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20160323 – A neuro-muscular stimulator implanted inside the mouth stimulates the hypoglossal nerve and the genioglossus muscle to prevent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or breathing obstruction caused by inadequate motor tone of the tongue and/or pharyngeal wall muscles. The device consists of an implantable stimulator lead connected to an exposed part, positioned in the lower jaw, that acts as an... Read More
20150170 – Target selectivity of neuromodulation, e.g., deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy, is critical as the precise locus and pattern of the stimulation dictates the degree to which desired treatment responses are achieved and adverse side effects are avoided. A new concept for neuromodulation generates orientation selective and rotating electric fields that provide more precise and efficient... Read More
20110093 – A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology for multiband (MB), also known as Simultaneous Multi Slice (SMS), imaging uses multichannel transmit to overcome fundamental limitations in specific absorption rate (SAR). The approach uses multiple coils for radiofrequency (RF) transmit, in which each set of simultaneously excited slices are excited by an optimal combination of the... Read More
20150177 – A first-ever magnetic brain array can modulate (stimulate) neuron cells and other biological components sensitive to magnetic fields. The array offers low energy consumption and high density, and consists of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) sensors for 3D mapping with potential for closed-loop operation. The technique generates magnetic fields for biomedical applications by rotating a... Read More
20150060-1 – A novel AC homopolar motor topology is extremely efficient, and with minimal maintenance required, it drives down operating costs. The motor comes with an optional outer-rotor/inner-stator, as well as a single set of windings that provide both torque and magnetic suspension without using rare-earth permanent magnets or a separate set of armature coils. The design enables a predictive,... Read More
20170036 – An innovative annuloplasty ring, used in conjunction with an annuloplasty procedure in large animal models, creates consistent, reproducible models of aortic stenosis for long-term evaluation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) devices. The Calcified Annulus Model (CAM) annuloplasty ring is flexible, circular, planar in shape and covered with a fabric sheath secured to... Read More
20160093 – A highly hydrophobic dental surface coats teeth tissues (enamel, dentin, and cementum) to prepare them for esthetic dental restorations. The anti-microbial coating, created from amphiphilic molecules, acts as an interface between etched dentin and/or enamel and dental composite and protects dental restorations against degradation from water, acid, and enzymes. In addition, it offers... Read More
20160281 – An innovative needle design uses electrical impedance to indicate when a lumbar puncture or epidural needle has reached its desired target. Because electrical properties of various biological tissues, bone or fluids differ, measuring their electrical conductivity and electrical permittivity properties can differentiate between them. The needle features electrodes that sense the electrical... Read More
20150223 – A new catheter design allows for easy cannulation of multiple vascular branches at the same time. The system consists of a delivery sheath with an endovascular separator that keeps multiple wires separated. By preventing the wires from wrapping around each other, the device promotes atraumatic treatment of aortic diseases. Placed on a central shaft, four to six dividers—which can widen or... Read More
20150160 – A unique algorithm quickly and accurately determines optimal stimulation settings for deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrode arrays. The algorithm generates a patient-specific “grid,” representing a target tissue to be activated, by compiling brain geometry and lead-specific geometry data. It then determines a maximum activation function value for each point on the grid and uses an... Read More
20160026 – A unique toothbrush head cleans teeth and gums more effectively by cleaning all surfaces of the tooth in the same motion. The innovative design uses stiffer, curved bristles that perfectly conform to each tooth’s shape, allowing the toothbrush to clean the grooves, under the gums and even surfaces between teeth. The redesigned cleaning head minimizes force on gingival tissue and dentin,... Read More
20150078 – Gait and balance disorders such as freezing gait, ataxic gait, vestibular dysfunction, swaying and other manifestations of neurological or physical conditions may benefit from a new sensory stimulation device. The device may also help with imbalance deficits in the elderly. The device works in tandem with a subject’s footstep to provide mechanical stimulation to one or more parts of the... Read More
20140342 – Uroflowmetry is no longer limited to only the hospitals and urology clinics that have the technology: a new design of a uroflowmetry device can accurately measure urine flow rate practically anywhere. Uroflowmetry is a critical component in diagnosing male bladder outlet obstructions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and urethral stricture disease (USD). While the procedure is... Read More
20150015 – A new robotic system for wrist joint proprioception provides both assessment of function and rehabilitation training all in the same device. The device not only measures a user’s ability to sense wrist position and detect various degrees of movement, but also provides discrete and continuous motion rehabilitation training exercises that can be tailored to each user’s ability. The software... Read More
20150016 – A new catheter design ensures that N-butyl cyanoacrylate and other glues commonly used in vascular embolization cannot inadvertently bind to the blood vessel wall during the procedure. By perpetually bathing the catheter tip in a non-ionic solution, the catheter prevents glue from binding to the vessel wall. Potential complications are thereby decreased, which may encourage more... Read More
20150135 – The balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) catheter makes treating portal hypertension and gastric varices easier by delivering a combination of sclerosing agents, embolization coils, vascular plugs and/or aortic balloons through a single catheter. Gastric varices, potentially life-threatening conditions, can cause rapid blood loss and require immediate medical... Read More
20140295 – A device to measure anesthesia-induced neuromuscular blockade during the perioperative state (pre-operative, operative, post-operative, and recovery) has been developed. The device, called the BlockAid Patch, combines two electrodes and one sensor into a single, disposable adhesive patch. The patch delivers stimuli to the targeted muscle group and outputs the muscle response as a... Read More
20130253 – A dental implant support compound has been designed for use in dental implant surgery to reduce the cases of peri-implantitis in patients with bony defects and unstable or low-quality bone. This fast-setting, osteoconductive compound is made of calcium sulfate, allogeneic bone particles, bone morphogenic protein and an antimicrobial material. When the powder phase of the compound is mixed... Read More
20140168 – An innovative sleeve design that attaches over a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe improves control and allows the operator to maintain a steady grip. Associated buttons are embedded on the sleeve to enable control of a diagnostic ultrasound system. A holder clamps onto the probe to hold it in place via attachment to a surgical bed or mobile cart. A carrier serves as a storage... Read More
20130100 – A recent breakthrough in MRI data imaging overcomes the poor spatial correlation between MRI findings in slices and arthroscopic images and allows MRI to be used as a diagnostic tool for cartilage injury. A current trend in orthopedic surgery is to focus on joint preservation by repairing torn cartilage before osteoarthritis and irreversible damage occurs, causing long-term joint pain and... Read More
20130333 – A thermal wave measurement device has been designed and can be used for applications in cryotherapy and ablation treatments within the body. The thermal property monitoring device discerns phase shifts and temperature changes in real time. It measures thermal conductivity and diffusivity with sub-millimeter spatial accuracy using a gold thermocouple attached to a pliable substrate such as... Read More
20130331 – A dental hygiene system for orthodontic patients to provide fluoride to areas of teeth normally blocked by braces has been developed. The system is made of a plastic clip that attaches to the brackets and provides localized fluoride treatment for the teeth in areas that are hard to reach with conventional cleaning techniques. The device is easy, convenient, and provides eight weeks of... Read More
99058 – The drug delivery infusion pump system offers localized medication administration to target tissues with great accuracy. A micropump for drug administration manages pain and treats neurodegenerative disorders. Examples of some neurodegenerative disorders include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis. This drug delivery infusion pump system includes an internal device composed... Read More
z09164 – Researchers at the University of Minnesota have created an infection control system to destroy bacteria and microbes with ultraviolet (UV) light to sterilize catheter access points. This system functions as both a dilator at the access site to allow delivery of treatment, and as a sterilant, periodically transmitting UV light into the catheter body and adjacent tissues. UV light... Read More
98141 – Taking a tissue biopsy to perform diagnostic testing in the medical field is an efficient and effective way of quickly determining the best route of treatment for many illnesses. However, taking a biopsy from an intraventricular lesion deep within the brain is concerning to neurosurgeons since there is a small, but definite risk of intracranial hemorrhage. This biopsy system is comprised... Read More
z09118 – This device provides surgeons with haptic force feedback while performing minimally-invasive spine surgery. Tactile feedback guides the placement of pedicle screws during spinal fusions or reconstructive surgeries after spinal injury. In these types of surgeries, two screws must be carefully placed in the pedicle of the vertebra surrounding the spinal cord. Haptic feedback indicates the... Read More
z02003 – A microvalve has been designed that can deliver insulin into the bloodstream of diabetic patients when the microvalve senses a change in blood glucose level. Envisioned is an implantable device that controls insulin delivery with a glucose sensitive microvalve. The microvalve is made of a polymer microgel that binds to glucose. Depending on the concentration of glucose in the blood, the... Read More
z09200 – A medical device has been designed to relieve sinus congestion and pressure in chronic sinusitis patients. Sinusitis can be caused by infection, allergy symptoms, or autoimmune problems. In chronic cases lasting over 6-8 weeks, sinus surgery under general anesthesia is often required to relieve sinus congestion and inflammation of the nasal pathway. In healthy sinus activity, cilia in the... Read More
z02218 – The scleral depressor system provides globe support to the eye with one or more independent thrusters, or actuators, radially positioned about the eye during surgical procedures. Thrusters may be mechanically operated through various means and an actuator is selectively deployable and selectively retractable by several remote control options. An additional or stand-alone feature includes... Read More
z03040 – Using a porous sleeve as a filter placed over the balloon catheter on a percutaneous transluminal device protects from embolisms and reduces the risks associated with angioplasty, atherectomy and other similar procedures. Percutaneous transluminal devices can dislodge particles, such as calcium and plaque, during the procedure. These particles can block vessels, often causing severe... Read More
99054 – Accurate needle placement can be obtained with a biofeedback based strain sensing and tissue modeling needle system. Many medical procedures, especially minimally invasive procedures, require accurate needle placement of a needle tip relative to internal organs and tissues. Complications and recovery times decrease with more precise placement of the needle tip. Electronic guidance would... Read More
99057 – A medical probe has been designed to access target sites that cannot be accessed via a straight line route without interfering with sensitive tissue structures. The device works using a multiple tube catheter system in which the distal portion of the outer tube is shaped in such a way to deflect the inner tube in a different direction. This allows the medical probe to be directed around... Read More
z00045 – The fully maneuverable Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible surgical table is designed to accommodate both interventional procedures and MR imaging. It functions the same as a standalone surgical table, allowing flexion of the patient’s head, use of a head-holder, and patient positioning into reverse Trendelenburg while in the MR scanner bore. The table may also be rotated around... Read More
z01124 – The cell delivery device can deliver cells to target sites in the extracellular space of the brain. This MRI compatible invention is designed to maintain cell viability and inhibit cell aggregation. The device is minimally invasive, causing little to no damage during insertion, allowing for a greater likelihood of cell implantation. The correct nutrient supply of the cell suspension is... Read More
20110084 – In the cervical spine, the use of the pedicle screw is limited due to the flexibility of the cervical spine which makes placing the screws highly difficult. A device has been designed that uses clamps and rails to maintain spinal stabilization for pedicle screw placement during spinal surgery. This device ensures that optimal spine positioning is obtained, thus eliminating the chance of... Read More
20110225 – Pedicle screw fixation is used for spinal stability in patients with spinal fractures, degeneration, or scoliotic deformity, but the heads often become stripped due to the combination of strong bone and the desire to obtain the greatest insertional torque possible. A device has been designed that will enable the removal of pedicle screws with stripped heads by taking advantage of the... Read More
20120316 – The BiliBlossom neonatal care unit is comprised of eight sturdy but flexible arms that envelop the baby, recreating a womb-like environment. This neonatal care unit allows beneficial developmental positioning, swaddling, and womb simulation while allowing treatment for common neonate syndromes. The insides of the arms are soft to the touch, but resist repositioning from movement of the... Read More
z09191 – Approximately 1.2 million dental implant procedures are performed, and 80,000 implants fail, in the United States annually. One of the most important factors for dental implant success is bone osseointegration. Patients with compromised healing, such as the elderly, smokers, diabetics, and those who have undergone radiation in the head or neck, experience significantly increased... Read More
z05027 – An algorithm has been developed that can non-invasively determine the location of neural activity in the brain. Non-invasive measurements made by scalp EEG are processed to provide 3D localization within the brain that can be used for surgical planning and significantly reduce cost and potential risk in surgical treatment of epilepsy patients. This technique... Read More
20120014 – An integrated development environment has been designed that moves the design and testing of medical devices from the physical into the virtual world. The new technology provides an interface in which engineering design tasks can be overlaid on volumetric scientific datasets and combines automatic feature extraction and visualization. The design environment uses interactive... Read More
20110152 – A prodrug nanoparticle distribution technique has been developed that will aid in chemotherapy as a dispersal method of anticancer agents. Currently the nanoparticle system has been used with Paclitaxel, an antitumor agent that breaks down solid tumors through permeation and toxically promotes cancerous cell death. However, this system can be applied to other cancer therapeutics. ... Read More
20120149 – A stroke prevention device has been developed that may prevent the complication of cardio-embolic stroke and has the added advantage of possible long-term use. The device comprises one or more stent-based rings with flow-altering surfaces that have been optimized based on the computer modeling of blood and particle flow from the heart to the brain. The open channel design generates a... Read More
97127 – Tissue-equivalent cardiovascular valves provide a safer, biocompatible valve replacement therapy that is also suitable for use in children. While both mechanical and biologic replacement heart valves have been used to treat this problem, the complication rate is high, particularly in pediatric patients, where current replacement valves are not able to grow with the child. Valvular... Read More
20120236 – A method to create heart valves and arteries for use in patients who require narrow tubes for long-term implantation has been developed. The process begins by trapping fibroblasts from skin tissue in fibrin gel, and then molding, conditioning and decellularizing the gel. Decellularization leaves the extracellular matrix of the tissue, which can be modified into durable, small-diameter... Read More
20130076 – A new surgical access system has been designed that is less invasive than current laparoscopic procedures and requires no insufflation of the body and, in many cases, no general anesthesia. The micro-orifice surgical access system has an angular retractor, which is able to enter into a part of the body and flower out to produce a greater area for visualization while holding surrounding... Read More
z05107 – With an aging population, cost-effective management of chronic heart disease is a high priority. In particular, pacemaker and defibrillator companies are increasingly interested in adding sensors and monitors to implantable devices to monitor for signs of cardiac problems. With early warning, the cardiac patient can seek medical attention prior to a life threatening event, resulting in... Read More
z04067 – One of the major problems facing patients with heart failure is pulmonary edema. It is now possible to monitor the extent of pulmonary edema by measuring impedance from the existing hardware of a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device such as a cardiac pacemaker, a cardiac resynchronization therapy device (CRT-D) or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). By taking advantage of... Read More
z02056 – This medical device can close congenital heart defects and is self-centering, can completely occlude defects, and be retrieved back to the catheter in the event of sub-optimal deployment. The device is designed to be bioresorbable and has no metallic components. This simplifies the manufacturing of the device and allows the device to degrade over time and be replaced by natural fibrous... Read More
20120134 – A device that can measure the tension placed on tissues during orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries would enhance outcomes for those procedures. During orthopedic surgery, the proper treatment of the surrounding soft tissues, not just the bone, is crucial to a successful surgery. The soft tissues are often manipulated extensively, but there are currently no methods to measure the amount... Read More
20120069 – The microfluidic device can increase recovery and viability of cells, as well as increase extraction of the cryopreservation agent dimethly sulfoxide (DMSO), all at a low cost. Freezing cells such as cord blood, bone marrow, and stem cells require DMSO, but this cryopreservation agent needs to be removed before the cells are used in clinical applications. While current methods of... Read More
