Tissue tensioner assembly and approximation mechanism for surgical stapling device

A surgical stapling device having an approximation mechanism for treating hollow tissue organs is provided. The stapling device includes a handle, a body portion extending distally from the handle, a distal head portion at a distal end of the body portion, and an approximation mechanism. The head portion includes an anvil assembly having an anvil head and an anvil shaft. The approximation mechanism includes a rotatable approximation knob, a first member, and a second member. The rotatable approximation knob is operably connected to the first member to effect movement the first member over a first distance. The second member is rotatably coupled to a proximal end of the anvil shaft of the anvil assembly to operably connect the anvil shaft to the first member such that movement of the first member over the first distance effects movement of the anvil shaft in relation to the first member over a second distance.

Roll-pitch-roll surgical tool

A robotic surgical tool includes an elongate shaft having a working end and a shaft axis, and a pair of linking arms each having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is pivotally mounted on the working end of the shaft to rotate around a first pitch axis to produce rotation in first pitch. A wrist member has a proximal portion pivotally connected to the distal end of the linking arm to rotate around a second pitch axis to produce rotation in second pitch. An end effector is pivotally mounted on a distal portion of the wrist member to rotate around a wrist axis of the wrist member to produce rotation in distal roll. The wrist axis extends between the proximal portion and the distal portion of the wrist member. The elongate shaft is rotatable around the shaft axis to produce rotation in proximal roll. At about 90° pitch, the wrist axis is generally perpendicular to the shaft axis. The proximal roll around the shaft axis and the distal roll around the wrist axis do not overlap. The use of the linking arms allows the end effector to be bent back beyond 90° pitch. The ability to operate the end effector at about 90° pitch and to bend back the end effector renders the wrist mechanism more versatile and adaptable to accessing hard to reach locations, particularly with small entry points such as those involving spinal, neural, or rectal surgical sites.

Anastomosis apparatus and methods with computer-aided, automated features

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for performing precision, positive, and permanent anastomosis of blood vessels which makes use of miniature appliance/applicators that execute the anastomosis procedures under the control of the surgeon and the surgical team. The appliance/applicators are constructed in various sizes and configurations to accommodate the wide variations in size of the tubular body members and the various anastomosis types (end-to-end, end-to-side, and side-to-side joining). The apparatus features a surgeon's manipulator wand to which the surgeon attaches the appropriate type and size appliance/applicator. Using the wand, the surgeon positions and actuates the applicator which then automatically performs several sequential steps to attach the appliance and effect a precise and uniform anastomosis of the tubular members. The surgeon's wand contains the actuators, servos, and sensors that operate the appliance/applicator in response to commands from the surgeon. The appliance portion of the appliance/applicator consists of a plurality of connectable grippers designed for the particular type of anastomosis being performed and remains in the patient as a permanent part of the joined tubular members, with the applicator part being withdrawn and discarded after the procedure is complete. The apparatus further comprises a support and positioning arm assembly, a mobile console housing the various elements and power source and a computer providing automated control of the apparatus and process as well as inventory of the appliance/applicator kits.

Configurable vibration sensor

A configurable vibration sensor having a sensor circuit, an analog-to-digital converter and a processor is provided. The sensor circuit employs a vibration sensing element and a variable bandwidth filter controllable by the processor. In addition to the variable bandwidth filter, other configurable elements may also be employed in the sensor circuit, including a variable gain amplifier. These configurable elements allow the configurable vibration sensor to be configured for different vibration measurement applications when measuring vibrations from vibrating structures such as machinery and the like.

Expandable intervertebral implant

An expandable intervertebral implant for insertion between vertebrae of a human spine is described. The intervertebral implant includes an upper body that engages a first vertebra of the human spine, a lower body that engages a second vertebra of the human spine, an insert, and an advancing element. The advancing element may engage the insert such that advancement of the advancing element causes the insert to at least partially rotate between the upper body and the lower body. Rotation of the insert may cause the insert to interact with at least a portion of the upper body or at least a portion of the lower body to increase a separation distance between the upper body and the lower body, thereby increasing a height of the intervertebral implant after insertion of the implant between the first vertebra and the second vertebra of the human spine.

Signal processing apparatus

The present invention involves a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals, including the determination of a measurement of correlation in the measured signals during a calculation of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to blood oximetry measurements.

Personal status physiologic monitor system and architecture and related monitoring methods

A system for actively monitoring a patient includes at least one body-worn monitoring device that has at least one sensor capable of measuring at least one physiologic parameter and detecting at least one predetermined event. At least one intermediary device is, linked to the body-worn monitoring device by means of a first wireless network and at least one respondent device is linked to said at least one intermediary device by a second wireless network wherein the respondent device is programmed to perform a specified function automatically when the at least one predetermined event is realized. The monitoring device operates to periodically transmit patient status data to the intermediary device but the system predominantly operates in a quiet state, providing very low power consumption.

Apparatus and method for forming thin film using upstream and downstream exhaust mechanisms

A thin-film formation apparatus possesses a reaction chamber to be evacuated, a placing portion on which a substrate is placed inside the reaction chamber, a gas-dispersion guide installed over the placing portion for supplying a gas onto a substrate surface, a gas-supply port for introducing the gas into the gas-dispersion guide, a gas-dispersion plate disposed on the side of the substrate of the gas-dispersion guide and having multiple gas-discharge pores, a first exhaust port for exhausting, downstream of the gas-dispersion plate, the gas supplied onto the substrate surface from the gas-dispersion plate, and a second exhaust port for exhausting, upstream of the gas-dispersion plate, a gas inside the gas-dispersion guide via a space between the gas-dispersion guide and the gas-dispersion plate.

Packet sampling flow-based detection of network intrusions

A flow-based intrusion detection system for detecting intrusions in computer communication networks. Data packets representing communications between hosts in a computer-to-computer communication network are processed and assigned to various client/server flows. Statistics are collected for each flow. Then, the flow statistics are analyzed to determine if the flow appears to be legitimate traffic or possible suspicious activity. A concern index value is assigned to each flow that appears suspicious. By assigning a value to each flow that appears suspicious and adding that value to the total concern index of the responsible host, it is possible to identify hosts that are engaged in intrusion activity. When the concern index value of a host exceeds a preset alarm value, an alert is issued and appropriate action can be taken.

Methods of forming a capacitor using an atomic layer deposition process

Methods for forming a capacitor using an atomic layer deposition process include providing a reactant including an aluminum precursor onto a substrate to chemisorb a portion of the reactant to a surface of the substrate. The substrate has an underlying structure including a lower electrode. An ammonia (NH3) plasma is provided onto the substrate to form a dielectric layer including aluminum nitride on the substrate including the lower electrode. An upper electrode is formed on the dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer may be provided oil the first dielectric layer.