Pneumatic powered surgical stapling device

A surgical stapler which includes or onto which a tool assembly can be mounted for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners through and fastening tissue includes a housing having a fixed handle and a clamping handle mountable to the housing. The clamping handle is selectively movable relative to the fixed handle from a first position in spaced relation relative to the fixed handle to a second position closer to the fixed handle to actuate the clamping of tissue. An adapter yoke is included which translates within the housing upon actuation of the clamping handle. The adapter yoke mechanically cooperates with a lead screw to actuate the tool assembly to clamp tissue. A drive assembly is also included for rotating a shaft which mechanically engages the lead screw. Upon selective activation of the drive assembly, the shaft rotates the lead screw to advance a roll nut and force a firing piston into the tool assembly to deform the surgical fasteners through and fasten the tissue.

Surgical fastener applying apparatus

An improved surgical fastener applying apparatus includes a cartridge half-section and an anvil half-section with the cartridge and anvil half-sections being relatively movable from an unclamped position to a fully clamped position. The apparatus includes a replaceable staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical staples and a pivotably mounted safety lock-out. The safety lock-out is pivotable between an initial position in which a relative movement of the cartridge and anvil half-sections to the fully clamped position is permitted and a blocking position in which a relative movement of the cartridge and anvil half-sections to return them to their fully clamped position after the plurality of staples have been at least partially fired is prevented. The apparatus further includes a pivotably mounted firing lever for moving a pair of camming surfaces longitudinally. In addition, each of the presently disclosed cartridge and anvil half-sections of the fastener applying apparatus includes a clamping lever, which clamping levers are configured and adapted to enable the applying apparatus to be opened by either one of the cartridge half-section and the anvil half-section.

Method and apparatus for reconstructing data in object-based storage arrays

A method and apparatus for placing objects on a storage device of a storage system and reconstructing data of objects in the storage device. The storage system stores data as objects and implements a RAID architecture including a plurality of the storage devices, and a disk controller for processing Object-based Storage Device (OSD) commands. Each object includes data and attribute. Parity data is calculated for reconstructing an object upon occurrence of a storage device failure. Each storage device includes plural stripes each having a predetermined length. Each object is stored in a stripe wherein an attribute is stored in the head of the stripe and data is stored after the attribute. When the object size exceeds the stripe length, the remainder of the object is stored in the next stripe, and when another object is to be stored, an attribute is stored at a head of a further next stripe and data is stored just after the attribute.

Devices and methods for placement of partitions within a hollow body organ

Devices and methods for tissue acquisition and fixation, or gastroplasty, are described. Generally, the devices of the system may be advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or more plications within the hollow body organ. A tissue treatment device attached to a distal end of a flexible elongated member and has a cartridge member opposite an anvil member. The cartridge member and the anvil member are movable between a closed position and an open position relative to one another, and the cartridge member is re-loadable with a removable staple cartridge to form multiple plications within the organ with the same tissue treatment device.

Medication & health, environmental, and security monitoring, alert, intervention, information and network system with associated and supporting apparatuses

Systems and apparatuses include devices, biosensors, environmental sensors, security related sensors, networked products, communications processors and components, alert and information components, processors, and software to support: 1) facilitating medication regimen and patient/user health administration, dosage control, tracking, compliance, information inquiry and presentation, reminder and notification; 2) providing monitoring, information, ordering, and intervention; 3) presenting the option of leveraging the preventative care, alert and notification components with other components to facilitate user or occupant well being, along with living, work area and dwelling environmental or security safety; and 4) enhancing the dwelling, living or work area with products that may be networked to support the widespread acceptance of these systems and apparatuses. The systems include a) processing, centralizing and communicating device commands and/or programs, e.g. a multifunctional device controller; b) device administration; c) patient/user information; d) dwelling environmental safety; e) security breach information; f) centralized and remote apparatus and system activations through primary component or at least one backup.

Actuation mechanisms for a heart actuation device

An actuation mechanism for assisting the operation of the natural heart has a varying shape for deforming the heart. In one embodiment, a plurality of links articulates with respect to each other for varying the shape of the actuation mechanism. The plurality of links is configured for being positioned proximate to an outer surface of the heart for deforming the heart by varying the shape of the actuation mechanism. In another embodiment, a jacket for coupling with an outer surface of the heart has a tether coupled to successive sections of the jacket. The tether is operable to be translated with respect to the jacket sections to vary the shape of the jacket for deforming the heart. In another embodiment, a plurality of concentric ring structures are coupled together to move with respect to each other in a concentric fashion. A movement mechanism coupled to the rings is operable to vary their positions with respect to each other to vary the overall shape for deforming the heart.

Air permeable pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes

A vapor permeable article includes a porous backing substrate and an open fabric applied to one surface of the backing substrate. The open fabric has a greater porosity than that of the backing substrate. The open fabric may be a woven fabric comprising warp (MD) yarns and weft (CD) yarns, and the warp yarns may be of a lower denier than the weft yarns, so as to facilitate hand-tear of the assembled article. The open fabric is coated with an adhesive in such a manner that the open fabric remains porous and vapor permeable. The backing substrate can be a woven, knit or non-woven fabric, or a porous film, such as an apertured plastic film.

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.

Method and device for continuing an electronic multi-player game, in case of an absence of a player of said game

The present invention is related to a method and device for continuing and simulating an electronic multi-player game, i.e. an electronic game that involves more than one player or participant, if one of the players leaves the game. The invention is for special use in the field of mobile terminal devices, communication networks such as the internet and other mobile networks. The method for continuing a multi-player game in case of an absence of a player participating in the game comprises running a multi player game application receiving an indication that the player taking part in the multi-player game is absent, and continuing the game by simulating the participation of the player who is actually absent. So it is possible to continue a multi-player game, if one of the game partners intends to pause or to leave the game party.

Apparatus for aspirating, irrigating and cleansing wounds

An apparatus for cleansing wounds in which irrigant fluid from a reservoir (12) connected to a conformable wound dressing (3) and wound exudate from the dressing are recirculated by a device (18) for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means (17) for fluid cleansing and back to the dressing. The cleansing means (which may be a single-phase, e.g. microfiltration, system or a two-phase, e.g. dialytic system) removes materials deleterious to wound healing, and the cleansed fluid, still containing mate rials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing, is returned to the wound bed. The dressing and a method of treatment using the apparatus.