CYNTHIA TOTH, M.D.
Medical Practice at Erwin Rd, Durham, NC

6436035, Aug 20, 2002

Sep 7, 2000

09/657129

Cynthia A. Toth - Durham NC
Ronald F. Overaker - Durham NC
Brian C. Dodge - Durham NC

Duke University - Durham NC

A61B 106

600249, 362572, 606 11

A hand-held surgical light assembly is provided with a light source, and a handpiece which is adapted to be grasped and manipulated by a user. The handpiece has a light guide with a proximal end optically connected to the light source, and a distal end which projects outwardly from said handpiece so as to direct light guided thereby onto a field of view determined by manipulation of the handpiece by the user. The handpiece includes a switch assembly which is operatively coupled to the light source to allow user selection between at least two different light intensities (e. g. , essentially on/off) discharged by said light guide onto the field of view. In preferred forms, the switch assembly includes an electrically conductive inner base member and an electrically conductive outer tubular elastomeric member concentrically positioned in surrounding, but spaced relationship, with the inner base member. When contact between the inner base member and the outer elastomeric member is made, switch circuitry changes the visible light intensity of the visible light generated by the light source, e. g. , by either directly modulating the current to the lamp itself, or by providing an electrically operable shutter assembly which masks the light generated by the light source.

6517560, Feb 11, 2003

Nov 27, 2000

09/721774

Cynthia A. Toth - Durham NC
Ronald F. Overaker - Durham NC
Brian C. Dodge - Durham NC
Robert Machemer - Durham NC

Duke University - Durham NC

A61B 1714

606171, 606180, 74 24, 464 29

Hand-held surgical instruments include magnetic couplings which impart simultaneous reciprocal rotary and longitudinal motions or oscillations to a distally located workpiece. In preferred embodiments, the magnetic couplings include a drive shaft, an output shaft coaxially aligned with the drive shaft relative to a central axis, and drive and driven magnet assemblies connected operatively to the drive and output shafts, respectively. The drive and driven magnet assemblies include permanent magnets arranged to translate continuous rotation of the drive shaft into simultaneous rotary and longitudinal movements of the driven magnet assembly relative to the drive axis. A resilient support member exhibiting torsional and longitudinal resiliency (e. g. , an annular elastomeric disc) is most preferably operatively connected to the output shaft to allow for such simultaneous rotary and longitudinal movements thereof.

6478681, Nov 12, 2002

Nov 27, 2000

09/721775

Ronald F. Overaker - Durham NC
Brian C. Dodge - Durham NC
Robert Machemer - Durham NC
Cynthia A. Toth - Durham NC

Duke University - Durham NC

F16D 2701

464 29, 74 22 R

Magnetic couplings impart simultaneous reciprocal rotary and longitudinal motions or oscillations to a work element. In preferred embodiments, the magnetic couplings include a drive shaft, an output shaft coaxially aligned with the drive shaft relative to a central axis, and drive and driven magnet assemblies connected operatively to the drive and output shafts, respectively. The drive and driven magnet assemblies include permanent magnets arranged to translate continuous rotation of the drive shaft into simultaneous rotary and longitudinal movements of the driven magnet assembly relative to the drive axis. A resilient support member exhibiting torsional and longitudinal resiliency (e. g. , an annular elastomeric disc) is most preferably operatively connected to the output shaft to allow for such simultaneous rotary and longitudinal movements thereof.

6491670, Dec 10, 2002

Apr 4, 2000

09/542985

Cynthia A. Toth - Durham NC
Ronald F. Overaker - Durham NC
Brian C. Dodge - Durham NC
Eric A. Postel - Durham NC
Brooks W. McCuen - Durham NC

Duke University - Durham NC

A61M 500

604264

Surgical instruments, especially for opthalmological surgical procedures, have a smooth, bulbous arcuate tip that surrounds the distal end of a lumen. The tip may be translucent and flexible. Most preferably, the tip is formed of a compliant, yet self-supporting, material, such as medical grade transparent silicone elastomer. The bulbous arcuate tip may take various geometric forms, for example, generally spherical, ellipsoid or the like. The bulbous arcuate tip may be symmetrical about the elongate axis of the instrument or may be asymmetrical (i. e. , angularly disposed) relative to such longitudinal axis. The surgical instruments of this invention are most preferably made by first adhering a length of compliant tubing (e. g. , silicone) onto a distal end of a rigid tube (e. g. , a section of a stainless steel needle).

6039691, Mar 21, 2000

May 29, 1998

9/087148

William F. Walker - Charlottesville VA
Cynthia A. Toth - Durham NC
Richard E. Davidsen - Durham NC

Duke University - Durham NC
Novason Corporation - Charlottesville VA

A61B 800

600452

Soft tissue examination apparatus and method employ an ultrasonic transducer system for generating a series of ultrasound pulses, at least one of which is of sufficiently high intensity to induce physical displacement of the soft tissue. The transducer receives a series of ultrasonic echo pulses and responsively generates a series of data signals indicative of such tissue displacement. A data processor receives the data signals and determines the magnitude of the displacement. In such a manner, the present invention assists in the evaluation and/or diagnosis of biological tissue. Preferably, the apparatus and method of this invention is employed to examine the properties of a subject's vitreous body and thus may be used in the evaluation and/or diagnosis of ocular disorders, such as vitreous traction.

6270491, Aug 7, 2001

Apr 6, 1999

9/286659

Cynthia A. Toth - Durham NC
Ronald F. Overaker - Durham NC
Brian C. Dodge - Durham NC

Duke University - Durham NC

A61B 1818

606 11

A hand-held surgical light assembly is provided with a light source, and a handpiece which is adapted to be grasped and manipulated by a user. The handpiece has a light guide with a proximal end optically connected to the light source, and a distal end which projects outwardly from said handpiece so as to direct light guided thereby onto a field of view determined by manipulation of the handpiece by the user. The handpiece includes a switch assembly which is operatively coupled to the light source to allow user selection between at least two different light intensities (e. g. , essentially on/off) discharged by said light guide onto the field of view. In preferred forms, the switch assembly includes an electrically conductive inner core and an electrically conductive outer tubular elastomeric member concentrically positioned in surrounding, but spaced relationship, with the inner base. When contact between the inner base and the outer elastomeric member is made, switch circuitry changes the visible light intensity of the visible light generated by the light source, e. g. , by either directly modulating the current to the lamp itself, or by providing an electrically operable shutter assembly which masks the light generated by the light source.

2006008, Apr 27, 2006

May 5, 2003

10/512899

Brian Dodge - Durham NC, US
Ronald Overaker - Durham NC, US
Cynthia Toth - Durham NC, US

A61F 9/00

606166000

Hand-held instruments which may be employed to actuate a distally mounted tool by application of radial compressive force about the instrument circumference (i.e., omni-actuatable). In preferred forms, hand-held instruments have a handle and a slide ring assembly attached to the handle which defines a generally V-shaped circumferential channel. The slide ring assembly will have at least one slide ring mounted for longitudinal movements relative to the handle. An actuator member is operatively engaged with the slide ring assembly for moving the slide ring longitudinally relative to the handle in response to a force applied against the actuator member. In preferred embodiments, the actuator member is tubular and includes at least one actuation finger, and more preferably a circumferentially disposed plurality of actuation fingers. The actuator member includes a tubular proximal end section thereof sleeved over the handle so as to be located proximally of the slide ring assembly. The actuation fingers thus extend distally from the tubular proximal end section to (and preferably distally beyond) the slide ring assembly. The actuation fingers are provided a radially inwardly protruding actuator nib which is seated in the generally V-shaped channel of said slide assembly. Thus, in response to a compressive force applied against the actuator fingers, the nib thereof will be depressed radially within the channel thereby causing the slide ring to move longitudinally which in turn, coacts operatively with the distally mounted tool.

2007012, May 31, 2007

Nov 30, 2005

11/289639

Sharon Freedman - Durham NC, US
Phillip McKinley - Durham NC, US
Pratap Challa - Durham NC, US
Leon Herndon - Durham NC, US
Cynthia Toth - Durham NC, US
Ronald Overaker - Durham NC, US
Brian Dodge - Durham NC, US
Brian Applegate - Durham NC, US
Joseph Izatt - Durham NC, US

A61B 3/16, A61B 13/00

600405000, 600558000

Ophthalmic instruments, systems and methods enable tonometry and pachymetry measurements to be conducted simultaneously. As such, a patient's intraocular pressure (IOP) corrected for corneal thickness may be determined accurately by a single corneal applanation. Preferably, the ophthalmic instruments have a reference surface at a distal end of the instrument, an applanation plate spaced from the reference surface, and a compliant mount for mounting the applanation plate for resilient displacements relative to the reference surface. The instrument most preferably has a housing such that the reference surface is located at a fixed position at one end of the housing, and the applanation plate is mounted to that one end of the housing in coaxial spaced alignment relative to the reference surface by means of the compliant mount. If desired, the housing may have a handle and a substantially orthogonal head piece containing suitable optic mirrors which allow visible light to pass therethrough so that the procedure can be viewed and/or photographed.