A medical apparatus for mitigating formation of kidney stones in a human patient can include or use a turbulence generator deployable into a renal pelvis of a human kidney, the generator comprising an element configured to produce an acoustic wave in a medium within the renal pelvis, and an actuator configured such as to manipulate the turbulence generator; wherein one of the turbulence generator or the actuator can be configured for coupling with a source of power.

Biodegradable and resorbable polymer pouches are described for use with cardiac rhythm management devices (CRMs) and other implantable medical devices (IMDs), i.e., a pouch, covering, or other receptacle capable of encasing, surrounding and/or holding the CRM or other IMD for the purpose of securing it in position, inhibiting or reducing bacterial growth, providing pain relief and/or inhibiting scarring or fibrosis on or around the CRM or other IMD. Optionally, the biodegradable and resorbable pouches of the invention include one or more drugs in the polymer matrix to provide prophylactic effects and alleviate side effects or complications associated with the surgery or implantation of the CRM or other IMD.

Apparatus and methods for internal surgical procedures are disclosed. The apparatus and methods may involve supporting internal body locations, creating submucosal separations (blebs), and/or for resecting mucosal tissue separated from underlying tissue by a bleb.

An assembly for use in repairing a severed tendon comprises an elongate threading element adapted to transit along a lumen of a tendon sheath, for covering a curved needle and carrying the needle within the lumen. The assembly can also comprise a liner for lining an internal surface of the tendon sheath, defining an internal passage along which a tendon stump coupled to the curved needle can pass. The liner can have a collapsed, rest configuration in which it is adapted to be inserted into the lumen of the tendon sheath, and an expanded, operating configuration, the liner being movable to the expanded configuration by contact with the tendon stump. Once released from the liner, the threading element receives the curved needle, for covering and carrying the curved needle through the liner and along the lumen of the tendon sheath trailing the connected tendon stump.

The subject invention provides devices and methods for alleviating discomfort associated with neuroma formation. The devices and methods of the invention effectively use the body's natural response of reconstructing implanted biomaterials to minimize the size of, isolate, and protect a neuroma. In preferred embodiments, the subject device is a cylindrical cap, wherein the internal chamber of the cylindrical cap physically partitions the nerve to enable an arrangement of nerve fibers (as opposed to haphazardly arranged nerve fibers often produced in neuromas). Tabs arranged on the outside of the cap can be used to manipulate the cap into place on a nerve. The open end can also be configured with flaps that can be used to widen the open end for easier insertion of the nerve into the cap. In addition, the cap's material remodels into a tissue cushion after implantation, which protects the neuroma from being stimulated and inducing pain.

There is provided a treatment method that is capable of reducing burden on a patient when a medical sheet is indwelled in the body of the patient. A treatment method includes an introduction of introducing a catheter, which has stored a medical sheet (e.g., a myocardial cell sheet), to a heart inside a living body, and an indwelling step of drawing the myocardial cell sheet from the catheter and indwelling the myocardial cell sheet in the heart.

A dermatological skin treatment device is provided. The device comprises a handpiece and a cutting tool, wherein the tool is inserted through the conduit and percutaneously inserted into a tissue disposed within a recessed area of the handpiece. The device and method cut the fibrous structures under the skin that cause cellulite at an angle substantially parallel to the surface of the skin and replace these structures with a non-cellulite forming structure by deploying a highly fibrous mesh through a single needle hole to create a highly fibrous layer directly or through wound healing processes.

Devices, systems and techniques are provided to facilitate chronic monitoring of biological signals. An implant device can include a set of branch portions. Each branch portion can include multiple electrodes disposed on a bottom surface and can have vias that connect the electrode to a trace on the top of the branch portion. Each branch portion can include a hole through which a connector (e.g., suture) can be pulled. The connector can also be threaded through a hole in a curved arm of an implantation tool, To implant the implant device, the implantation tool can be inserted through an incision, moved to a target location and stabilized. An end of the connector can then be pulled, which can cause the implant device to move to the target location. The implant device can then be stabilized and the implantation tool explanted.

Various embodiments of a spinal shield having a shield body including a plurality of lateral extensions configured to be positioned over an exposed spinal canal for establishing a protective barrier around the contents of the exposed spinal canal are disclosed.

Provided herein are methods for decreasing the toxicity of advanced ablative cancer therapies on neighboring organs. The methods herein provide spacing between single or multiple tumor cites and immediate healthy organs while maintaining or increasing patient quality of life. Such toxicity isolation can be performed by inserting a spacer around the one or more tumor cites, which can be performed concurrently with fiducial marker placement.