Surgical tilt anvil assembly

A surgical tilt anvil assembly including a rod and a head assembly including an anvil plate having staple deforming pockets. The head assembly is pivotally secured to the rod and pivotal in relation to the rod between a first tilted position, a non-tilted position and a second different tilted position. The head assembly passes from the first tilted position, through the non-tilted position to the second tilted position.

Instrument with multiple articulation locks

An articulating tool includes proximal, central and distal portions, an articulation mechanism, and first and second articulation locks. The articulation mechanism includes a pair of links, the pair comprising a proximal link on the proximal portion of the tool and a distal link on the distal portion of the tool. The first articulation lock has an engaged position and a disengaged position. When in the engaged position, the first articulation lock impedes movement of the proximal link relative to the central portion about a yaw axis, and corresponding relative movement of the distal link. The second articulation lock also has an engaged position and a disengaged position. When in the engaged position, the second articulation lock impedes movement of the proximal link relative to the central portion about a pitch axis, and corresponding relative movement of the distal link.

Methods of operating an implantable injection port system

A surgical fastening system for implantable devices such as injection port systems. The implantable device may contain a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, may have a housing fitted over or around it which contains a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, or may be a part of a two-part system into which it fits. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses a deployment system or tool that optionally positions the implantable device, and which causes the fasteners to move into post-deployment position. The fasteners may be staples, metal loops, coils, springs or hooks formed of biocompatible materials, including shape memory alloys such as NiTi.

Methods and devices for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea

A pharyngeal retractor device and implantation methods are provided for use in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. The device includes a retracting element and a tissue engaging element that promotes tissue ingrowth around or onto the retracting element. The device is implanted in tissue space beneath the pharyngeal wall to alter the shape of the wall. The device may be implanted through the oral cavity alone or by using a trocar or a hand-held delivery system to deliver the device through the pharyngeal wall. Alternatively, the device may be implanted using an open, direct visualization approach from the side of a patient's neck.

IMPLANTABLE ANALYTE SENSOR

An implantable analyte sensor including a sensing region for measuring the analyte and a non-sensing region for immobilizing the sensor body in the host. The sensor is implanted in a precisely dimensioned pocket to stabilize the analyte sensor in vivo and enable measurement of the concentration of the analyte in the host before and after formation of a foreign body capsule around the sensor. The sensor further provides a transmitter for RF transmission through the sensor body, electronic circuitry, and a power source optimized for long-term use in the miniaturized sensor body.

Surgical instrument and actuating movement transmitting device therefore

A surgical instrument, such as a surgical stapling instrument (1), comprises a tissue manipulating portion (2) which is intended to be introduced in the body of a patient, a handle portion (3) with an actuating mechanism (7) adapted to generate actuating movements for the actuation of the tissue manipulating portion (2) and comprising at least a pair of rotary output members (33; 40) and an actuating transmission device (5, 5′; 6, 6′) connecting the actuating mechanism (7) of the handle portion (3) to the tissue manipulating portion (2) and comprising at least one pair of rotary rods (17, 17′; 19, 19′) for transmitting rotational actuating movements from the pair of rotary output members (33; 40) to the tissue manipulating portion (2). The actuating mechanism (7) comprises synchronization means (31, 32, 32′; 38, 20 39, 39′) which link the movements of the two rotary output members (33; 40) of the pair of rotary output members such that they counter-rotate at substantially the same speed.

Enhanced control systems including flexible shielding and support systems for electrosurgical applications

A surgical system comprises a device adapted to deliver a plurality of surgical instruments to a site within a patient's body, a first surgical instrument comprising an active electrode probe, a second surgical instrument for performing a non-electrosurgical procedure, a conductive shield surrounding the active electrode probe of the first surgical instrument and connected to a reference potential, and a cold instrument monitor connected to the second surgical instrument and to the reference potential.

Method of transferring pressure in an articulating surgical instrument

An end effector for a surgical instrument includes a fixed bearing member with mounting surfaces for attachment to a distal end of the surgical instrument. At least one jaw member of the end effector is configured to move relative to an opposing jaw member between open and closed configurations, and a force transfer member is configured for longitudinal motion with respect to the fixed bearing member. The force transfer member includes a pivot channel therein. The end effector also includes a reactive member coupled between the fixed bearing member and the at least one jaw member. The reactive member is constructed from a thin strip of conformable material and extends through the pivot channel such that relative longitudinal motion between the fixed bearing member and the force transfer member causes the reactive member to flex and the at least one jaw member to move relative to the opposing jaw.

Thin film field effect transistor

A thin film field effect transistor has at least a gate electrode 2, a gate insulating layer 3, an active layer 4, a source electrode 5-1 and a drain electrode 5-2 on a substrate 1. The active layer includes an amorphous oxide semiconductor including at least In and Zn, a first interface layer 61 is disposed between the gate insulating layer and the active layer such that it is adjacent to at least the active layer, and a second interface layer is disposed on the opposite side of the active layer with respect to the first interface layer such that it is adjacent to the active layer. A content of Ga or Al in the amorphous oxide semiconductor of each of the first interface layer and the second interface layer is higher than a content of Ga or Al in the amorphous oxide semiconductor of the active layer.

Precursors for depositing silicon-containing films and methods for making and using same

Aminosilane precursors for depositing silicon-containing films, and methods for depositing silicon-containing films from these aminosilane precursors, are described herein. In one embodiment, there is provided an aminosilane precursor for depositing silicon-containing film comprising the following formula (I): (R1R2N)nSiR34-n  (I) wherein substituents R1 and R2 are each independently chosen from an alkyl group comprising from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and an aryl group comprising from 6 to 30 carbon atoms, at least one of substituents R1 and R2 comprises at least one electron withdrawing substituent chosen from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO2, PO(OR)2, OR, SO, SO2, SO2R and wherein R in the at least one electron withdrawing substituent is chosen from an alkyl group or an aryl group, R3 is chosen from H, an alkyl group, or an aryl group, and n is a number ranging from 1 to 4.