A method of assessing the spine of a patient is provided, the method comprising (a) placing a patient to be assessed in a prone position; (b) providing a magnetometer; (c) identifying a vertebra of the spine to be assessed; (d) placing the magnetometer over the vertebra to be assessed and obtaining a magnetometer reading of the vertebra; (e) identifying at least one additional vertebra to be assessed and repeating step (d) for the at least one additional vertebra. The method also includes delive...

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for treatment of male incontinence and a method for female cystocele repair in which a sling material is positioned between the descending rami of the pubic bone. In such an operation a "hammock-like" sling material is positioned below the urethra in males, or below the posterior bladder wall in the case of cystocele in females.

The local delivery of therapeutic agents directly into the lungs provides a methodology for safely and effectively treating various disease conditions.

The present invention provides a method for repairing damaged myocardium. The method comprises using a combination of cellular cardiomyoplasty and electrostimulation for myogenic predifferentiation of stem cells and to synchronize the contractions of the transplanted cells with the cardiac cells. The method comprises the steps of obtaining stem or myogenic cells from a donor, culturing and electrostimulating the isolated cells in vitro, and implanting the cells into the damaged myocardium.

A percutaneous system for bypassing a restriction in a native vessel of a mammal having an aorta includes providing a graft having a body portion with a first end, a second end and a lumen therebetween. An aperture is formed in the aorta. The graft is inserted into the aorta and the first end of the graft is connected to the aorta about the aperture in the aorta. An aperture is then formed in the native vessel distal of the restriction. The second end of the graft is connected to the native vess...

The present invention is an improved gastric bypass, a surgical method to treat clinically significant obesity, in which the likelihood of post-surgical complications is reduced.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for performing beating heart surgery involving the step of maintaining at least partial blood flow through a protected blood flow path within the right and/or left side of the heart during surgery. The protected blood flow path may be established by positioning one or more conduits within at least a portion of the right and/or left sides(s) of the heart. In a first system, at least partial blood flow may be maintained through the protected blo...

A catheter includes a plurality of expandable primary leads to deliver energy to a fallopian tube, a vein such as a hemorrhoid or an esophageal varix, or another hollow anatomical structure requiring ligation or occlusion. Each of the primary leads includes an electrode located at the working end of the catheter. Separation is maintained between the primary leads such that the leads can receive power of selected polarity. The primary leads are constructed to expand outwardly to place the electro...

The invention provides a method of treating a patient infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) comprising raising the core temperature of the patient and then returning the core temperature of the patient to normal at least one time, wherein the core temperature is raised to a temperature range and a duration sufficient to reduce or eliminate the patient's viral load of HCV.

In a method for treating cancer, a tube is inserted into a patient, so that a distal end of the tube is disposed proximately to a tumor. A sclerosing agent such as a concentrated sugar solution is then fed through the tube into the patient and into the tumor. The tube can take the form of a catheter which is introduced into the patient through the patient's vascular system.