A tissue removal system is provided which enables optimally performing a full-thickness resection of a hollow organ while minimizing invasiveness. In this tissue removal system, a tissue pressing tool which has a tissue contacting part and which is guided into the abdominal cavity, and a resection and anastomosis device work together. The resection and anastomosis device resects and performs anastomosis of tissue positioned between a main body and an anvil part, and, when pressing the tissue to be cut to the cutting position of the resection and anastomosis device by means of the tissue contacting part, the tissue contacting part is pressed against two abutment parts of the resection and anastomosis device.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to decrease acute and late skin toxicity for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. This invention will enable better breast positioning during therapy, eliminating skin folds and reducing the skin dose below that required for development of moist desquamation. The present invention has the potential to reduce the volume of normal tissue and organs at risk of being irradiated during a course of whole breast radiation therapy.

Dental instruments, assemblies, and components for a dental instrument are described with a two-piece tip that includes a flexible tip end and a stiff shank. Various methods of assembly are described for securing the flexible tip end to the shank including utilizing a slot in the shank and one or more pins inserted through the tip and shank, a securing material, and forming the shank with a distal portion coupled to a portion of the flexible tip end.

A medical device including an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween. The medical device may further include an end-effector disposed at the distal end of the elongate member. The end-effector may include a plurality of arms pivotally connected to one another, wherein each arm includes a tissue-contacting surface, a first portion of the tissue-contacting surface including a plurality of ridges configured to grasp tissue. Further, the tissue-contacting surface may include a channel oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the medical device.

A positioning wand for assisting in positioning at least one of a first magnetic implant and a second magnetic implant configured for forming an anastomosis between two adjacent walls of a digestive tract of a patient is provided. The positioning wand can include an elongated member sized and configured to be inserted into an abdominal cavity of the patient, and a distal tip provided at a distal end of the elongated member. The distal tip can include a guide magnet configured to magnetically couple with the at least one of the first and second magnetic implants through a wall of the digestive tract to position the at least one of the first and second magnetic implants to a desired site of the anastomosis. The distal tip can be configured to be moveable in response to a contact pressure upon contact with the wall of the digestive tract.

Systems and methods are described for correcting sagittal imbalance in a spine including instruments for performing the controlled release of the anterior longitudinal ligament through a lateral access corridor and hyper-lordotic lateral implants.

A single-handed meniscal biter instrument for probing and resecting meniscal tissue. The instrument includes a main body configured to be held by one hand and a cutting mechanism coupled to the main body and configured to be operable by the same hand while held. The instrument also includes an extendable probe coupled to the main body, wherein the probe is configured to be independently operable by the same hand while being held.

A retractable syringe device includes: a handle including a hollow body for receiving a syringe through an opening of the handle, the hollow body including a syringe actuator that moves the syringe between a distal position and a proximal position; and an instrument distally extending from the handle, the instrument including a channel extending through the instrument, the channel configured to receive a needle coupled to the syringe. When the syringe is in the distal position, a distal end of the needle distally extends from the instrument, and when the syringe is in the proximal position, the distal end of the needle is retracted into the channel. The handle of the device can include a fixed or removable structure for removably coupling to a proximal end of a shaft of an endoscope.

Various embodiments of a dural elevating and cutting apparatus and methods of use are disclosed herein.

A closed loop granular jamming apparatus is disclosed including a three-dimensional membrane structure filled with granular material. Fluid is evacuated from the structure which induces a jamming effect, whereas the viscosity of the granular media increases with increasing particle density. The thin membrane conforms to the shape of the granular material. Decreasing enclosed volume and increasing packing density prevents particles from distributing within the confined space, inducing the aggregate to behave as a solid. In the jammed state, the apparatus is resistive to force and change of shape. The apparatus is returned to the unjammed state by releasing the vacuum. The size and shape of the apparatus may be repeatedly adjusted by alternating between the jammed and unjammed states. The closed loop granular jamming apparatus may include toroidal and cylindrical shapes with articulating inserts and compliant spines.