DR. A. ALAN CONLAN, M.D.
Radiology at Belmont St, Worcester, MA

5769794, Jun 23, 1998

Sep 4, 1996

8/707698

A. Alan Conlan - Worcester MA
Yuri E. Kazakevich - Andover MA
Steven W. Ek - Bolton MA
Babs R. Soller - Northboro MA

Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, Inc - Andover MA
University of Massachusetts - Worcester MA

A61B 1000

600562

A tissue retrieval bag has a wide mouth and folds for insertion through an incision to a body cavity to form a flat tray and receive excised tissue. The tissue is dropped onto the floor of the bag and the mouth of the bag is then drawn back through the incision, where it drapes the opening to provide a protected tunnel to the resected tissue still lying within the cavity. The bag is preferably transparent, and the enclosed tissue may be viewed endoscopically while a morcellizer is inserted through the tunnel and operated to aspirate the tissue, so that the bag is then readily withdrawn through the incision. Alternatively, an endoscope may be inserted through the tunnel directly into the bag to monitor and control morcellation. In a preferred embodiment the tissue is resected lung tissue and, a morcellizer blade is used to selectively morcellate only the parenchyma, leaving lymphatic tissue and the bronchial tree in the bag for histologic analysis. The bag may have pleated walls which provide dimensional stability in a shape that avoids cutter damage and cleanly catches and contains the resected tissue, thus reducing the risk of seeding tumor cells.

5904147, May 18, 1999

Aug 16, 1996

8/696572

A. Alan Conlan - Worcester MA
Yuri E. Kazakevich - Andover MA
Steven W. Ek - Bolton MA
Gheorghe Mihalca - Chelmsford MA

University of Massachusetts - Worcester MA
Smith& Nephew Endoscopy, Inc. - Andover MA

A61B19/00

128899

A catheter, for example a balloon or treatment catheter, is positioned to prevent hemorrhage during surgery by inserting the catheter in a deflated configuration along a passage such as a blood vessel near to the operative site in a position determined by direct or video-assisted viewing from outside the passage. In the event a blood vessel is cut during surgery, the previously positioned catheter inflates a balloon to occlude the passage and stop blood flow into the injured site. A flow-directed catheter includes an inflatable balloon attached at its distal end and an optical fiber connected to one or more light emitting regions positioned in the vicinity of the balloon. The light is emitted transversely, and preferably omnidirectionally at one or more points with a sufficient brightness to provide beacons that are readily detected through the walls of a blood vessel and permit a direct determination of the exact location of the balloon within the vessel. Rather than a flow-directed balloon catheter, a drug-delivery or other catheter may be used. In that case the light emitting regions are located at or adjacent to one or more drug delivery ports or other active areas in the catheter.

5906579, May 25, 1999

Aug 14, 1997

8/907824

Thomas J. Vander Salm - Worcester MA
A. Alan Conlan - Worcester MA
Yuri E. Kazakevich - Andover MA
Steven W. Ek - Bolton MA
Gheorghe Mihalca - Chelmsford MA

Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, Inc. - Andover MA
University of Massachusetts - Worcester MA

A61B 100

600424

A method of positioning a catheter, for example a balloon or treatment catheter. The catheter is inserted in a passage and sensed through the luminal wall to correctly determine its position. As applied to prevent hemorrhage during surgery the method involves inserting the catheter in a deflated configuration along a passage such as a blood vessel near to the operative site in a position determined by direct or video-assisted sensing from outside the passage. In the event a blood vessel is cut during surgery, the already-positioned catheter inflates a balloon to occlude the passage and stop blood flow into the injured site. In one aspect, a flow-directed catheter includes an inflatable balloon attached at its distal end and an optical fiber connected to one or more light emitting regions positioned at the tip or in the vicinity of the balloon. The light is divergent and is emitted at one or more points to provide beacons that are readily detected through the walls of a blood vessel and permit a direct determination of the exact location of the balloon within the vessel. Rather than a flow-directed balloon catheter, a drug-delivery or other catheter may be used.

5904702, May 18, 1999

Aug 14, 1997

8/907827

Steven W. Ek - Bolton MA
A. Alan Conlan - Worcester MA

University of Massachusetts - Boston MA
Smith & Nephew, Inc. - Andover MA

A61B17/28

606206

An instrument for performing thoracic surgical procedures including an instrument body, a tool assembly, and an actuating mechanism. The instrument body has a proximal end spaced along a longitudinal axis from a distal end. The tool assembly has two cooperating tool members operably connected to the distal end of the instrument body for insertion into the body cavity. Each of the tool members can include a cam slot. Furthermore, each of the tool members are rotatable between an open and a closed position about a rotation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The actuating mechanism is carried by the instrument body and provides a high torque on the tool members. The actuating mechanism can include first and second oppositely facing bosses, oriented parallel to the rotation axis, and an actuating element. Each one of the bosses is offset from the plane defined by the longitudinal axis of the instrument body and the rotation axis of the tool members and engages a respective one of the cam slots in a camming relationship. The actuating element is operable for motion relative to the instrument body such that movement of the actuating element relative to the instrument body causes the bosses to effect cooperative movement of the tool members.