摘要:
Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient. The artificial grafts may have shapes other than tubular. Certain procedural and apparatus aspects of the invention have uses other than in connection with grafting in general or tubular grafting in particular.
摘要:
A body tissue graft for use in a patient includes a frame structure made of a first elastic material, a covering of a second elastic material on the frame structure, the covering substantially filling openings in the frame structure, and a connector connected to the frame structure. Projections are secured to the connector structure. The projections facilitate attachment of the tubular graft in a patient by securing the graft to the body tissue with which the graft is employed. The connector selectively circumferentially expands and the projections selectively circumferentially expand. This may be done using an inflatable balloon to circumferentially expand the projections. A restraining member may be provided to restrain the projections in a cone shape so that an end of the graft may be used to open an aperture through a side wall of existing body organ tubing and a portion of the projections may enter the aperture.
摘要:
A body tissue graft for use in a patient includes a frame structure made of a first elastic material, a covering of a second elastic material on the frame structure, the covering substantially filling openings in the frame structure, and a connector connected to the frame structure. Projections are secured to the connector structure. The projections facilitate attachment of the tubular graft in a patient by securing the graft to the body tissue with which the graft is employed. The connector selectively circumferentially expands and the projections selectively circumferentially expand. This may be done using an inflatable balloon to circumferentially expand the projections. A restraining member may be provided to restrain the projections in a cone shape so that an end of the graft may be used to open an aperture through a side wall of existing body organ tubing and a portion of the projections may enter the aperture.
摘要:
For an online community advocacy management platform, the techniques herein create “ghost profiles” of users not registered with the app/plug-in, but that are participating in the social media forum (an identification phase). In this manner, all participants may build their advocacy score regardless of the app/plug-in, which may be useful for the user if later deciding to participate officially, or else for the brand to continue to be able to monitor anonymous (yet uniquely identified) activity on an individual basis, and to identify, quantify, and foster the most valuable and influential advocates within the existing community.
摘要:
For an online community advocacy management platform, an advocacy retention score is established to foster elite advocates by providing incentives for engaging in brand-generated communications such as the creation of comments, and creating peer-to-peer and reputation-based relationships specific to the context of that brand community. Various techniques are presented to define levels and badges (milestones) to allow users to maintain an advocate reputation based on participation and community response.
摘要:
A prosthesis sleeve that is deployed within a patient's vessel at a damaged tissue area. The sleeve includes an inflammatory inducing section that releases materials near the damaged tissue to accelerate or enhance the immune response for a period of time sufficient to result in a smooth layer of repaired tissue.
摘要:
A surge suppression device includes a bus bar that extends along a length of the surge suppression device. Multiple surge suppression modules each have an attachment device that attaches and detaches to the bus bar without disrupting connections of other surge suppression modules coupled to the same bus bar.
摘要:
Apparatus and a method are provided for improving the medical care of patients. The apparatus includes an input device, a medical risk database, a data processor, and a communication device. Data entered in the input device, usually by a health care professional, defines a patient data record. The medical risk database associates certain patient data entered into the data record, which increases the risk of a missed medical care opportunity, with additional medical care to address the risk. The communication device responds to the identification of patient data presenting a medical risk by communicating to a health care professional additional medical care selected to identify and take advantage of a medical care opportunity.
摘要:
For an online community advocacy management platform, techniques (APIs) are described for pulling comments in from the app/plug-in, and cross-pollinating the social online community (e.g., social network website “walls”) and app/plug-in content in an intelligent manner (which content, how often, etc.).