DR. MICHAEL DAVID LAUFER, M.D.
Osteopathic Medicine at Pasteur Dr, Palo Alto, CA

2003019, Oct 16, 2003

Apr 14, 2003

10/414549

Frank Ingle - Palo Alto CA, US
Garry Carter - Pleasanton CA, US
Michael Laufer - Menlo Park CA, US

SURx, Inc. - Pleasanton CA

A61N001/00

607/138000

Devices, systems, and method for treating urinary incontinence generally rely on energy delivered to a patient's own pelvic support tissue to selectively contract or shrink at least a portion of that pelvic support tissue so as to reposition the bladder. The energy will preferably be applied to the endopelvic fascia and/or an arcus tendineus fascia pelvis. The invention provides a variety of devices and methods for applying gentle resistive heating of these and other tissues to cause them to contract without imposing significant injury on the surrounding tissue structures. Alternatively, heat-applying probes are configured to heat tissue structures which comprise or support a patient's urethra. By applying sufficient energy over a predetermined time, the tissue can be raised to a temperature which results in contraction without significant necrosis or other tissue damage. By selectively contracting the support tissues, the bladder neck, sphincter, and other components of the urinary tract responsible for the control of urinary flow can be reconfigured or supported in a manner which reduces urinary leakage.

6149660, Nov 21, 2000

Apr 22, 1996

8/635713

Michael D. Laufer - Menlo Park CA
Gary H. Miller - Milpitas CA
Mark P. Parker - San Jose CA

VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61B 1710

606143

A delivery device and method for intraluminally deploying a clip appliance within a body lumen or cavity of a patient, for example a vein. The clip is configured from a wire-like, bendable material, having a "W"-like sinusoidal shape. The clip is constructed with sharpened slanted edges at the tips which provide preferential bending and straightening when the clip is deployed into patient tissue, for example, a venous valve. The delivery device comprises a catheter and a structure for bending and releasing the clip. The catheter is configured with an elongate flexible tubular member secured to a slotted housing having a distal tapered tip. A handle is secured to the proximal end of the flexible tubular member. A balloon and actuator arm combination is disclosed for forcing a clip against an anvil to bend the clip from an open to a closed condition and for releasing the clip from a slot in a side wall of the housing. The housing may be configured to retain and deploy a plurality of clip appliances.

6036687, Mar 14, 2000

Mar 5, 1996

8/610911

Michael D. Laufer - Menlo Park CA
Brian E. Farley - Los Altos CA
Grace Y. Schulz - San Carlos CA
Arthur W. Zikorus - San Jose CA
Mark P. Parker - San Jose CA

VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61B 1804

606 27

A catheter delivers an electrode within a vein for a minimally invasive treatment of varicose veins and venous insufficiency using RF energy. The catheter is introduced into a patient and positioned within the section of the vein to be treated. The electrode radiates high frequency energy towards the vein, and the surrounding venous tissue becomes heated and begins to shrink. The catheter includes a controllable member for limiting the amount of shrinkage of the vein to the diameter of the member. The electrode remains active until there has been sufficient shrinkage of the vein. The extent of shrinkage of the vein may be detected by fluoroscopy. After treating one section of the vein, the catheter and the electrode can be repositioned intraluminally within the vein to treat different sections of the vein until all desired venous sections and valves are repaired and rendered functionally competent.

2009019, Jul 30, 2009

Feb 20, 2009

12/390232

Michael D. Laufer - Menlo Park CA, US
David P. Thompson - San Jose CA, US
Bryan E. Loomas - Saratoga CA, US

Asthmatx, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61M 29/02, A61M 29/00, A61B 18/18

606 41, 606191, 606192

Methods of increasing gas exchange performed by the lung by damaging lung cells, damaging tissue, causing trauma, and/or destroying airway smooth muscle tone with an apparatus inserted into an airway of the lung. The damaging of lung cells, damaging tissue, causing trauma, and destroying airway smooth muscle tone with the apparatus may be any one of or combinations of the following: heating the airway; cooling the airway; delivering a liquid to the airway; delivering a gas to the airway; puncturing the airway; tearing the airway; cutting the airway; applying ultrasound to the airway; and applying ionizing radiation to the airway.

2011021, Sep 1, 2011

Sep 30, 2010

12/895431

Michael D. Laufer - Menlo Park CA, US

A61F 2/04

604 8

A solution is provided for modifying the location at which bodily fluids interact with nutrients in a gastrointestinal tract having a conduit with a first end and a second end. The first end is configured to divert bodily fluids from an entrance within a gastrointestinal tract to a location downstream from the entrance. The solution also provides for a means for attaching the second end to the entrance.

2007015, Jul 5, 2007

Nov 13, 2006

11/599166

Michael Laufer - Menlo Park CA, US
Steven Trebotich - Newark CA, US
Jerome Jackson - Los Altos CA, US

Co-Repair, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

A61F 7/00, A61F 7/12

607096000, 607113000

A system for treating an affected portion in a heart comprises a catheter having a first end and a second end; a mono-polar or bi-polar electrode coupled to the first end, wherein the electrode is adapted to be inserted into heart tissue; a power source coupled to the second end and configured to energize the electrode, wherein the electrode emits a radio frequency (RF) signal upon being energized to heat the affected portion to a desired temperature; a temperature feedback control coupled to the electrode and the power source, wherein electrode is configured to alter the emitted RF signal based on a measured temperature of the affected portion. A rotatable member is configured to allow a first portion of the catheter to freely rotate with respect to a second portion of the catheter.

5928224, Jul 27, 1999

Jan 24, 1997

8/789375

Michael D. Laufer - Menlo Park CA

Hearten Medical, Inc. - Tustin CA

A61B 1736

606 27

A device and method for treating infected or damaged heart valve tissue by selectively heating, applying pressure, or both to the heart valve tissue to sterilize any infected portion of the tissue, reshape any misshapen portion, effect selective thinning of any thickened portion, and reduce the floppiness of any selected portion. The heat can be applied to or induced in the heart valve tissue.

2013003, Feb 7, 2013

Jul 25, 2012

13/557518

Christopher J. DANEK - San Carlos CA, US
Michael Biggs - San Francisco CA, US
Bryan E. Loomas - Los Gatos CA, US
Michael D. Laufer - Menlo Park CA, US
Gary S. Kaplan - Palo Alto CA, US
Kelly M. Shriner - Sunnyvale CA, US
William J. Wizeman - Mountain View CA, US

A61F 7/12

607113

This relates to treating airways in a lung to decrease asthmatic symptoms. The also includes steps of measuring a parameter of an airway at a plurality of locations in a lung, identifying at least one treatment site from at least one of the plurality of locations based on the parameter, and applying energy to the treatment site to reduce the ability of the site to narrow.

2005020, Sep 15, 2005

Mar 11, 2004

10/798465

Michael Laufer - Menlo Park CA, US
Sanjay Bagade - San Jose CA, US

A61B017/08

606151000

Devices and systems related to surgical fasteners and more specifically to surgical fasteners suitable for use in both open procedures, and minimally or less invasive procedures where the operative site is remote from the surgeon.