A medical device includes a body and at least one electrode disposed thereon. The electrode includes a metallic substrate, such as a platinum group metal, an alloy of platinum group metals, or gold. The surface of the substrate is modified in a manner that increases its effective surface area without inducing bulk heating. For example, the surface of the substrate can be laser textured and/or coated, such as with titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

An embolic material which prevents flow of a biological fluid by being placed in a body lumen via a catheter, the embolic material comprising a material that swells by contacting the biological fluid. The embolic material includes a long filler that is formed smaller than an inner diameter of the catheter. The filler prevents the flow of the biological fluid by bending when brought into contact with the biological fluid due to the difference in swelling characteristics between a first side portion and a second side portion that extend parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction.

A method of surgical stapling that uses a surgical instrument operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector with a pair of jaws. A placement tip extends distally from one of the jaws of the end effector. The method includes positioning the end effector at a desired site for surgical stapling. The method also includes controlling one or more of the jaws of the end effector to place the end effector in an open position. The method also includes positioning the end effector such that tissue is located between the jaws. The method also includes clamping the tissue between the jaws by moving at least one of the jaws toward the other jaw. The method also includes advancing a firing beam of the apparatus from a proximal position to a distal position.

The present disclosure provides a guide wire system comprising (a) a guide wire having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the guide wire comprises a superelastic material, (b) a first connector coupled to the proximal end of the guide wire, (c) a second connector coupled to the guide wire between the distal end and the proximal end, (d) an electromagnetic sensor coupled to the distal end of the guide wire, and (e) a polymeric tube surrounding the guide wire and at least a portion of the electromagnetic sensor.

A surgical instrument comprising a first jaw, a second jaw rotatable relative to the first jaw, and a closure system for closing the second jaw is disclosed. The closure system comprises a multi-stage closure system. In at least one instance, the closure system comprises a first closure member which closes the second jaw quickly, but with low force, and a second closure member which closes the second jaw more slowly, but with a higher force.

Implants and methods for augmentation of the disc space between two vertebral bodies to treat disease or abnormal pathology conditions in spinal applications. The implant includes a chain of biocompatible material suitable for insertion into a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient's spinal column, wherein the spinal disc space has a transverse plane. The chain comprises a plurality of adjacent bodies having a height configured to reside within the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies and a length configured to reside in the disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies when the chain is curved in an orientation substantially along the transverse plane of the spinal disc space.

The present invention relates to surgical dissection tips comprising a substrate comprising beryllium copper and a ferromagnetic layer coating at least a portion of the substrate, and methods of making such surgical dissection tips.

A method of manufacturing a surgical implant includes simultaneously forming a first component and a second component of the surgical implant. Formation of the first and second components includes depositing a first quantity of material to a building platform and fusing the first quantity of material to form a first layer of the first and second components. The method of manufacturing also includes depositing a second quantity of material over the first layer of the first and second components and fusing the second quantity of material to form a second layer of the first and second components. The surgical implant is fully assembled upon the completion of the formation of the first and second components.

A vibration transmitter includes: a first rod including a fitting hole extending along the longitudinal axis thereof; and a second rod attached to a distal end portion of the first rod by a fitting portion fitted into the fitting hole in a state where a compressed surface pressure is received from the inner surface of fitting hole. The first rod includes: a first region in which the fitting portion is fitted into the fitting hole; and a second region positioned proximal of the first region. In the first region of the first rod, a crystal grain diameter is larger than that in the second region of the first rod.

A delivery cable for delivering a medical device and a delivery device including the same are described herein. The delivery cable includes a flexible inner core, an outer coil surrounding at least a portion of the flexible inner core, and a pull wire disposed between the flexible inner core and the outer coil, the pull wire configured to deflect a distal deflectable portion of the delivery cable upon manipulation thereof. Methods of making the delivery cable and methods of using the delivery cable to deploy a medical device are also described herein.