Inc Intellectual Property Section

20070167690 - Mind-body correlation data evaluation apparatus and method of evaluating mind-body correlation data: A mind-body correlation data evaluation apparatus includes a stimulation providing section which provides stimulation to motivate an action of a subject, a physiological response data collecting section which collects physiological response data of the subject, a subjective rating and action rating data collecting section which collects subjective rating data and... Agent: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman & Chick, PC

20070167687 - Systems and methods for disease management: A web-based, interactive diagnosis, referral and reference system is used by physicians, patients, and others in the health care field to serve as a diagnostic, evaluation, and utilization tool/guide. The user may enter answer a series of guided questions to reach a diagnosis, obtain a physician referral and/or review literature... Agent: Gss Law Group

20070167693 - Display means for vital parameters: A display is connected to at least one sensor for detecting and transmitting physiological measurement values. In addition, one or more displays are used to present the measurement values and/or other associated data visually, acoustically, mechanically, or in some other way perceptible to the senses. A sequence control approach is... Agent: Friedrich Kueffner

20070167694 - Integrated portable anesthesia and sedation monitoring apparatus: A system and method for performing monitoring of anesthesia and sedation in a patient includes a patient sensor integrating EEG, pulse oximetry, ECG, and AEP signal inputs, integrated analog hardware, digital hardware, and a digital signal processing system that executes a selected algorithm to process received signals representative of a... Agent: Polster, Lieder, Woodruff & Lucchesi

20070167691 - Multifunction infant monitoring system: A medical screening device (100) configured to measure and monitor combinations of blood chemistry, breath gasses, and bioelectrical signals such as evoked auditory signals and EEG signals associated with human auditory testing to facilitate detection of abnormal medical conditions or disorders in human patients by providing a cumulative index representative... Agent: Polster, Lieder, Woodruff & Lucchesi

20070167692 - Refrigerator with health monitoring system: A refrigerator with health monitoring system is provided. The refrigerator includes a chamber with a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, a rear surface, side surfaces, and a control board on the top surface. The blood pressure measuring device is installed on the control board. The body temperature... Agent: Park Law Firm

20070167695 - Neutral electrode for hf surgery: The invention relates to a neutral electrode for HF surgery and to an electrically conductive gel. The neutral electrode comprises at least one electrically conductive section that can be brought into contact with a section of a patient's body. In order to enable the contact resistance to be reduced in... Agent: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.

20070167696 - Multi-electrode lead: A multi-electrode lead (10) comprises an elongate carrier (12) having a longitudinal axis. A plurality of electrical conductors is carried by the carrier (12), a plurality of electrodes being connected in spaced relationship to each conductor. The electrodes (14) are arranged at axially spaced intervals along the carrier (12) so... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070167701 - Computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system with light source and associated method: A computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system comprises an image sensor and a light source. The image sensor is configured to sense an image of an area associated with an orthopaedic surgical site and has a field of view. The light source projects light distinct from any ambient lighting onto the... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070167711 - Image diagnostic apparatus: In this invention, diagnosis efficiency can be improved. The first slice image is displayed through transmission corresponding to the transmitting degree preset by the first transmitting degree setting unit and the second slice image is displayed through transmission corresponding to the transmitting degree preset by the second transmitting degree setting... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070167705 - Integrated ultrasound imaging system: The present invention relates to systems and methods for performing integrated ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging procedures on a patient. An ultrasound probe is used within an MRI system to provide both imaging modalities for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070167708 - Marker for a navigation system and method for detecting a marker: A marker for a navigation system includes a reflective surface, and a light-absorbing, non-reflective or low-reflective object arranged at a defined distance from the reflective surface.... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070167713 - Medical image diagnostic system: In issuing an order, a medical image diagnostic system acquires order issuance support information on the basis of a reference report or a reference image, which an order issuer uses as a basis of order creation. The medical image diagnostic system classifies the order issuance support information on the basis... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167702 - Medical robotic system providing three-dimensional telestration: A medical robotic system provides 3D telestration over a 3D view of an anatomical structure by receiving a 2D telestration graphic input associated with one of a pair of stereoscopic images of the anatomical structure from a mentor surgeon, determining a corresponding 2D telestration graphic input in the other of... Agent: Patent Dept Intuitive Surgical, Inc

20070167712 - Medical tracking system using a gamma camera: A medical tracking system includes a localization system operative to spatially localize medical instruments; a computer operative to assign absolute and/or relative positions of said instruments in a coordinate system; and at least one localizable gamma camera operative to detect gamma radiation emitted from a tracer material.... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070167698 - Method and apparatus for alignment of a mobile fluoroscopic imaging system: A system and method for positioning a medical imaging unit is disclosed. The method may include accessing data from a plurality of sensors. The method may also include computing an optimal position for the medical imaging unit to acquire images of a point of interest. The computation may be based... Agent: Mcandrews Held & Malloy, Ltd

20070167697 - Method and apparatus for automatically characterizing a malignancy: A malignancy probability is automatically calculated for one or more lesions. The malignancy probability is based on assessments of one or more malignancy characteristics for each lesion derived from two or more structural and/or functional image data sets. Likewise, in some embodiments, the malignancy probability is based on assessments of... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167710 - Method and apparatus for inner wall extraction and stent strut detection using intravascular optical coherence tomography imaging: A method and apparatus for automatically detecting stent struts in an image is disclosed whereby the inner boundary, or lumen, of an artery wall is first detected automatically and intensity profiles along rays in the image are determined. In one embodiment, detection of the lumen boundary may be accomplished, for... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167706 - Method and apparatus for visually supporting an electrophysiological catheter application in the heart by means of bidirectional information transfer: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for visually supporting an electrophysiological catheter application in the heart. For the method, 3D image data of at least the heart, which is captured using a tomographic 3D imaging method prior to execution of the catheter application, and electroanatomical 3D mapping... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167721 - Method and device for correction motion in imaging during a medical intervention: The present invention relates to a method and a device for correcting motion in imaging during a medical intervention, by which method a 3D tomographic image of a target area for the intervention is first recorded while there are one or more medical instruments in the target area that will... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167700 - Method for accurate in vivo delivery of a therapeutic agent to a target area of an organ: In a method for accurately delivering a therapeutic agent to a target area of an organ of a living subject, such as for injecting stem cells into the myocardium of the heart, a 3D image, in which the target area and a delivery path thereto are visible, is obtained prior... Agent: Schiff Hardin LLP Patent Department

20070167703 - Method for determining a position of a magnetic source: A method for determining a position of a magnetic source includes measuring a magnetic field generated by the magnetic source and determining components of the three-dimensional magnetic flux density of the magnetic field at a plurality of points in space based on such measurement. The method also includes estimating a... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070167716 - Method for enhancing the accuracy of pet/ct images: A method is disclosed for obtaining linear attenuation coefficients for interpreting a PET scan of a region. The method is suitable for use when high molecular weight materials are present in the region, such as contrast agents or metal objects. The method includes obtaining first and second x-ray CT data... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070167699 - Methods and systems for segmentation and surface matching: A contoured surface map of a lesion within a patient is obtained by shifting a reference surface to an estimated location in operational images. The process can be repeated to minimize errors, and the contoured surface map can then be segmented.... Agent: Goodwin Procter LLP Patent Administrator

20070167719 - Readable probe array for in vivo use: A disposable high-density, optically readable polydeoxynucleotide array with integral fluorescence excitation and fluorescence emission channels is described. The compact array size allows integration into several types of interventional devices such as catheters, guidewires, needles, and trocars and may be used intraoperatively. Highly sensitive monitoring of the metabolic and disease pathways... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070167715 - Receiving device: A receiving device is capable of receiving a radio signal transmitted from a body-insertable device moving inside a subject and allows the subject to carry. The receiving device also includes a radio communication interface that enables radio communication via a radio communication network with a communication terminal device having a... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070167707 - Reconstruction method for images of the beating heart: Projection views of the moving heart and stationary background tissues are acquired and processed to provide corresponding moving tissue projection views. An average image is reconstructed in a conventional manner and a moving tissue image is reconstructed using a highly constrained backprojection method and a composite image formed from selected... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070167720 - Smart card control of medical devices: A method of exploiting a medical technology comprising: providing at least two types of medical systems incorporating the medical technology. Each of the systems has first capabilities useful in performing a first type of medical procedure, and second capabilities useful in performing a second type of medical procedure. One of... Agent: Bryan K. Wheelock

20070167717 - Structure assessment using spatial-frequency analysis: The disclosed innovation is a method for acquiring spatial frequency spectra from specific locations in a 3D sample using modifications of the current MRI techniques for localized NMR spectroscopy. The innovation in its simplest abstraction is to add the use of a read out gradient to the current NMR spectroscopy... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20070167722 - Surgical navigation: Methods and apparatus are provided for locating the position, preferably in three dimensions, of a sensor by generating magnetic fields which are detected at the sensor. The magnetic fields are generated from a plurality of locations and, in one embodiment of the invention, enable both the orientation and location of... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070167714 - System and method for bronchoscopic navigational assistance: A computer-based method for bronchoscopic navigational assistance, including: receiving first image data of a patient's lungs, the first image data acquired before a bronchoscopy is performed; receiving second image data of a portion of one of the patient's lungs that includes a bronchoscope, the second image data acquired during the... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167718 - System and method for performing a three-dimentional virtual examination of objects, such as internal organs: Methods for generating a three-dimensional visualization image of an object, such as an internal organ, using volume visualization techniques are provided. The techniques include a multi-scan imaging method; a multi-resolution imaging method; and a method for generating a skeleton of a complex three dimension object. The applications include virtual cystoscopy,... Agent: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070167704 - Transabdominal examination, monitoring and imaging of tissue: An optical examination technique employs an optical system (15, 45, 100, 150, 200, 260 or 300) for in vivo, non-invasive examination of internal tissue of a subject. The optical system includes an optical module (12 or 14), a controller and a processor. The optical module is arranged for placement on... Agent: Ivan David Zitkovsky Ph.d PC

20070167709 - Visual imaging system for ultrasonic probe: A non-invasive visual imaging system is provided, wherein the imaging system procures an image of a transducer position during diagnostic or therapeutic treatment. In addition, the system suitably provides for the transducer to capture patient information, such as acoustic, temperature, or ultrasonic images. For example, an ultrasonic image captured by... Agent: Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. (main)

20070167723 - Optical magnetometer array and method for making and using the same: An embodiment of the invention relates to a device comprising an array of optical magnetometers. The magnetometers comprise se a light source, a container having a chamber filled with an atomic vapor, and a photo detector capable of detecting optical properties of the atomic vapor. The substrate and the array... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070167724 - Fmri data acquisition system: A data acquisition system for use in conducting functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. fMRI studies can provide clues to the neurobiological basis of CNS disorders and reliable and quantifiable data relating to their symptoms. The data acquisition system includes a control station, a patient stimulus and response system and fMRI... Agent: John Horn Neurognostics, Inc.

20070167729 - Highly constrained magnetic resonance spectroscopy image reconstruction method: A series of image frames are acquired in which an MR parameter such as echo time (TE) is changed and the resulting image frames are employed to produce an MRS image of a metabolite. Scan time is reduced without sacrificing image quality by reconstructing a composite image from data acquired... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070167728 - Image acquisition and reconstruction method for functional magnetic resonance imaging: Acquisition of MR data during a fMRI study employs a hybrid PR pulse sequence to acquire projection views from which multi-slice image frames may be reconstructed that depict the BOLD response to an applied stimulus or performed task. Composite images are reconstructed at each slice using the combined interleaved projection... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070167735 - Implantable or insertable medical devices visible under magnetic resonance imaging: Disclosed is an implantable or insertable medical device comprising (a) a substrate and (b) a hydrogel polymer coating at a least a portion of the surface of the substrate, wherein the hydrogel polymer is adapted to render the medical device visible under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) upon insertion or implantation... Agent: Mayer Fortkort & Williams, PC 2nd Floor

20070167733 - Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus: Versatility and the quality of images are to be improved. As preparation pulses, a first RF pulse to flip along the yz plane spins oriented in a magnetostatic field direction in a subject; a velocity encoding gradient pulse which, in spins flipped by that first RF pulse, mutually shifts the... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche (20459) Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070167730 - Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and imaging method in the same: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an imaging unit applying a gradient magnetic field and a radio frequency pulse to an inspection body in an magnetostatic field and generating a magnetic resonance signal, a bed having a top panel for placing the inspection body thereon and... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070167727 - Magnetic resonance spatial risk map for tissue outcome prediction: Diffusion weighted images and perfusion weighted images are acquired with an MRI system and used to produce low b, DWI, ADC, CBV, CBF, and MTT images of brain tissues following an ischemic event. These MRI physiological measurements are input along with a spatial location measurement to a generalized linear model... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070167732 - Magnetic resonance system and method for determining a diffusion-weighted image: In a method for determination of a diffusion-weighted image of an examination subject in a magnetic resonance system, a diffusion-weighted data set is acquired with magnetic diffusion gradients being activated; a diffusion-weighted image of the examination subject is calculated using this diffusion-weighted data set; dephasing or spoiler gradients are activated... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070167734 - Method and apparatus for automated tracking of non-linear vessel movement using mr imaging: A system and method is disclosed for tracking a moving object using magnetic resonance imaging. The technique includes acquiring a scout image scan having a number of image frames and extracting non-linear motion parameters from the number of image frames of the scout image scan. The technique includes prospectively shifting... Agent: Ziolkowski Patent Solutions Group, Sc (gems)

20070167731 - Method of mr imaging: The invention provides, in a method of perfusion magnetic resonance imaging of a region of interest in a vascularized animal subject, said method comprising administering a contrast agent bolus into the vascular system of said subject; determining the magnetic resonance signal strength si(t) for voxels (i) of said region of... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20070167726 - Multi-mode medical device system and methods of manufacturing and using same: A multi-mode medical device system and method of performing an interventional procedure. The multi-mode medical device system can be capable of MR internal imaging and of being tracked using an MRI system. The multi-mode medical device system can include a medical device, and an electrical circuit coupled to the medical... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

20070167725 - Systems, methods and apparatus for an endo-rectal receive-only probe: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which a compact pod insertable into the rectum for Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) examination of the prostate and containing two receive coils, each connected to transmit blocking and pre-tuned trap circuitry which can be superimposed within the pod in close proximity,... Agent: Ramirez & Smith

20070167737 - Method for ecg-triggering a measuring sequence of a magnetic resonance device: Method for ECG triggering a measuring sequence of a magnetic resonance device, with ECG signals of a patient being detected over two channels, with the triggering of the measuring sequence being carried out when the ECG signal of at least one channel, said ECG signal being subjected to a digital... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167736 - Mri biopsy apparatus incorporating an imageable penetrating portion: An obturator as part of a biopsy system enhances use with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by indicating location of a side aperture in an encompassing cannula. The cannula (e.g., detached probe, sleeve sized to receive a core biopsy probe) includes a side aperture for taking a tissue sample. When the... Agent: Frost Brown Todd, LLC

20070167741 - Apparatus and method for registering a bone of a patient with a computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system: An apparatus and method for registering a bone of a patient with a computer assisted surgery system includes a support frame and a number of magnetic sensor arrays movably coupled to the support frame. Each of the magnetic sensor arrays may be pivoted and translated with respect to the frame.... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070167738 - Device and method for navigating a catheter: The invention relates to a device and a method for navigating a catheter in the vessel system or an intervention needle in an organ of a patient that is subject to a spontaneous movement due to heartbeat and/or respiration. In this connection, a movement model (11) that describes the displacement... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070167739 - Internally directed imaging and tracking system: A system and methods for enhancing non-invasive imaging and tracking by providing an internal marker detectable by an external imaging system is disclosed. The marker may be active or passive by either generating or reflecting energy. The imaging system may be utilized to optimize imaging parameters to compensate for aberrations... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.

20070167743 - Intra-subject position detection system: An intra-subject position detection system includes a subject insertable device introduced into a subject, moving through the subject; and including a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetostatic field. The system also includes a position detecting device arranged outside the subject and obtaining position information of the subject insertable device... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167740 - Magnetic stabilization of catheter location sensor: The present invention is directed to a stabilizing catheter for use with a cardiac reference catheter, having an elongated catheter body, a distal tip section, and a magnetic member that is situated in the distal tip section, wherein the magnetic member is adapted to attract the reference catheter and stabilize... Agent: Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP

20070167745 - Methods for delivering medical devices to a target implant site within a body vessel: Methods of delivering a medical device to a point of treatment in a body vessel are described. In methods according to the invention, a reference device comprising a plurality of reference markings and a medical device comprising at least one position marker are provided. The reference device is associated with... Agent: Dunlap, Codding & Rogers, P.C.

20070167742 - Position detection in a magnetic field: This patent document discusses assemblies and methods for remotely detecting a position of a surgical instrument in the presence of a magnetic field. In varying examples, a position detection system includes an encoder coupled to move in concert with the instrument. The encoder includes an a translucent substrate and light... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.

20070167744 - System and method for surgical navigation cross-reference to related applications: An integrated medical navigation system for use with at least one electromagnetic sensor and at least one device that may comprise at least one electromagnetic field generator coupled to the at least one device, a navigation interface configured to receive digitized signals from the at least one electromagnetic sensor, a... Agent: Peter Vogel Ge Healthcare

20070167746 - Method and apapratus for calculating 3d volume of cerebral hemorrhage: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for appropriately calculating 3D volume of cerebral hemorrhage lesion. The present invention sets a ROI for normal cerebral parenchymal region and a ROI for cerebral hemorrhage lesion respectively for a plurality of continuous slice images obtained by imaging the head having cerebral... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070167747 - Catheter, apparatus and method for therapeutic embolization: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the therapeutic embolization of an aneurysm (1) as well as to a catheter. A plugging material (2) is injected via a catheter (5) inserted into the aneurysm (1). During the injection, the spatial position of an active locator (3), such... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070167748 - Medical radiation apparatus: A medical radiation apparatus has a beam source and a deflection apparatus, which can be activated by means of a data processing device according to a radiation schedule generated using a recording of tissue to be irradiated produced using a medical imaging diagnosis device, said data processing device being set... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167750 - Operating method of an x-ray machine for examining a patient by use of a contrast agent: An operating method is disclosed for an X-ray machine for examining a patient by using a contrast agent in the case of which a preliminary examination is carried out for determining a contrast agent curve in the case of which a series of attenuation values relating to defined scanning instants... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070167749 - Tissue interventions using nuclear-emission image guidance: A method and apparatus for marking a lesion in a body part is provided. The method includes the steps of obtaining a first nuclear-emission image of the body part; determining a position of the lesion from the first image; percutaneously introducing a cannula to the determined position; inserting a wire... Agent: Patent Administrator Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

20070167766 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: There is provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a judgment unit which judges a folded back phenomenon of velocity based on signal information of a Doppler spectrum among signals received in a circulatory organ diagnostic region, a decision unit which decides whether the signals received are blood flow signals or... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167763 - Apparatus and method for displaying an ultrasound image: Embodiments of the present invention may provide an apparatus and a method for displaying a 3-dimensional ultrasound image formed based on 2-dimensional ultrasound images. The method for displaying an ultrasound image, comprises: a) forming and storing a plurality of sequential 2-dimensional ultrasound images based on ultrasound echo signals reflected from... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167767 - Apparatus and method for non-invasive diagnosing of coronary artery disease: A non-invasive diagnostic tool and method for detecting an obstruction in a coronary artery, the diagnostic tool including a signal processor adapted to receive signals corresponding to a heart beat from a plurality of acoustic sensors attached to the chest of a patient. The signal processor is programmed to identify... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167758 - Automated detection of cardiac motion using contrast markers: Techniques are provided for automatically detecting cardiac motion using contrast markers. The contrast markers can be located in images generated by an external imaging device. The contrast markers can be used for locating regions of interest in a heart and their relative motion. The techniques for determining cardiac motion are... Agent: Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP (prts) (proteus Biomedical,inc)

20070167757 - Determining speed-of-sound factors in ultrasound images of a body: A method for determining speed-of-sound factors in ultrasound images of a body, includes: capturing at least two ultrasound images of an internal body region from different directions; registering the at least two ultrasound images with respect to a corresponding region in a body reference model; comparing two-dimensional registrations of each... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070167764 - Impedance matching for ultrasound phased array elements: A system includes a transducer configured to emit ultrasound in response to receiving an electrical signal from a driving circuit. The transducer includes a first dimension that determines a frequency of the ultrasound and a second dimension that determines an impedance of the transducer. The frequency is independent of the... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20070167768 - Method and an apparatus for recording bladder volume: A non-invasive method and apparatus for monitoring the bladder volume in humans or animals. The monitoring measurements are based on the analysis of ultrasound signals from at least two individual ultrasound transducer arrays. Each one individual ultrasound transducer array has a contact face, which is arranged in order to transmit... Agent: Winston & Strawn LLP Patent Department

20070167756 - Method and apparatus for improving local blood and lymph circulation: A processor (10) controls the operation of the device and preferably provides for a plurality of operational algorithms or modes. A program switch (18) allows the user to select which algorithm will be used. The processor drives an inverter (12), which drives a power amplifier or bridge (13). The output... Agent: Powell Goldstein LLP

20070167751 - Method and apparatus for vessel characterization: Techniques for characterizing a narrowing of a vessel are described. A location of a narrowing in a vessel is determined. A first velocity profile on a first surface is determined. The velocity profile corresponds to a fluid moving in the vessel and the first surface is in a region where... Agent: Steven Elliot Stupp Park Vaughan & Fleming, LLP

20070167755 - Methods of monitoring cellular death using low frequency ultrasound: A method of detecting cellular damage within a subject comprises transmitting low frequency ultrasound (20 MHz or below) into a selected site within the subject wherein the selected site has been exposed to a stress capable of causing cellular death at the selected site. At least a portion of ultrasound... Agent: Needle & Rosenberg, P.C.

20070167753 - System, method, and kit for positioning a monitor transducer on a patient: An improved patient monitoring system is described herein. In particular, the present invention provides an improved system, method, and kit for positioning and removably mounting, often repeatedly, a monitor transducer on a patient, for example, an external fetal monitor used during pregnancy and childbirth labor. The improved system of the... Agent: Smith Patent Consulting Consulting, LLC

20070167769 - Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic endoscope having ultrasonic transducers for scanning ultrasonic wave in a living body three-dimensionally, an ultrasonic image creating portion of an ultrasonic observing apparatus for creating ultrasonic volume data based on an ultrasonic signal captured by the ultrasonic endoscope,... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070167754 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has first region display means for displaying an ultrasonic tomographic image or an endoscopic optical image on the full display screen of the monitor, second region display means for reducing the size of the optical image and displaying the image on a part of the screen,... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167761 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: This invention realizes high diagnosis efficiency in ultrasonic diagnosis. A start frame selecting unit selects a start frame corresponding to the time a display unit starts displaying slice images in chronological order, in slice images in a plurality of frames generated in chronological order by an image generating unit. The... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070167770 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an input unit that supplies information indicating an velocity range of interest of a moving body inside a subject body as an input; and a velocity range setting control unit that sets a variable detectable velocity range as a predetermined velocity range based on the... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070167765 - Ultrasound emitting device comprising a head frame: An ultrasound emitting device is disclosed. The ultrasound emitting device includes a sound head matrix comprising a first planar member, and a second planar member, wherein the first planar member is attached to the second planar member to form a V-shaped assembly comprising a first interior dihedral angle, where that... Agent: Dale F. Regelman

20070167760 - Ultrasound imaging system and method for forming a 3d ultrasound image of a target object: There is provided an ultrasound imaging system, which includes: an ultrasound diagnostic unit for providing 3D volume data of an object and its neighboring region, wherein the 3D volume data is formed with a number of frames; a pre-processing unit for selecting a predetermined number of key frames from the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167759 - Ultrasound imaging system for displaying an original ultrasound image in a real size: The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system, comprising: an ultrasound image signal providing unit for providing ultrasound image signals corresponding to an ultrasound image having preset horizontal and vertical lengths; an image processing unit for forming a first ultrasound image based on the ultrasound image signals and adjusting... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167752 - Ultrasound imaging transducer array for synthetic aperture: Synthetic transmit aperture is provided for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging. A transducer may have separate transmit and receive elements. Broad beams are transmitted, allowing fewer transmit elements and/or more rapid scanning. A multidimensional receive array generates data in response to sequential transmissions, such as transmissions from different angles. The data is... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167771 - Ultrasound location of anatomical landmarks: An ultrasound machine is disclosed that includes a method and apparatus for generating an image responsive to moving cardiac structure and for locating anatomical landmarks of the heart by generating received signals in response to ultrasound waves transmitted into and then backscattered from the moving cardiac structure over a time... Agent: Mcandrews Held & Malloy, Ltd

20070167762 - Ultrasound system for interventional treatment: An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound diagnostic unit for transmitting ultrasound signals to a target object and producing ultrasound image signals; a wide-area image signal providing unit for providing wide-area image signals for a relatively wide area; an image processor for forming a reconstruction image by combining an ultrasound image... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167772 - Apparatus and method for optimized search for displacement estimation in elasticity imaging: A displacement estimation method is described that limits the exhaustive search for all points in a region of interest of a biological tissue by delivering the axial and lateral displacement maps in two phases. During the first phase, the method executes a limited search to determine axial and lateral displacement... Agent: Bachman & Lapointe, P.C.

20070167773 - High intensity focused ultrasound system: There is provided a high intensity focused ultrasound system, which includes a combination head unit for: producing first ultrasound signals for removing a first region to focus and transmit the signals onto the first region; producing second ultrasound signals for forming a 3D ultrasound image of the first region to... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167775 - Method and apparatus for protecting the rectal wall during cryoablation: The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for protecting walls of a body cavity during thermal ablation of tissues near that body cavity, while enabling ultrasound monitoring of the ablation process. Heating protective devices and cooling protective devices are provided. Heatable/coolable ultrasound probes and heatable/coolable independent protective devices compatible... Agent: Martin D. Moynihan Prtsi, Inc.

20070167776 - Method and apparatus for protecting the rectal wall during cryoablation: The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for protecting walls of a body cavity during thermal ablation of tissues near that body cavity, while enabling ultrasound monitoring of the ablation process. Heating protective devices and cooling protective devices are provided. Heatable/coolable ultrasound probes and heatable/coolable independent protective devices compatible... Agent: Martin D. Moynihan Prtsi, Inc.

20070167774 - Ultrasound diagnostic system and method of detecting lesion: An ultrasound diagnostic system and method of detecting thermal diffusion due to injection of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are disclosed. According to the embodiments of the present invention, first receive signals are obtained by ultrasound echo signals from the lesion that did not undergo the HIFU and second receive... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167777 - Ultrasonic image processing apparatus and control program for ultrasonic image processing apparatus: Motion information of a tissue at a plurality of positions in a subject to be examined which is obtained by transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is acquired. This information includes, for example, a quantitative value associated with the strain of the tissue in the subject or a quantitative value associated... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167778 - Acoustic interrogation system and method of operation: A system for insonification and data collection of biological specimens and samples. The system comprises one or more transducers held in proximity to a cell or group of cells for a period of time and in a specific relationship. Methods of generating acoustic signals that are sent and received to... Agent: Donald N. Halgren

20070167781 - Hierarchical switching in ultra-high density ultrasound array: A focused ultrasound system comprises a transducer having a multiplicity of transducer elements, drive circuitry that generates and outputs a plurality of drive signals, each offset by a respective phase difference, and a controller for selectively coupling the drive signals to respective transducer elements, the controller including a plurality of... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20070167782 - Methods and apparatus for conformable medical data acquisition pad and configurable imaging system: A conformable medical data acquisition pad and configurable imaging system. The conformable pad may comprise a carrier base having a plurality of transceivers in operative association with an interconnection network that communicates with a computer system. The data acquisition pad may be constructed with a flex circuit and at least... Agent: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

20070167784 - Real-time elastic registration to determine temporal evolution of internal tissues for image-guided interventions: Techniques for indicating arrangement of moving target tissue in a living body include receiving first scan data based at least in part on a first mode of measuring with high spatial resolution over a first duration at a first time. Also received is second scan data representing a scan of... Agent: Eugene Molinelli Evans & Molinelli PLLC

20070167783 - Ultrasonic apparatus and method for generating audio signals using doppler: An ultrasound system provides Doppler spectral data indicative of a monitored moving fluid. The spectral data is analyzed according to the level of power in specified Doppler frequency ranges. Audio signals indicative of each analyzed range are generated to enable a user to audibly determine said range is in order... Agent: Plevy, Howard & Darcy, P.C.

20070167780 - Ultrasonic diagnostic scanner and method for processing ultrasonic signal: An ultrasonic diagnostic scanner is provided which includes a transmitting and receiving unit that transmits two kinds of ultrasonic waves with inverted phases to each of a plurality of scanning lines and receives first and second echo signals corresponding to the two kinds of ultrasonic waves from one scanning line... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167779 - Ultrasound imaging system for extracting volume of an object from an ultrasound image and method for the same: The present invention provides an ultrasound imaging system for forming 3D volume data of a target object, including a three-dimensional (3D) image providing unit for providing a 3D ultrasound image; a pre-processing unit for forming a number of two-dimensional (2D) images from the 3D ultrasound image and normalizing the 2D... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167785 - Diagnostic mode switching: A system is described having a JTAG diagnostic unit 2 and a serial wire diagnostic unit 4. A watcher unit 6 is connected to a data connection 14 shared between the diagnostic units 2, 4. Special patterns detected upon the shared data connection 14 serve to switch between diagnostic modes... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070167788 - Brain tissue classification: A medical imaging processing method includes: using an imaging method to acquire at least first and second data sets of a region of interest of a patient's body, with at least one image acquisition parameter being changed so that first and second data sets yield different contrast levels relating to... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070167787 - Device and method for a trackable ultrasound: The invention provides a method for adjusting the calibration of a tracked ultrasound device using the measured difference between two sets of fiducial markings in two relative positions of a tracker and an scan head of the device. The invention also provides a trackable ultrasound device that enables repeatable attachment... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070167786 - Fresnel zone imaging system and method: A method for Fresnel zone imaging is provided. The method comprises identifying a plurality of constructive regions and a plurality of destructive regions in an energy transmitting device and converting the destructive regions to the constructive regions by using an apodization profile. The apodization profile comprises apodization values for each... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167789 - Blood flow monitor with visual display: A blood flow monitor with a visual display. The monitor may include a probe monitoring circuit configured to be associated with a blood vessel. The probe monitoring circuit may transmit a burst signal and receive a reflected signal, where a frequency shift in the reflected signal represents a flow rate... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione/chicago/cook

20070167790 - Ultrasound diagnostic system and method for displaying doppler spectrum images of multiple sample volumes: The embodiment of the present invention provides an ultrasound diagnostic system, including: an ultrasound diagnosis unit for transmitting ultrasound signals to a target object and receiving ultrasound echo signals to acquire B-mode image signals and Doppler spectrum image signals; a processor for forming at least one B-mode image based on... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167791 - Doppler velocity detection device and ultrasonographic device using the same: The present invention realizes a Doppler velocity detecting technique capable of performing velocity detection and analysis with a suppressed error while excellently distinguishing a clutter signal, and provides an ultrasonographic device using the technique. In a Doppler velocity detection device comprising means for transmitting/receiving pulse waves to/from a subject a... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070167795 - Image processing system and method for controlling gains for color flow images: There is provided an image processing system, which includes: an image forming unit for forming a number of color flow images based on input image signals; a reference image selecting unit for selecting a reference image for gain control among the color flow images; a gain control value calculating unit... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167793 - Method and system for enhancing spectral doppler presentation: A method and system for enhancing Doppler spectrum displays is described. Two or more colors are utilized to represent the power scale in the spectral Doppler display. Doppler signals from stronger reflectors of ultrasound, such as cardiac muscle or vessel walls, can then be assigned a different color than Doppler... Agent: Hansen Huang Technology Law Group, LLP

20070167794 - Method and system for evaluating valvular function: A method and apparatus for enhancing evaluation of valvular function in terms of regurgitation is described. The techniques include a method and apparatus for monitoring flow across a valve and evaluating regurgitation through the valve. An ultrasound scanner with Doppler capabilities processes and represents Doppler signal data in a color... Agent: Hansen Huang Technology Law Group, LLP

20070167792 - Ultrasonic flowmeter capable of applying both pulse doppler method and transit time method, method and program for automatically selecting measurement method in flowmeter, and electronic device for flowmeter: The reliability of a reception wave from a transducer is checked and when the reliability is determined to be insufficient, a method different from the current method is selected. The reliability is judged by calculating a value serving as an index of the reliability of the reception wave and checking... Agent: Greer, Burns & Crain

20070167796 - Ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus: An image processor includes a signal processing circuit for performing signal processing on three-dimensional echo signals transmitted from an ultrasonic 3D probe, a memory for storing at least one set of plural sets of three-dimensional echo data converted by the signal processing circuit, a large capacity storage unit, a control... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070167798 - Contrast agent augmented ultrasound therapy system with ultrasound imaging guidance for thrombus treatment: Ultrasound diagnosis and therapy for disruption of a thrombus are provided with a same ultrasound system. A same transducer and system images contrast agents and ruptures the contrast agents to mechanically weaken or destroy a thrombus.... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167799 - Medical diagnostic ultrasound contrast agent destruction with reduced biological effect: Contrast agent destruction transmissions have reduced biological effect in medical diagnostic ultrasound. Ramping-up amplitude and/or ramping-down frequency reduce biological effect. The amplitude ramps up linearly or non-linearly. The change in amplitude or frequency occurs over a single waveform or over a sequence of separate transmissions. An envelope of the single... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070167797 - System and method for ultrasound perfusion imaging: An ultrasound imaging system transmits a broad beam of ultrasound into tissues that are perfused with blood containing microbubbles. The ultrasound has an intensity that is sufficient to destroy the microbubbles in the tissues. A plurality of ultrasound imaging beams are then transmitted into the tissues over a sufficient period... Agent: Philips Medical Systems Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070167802 - Accurate time delay estimation method and system for use in ultrasound imaging: A method for correcting beamforming time delay in an ultrasound system is provided. The method comprises transmitting a beam of ultrasound energy into an object with a transmit beamforming time delay. The method further comprises receiving a plurality of echo signals with a receive beamforming time delay and estimating beamforming... Agent: General Electric Company Gegr Patent Docket Rm.

20070167813 - Apparatuses comprising catheter tips, including mechanically scanning ultrasound probe catheter tip: A catheter tip (50, 170, 750) is provided that is adapted for mating attachment to a catheter body (90, 300, 790). In an embodiment, the catheter tip (50, 170, 750) comprises a transducer array (32, 60, 110, 210, 710) in electrical communication with an interconnect (120, 220, 720) and in... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167811 - Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer: The first integrated circuit/transducer device 36 of the handheld probe includes CMOS circuits 110 and cMUT elements 112. The cMUT elements 112 function to generate an ultrasonic beam, detect an ultrasonic echo, and output electrical signals, while the CMOS circuits 110 function to perform analog or digital operations on the... Agent: Schox PLC

20070167812 - Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer: The first integrated circuit/transducer device 36 of the handheld probe includes CMOS circuits 110 and cMUT elements 112. The cMUT elements 112 function to generate an ultrasonic beam, detect an ultrasonic echo, and output electrical signals, while the CMOS circuits 110 function to perform analog or digital operations on the... Agent: Schox PLC

20070167814 - Capacitive ultrasonic probe device: Within the tip portion of a cylindrical shaped sheath a capacitive ultrasonic transducer which is an array type two-dimensionally arrayed on the outer surface of the cylindrical face is disposed. Capacitive ultrasonic transducer units employ m capacitive ultrasonic transducer elements arrayed in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical face as... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070167809 - Method and system for estimating cardiac ejection volume and placing pacemaker electrodes using speckle tracking: A method and system for estimating the volume of blood ejected from a cardiac ventricle or atrium uses ultrasound to track speckle patterns in the heart. The process utilizes the M-mode to estimate volume differences in a view of the ventricle or atrium over time using speckle pattern motion to... Agent: Hansen Huang Technology Law Group, LLP

20070167801 - Methods and apparatuses for image guided medical procedures: Methods and apparatuses for the image guidance and documentation of medical procedures. One embodiment includes combining small field of view images into a recorded image of with a large field of view and aligning the small field of view real time image with the recorded image through correlation of imaging... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20070167815 - Multi-element probe array: A multi-element probe array suitable for sensing or stimulating is disclosed. In one embodiment, the multi-element probe array includes a plurality of microfibers extending longitudinally and oriented substantially parallel to form a bundle. Probe elements are defined by a first subset of the microfibers displaced in a forward direction alone... Agent: Thorpe North & Western, LLP.

20070167806 - Multi-modality imaging and treatment: A probe includes an ultrasound imaging transducer and a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer. The probe is operatively connected to a localizer which provides information indicative of the position and orientation of the probe in relation to a CT scanner. Information from the ultrasound imaging transducer and the CT... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070167816 - System and method for optical data transmission in ultrasound imaging: A system and method for optical transmission of ultrasound data signals from a probe to an image processing system is provided. By using a silicon-based optical modulator to encode ultrasound data signals onto an optical signal, an optical transmission link between the ultrasound probe and the image processing system can... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167803 - Thermally enhanced ultrasound transducer system: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction... Agent: Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP

20070167804 - Tubular compliant mechanisms for ultrasonic imaging systems and intravascular interventional devices: A micromanipulator comprising a tubular structure and a structural compliance mechanism that are formed from a tube made of an elastic and/or superelastic material. The micromanipulator is useful for intravascular interventional applications and particularly ultrasonic imaging when coupled with an ultrasound transducer. Also disclosed are medical devices for crossing vascular... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167800 - Ultrasonic contact transducer with multiple emitting elements and means of bringing these elements into contact: This transducer is applicable particularly to non-destructive testing and comprises means (8, 10) for bringing elements (2) into contact with an object (6) to be checked and means (26, 28, and 34 to 40) of determining the positions of elements relative to the object, using means bringing elements into contact,... Agent: Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

20070167810 - Ultrasonic probe protection bracket and ultrasonic probe: An ultrasonic probe protection bracket for performing disinfection of a probe without damage to a lens at a probe end is provided. An ultrasonic probe protection bracket for protecting a lens at an end of an ultrasonic probe. In a state where the bracket is attached to the end portion... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070167805 - Ultrasound imaging: An ultrasound imaging system for use in producing an image of an object in a region of interest includes: an exciter configured to provide an excitation signal; a transducer coupled to the exciter and configured to produce, in response to the excitation signal, an ultrasound field whose complex frequency content... Agent: Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky And Popeo, P.C.

20070167807 - Ultrasound probe and method for manufacturing the same: In an ultrasound probe including first and second acoustic matching layers between an acoustic lens and a piezoelectric oscillator, an electrode is arranged on a surface of a laminate element made of the first and second acoustic matching layers, the laminate element is interposed between the acoustic lens and the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070167808 - Ultrasound probe for paracentesis and ultrasound diagnostic apparatus: An ultrasound probe for paracentesis with a biopsy needle attached to a probe body, which permits an operator to insert the biopsy needle into an exact position of a patient, is to be provided. An ultrasound probe for paracentesis comprising a probe body and a biopsy needle attached to the... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche Suite 2600

20070167817 - Structure for attaching needle guide to ultrasound probe: A structure for attaching a needle guide to an ultrasound probe is provided, which includes a probe casing and a needle guide. The probe casing includes a head part provided at a front side of the probe casing and a grasping part provided at a back side of the probe... Agent: Jenkins, Wilson, Taylor & Hunt, P. A.

20070167818 - Device and system for in-vivo measurement of biomechanical properties of internal tissues: A force measurement device and system, the device being for insertion into an internal body cavity of a human. The probe comprises (a) a probe head having a dimension suitable for insertion into the body cavity; (b) a load cell operatively connected to the probe head such that forces on... Agent: The Procter & Gamble Company Intellectual Property Division - West Bldg.

20070167819 - Method for in-vivo measurement of biomechanical properties of internal tissues: A method for determining material properties of internal tissues of a body, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing force measuring device, b. providing an imaging means for acquiring images of deformation or displacement of tissues inside a body cavity; c. providing a calculation means for quantifying displacement of... Agent: The Procter & Gamble Company Intellectual Property Division - West Bldg.

20070167825 - Apparatus for catheter tips, including mechanically scanning ultrasound probe catheter tip: A catheter tip (50, 170) is provided that is adapted for mating attachment to a catheter body (90, 300). In an embodiment, the catheter tip (50,170) comprises a transducer array (32, 60, 110, 210) in electrical communication with an interconnect (120, 220) and in a mechanical driven relationship with an... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167826 - Apparatuses for thermal management of actuated probes, such as catheter distal ends: Alternative embodiments are provided, for use individually or in combination, for thermal management of catheter distal ends and other types of probes such as may be used in catheter and other instruments' diagnostic and interventional devices. In an exemplary embodiment, a catheter distal end (1000) comprises an ultrasound imaging assembly... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167822 - Echogenic needle catheter configured to produce an improved ultrasound image: An echogenic medical device, such as a needle catheter, which produces an improved ultrasonic image of the device, and a method of performing a medical procedure using a device of the invention. One aspect is directed to a catheter which reduces artifacts in the ultrasound image of the catheter. In... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20070167823 - Imaging catheter and method for volumetric ultrasound: An imaging catheter assembly and method for use in volumetric ultrasound imaging and catheter-guided procedures are provided. The imaging catheter assembly comprises a transducer array for acquiring image data at a given image plane and a motion controller coupled to the transducer array for translating the transducer array along a... Agent: General Electric Company Gegr Patent Docket Rm.

20070167824 - Method of manufacture of catheter tips, including mechanically scanning ultrasound probe catheter tip, and apparatus made by the method: A method to fabricate a catheter tip that encapsulates a mechanically actuated ultrasound transducer assembly is provided. In a representative procedure, the steps include providing an ultrasound transducer assembly (100) adapted for use with a catheter (300), the ultrasound transducer assembly (100) comprising a proximal end (102) and a distal... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167821 - Rotatable transducer array for volumetric ultrasound: A rotating transducer assembly and method for use in volumetric ultrasound imaging and catheter-guided procedures are provided. The rotating transducer assembly comprises a transducer array mounted on a drive shaft and the transducer array is rotatable with the drive shaft, a motion controller coupled to the transducer array and the... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070167827 - Systems and methods for reducing noise in an imaging catheter system: The present invention provides systems and methods for reducing noise in an imaging catheter system. In an embodiment, a catheter comprises an imaging transducer and a transmission line within the catheter to transmit signals to and from the transducer. To reduce noise caused by exposure of the transmission line to... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20070167828 - Tissue imaging system variations: Tissue imaging system variations are described herein. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached imaging hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally... Agent: Levine Bagade Han LLP

20070167820 - Ultrasonic probe: In an ultrasonic probe including a storage portion formed with the coupling of a window and a frame for storing an ultrasonic device and an ultrasound propagation medium therein, the generation of a gap between the window and the frame due to a temperature change etc. can be suppressed. The... Agent: Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson P.C.

20070167829 - Regional anesthetic method and apparatus: A system and method for regional anesthesia using ultrasound to assist in locating the anesthetic needle are disclosed. One or more piezo-electric crystal transducers is placed either at the tip of the needle or near the tip of the needle on a stylet which is inserted into the lumen of... Agent: Cozen O'connor, P.C.

20070167830 - Infrared thermography system: The present invention discloses an infrared thermography system, which comprising: an optical system for receiving infrared radiation from to be measured objects; an infrared radiation detector for converting the infrared radiation received by said optical system into electronic signals; and a signal processing and system control device for processing the... Agent: Ladas & Parry

20070167831 - Method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue by sensing two bands of infrared radiation: A method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue based upon infrared imaging in two different bands of infrared wavelengths is described. The use of two series of infrared images taken in two different bands of infrared wavelengths increases sensitivity to the subtle temperature changes caused by diseased skin and... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070167832 - Analysis of gases: Systems and techniques for the analysis of gases for medical purposes are described. In one aspect, a system includes a sample collector to collect a physical sample associated with an individual and present a gas sample for analysis, a gas analysis device to analyze the gas sample presented by the... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070167840 - Device and method for in-vivo illumination: An in vivo imaging device having an illumination unit, where the illumination unit may include a light source and a beam shaping unit. The beam shaping unit may provide a high intensity focused illumination field that has a uniform appearance across the entire near field of view of the imaging... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070167842 - In-vivo examination method and in-vivo examination apparatus: An object is to easily and reliably reach an examination site. The present invention provides an examination method of carrying out in-vivo examination using an in-vivo examination apparatus capable of fluorescence examination and reflected-light examination and includes the steps of setting a reference position so as to set an examination... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070167834 - In-vivo imaging optical device and method: The invention provides a device and method for in-vivo imaging, for example, using an in-vivo imaging device including an imager a lens and an illumination source, all positioned behind a single viewing window. The in-vivo imaging device may include an element to block light from reaching a known point on... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070167833 - Method and apparatus for ecg-synchronized optically-based image acquisition and transformation: In a method and apparatus for optically-based acquisition of slice images from a vessel of a subject, and for combining the slice images to provide an intuitively recognizable visualization of a pathology in the vessel, slice images of the vessel are acquired during pullback of an optical probe of the... Agent: Schiff Hardin LLP Patent Department

20070167837 - Method and apparatus for three dimensional scanning in a visibly lit environment using structured light: An apparatus for acquiring and processing data regarding physical attributes of a user in an accurate, repeatable and automated manner comprises a generally enclosed housing sized for receiving a user therein, the housing having an interior and an opening with a door for entry into and exit from the housing... Agent: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.

20070167836 - Multi modal spectroscopy: The present invention relates to multimodal spectroscopy (MMS) as a clinical tool for the in vivo diagnosis of disease in humans. The MMS technology combines Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy. A preferred embodiment involves diagnosis cancer of the breast and of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, esophageal, colon, cervical and bladder cancer. MMS... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070167841 - Optical device for fluorescence imaging: An optical device for fluorescence imaging equipped with a plurality of optical elements, wherein a silicone-based bonding agent containing a low-autofluorescent substance is interposed between the optical elements to bond the plurality of optical elements to each other.... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070167838 - System and method for a raman and/or fluorescence colposcope: A colposcope and a method of using a colposcope which integrates both visual imaging capability and Raman imaging and/or fluorescence imaging is disclosed. In an embodiment, two sets of optics may be positioned within the housing of a colposcope to allow for both visual and Raman imaging. A Raman data... Agent: Duane Morris LLP

20070167839 - Tissue scanning apparatus and method: A system for multispectral confocal mapping of a tissue, comprising: a light source; an optical fiber having an aperture providing a confocal pinhole, a scanner being free-space coupled to said aperture and operative to scan the tissue and provide intensity signals for each of a plurality of points therein; a... Agent: Plevy, Howard & Darcy, P.C.

20070167835 - Tri modal spectroscopic imaging: The present invention relates to a spectroscopic imaging system using autofluorescence and reflectance images to diagnose tissue. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a plurality of light sources to illuminate a tissue region to provide the fluorescence and reflectance images, respectively.... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070167843 - Method and apparatus for detecting respiratory disturbances: A system and method for monitoring respiration including sensing a signal that varies with respiration, deriving a respiration parameter, applying criteria for detecting a respiration disturbance and determining one or more respiratory disturbance metrics. The system preferably includes an implantable sensor with an associated implantable medical device such that chronic... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070167844 - Apparatus and method for blood pressure measurement by touch: An arterial blood pressure apparatus and methods for using the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus has a force transfer element for applying unidirectional force to a body part of the subject and a pressure sensor for generating a signal based on the unidirectional force. Multiple degrees of force may be... Agent: Bromberg & Sunstein LLP

20070167845 - Arm insertion type sphygmomanometer: An arm insertion type sphygmomanometer having enhanced operability and visibility at the time of measurement. A remote control unit can be detached from the sphygmomanometer body portion and operated wirelessly. The arm insertion type sphygmomanometer comprises a sphygmomanometer body portion (10) provided with an arm band (2) through which an... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070167848 - Miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals: A miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals comprises an electrode pair, an amplifier module, a microcontroller, a wireless module, and a battery. The electrode pair collects a pair of physiological signals of a person under test. The amplifier module amplifies the pair of physiological signals. The microcontroller performs an... Agent: Egbert Law Offices

20070167849 - Implantable medical device sensing wireless ecg as substitute for intracardiac electrogram: A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes an implantable medical device that senses a wireless electrocardiogram (ECG), which is a signal sensed with implantable electrodes and approximating a surface ECG. In one embodiment, the wireless ECG is sensed as a substitute signal for the intracardiac electrogram when the sensing of... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.

20070167847 - Method and device for using a physiological parameter to express evolution: A method for presenting a bioorganism's evolutionary passage through at least a portion of its life, by reference to a selected physiological parameter emanating from the bioorganism, as an alternative to use of conventional horology, which includes selecting a physiological parameter specific to the bioorganism itself, one which continuously and... Agent: Kolisch Hartwell, P.C.

20070167846 - Use of machine learning for classification of magneto cardiograms: The use of machine learning for pattern recognition in magnetocardiography (MCG) that measures magnetic fields emitted by the electrophysiological activity of the heart is disclosed herein. Direct kernel methods are used to separate abnormal MCG heart patterns from normal ones. For unsupervised learning, Direct Kernel based Self-Organizing Maps are introduced.... Agent: Law Office Of Jay R. Yablon

20070167850 - Adaptive physiological monitoring system and methods of using the same: The present invention provides methods and an apparatus for an adaptive physiological monitoring system (10). The physiological monitoring system incorporates a sensor (110) responsive to the physical activity of the monitor-wearing patient. The system monitors one or more physical parameter(s) of the user to distinguish between periods of quiet rest... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070167852 - Method and apparatus for measuring blood volume, and vital sign monitor using the same: A first member is adapted to measure an electrocardiogram of a patient. A second member is adapted to measure a peripheral pulse wave of the patient. A first calculator calculates a pulse wave propagation time (PWTT) and a heart rate (HR) of the patient based on the electrocardiogram and the... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070167851 - Non-invasive detection of the occurrence of apneae or hypopneae in a patient: A device for the non-invasive detection of apneae or hypopneae in a patient. This apparatus collects the patient's endocardial acceleration using an external acceleration sensor (12) able to be maintained in contact with the patient's thoracic wall (10). An analysis is made to determine at least one parameter that is... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20070167854 - Flow-independent parameter estimation based on tidal breathing exhalation profiles: Parametric characterization of nitric oxide (NO) gas exchange using a two-compartment model of the lungs is a non-invasive technique to characterize inflammatory lung diseases. The technique applies the two-compartment model to parametric characterization of NO gas exchange from a tidal breathing pattern. The model is used to estimate up to... Agent: Daniel L. Dawes Myers Dawes Andras & Sherman LLP

20070167853 - System and method for monitoring health using exhaled breath: The present invention includes systems and methods for monitoring endogenous compound concentration in blood by detecting markers, such as odors, upon exhalation by a patient, wherein such markers are the endogenous compound itself or result from the endogenous compound. In the case of olfactory markers, the invention preferably utilizes electronic... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20070167855 - System, medium, and method to conduce a user's breathing: A system, medium, and method conducing a user's breathing, in which a sound generated during a user's exhale and/or an ambient temperature change occurring during the exhale is sensed to measure a respiratory waveform of the user. Respiratory information of the user may then be produced from the respiratory waveform,... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070167858 - Detection of artifacts in bioelectric signals: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting artifacts in a bioelectric signal, especially in a frontal EEG signal. In order to accomplish an uncomplicated mechanism for detecting artifacts in clinical applications, an impedance signal is measured through a first electrode set attached to the skin surface in... Agent: Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall, LLP

20070167857 - Method and apparatus for signal encoding evoked responses: A method and apparatus for utilizing the benefits of encoded signal transmission and reception to enhance the performance of medical testing devices (100) adapted to evoke and measure biological response signals such as auditory evoked potentials (AEP), and the auditory brainstem response (ABR) signals in particular. Auditory stimuli, such as... Agent: Polster, Lieder, Woodruff & Lucchesi

20070167856 - Microelectrode recording analysis and visualization for improved target localization: Methods of processing neuronal signals include processing microelectrode recordings (MERs) or portions of MERs to provide arrays of associated values, such as estimates of power spectral density, or a marginal probability distribution, or a rate of change of a spike rate. Such arrays of values can be displayed, and a... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP

20070167859 - Emg diagnostic system and method: A system for detecting and analyzing electrical activity in the anatomy of an organism underlying an electromyographic (EMG) sensor device provides signals corresponding to electrical activity adjacent each electrode of sensor device. A method using the system may comprise determining EMG data for a patient responsive to EMG signals detected... Agent: Walker & Jocke, L.p.a.

20070167860 - Expert system for acupuncture and moxibustion: The present invention provides an expert system which exactly examines abnormal meridians and, through a kind of filtering and comparing, obtains adaptive acupoints for a patient as a reference for a medical treatment personnel.... Agent: Troxell Law Office PLLC

20070167861 - Cardiac output measurement devices and methods: A device for measurement of cardiac output including an elongate body and a plurality of electrical components, including at least an energy producing element, such as a heating coil, and a temperature sensing element, such as a thermistor. The elongate body includes a plurality of electrical lead wires configured to... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167862 - Cardiac output measurement devices and methods: A device for measurement of cardiac output including an elongate body and a plurality of electrical components, including at least an energy producing element, such as a heating coil, and a temperature sensing element, such as a thermistor. The elongate body includes a plurality of electrical lead wires configured to... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167863 - Cardiac output measurement devices and methods: A device for measurement of cardiac output including an elongate body and a plurality of electrical components, including at least an energy producing element, such as a heating coil, and a temperature sensing element, such as a thermistor. The elongate body includes a plurality of electrical lead wires configured to... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167864 - Cardiac output measurement devices and methods: A device for measurement of cardiac output including an elongate body and a plurality of electrical components, including at least an energy producing element, such as a heating coil, and a temperature sensing element, such as a thermistor. The elongate body includes a plurality of electrical lead wires configured to... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167865 - Cardiac output measurement devices and methods: A device for measurement of cardiac output including an elongate body and a plurality of electrical components, including at least an energy producing element, such as a heating coil, and a temperature sensing element, such as a thermistor. The elongate body includes a plurality of electrical lead wires configured to... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167866 - Cardiac output measurement devices and methods: A device for measurement of cardiac output including an elongate body and a plurality of electrical components, including at least an energy producing element, such as a heating coil, and a temperature sensing element, such as a thermistor. The elongate body includes a plurality of electrical lead wires configured to... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070167867 - System for transcutaneous monitoring of intracranial pressure: A system for measuring and converting to an observer intelligible form an internal physiological parameter of a medical patient. The invention allows transcutaneous telemetry of the measured information intracranial pressure via a system which includes a patient implanted sensor module and a processing and display module which is external of... Agent: George R. Schultz Schultz & Associates, P.C.

20070167868 - Ergonomic needle tissue harvesting instrument not requiring a stylet: A medical diagnostic instrument for the ergonomic effective and safe harvesting of specimen at targeted remote tissue sites includes a pistol grip style handle with a hand activated lever and a specialized elongated flexible double tube needle shaft inside of a protective sheath for use, in a preferred embodiment, within... Agent: Stephen B. Salai, Esq. Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP

20070167872 - Method and apparatus for a multi-use body fluid sampling device with sterility barrier release: A device for use with a gripper is provided. A cartridge is provided that defines a plurality of cavities. A plurality of penetrating members are at least partially contained in the cavities of the cartridge. The penetrating members are slidably movable to extend outward from the cartridge to penetrate tissue.... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070167870 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: A tissue penetrating system includes a plurality of cartridges each with a distal port and a proximal port. A plurality of penetrating members are provided, each coupled to a cartridge and having a sharpened distal tip and a shaft portion slidably disposed within the cartridge. A seal is formed by... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070167871 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: A body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site includes an electrically powered drive force generator. A penetrating member is operatively coupled to the force generator. The force generator moves the member along a path out of a housing having a penetrating member exit, into the tissue site,... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070167873 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: A tissue penetration device includes a penetrating member driver, a cartridge, and a plurality of penetrating members integrated with the cartridge. Each of a penetrating member is coupled to the penetrating member driver when advanced along a path into a tissue target. A user interface is configured to relay at... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070167874 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: A skin penetrating system has a housing member and a plurality of penetrating members positioned in the housing member. A tissue stabilizing device is coupled to the housing member. A user interface is configured to relay at least one of, skin penetrating performance or a skin penetrating setting.... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070167875 - Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue: A tissue penetrating system includes a plurality of penetrating members each having a tip. A penetrating member driver is coupled to the plurality of penetrating members. Each tip of a penetrating member is uncovered during launch of the penetrating member by the penetrating member driver. A support is provided with... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070167869 - System and method for breaking a sterility seal to engage a lancet: An integrated lancing test strip includes a test strip and a lancet packet coupled to the test strip. The lancet packet includes a sterility sheet enclosing a lancet to maintain the sterility of the lancet and prevent cross-contamination between the test strip and the lancet. The sterility sheet allows the... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070167877 - Medical catheters and methods: Catheters for introducing fluids into a bodily lumen of a patient are disclosed. The fluids may include medicinal, imaging or other compounds. The catheters include a proximal tube, a core wire and a distal tube. The first end of the core wire is secured to the second end of the... Agent: Cyr & Associates, P.A.

20070167876 - Occluding guidewire and methods: Occluding guidewires to access bodily lumen of a patient are disclosed. The occluding guidewires include a slotted tube and a balloon secured to a distal end of the slotted tube. The slotted tube includes a plurality of slots. The slots are in fluid communication with a lumen defined by the... Agent: Cyr & Associates, P.A.

20070167878 - 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... Agent: Ross Patent Law Office

20070167879 - Sensors for monitoring movements, apparatus and systems therefor, and methods for manufacture and use: Sensors, apparatus, and methods for measuring movements are disclosed. The sensors include input and output windings wound about a common location and an armature is equally positioned relative to both windings movable to vary inductance reactance of the sensor. The mass of the sensor and the ease of movements are... Agent: Charles C. Krawczyk

20070161845 - Percutaneous right ventricular assist apparatus and method: A system for assisting the right heart of a patient includes a PA cannula adapted for insertion into a PA of a patient through the right internal jugular vein of the patient. The system includes a percutaneous RA cannula adapted for insertion into an RA of the patient. The system... Agent: Ansel M. Schwartz Attorney At Law

20070161846 - Cardiac device and methods of use thereof: Devices and methods are described herein which are directed to the treatment of a patient's heart having, or one which is susceptible to heart failure, to improve diastolic function.... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070161847 - Staged implantation of ventricular assist devices: The invention comprises an embolisation device for insertably sealing a cannula. The embolisation device comprises a sealing cap at a first end and a carrier surface at a second end. The carrier surface is adapted to carry a coagulating material and induces an embolism at a position proximal to the... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070161848 - Implantable interferometer microphone: A prosthetic hearing device comprising a biocompatible housing having a surface that vibrates in response to sound waves traveling through tissue; and an interferometer mounted in the housing, the interferometer is constructed and arranged to generate a light beam that impinges on a reflective interior surface of the vibrating surface,... Agent: Jagtiani + Guttag

20070161849 - Apparatus and method for suspending a uterus: An inter-vaginal device for performing a uterine suspension includes a rigid body for manipulating the uterus and implanting a suspension member, such as a mesh, for securing the uterus to an anchoring site (e.g., into a pelvic muscle or ligament). In one embodiment, a method includes inserting at least a... Agent: Cooley Godward Kronish LLP Attn: Patent Group

20070161850 - Tack device with shield: A slotted shield for a surgical tack, including a body adapted to engage a tack head. The shield has at least one slot having a width, defined by the body. Optionally, the shield is mounted on a tack head on which said shield is mounted.... Agent: Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP

20070161851 - Capsulu type medical device: A capsule type medical device is of a type of a capsule type medical device that is introduced inside the living body to gather in-vivo information, and comprises a capsule shaped casing; an in-vivo information acquisition device for acquiring the in-vivo information; a communication device for sending the in-vivo information... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070161852 - Method and instrument for the geometrical evaluation of lesions affecting tissues or internal organs: A surgical instrument and a method for geometrical evaluation of an object inside a body of a human being or animal is described. The instrument comprises a handle, a reference device and means for bringing said reference device into the vicinity of said object, said instrument co-operating with an image... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070161853 - Endoscope system: An endoscope that is free from a dead area and capable of preventing the physician from overlooking any nidus is an endoscope for taking the inside of digestive organs, and the endoscope is provided with an omnidirectional camera (32), a light (34), a forceps (36) and a rinse water injection... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070161854 - System and method for endoscopic measurement and mapping of internal organs, tumors and other objects: A system and method for endoscopic measurement and mapping of internal organs, tumors and other objects. The system includes an endoscope with a plurality of light sources and at least one camera; a processor; a memory; and a program stored in the memory. The program, when executed by the processor,... Agent: Dilworth & Barrese, LLP

20070161855 - Medical procedure through natural body orifice: A medical procedure through a natural orifice according to the present invention comprises: forming an orifice in a hollow organ by using a device inserted into the hollow organ from a natural orifice of a patient; introducing a first observation device from the orifice formed in the hollow organ into... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070161856 - Steering aid: The present invention provides embodiments of a steerable instrument having an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a guide structure distal to the elongate body distal end; and a connector supported by the elongate body distal end and attached to the guide structure, wherein the guide... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070161857 - Method of determining the shape of a bendable instrument: Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of positioning a bendable instrument by moving at least two control elements first and second amounts to bend the instrument to a position; measuring the first and second amounts; and determining the position, shape or configuration of the instrument from the first and... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070161858 - Endoscope image pick-up apparatus: An image pick-up unit inserted in the body picks up an image of the body, and transmits by radio the image to an extra-corporeal unit which is arranged outside the body. The image pick-up unit includes an image pick-up portion capturing an image, a data transmitting portion for transmitting the... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070161859 - Computer control and record system for an endoscope leak tester: Computer systems and software for controlling an endoscope integrity tester and recording the test results in a manner linked to the endoscope's digital identifier. The pressurization and humidity measurement and calculations, and the resulting determination of passage or failure, is automated and controlled to eliminate concerns of human error in... Agent: Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, Lc Attn: BoxIPDept.

20070161860 - Flexible tube for endoscope: There is provided a flexible tube for an endoscope, including a framed structure unit having a plurality of joint members rotatably coupled to each other so that the framed structure unit is able to bend freely, each joint member having a form of a short cylinder, a reticulated tube that... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070161861 - Electrically-operated curving control device: A curving control device to which an electrically-controlled endoscope is connected has a main CPU for primarily performing curving driving control, and a monitoring CPU for monitoring whether the operating state relating to curving actions is normal or abnormal. In the event of detecting an abnormality from the monitoring CPU,... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070161862 - Capsule-type medical device: A capsule-type medical device comprises a capsule main unit having functions for being inserted into the body cavity and performing medical acts such as taking images or the like. The capsule main unit comprises therein a magnet which is acted upon by external magnetism, and a spiral portion on the... Agent: Paul J. Esatto, Jr. Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070161863 - Oxygenating laryngoscope: An improved laryngoscope blade is described wherein the blade includes a conduit for attaching detachable tubing for delivery of oxygen to the airway during laryngoscopy.... Agent: Vorys Sater Seymour Pease

20070161864 - Laparoscopic tissue retractor: The device is a tissue retractor including versions having a combination of an anchor and a tissue retention member for the displacement of tissue obstacles and the like during medical procedures.... Agent: Frost Brown Todd, LLC

20070161865 - Retractor: The invention is a sternal retractor comprising a pair of arms which one of them has hinch at the proximal part of it with sternum engaging blades thereon and a curved cross bar on which said arms are disposed such that in use the retractor can open the bottom of... Agent: Mehdi Fakhrai, M.d.

20070161866 - Deep tissue blade for use with retractor systems: The present invention provides a deep tissue blade for use with a retractor system useful in a wide variety of surgical procedures. The deep tissue blade of the present invention also provides several unique structures that enhance its ability to retract and hold large tissue masses.... Agent: Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

20070161867 - Retractor blade and bridge system: The present invention provides a retractor system useful in a wide variety of surgical procedures. This retractor system includes an annular retractor frame that can be used in conjunction with a bridge member or bridge frame to modify the positions available for the attachment of stays during a surgical procedure.... Agent: Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

20070161869 - Liquid or semi-liquid movement and or dispensing system used for entertainment or health care purposes over a global communications network: A system that controls the movement of liquid(s) or semi-liquid(s) for entertainment or health care purposes over a global communication network controlled by hardware or software. This system can be connected to other similar systems and used as an intermediary to promote the movement of liquid(s) or semi-liquid(s), or it... Agent: Michael Goudie

20070161871 - Medical diagnostic apparatus and method for the operation thereof: In a method for operation of a medical diagnosis apparatus as well as medical diagnosis-apparatus, with which medical questions are to be answered, the medical questions to be answered is established for each question at least one examination step is determined that is necessary for clarification of the respective medical... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070161868 - Method and system for determining whether additional laboratory tests will yield values beyond a threshold level: A method and system is provided which takes into account actual human data previously collected. The human data is used to predict the probability of a test conducted on a patient later, yielding a result above a threshold level which would be informative to a doctor treating a patient. The... Agent: Daniels Daniels & Verdonik, P.A.

20070161872 - Multi-axis, programmable spine testing system: A biomechanical system for testing a coupled joint is provided. The coupled joint has a fixed first end and a moving second end within the testing system. The testing system includes a servo actuation system operatively connected to the moving end. The system is able to impart at least four... Agent: Peter L. Brewer Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz Law Firm

20070161870 - Neonatal nutrition assessment system: A neonatal nutrition assessment system is disclosed that includes a remote terminal connected with a server as well as several software modules. A patient diagnosis module operable to allow a physician to record at least one diagnosis relating to a patient with the remote terminal. A parenteral nutrition software module... Agent: Sommer Barnard Attorneys,p.c.

20070161873 - Sleep detection using an adjustable threshold: Devices and methods for sleep detection involve the use of an adjustable threshold for detecting sleep onset and termination. A method for detecting sleep includes adjusting a sleep threshold associated with a first sleep-related signal using a second sleep-related signal. The first sleep-related signal is compared to the adjusted threshold... Agent: Attention Of: Clara Davis Hollingsworth & Funk, LLC

20070161875 - Head-stabilized medical apparatus, system and methodology: Structure and methodology involving mountable and head-wearable frame structure which is positionally stabilized, during use, relative a human subject's head, and which carries a selection of positionally anchored data sensors, and stimuli deliverers, that are relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders. Special configurations are provided for two... Agent: Ater Wynne LLP

20070161874 - Wearable device: A wearable device comprising at least two measuring devices (2,3,4,5,6) providing primary data, a processor (1) designed for calculating secondary data from the primary data, for calculating reference data from the primary and/or the secondary data and for comparing the reference data with at least two specific data pattern to... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070161876 - Method and apparatus for rapid detection and diagnosis of tissue abnormalities: A method and apparatus are provided that interrogate, receive, and analyze full emission spectra for at least one fluorescence excitation wavelength and for at least one reflectance measurement to determine tissue characteristics and correlate same to photographic images. Further, the system and method accomplish this measurement rapidly by increasing the... Agent: Altera Law Group, LLC

20070161877 - Noninvasive measuring device for substance in blood via nail and a nail evaporation device: A device and method for optically measuring a substance in blood using the nail as an optical window are provided. A device for optically measuring a test substance in blood by using the nail as an optical window and correcting or eliminating fluctuation of a measurement value based on optical... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070161879 - Analyte monitoring device and methods of use: An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070161880 - Analyte monitoring device and methods of use: An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted... Agent: Jackson & Co., LLP

20070161878 - Cloud water characterization system: A system and method for providing a statistical measure of the size of liquid water droplets in a cloud, as well as a system and method for the detection and/or measurement of the presence of a cloud, liquid water content in the cloud and ice water content in the cloud,... Agent: Arthur G. Schaier Carmody & Torrance LLP

20070161881 - Method and apparatus for measuring glucose in body fluids using sub-dermal body tissue impedance measurements: A method and an apparatus for measuring glucose level in the body fluid of a subject, typically blood glucose level, by measuring impedance of a body tissue, with two pairs of electrodes, two electrodes for injecting current into a body tissue and two electrodes for detecting the ensuing voltage of... Agent: Stites & Harbison PLLC

20070161882 - Electrophysiology catheter and system for gentle and firm wall contact: A method of applying an electrode on the end of a flexible medical device to the surface of a body structure, the method including navigating the distal end of the device to the surface by orienting the distal end and advancing the device until the tip of the device contacts... Agent: Edward Renner

20070161885 - Intra-lumen polyp detection: Apparatus (40) is provided, including a capsule (50), adapted to be swallowed by a subject (54), the capsule (50) including (a) at least one radiation source (60), adapted to emit radiation having an energy of at least 10 keV, and (b) at least one photon detector (62), adapted to detect... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070161886 - Method and apparatus for evaluating a 3d image of a laterally-symmetric organ system: In a method for automated evaluation of a three-dimensional map of a laterally-symmetric organ system as well as medical image acquisition system and a computer program for this purpose, a three-dimensional image of the organ system is segmented, and the segmented organ system is deformed such that the deformed organ... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070161884 - Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing dynamic data of positional localization of target implants: Systems for locating implanted in vivo sensors systems adapted for use with an external beam radiation therapy delivery source include: (a) an external solenoid member; (b) an articulated arm opertively associated with the external solenoid member, wherein, in operation, the articulated arm is configured to translate the solenoid; (c) a... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

20070161883 - Set of electromagnetic fields having diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic and biotechnological purposes: The process, object of the present invention, is biophysicoclinical in nature. It is the fruit of the emergence of a clinical approach to illness, diseases and disorders which is a global psychosomatic approach. The process has diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic and biotechnological implications. The fundamental basis of the process consists in... Agent: Mohamed Ayari

20070161887 - Susceptometer for non-invasive iron level measurement in a body: A susceptometer for non-invasive determination of iron concentration in a body, by detecting the magnetic flux variation produced by the body. The susceptometer comprises a heat insulating case (16), containing a support structure that defines a screening region (8, 10). The structure supports an alternating magnetic field source, which is... Agent: Themis Intellectual Property Counsel

20070161888 - System and method for registering a bone of a patient with a computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system: A computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system includes a controller, a display device, and a magnetic sensor array. The magnetic sensor array includes one or more magnetic sensors configured to sense a magnetic field of a magnetic source coupled to a bone of a patient. The magnetic sensor array is configured... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20070161890 - Method and apparatus of multi-echo mr data acquisition with non-discrete flip angle train: An imaging technique is disclosed to reduce ringing artifacts from amplitude decay in MR multi-echo acquisition. A flip angle train is determined to match scan parameters for an MR scan to acquire MR data from a given tissue. Reducing the effects of amplitude decay in the echo signal reduces ringing... Agent: Ziolkowski Patent Solutions Group, Sc (gems)

20070161889 - Method and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for planning an examination of a subject: In a method for planning an examination of an examination subject in a magnetic resonance system, wherein images of different regions of the examination subject are acquired that are assembled into an overall image, the position of at least one first image in the examination subject, the measurement parameters for... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070161891 - In vivo brain elasticity measurement by magnetic resonance elastography with vibrator coil: A vibrator coil (10) is applied to the skull (30) by adaptation of a commercially available transcranial Doppler monitoring harness (40) during MR applies mechanical waves in the acoustic waves through the skull to the brain. Utilizing magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), non-invasive estimation of tissue elastic properties in three dimensions... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070161892 - Data set visualization: In real-time three-dimensional imaging the choice of the visualization method and orientation is crucial for intervention success. The key question is what to ignore and what to show in real-time applications, where user control is not appropriate. The invention addresses this problem by visualizing an intervention (caused by a user)... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070161893 - Rotating optical catheter tip for optical coherence tomography: The present invention relates to a rotating catheter tip for optical coherence tomography based on the use of an optical fiber that does not rotate, that is enclosed in a catheter, which has a tip rotates under the influence of a fluid drive system to redirect light from the fiber... Agent: Rosenbaum & Associates

20070161895 - Ultrasound system and method of displaying ultrasound image: There is provided an ultrasound system, which includes an ultrasound diagnostic unit for transmitting ultrasound signals to a target object in a periodic motion and forming ultrasound images based on receive signals reflected from the target object, the ultrasound diagnostic unit further being configured to provide reception times of the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070161896 - Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cmut) and its production method: A capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) at least including a silicon substrate, a bottom electrode mounted onto the silicon substrate, a upper electrode mounted facing the bottom electrode and apart therefrom by a predetermined cavity, and a membrane supporting the upper electrode, wherein a part of the aforementioned cMUT is... Agent: Thomas Spinelli Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070161894 - Ultrasound synchrony measurement: Methods for evaluating tissue motion of a tissue location, e.g., a cardiac location, are provided. Aspects of the methods include applying a pressure wave, e.g., ultrasound, to a subject and detecting a change in impedance between two electrodes stably associated with a target site to detect arrival of the pressure... Agent: Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP (prts) (proteus Biomedical,inc)

20070161897 - Ultrasonic treatment equipment: Ultrasonic treatment equipment is provided which repeats therapeutic ultrasound exposure while measuring a degree of vessel constriction on a therapeutic ultrasound exposure basis. This equipment includes: a therapeutic ultrasonic transducer 2 which exposes a blood vessel of an affected part to a focused therapeutic ultrasonic wave for a specified period... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070161898 - Raw data reprocessing in ultrasound diagnostic imaging: Raw data reprocessing is provided for ultrasound imaging systems. Clip storing and review functions are more versatile by storing ultrasound data with phase information, such as RF or IQ data. Thorough and ad hoc reanalysis of the acquired data may be performed after the patient has left. The ultrasound imaging... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070161899 - Synthetic elevation aperture for ultrasound systems and methods: Using configurable arrays, synthetic aperture processes may be used along an elevation dimension for increasing resolution. The increased resolution is used for two-dimensional or three-dimensional imaging. Alternatively or additionally, wide band synthetic elevation aperture focusing processes, such as beamformation, are provided along the elevation dimension to increase resolution. In yet... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070161900 - Ultrasonic doppler blood flow measuring device: A technology for performing the filter processing of blood flow velocity data having aliasing by only common filter processing means and common addition and subtraction means and actualizing image display of smooth blood flow velocity is disclosed. According to this technology, when performing image display of the blood flow velocity... Agent: Pearne & Gordon LLP

20070161901 - Bubble generator for use in doppler ultrasonic flowmeter and doppler ultrasonic flowmeter: A bubble generator to bring out performance of a Doppler ultrasonic flowmeter to the maximum extent is provided. The bubble generator is provided with a bubble generation member generating bubbles suitable for a predetermined frequency of an ultrasonic pulse emitted into a fluid to be measured and feeding the bubbles... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070161902 - Localized production of microbubbles and control of cavitational and heating effects by use of enhanced ultrasound: The invention is a method of using ultrasound waves that are focused at a specific location in a medium to cause localized production of bubbles at that location and to control the production, and the cavitational and heating effects that take place there. According to the method of the invention,... Agent: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman & Chick, PC

20070161903 - Array-type ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus: An array-type ultrasonic probe includes a member, a plurality of channels arranged on the member with spaces and each having a piezoelectric element and at least three acoustic matching layers formed on the piezoelectric element, and an acoustic lens formed in a manner to cover at least the surface of... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070161905 - Intrauterine ultrasound and method for use: A method and apparatus for medical imaging is described. The apparatus applies specifically to accessing and targeting tissue in a small cavity or tightly enclosed space. The medical imaging apparatus or device uses ultrasound waves with elements that act as both a transmitter and receiver in order to image body... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070161904 - Transducer array imaging system: The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data.... Agent: Woodcock Washburn LLP

20070161906 - Method to facilitate a dermatological procedure: The present invention relates to a process to facilitate dermatological procedures by illuminating a body part including at least one vein with a wavelength of light that is adsorbed by blood; producing a visible light image of said vein; coaxially projecting a computer-enhanced visible light image of the at least... Agent: Butler, Snow, O'mara, Stevens & Cannada PLLC

20070161907 - Micro vein enhancer: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the... Agent: Bodner & O'rourke

20070161910 - Method and apparatus for detecting the presence of dermal melanin in epithelial tissue: An image of an individual (2) is obtained using a digital camera (1). The image data is then processed by ratio determination module (10) and an image conversion module (12) to analyze the image and determine data representative of the distribution of blood and melanin in the skin of the... Agent: Patent Docket Administrator Lowenstein Sandler PC

20070161908 - Micro vein enhancer: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the... Agent: Thomas A. O'rourke Bodner & O'rourke, LLP

20070161909 - Micro vein enhancer: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the... Agent: Thomas A. O'rourke Bodner & O'rourke, LLP

20070161912 - Assessing autonomic activity using baroreflex analysis: A method involves implantably detecting changes in posture of a patient's body. Baroreflex responses to the posture changes are determined. An autonomic tone of the patient is determined based on the baroreflex responses. Based on the autonomic tone, various patient susceptibilities to disease may be determined, including susceptibilities to heart... Agent: Hollingsworth & Funk, LLC

20070161913 - Methods and apparatus for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of patients with sleep disordered breathing: A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient. The patient's heart rate and/or detailed echocardiogram data is monitored and recorded continuously or periodically together with sleep disordered breathing information on similar time scales. Changes in the patient's heart rate associated with changes... Agent: Gottlieb Rackman & Reisman PC

20070161914 - Methods and systems for measuring cardiac parameters: Methods and systems of the present invention provide for measurement of various cardiac parameters. Methods generally involve causing a change in volume and/or pressure in a heart chamber, measuring the change, and calculating at least one cardiac parameter based on the change. Systems typically include at least one actuator, at... Agent: Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP (prts) (proteus Biomedical,inc)

20070161915 - Apparatus and method for cardiac ablation: A system and method for cardiac mapping and ablation include a multi-electrode catheter introduced percutaneously into a subject's heart and deployable adjacent to various endocardial sites. The electrodes are connectable to a mapping unit, an ablation power unit a pacing unit, all of which are under computer control. Intracardiac electrogram... Agent: Parsons Hsue & De Runtz LLP

20070161916 - Adaptive real time ecg triggering and uses thereof: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for generating a trigger from the R wave of an electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform using a threshold that adapts to the slope of the R wave while still within the leading edge of the R wave.... Agent: Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP

20070161917 - Method and apparatus of analyzing respiratory signals corresponding to changes in subject's loads applied to bed: An analyzing apparatus comprises a first counter part and a second counter part. The first counter part determines a significant respiratory disorder pattern based on the average of multiple amplitudes included in a respiratory signal, and counts the number of respiratory disorders. The second counter part that determines, when the... Agent: Posz Law Group, PLC

20070161918 - Appliance for the oscillometric analysis of the impedance of the respiratory tract: An apparatus for determining the impedance (Zaw) of a patient's respiratory tract, by measuring the alternating pressure (dp) in the region of the patient's mouth after producing an oscillating air pressure signal, includes a mouthpiece, an electroacoustic transducer having a mechanical oscillation system for generating the oscillating air pressure signal,... Agent: Edwin D. Schindler

20070161919 - Methods and systems for continuous eeg monitoring: A neurological control system for modulating activity of any component or structure comprising the entirety or portion of the nervous system, or any structure interfaced thereto, generally referred to herein as a “nervous system component.” The neurological control system generates neural modulation signals delivered to a nervous system component through... Agent: Shay Law Group LLP

20070161920 - Foot pressure detection device: According to a first embodiment of our invention, a monitoring device is placed above, within, or on the bottom of a cast, boot, shoe, or other lower extremity immobilization or protective device, and has one or more single or cluster of pressure sensitive chambers designed to burst at a predetermined... Agent: John P. Moran

20070161922 - Method of infrared tomography, active and passive, for earlier diagnosis of breast cancer: A device and method are disclosed to non-invasively identify a lesion inside a region of living tissue. The region is exposed to medium infrared (MIR) radiation to preferentially heat the lesion The region is then scanned for black body radiation in a medium infrared waveband A lesion, being hotter than... Agent: Dr. Mark M. Friedman C/o Bill Polkinghorn - Discovery Dispatch

20070161921 - Bio-accurate temperature measurement device and method of quantitatively normalizing a body temperature measurement to determine a physiologically significant temperature event: A device for determining normalized body temperature comprising a temperature sensor, an input device, a processor configured with a temperature-normalizing algorithm, memory, and an output device is described herein. Also disclosed is a method for determining physiologically significant changes in body temperature comprising providing raw body temperature of a subject,... Agent: Gardner Groff Santos & Greenwald, P.C.

20070161923 - Method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue by sensing two bands of infrared radiation: A method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue based upon infrared imaging in two different bands of infrared wavelengths is described. The use of two series of infrared images taken in two different bands of infrared wavelengths increases sensitivity to the subtle temperature changes caused by diseased skin and... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070161924 - Ear probe and disposable ear tip system: An improved ear probe and disposable ear tip system for insertion into an ear canal of a subject during auditory testing. The probe includes a base portion and a cap portion. The base portion of the probe houses electronic components for sound generation, transmission and collection. The cap portion of... Agent: Lucash, Gesmer & Updegrove, LLP

20070161925 - Biopsy device with inner cutter: The invention is directed to devices and methods for accessing a desired target site within a patient's body and for separating and collecting a tissue specimen from the target site. The device includes a probe member or cannula with a penetrating distal tip, and a tissue cutting member which is... Agent: Edward J. Lynch Duane Morris LLP

20070161926 - Body fluid sampling device: A body fluid sampling device comprises an elastic membrane arranged at a part of a hermetically sealed housing having a communication path with a check valve and a needling means arranged beneath the membrane. As the membrane is pressed by a fingertip, the needling means needles through the membrane and... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070161927 - Reminder system and method for urine collection: The method for reminding an individual to collect a urine specimen includes providing at least one reminder label such that the individual will discover the label in the course of preparing to urinate, thereby serving as a reminder to collect the urine specimen, attaching the label to a location where... Agent: Brown & Michaels, PC 400 M & T Bank Building

20070161928 - Sampling device for in vivo sampling of liquids from the gastrointestinal tract, process for the production thereof and mould or mask for use in the production process: The present invention relates to a sampling device suitable for in vivo sampling of liquid(s) from the gastro-intestinal tract, comprising a body, the body comprising a channel and an opening for entrance of the liquid(s) at one end of the channel, and a cover bonded to at least part of... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070161929 - Measuring the femoral antetorsion angle y of a human femur in particular on the basis of fluoroscopic images: A method for defining an antetorsion angle γ of a femur is provided. The antetorsion angle γ is defined by two angles α′ and β that can be determined by means of two images of the femur, wherein the equation tan γ=tan α′/(cos β·cos θ) can be used to calculate... Agent: Don W. Bulson (brainlab)

20070161930 - Sizing instrument for a bodily joint such as an intervertebral disc space: A sizing instrument for measuring a size of a bodily joint, such as an intervertebral disc space. The instrument includes an expansion assembly, a handle assembly, and an indicator assembly. The expansion assembly includes a movable member that is transversely transitionable relative to a reference member between a first position... Agent: Dicke, Billig & Czaja

20070156009 - Methods and apparatus for selecting intra-aortic balloon deflation timing: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for selecting a deflation timing mode for an intra-aortic balloon (IAB) based on comparison of the time required to deflate the IAB and the time between the ECG R wave and systolic upstroke.... Agent: Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP

20070156012 - Stress urinary incontinence implant and device for deploying same: A suburethral implant for treating stress urinary incontinence (SUI) includes an elongated plate-like member which is slightly curved in transverse cross-section, and a pair of spaced apart arms having hooked ends or barbs which extend from the plate-like member. A device for deploying the suburethral implant for treating SUI includes... Agent: Bodner & O'rourke, LLP

20070156013 - Self-regulating gastric band with pressure data processing: A self-regulating gastric band apparatus for adjusting stoma size is disclosed. The apparatus includes an adjustable gastric band that has an expandable portion containing a volume of fluid. A band adjustment assembly is provided for implanting with the gastric band that includes a sensor for sensing fluid pressure in the... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070156006 - Blood pump: A blood pump (26) includes a stator assembly including a fluid inlet (24) and a fluid outlet (26). A rotor assembly (120) includes an impeller (40) rotatable about an axis (44) to move fluid from the inlet (24) to the outlet (26). A motor (50) imparts rotation of the impeller... Agent: Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino L.L.P.

20070156008 - Cardiac diastolic augmentation improving cardiac output in electromagnetic biventricular assist device: An electromagnetic biventricular assist device adapted to assist ventricular output in a human heart includes a magnetic mat adapted for mounting inside a human body adjacent the heart, and an electromagnetic assembly adapted for mounting on the human body in functionally cooperative relation with respect to the mat. The mat... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070156007 - Stabilization for electromagnetic biventricular assist device: An electromagnetic cardiac assembly adapted to assist ventricular output in a human heart includes a magnetic mat adapted for mounting inside a human body adjacent the heart. The mat is made from a material responsive to application of an electromagnetic field so as to be movable into compressive relation with... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070156010 - Single port cardiac support apparatus related applications: A minimal intrusive cardiac support apparatus is disclosed which requires only one incision into a main blood vessel or heart chamber. The apparatus includes a pair of generally coaxial and slideably arranged cannulae (one inner and one outer) communicatively coupled to a blood pump for providing right-heart and/or left-heart cardiac... Agent: Law Office Of Alan W. Cannon

20070156011 - Hearing aid system: A direct bone conduction hearing aid system for generating direct bone conduction vibrations is disclosed. The direct bone conduction hearing aid system has a vibrator that is placed in an implanted vibrator unit and an implanted energy-receiving unit that has an energy-receiving inductive coil. A vibrator supply cable is connecting... Agent: Fasth Law Offices (rolf Fasth)

20070156014 - Angled male member enlargement pump: An angled male member enlargement pump is disclosed, the pump including a transparent enlargement receptacle for receiving a male member to be enlarged; a unidirectional air flow valve for permitting air flow in only one direction, a pump chamber for pulling air along a longitudinal direction of the pump chamber;... Agent: Russ Weinzimmer

20070156015 - Device, system and method for in-vivo sensing of a body lumen: A system device and a method for imaging and/or for obtaining a sample from, for example, endo-luminal areas. The system may include two or more devices which may be magnetically connected in a body lumen, for example the system may include a first device which may include an imager and... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070156018 - Insertion tube storage carousel: An apparatus for storing at least one elongated and flexible object, such as an insertion tube that functions as a portion of an endoscope or a borescope device. The apparatus includes a rotating storage carousel having a base and a peripheral barrier. An elongated and flexible object, such as an... Agent: Marjama & Bilinski LLP

20070156016 - Method and system for communication with an ingestible imaging device: A system and method for detecting and recording interference in an RF communication channel for an ingestible imaging device is provided. During a period when transmission in a communication channel may be idle, interference levels may be detected and recorded. Changes in transmission levels may be altered based on the... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070156017 - Stereo telestration for robotic surgery: In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical system includes a master control console having a stereo viewer to view stereo images; a surgical manipulator having a stereo endoscopic camera coupled to a robotic arm to generate the stereo images of a surgical site; a stereo telestration device coupled... Agent: Patent Dept Intuitive Surgical, Inc

20070156020 - Methods for percutaneous spinal surgery: A method for accessing the spine includes making an incision in the skin of a patient. The skin and tissue can be dilated, and a cannula inserted through the dilated skin and tissue. The cannula includes a distal end positioned adjacent a first working space that includes paraspinous tissue. The... Agent: Krieg Devault LLP

20070156019 - Robotic surgery system including position sensors using fiber bragg gratings: A surgical instrument is provided, including: at least one articulatable arm having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one joint region disposed between the distal and proximal ends; an optical fiber bend sensor provided in the at least one joint region of the at least one articulatable... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid LLP

20070156021 - Remote imaging apparatus having an adaptive lens: Systems and methods for making and using endoscopes comprising one or more fluid lenses. An endoscope or bore-scope for various highly accurate imaging, visual inspection and measurement applications is equipped with an adaptive lens operated based on the electrowetting or electro-capillarity phenomenon. The adaptive lens is digitally controlled and is... Agent: Marjama & Bilinski LLP

20070156022 - Illuminated medical devices: Illuminated medical devices. A medical device includes a light source with an outer housing, at least one light bulb, and at least one battery. The light bulb and battery are contained by the outer housing to thereby form a self-contained unit as part of the medical device to illuminate an... Agent: SmithIPServices, P.C.

20070156023 - Non-rigid surgical retractor: The present invention provides a non-rigid retractor for providing access to a surgical site, such as a patient's spine, during a surgical process. When used in spinal surgery, the non-rigid retractor allows a surgeon to operate on one or more spinal levels. The non-rigid retractor includes at least one flexible... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP

20070156024 - Surgical retractors and methods of minimally invasive surgery: A surgical retractor includes a plurality of blade assemblies interconnected by a plurality of racks. One or more of the blade assemblies is movable along a rack to selectively expand the retractor. At least one of the blade assemblies includes a blade that is rotatably connected to the blade assembly... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070156026 - Surgical access devices and methods of minimally invasive surgery: A surgical access device includes a proximal frame of fixed construction and a plurality of tissue engaging blades connected to the frame. The plurality of tissue engaging blades may include a first blade that is rotatable, independent of other blades, about an axis that is oriented approximately parallel to a... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070156025 - Surgical retractors and methods of minimally invasive surgery: A surgical retractor includes a plurality of blade assemblies interconnected by a plurality of racks. One or more of the blade assemblies is movable along a rack to selectively expand the retractor. At least one of the blade assemblies includes a blade that is rotatably connected to the blade assembly... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070156027 - Surgical retractor platform blade apparatus: In accordance with the present invention, there is disclosed surgical methods and apparatus for accessing and stabilizing the heart. The methods and apparatus facilitate access to an anastomosis site, allows various instruments or devices to be maneuvered and secured in place, and provide stabilization of the heart. In particular, the... Agent: Law Office Of Alan W. Cannon

20070156028 - Magnetic surgical/oral retractor: A magnetic oral retractor assembly for distending the cheek of a patient undergoing an oral dental/surgical procedure comprises a gripper element mounted to a support structure external of the patient's oral cavity and an intraoral retractor device for contacting the inner surface of the patient's cheek. The gripper element and... Agent: David M Quinlan, PC

20070156030 - Assessment of medical conditions: The present invention is directed to methods for analyzing electrical signals generated by biological tissues, such as muscles (e.g., cardiac or skeletal muscle) and tissue within the nervous system (e.g., neurons within the central and peripheral nervous systems). The tissue may be a patient's own, or it may have been... Agent: Trego, Hines & Ladenheim, PLLC

20070156029 - Discernment of human health through electronic system input/output devices: Methods and apparatuses for monitoring user interactions with an electronic device for indications of a degenerative condition.... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20070156032 - Electronic disease management system: An advanced electronic disease management system is disclosed. The system has been designed to provide medical offices and hospitals with easily accessible guidelines for managing primary and secondary prevention of medical conditions, such as vascular disease. The system allows for easy integration with existing electronic data stores as well as... Agent: Pietragallo, Bosick & Gordon LLP

20070156033 - Handheld medical device programmer: A medical device module for use in a system with a remote programmer and/or a personal data assistant (PDA) with at least one medical device includes a housing, at least one medical device and a processor. The housing is adapted to couple with the PDA. The at least one medical... Agent: Shumaker & Sieffert, P. A.

20070156031 - Systems and methods for intelligent medical vigilance: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a... Agent: Fulwider Patton LLP

20070156034 - Systems and methods for indicating an amount of use of a sensor: Aspects of the present disclosure include systems and methods for indicating an amount of use of a pulse oximetry sensor. According to one embodiment, the system includes an oximeter that monitors the amount of use for a given sensor. The oximeter and/or the sensor may advantageously include a visual alarm,... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070156035 - Catheter operable to deliver iv fluids and provide blood testing capabilities: An intravenous catheter is described that includes a catheter assembly having an end portion configured for insertion into the bloodstream of a patient to deliver intravenous liquids, a valve configured to temporarily interrupt a flow of intravenous fluid into the blood stream, and an electro-chemical sampling device located near the... Agent: Patrick W. Rasche Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070156036 - Time-resolved non-invasive optometric device for detecting diabetes: A time-resolved fluorescence device is described for the detection and diagnosis of diabetes in a noninvasive manner. The device uses an ultra-short excitation pulse of light in the UV, infrared or visible range that comprises of a repetition of nanosecond pulses. The excitation pulse is directed incident onto a strategically... Agent: John P. O'banion O'banion & Ritchey LLP

20070156037 - Time-resolved non-invasive optometric device for medical diagnostic: A time-resolved fluorescence device is described for the detection and diagnosis of various metabolic diseases in a noninvasive or minimally invasive manner. The device uses an ultra-short excitation pulse that comprises of a repetition of nanosecond pulses. The excitation pulse is directed incident onto a strategically selected area of the... Agent: John P. O'banion O'banion & Ritchey LLP

20070156038 - Method to image the heart: A method to enhance the visibility of the vascular structure of the heart is disclosed. The method uses the previous imaging system to illuminate the heart with a wavelength of light this is adsorbed by blood. Using this material, we can differentiate the difference between the concentrations of hemoglobin within... Agent: Butler, Snow, O'mara, Stevens & Cannada PLLC

20070156039 - Pulse oximeter and sensor optimized for low saturation: A pulse oximeter sensor with a light source optimized for low oxygen saturation ranges and for maximizing the immunity to perturbation induced artifact. Preferably, a red and an infrared light source are used, with the red light source having a mean wavelength between 700-790 nm. The infrared light source can... Agent: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC C/o Fletcher Yoder PC

20070156040 - Methods and devices for non-invasively measuring quantitative information of substances in living organisms: Disclosed are systems and methods of determining the amount of a substance in a living organism. In one embodiment, the method comprises: applying an electrical signature signal to the living organism, wherein the electrical signature signal corresponds to a predetermined amount of the substance; measuring the response of the living... Agent: Carr LLP

20070156041 - Attachable and size adjustable surface electrode for laryngeal electromyography: An electrode for laryngeal electromyography that is attachable to an insert device, endotracheal tune or other similar device that is also size adjustable by cutting to size. The attachable and size adjustable surface electrode of this invention consists of a flexible plate having an anterior and a posterior surface specifically... Agent: Richard Grundstrom

20070156045 - Diffusion tensor imaging using highly constrained image reconstruction method: Highly undersampled diffusion weighted image data sets are acquired for a plurality of different directions using a projection reconstruction pulse sequence. The acquired projection views are interleaved and are combined to form a more highly sampled data set that is used to reconstruct a composite image. A DWI image is... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070156044 - Highly constrained reconstruction of motion encoded mr images: A series of velocity encoded MR image frames are acquired. To increase the temporal resolution of the acquired image frames radial projections are acquired and each image frame is highly undersampled. The radial projections for each velocity encoding direction are interleaved throughout the scan and a composite phase image is... Agent: Quarles & Brady LLP

20070156042 - Medical device system and method for tracking and visualizing a medical device system under mr guidance: A medical device system capable of being tracked and visualized using a magnetic resonance (MR) device, and a method for tracking and visualizing a medical device system using MR imaging. The medical device system can include a medical device, a tracking device, and a visualizing device. The tracking device can... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

20070156043 - Method for obtaining magnetic resonance data representing movement in a subject: In a method for acquisition of movement of a subject by magnetic resonance imaging, a pulse sequence is applied that spatially modulates the magnetization of the subject in one spatial direction, a spectral maximum of the image data in the Fourier domain representing the spatially-modulated subject is acquired by a... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070156046 - Method of enriching hyperpolarized atom nuclei and an apparatus for implementing the method: The invention relates to a method for enriching hyperpolarized nuclei. According to the inventive method, hyperpolarized atomic nuclei flowing in a gaseous mixture are dissolved in a solvent which is cooled at less than 293 K. A device for carrying out the method comprises at least one chamber with means... Agent: The Firm Of Karl F Ross

20070156047 - Radioactive-emission-measurement optimization to specific body structures: Systems, methods, and probes are provided for functional imaging by radioactive-emission-measurements, specific to body structures, such as the prostate, the esophagus, the cervix, the uterus, the ovaries, the heart, the breast, the brain, and the whole body, and other body structures. The nuclear imaging may be performed alone, or together... Agent: Martin D. Moynihan Prtsi, Inc.

20070156048 - Multi-functional medical catheter and methods of use: The present invention provides multi-functional medical catheters, systems and methods for their use. In one particular embodiment, a medical catheter (100) includes a flexible elongate body (105) having a proximal end (110) and a distal end (120). A plurality of spaced apart electrodes (130-136) are operably attached to the flexible... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20070156049 - Soft tissue diagnostic apparatus and method: A soft tissue diagnostic apparatus for diagnosis of stress and injury in anatomical soft tissue by detecting the response of the soft tissue to acoustic energy and a method of detecting soft tissue damage or stress and treating the tissue. An acoustic transmitter transmits excitation acoustic energy toward a target... Agent: Nixon Peabody, LLP

20070156050 - Synthetic elevation aperture for ultrasound systems and methods: Using configurable arrays, synthetic aperture processes may be used along an elevation dimension for increasing resolution. The increased resolution is used for two-dimensional or three-dimensional imaging. Alternatively or additionally, wide band synthetic elevation aperture focusing processes, such as beamformation, are provided along the elevation dimension to increase resolution. In yet... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070156051 - Device and method for in-vivo illumination: An in vivo imaging device having an illumination unit, the illumination unit may include a light source and a beam shaping unit. The beam shaping unit may provide a high intensity focused illumination field that has a uniform appearance across the entire near field of view of the imaging device.... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070156052 - Portable physiological parameter monitor: A microprocessor unit receives input data from a work measuring station, a sphygmomanometer, and a heart rate sensor and combines such data to provide output signals to a display device indicative of various physiological parameters relating to cardiovascular fitness such as heart work index, total peripheral resistance to blood flow,... Agent: Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC

20070156053 - Cardiac therapy system including a triboelectric sensor: Mechanical activity of a heart is sensed by a cardiac lead that carries a triboelectric sensor. The triboelectric sensor produces a triboelectric signal in response to cardiac contractions. A lead fabricated according to the invention can be used for a variety of purposes, including without limitation, pacing capture verification, electromechanical... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070156054 - Distributed cardiac activity monitoring with selective filtering: System and techniques for distributed monitoring of cardiac activity include selective T wave filtering. In general, in one implementation, a distributed cardiac activity monitoring system includes a monitoring apparatus, with a selectively activated T wave filter, and a monitoring station. The monitoring apparatus can include a communications interface, a real-time... Agent: Fish & Richardson, PC

20070156055 - Method of generating a cardiogram with a magnet: A method for generating a cardiogram is provided. The method includes contacting an anterior surface of a patient's heart with a magnetic mat. The magnetic mat is constructed and arranged to conform to and move with the heart as the heart contracts and relaxes. The method also includes placing an... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070156056 - System and method for detecting cardiac ischemia based on t-waves using an implantable medical device: A technique is provided for detecting episodes of cardiac ischemia based on an examination of the total energy of T-waves. Since cardiac ischemia is often a precursor to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), the technique thereby provides a method for predicting the possible onset of AMI or... Agent: Pacesetter, Inc.

20070156057 - Method and system for interpreting hemodynamic data incorporating patient posture information: Systems and methods for improving hemodynamic data interpretation by accounting for the effects of patient posture is disclosed. In certain embodiments, a posture signal is acquired and used to categorize hemodynamic data according to posture to facilitate distinguishing posture-related changes in acquired hemodynamic data from those due to pathophysiologic changes.... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070156058 - Detector for atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation: A detector for atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter comprises an atrial input for receiving an atrial signal representing an intraatrial electrogram or a time course of an intraatrial impedance, a ventricular input for receiving a ventricular event signal comprising information on an occurrence of a cyclically reoccurring ventricular event in... Agent: Dalina Law Group, P.C.

20070156059 - detection of apneae and hypopneae in an active implantable medical device: An active implantable medical device for diagnosis and/or therapy that is able to detect the occurrence of apnea and hypopnea. The detection of an occurrence of respiratory apneae or hypopneae is performed by collecting the patient's endocardial acceleration (EA), and determining at least one parameter, i.e., a peak acceleration, (PEA... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20070156060 - Real-time video based automated mobile sleep monitoring using state inference: Apparatus for automatically monitoring sleep, including a video recorder for recording live images of a subject sleeping, including a transmitter for transmitting the recorded images in real-time to a mobile device, and a computing device communicating with said transmitter, including a receiver for receiving the transmitted images in real-time, a... Agent: Soquel Group LLC

20070156061 - Advanced thoracic fluid monitoring capability with impedance: Advanced thoracic fluid monitoring capabilities using impedance are disclosed. An implantable medical device used for detection of changes in impedance in a patient can have means for measuring impedances of the patient in a supine position and in an upright position. Impedance differences can be generated which correspond to a... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20070156062 - Method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue by sensing two bands of infrared radiation: A method of and apparatus for detecting diseased tissue based upon infrared imaging in two different bands of infrared wavelengths is described. The use of two series of infrared images taken in two different bands of infrared wavelengths increases sensitivity to the subtle temperature changes caused by diseased skin and... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070156063 - Method and apparatus for automatic non-cooperative frequency specific assessment of hearing impairment and fitting of hearing aids: A method and device for automatically assessing loss of hearing sensitivity and compression (recruitment) with user defined frequency resolution by means of extrapolated DPOAE I/O functions and ABRs as well as for automatically fitting hearing aids without any cooperation of the subject tested using a device having a display screen... Agent: Marcus G Theodore, PC

20070156064 - Methods and devices for automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue: Instruments for performing percutaneous biopsy procedures are disclosed, which have advantageous features for improving functionality and performance over prior art devices. These instruments comprise two types, single-use devices, and multiple-use devices having active tissue capture capability. Improved features include the ability to retrieve and evaluate multiple tissue samples during a... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070156065 - Pulsating expression cap: A body fluid sampling device includes an expression member placed around an incision in the skin of a user, a compression member to contact and traverse the expression member, and a housing configured to contact the skin near the incision. The expression member is configured to repeatedly move from a... Agent: Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, Mcnett & Henry LLP

20070156066 - Device for determining the shape of an anatomic surface: The present invention provides a device for determining the shape and/or position of an anatomic surface and converting the data into machine readable form. The device includes a plurality of sensing probes positionable against an anatomic surface and a mechanism able to read the probe positions to determine the shape... Agent: John F. Hoffman, Esq. Baker & Daniels LLP

20070156068 - Cervimetry control apparatus: The present invention provides a medical device for measuring cervical dilation including an elongate body defining a proximal end and a distal end, as well as an expandable element coupled to the distal end of the elongate body. An array of movable elements may be disposed circumferentially about the elongate... Agent: Christopher & Weisberg, P.A.

20070156067 - Cervimeter: The present invention provides a medical device for measuring cervical dilation including an elongate body defining a proximal end and a distal end, as well as an expandable element coupled to the distal end of the elongate body. An array of movable elements may be disposed circumferentially about the elongate... Agent: Christopher & Weisberg, P.A.