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        <title>Free Patents Online: Surgery</title>
        <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./rssfeed/rssapp600.xml</link>
        <description>USPTO Class 600 Surgery</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <lastBuildDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</lastBuildDate>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Medical Monitor With Network Connectivity]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0327515.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure provides for the use of physiological monitors capable of communicating over a network. In one embodiment, the physiological monitors may utilize a network layer protocol having an address space for each packet that is greater than 32 bits in length. In one such embodiment, address exhaustion on a network may be addressed by using addresses greater than 32 bits in length at the network layer.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[NEURO-PHYSIOLOGY AND NEURO-BEHAVIORAL BASED STIMULUS TARGETING SYSTEM]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0327068.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system performs stimulus targeting using neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data. Subjects are exposed to stimulus material such as marketing and entertainment materials and data is collected using mechanisms such as Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding. Neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data collected is analyzed to select targeted stimulus materials. The targeted stimulus materials are provided to particular subjects for a variety of purposes.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING SLOPES OF ELECTRONIC SIGNALS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326867.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure relates to signal processing and, more particularly, relates to determining the slope of a signal. In embodiments, first slopes between a first point in the signal and other points in the signal may be determined. Second slopes between a second point in the signal and other points in the signal may also be determined. The first and second slopes may be used to generate a histogram, and a desired slope may be selected from the preferred value of the histogram. In an embodiment, a two-dimensional Lissajous figure may be selected from a three-dimensional Lissajous figure and a histogram of the slopes within the selected Lissajous figure may be created to determine the desired slope. The desired slope may have clinical relevance (e.g., it may be used to determine a patient's blood oxygen saturation level). The three-dimensional Lissajous figure may be derived at least in part from surface signals related to two transform-surfaces. Each transform-surface may be the result of performing a continuous wavelet transform on a signal. A confidence measure may be generated with respect to determining the desired slope.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CALIBRATION OF IMPEDANCE MONITORING OF RESPIRATORY VOLUMES USING THORACIC D.C. IMPEDANCE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326599.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system includes an implantable medical device that includes a trans-thoracic impedance measurement circuit providing a trans-thoracic impedance signal of a subject. A controller is coupled to the trans-thoracic impedance circuit. The controller extracts a respiration signal from the trans-thoracic impedance signal, measures a breathing volume of the subject using the amplitude of the respiration signal and a breathing volume calibration factor, computes an adjusted breathing volume calibration factor using a reference baseline value of the trans-thoracic impedance and a measured baseline value of the trans-thoracic impedance, and computes a calibrated breathing volume using the adjusted breathing volume calibration factor.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[PHYSICALLY MODIFIED EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX MATERIALS AND USES THEREOF]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326577.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Described are expanded collagenous materials and methods for their preparation and use. Certain expanded collagenous materials can be prepared by treating a first collagenous material with an alkaline substance under conditions effective to expand the first collagenous material, and recovering the expanded material. Expanded materials can exhibit beneficial persistence and tissue generation characteristics when implanted, and can be used in the formation of highly porous medical implant bodies which can be compressed to fractions of their original volume and will thereafter substantially recover their original volume.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[System and Method for Treating Tissue Wall Prolapse]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326573.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Devices for controlling prolapse. The device includes a base, first and second lobes which protrude from a midsection of the base, and an anchoring knob distal the base. Various portions of the device are inflatable to and are inflated by way of an inflation tube and an inflation device. Some versions of the device include a base, an anchoring knob, and a shat that extends between and connects the base and the anchoring knob, again with portions thereof being inflatable.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SYSTEM FOR MARKING A NON-HUMAN BIOLOGICAL OBJECT AND FOR TAKING A SAMPLE OF THE BIOLOGICAL OBJECT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326548.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system for marking a non-human biological object and removing a sample of the biological object, which object is in particular an animal, comprising: a first tag part ( 1 ), a second tag part ( 2 ), a pin ( 3 ), a sample container ( 10 ) and, a sample removing stopper ( 20 ) the system further including a functional compound arranged within a compartment of the system such that said functional compound is in communication with said sample when said sample has been introduced into the sample container.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[KNEE LIGAMENT BALANCER]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326544.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An orthopaedic surgical device comprises a first sensor component and a second sensor component. Each sensor component includes a paddle set to contact a proximal tibia and a distal femur of a patient. The first sensor component and the second sensor component being movable with respect to one another to extend one paddle set beyond the other paddle set, and each paddle set includes cutouts for the clearance of the patellar tendon to avoid the need to avert the patella during use.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RETRIEVING MEDICAL CAPSULE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326514.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical capsule is taken into the human body to collect biomedical information about the human body. When the medical capsule is discharged from within the human body, a medical capsule retrieval device detects the medical capsule using a magnet or a sensor, and catches the medical capsule with a net.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Drug Delivery Methods and Systems]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326510.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Drug delivery methods and systems that include a determination of whether a cardiac condition is normal or abnormal, so that a drug may be administered in accordance with that determination. In one implementation, a drug delivery device may be controlled to reduce or stop the drug administration when a normal cardiac condition is detected. In another implementation, a patient monitoring device determines the duration that a cardiac condition is normal and provides an output indicative of the determination so that the patient may alter a therapy accordingly.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[DOUBLE-SIDED ADHESIVE SHEET]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326444.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The double-sided adhesive sheet ( 500 ) includes first, second, third and fourth peel sheets ( 510,520,530,540 ), and a sheet body  501 . Each peel sheet has first, second, third and fourth affixing portion ( 511,521,531,541 ) affixed to the surface of the sheet body, and first, second, third and fourth peeling portion ( 512,522,532,542 ) not affixed to said surface. A boundary between the first affixing portion and the second affixing portion on the upper surface intersects a boundary between the third affixing portion and the fourth affixing portion on the lower surface. Owing to this structure, the peel sheets can be easily peeled off from the body.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Methods for a Movement and Vibration Analyzer]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326419.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present patent describes a method for a Movement and Vibration Analyzer (MVA) based on Fast Fourier Transform spectral analysis, and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) for Hilbert transform of a timeseries recorded with an accelerometer attached to a human being or an object. The medical application is the detection of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurological motor disorders (Dystonias, Dyskinesias, Huntington's disease, Essential Tremor, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), etc), which affects worldwide more than 5 million persons, where the highest percentage is in the ageing population. The industrial application is the study of vibration and maintenance of rotational devices (motors, turbines, and others which have an intrinsic sinusoidal likewise movement). An EMD is carried out on the acceleration signal which produces a collection of intrinsic mode functions (IMF), on which the Hilbert transform is carried out. A set of parameters extracted from the Hilbert Transformed signal gives information of the deviation of the discontinuities. (1) Number of peaks of the derivative of the Hilbert phase higher than a threshold and normalized to time length of the signal and sampling frequency. (2) Variance or standard deviation of the derivative of the Hubert phase, φ′ H (t). (3) Fractal dimension (D F ) of the curve (H R (t), H I (t)), Hilbert plane. From the power spectrum estimate of the acceleration signal, the parameters used are: (4) Mean frequency. (5) Frequencies of the N main components. These five parameters are combined using fuzzy logic or an ordinal multiple logistic regression to define the movement index (MI), an index from 0 to 100, where 0 indicates no deviation from the sinusoidal movement while increasing numbers indicate larger deviation from the sinusoidal movement.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MICROPHONE MATRIX FOR RECORDING BODY SOUNDS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326418.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The invention provides a microphone matrix for recording body sounds, such as respiratory tract sounds. The matrix has a frame having one or more recesses or openings on one of its surfaces. A microphone assembly is disposed in each recess or opening in the frame. When a body portion is applied to the matrix, each microphone assembly moves from an extended, spring biased position in which at least a portion of the microphone assembly protrudes beyond the surface of the frame towards a retracted position in which the microphone assembly is deeper inside the recess.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Multifunctional Monitoring Device for Absorbent Articles]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326417.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Monitoring the status of an absorbent article can be desirable to various users in various situations. A monitoring device for use with an absorbent article is provided. The monitoring device includes a sensing device and a signaling device. The sensing device is configured to sense a physiological indication related to the absorbent article wearer. The functionality of the monitoring device may be updateable, for instance, by utilizing firmware updates, hardware or user interface changes, software installations, etc. Thus, the monitoring device of the present invention may be utilized over an entire lifespan from infants to elderly without the need for costly replacement or installation of an entirely new monitoring system.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[DETECTING INFECTION IN REDUCED PRESSURE WOUND TREATMENT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326416.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Provided is a method of detecting infection in a wound caused by an infecting organism at a wound site. Also provided is a system for detecting an infection in a wound at a wound site. Additionally, a porous pad comprising luciferase is provided.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MICRONEEDLES AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING MICRONEEDLES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326415.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A plastic microneedle comprising: a body portion tapering from a larger end of the body portion towards a tip portion of the body portion; at least one side port; and a lumen extending from the larger end of the body portion and within the body portion of the microneedle, wherein the side port extends into the lumen such that the side port and the lumen are in fluid communication with each other.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CYTOLOGICAL SAMPLING BRUSH]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326414.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A cytological sampling brush includes a manipulation handle ( 2 ) at one of end of which are provided a first portion in the form of exocol sampling brush ( 4 ) and a second portion in the form of endocol sampling swab ( 5 ) at the center of the first portion in brush ( 4 ) form. This brush is characterized in that the second portion in swab ( 5 ) form is attached at the end of the handle ( 2 ) and is removable from the first portion by sliding in a hole ( 6 ) of the first portion in brush ( 4 ) form, provided with elements ( 7 ) for retaining cells for collecting cells from the second portion in swab ( 5 ) form, during retraction of the first portion in brush ( 4 ) form.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Single-Handed Biopsy System]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326413.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An automatic tissue sampling apparatus for use with a biopsy needle set includes a housing defining a cavity and a forward end opening for passage of an inner needle and outer cannula. Two carriers are slidably disposed within the cavity and are configured to support one of the inner needle and the outer cannula. Springs operably engage each carrier and have a cocked position to store potential energy and a firing position to releases the potential energy and drive the corresponding carrier toward the forward end of the housing. A single-handed cocking mechanism, operable to sequentially move the each driving mechanism to its respective cocked position, includes a manually operated cocking lever positioned outside the housing. A force transmission mechanism operably coupled between the cocking lever and the carriers is configured so that the force required to manually depress the cocking lever does not increase as the springs are compressed.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Biopsy Device with Rotating Needle]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326412.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A biopsy device configured to rotate a needle about a longitudinal axis when resecting tissue, and a method of performing a biopsy using the same. Also disclosed is a needle configured to resect tissue by a rotational motion, for example, when operating in conjunction with the device herein.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD FOR ANALYSING PRESSURE SIGNALS DERIVABLE FROM A BODY CAVITY]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326411.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method for analysing pressure-signals derivable from pressure measurements on or in a body of a human being or animal, includes the steps of sampling said signals and converting the signals to pressure-related digital data with a time reference, wherein the method comprises the further steps of: identifying from said digital data features related to absolute pressures relative to atmospheric pressure, recording repeatedly at specific time intervals, intermittently, in any reiterated manner, or continuously absolute pressure data to create a pressure trend plot against time, determining from said recording either a) a plurality of different pressure levels and duration thereof, or b) a plurality of different pressure changes of different levels and duration thereof, and presenting a) numbers of different pressure levels of various time durations in format of a matrix, or b) presenting numbers of different pressure change levels of various time durations in format of a matrix.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Method of Detecting and Predicting Ovulation and the Period of Fertility]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326410.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method of providing information relating to the fertility of a female mammal comprising the steps of: (i) taking multiple temperature readings from the female mammal during an extended period; (ii) identifying and disregarding temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data; (iii) obtaining one or several representative temperature values for the extended period; (iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) over multiple extended periods; (v) analysing the representative temperature values obtained over multiple extended periods for one or more patterns in the representative temperature values indicative or predictive of ovulation in order to provide information relating to the fertility of the female mammal to a user, wherein the representative temperature values are not the maximum or minimum temperature readings obtained for the extended period; and related uses and apparatus.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Clothing sufficiency indicator]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326409.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A clothing sufficiency indication system is presented for use in conjunction with a disposable absorbent article. The system includes a microclimate sensor adapted to be disposed on the disposable absorbent article, the microclimate sensor including a microclimate temperature sensing portion adapted to sense a microclimate temperature, wherein the clothing sufficiency indication system is adapted to generate a clothing sufficiency indication based on the microclimate temperature. Also presented is a method for determining the clothing sufficiency of a subject including providing a clothing sufficiency indication system including a microclimate sensor for measuring a microclimate temperature within clothing of the subject, translating the microclimate temperature into a clothing sufficiency recommendation, and communicating the clothing sufficiency recommendation to a caregiver.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Providing Impedance Plethysmography Electrodes]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326408.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method of measuring lung impedance of a subject can include positioning current-injection electrodes on or within the subject in a configuration such that a current injected between the current-injection electrodes propagates substantially through a first lung of the subject, and not through a heart and a second lung of the subject; positioning voltage-measurement electrodes on or within the subject in a configuration such that voltage measuring fields propagate substantially through the first lung and the second lung of the subject, but not through the heart of the subject; and injecting a current between the current-injection electrodes, as positioned, and measuring a resulting voltage between the voltage-measurement electrodes, as positioned, to obtain an impedance measure across lung tissue. The method can further include injecting current and measuring the resulting voltage multiple times over a time period to monitor respiration of the subject over the time period.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Electrophysiological Analysis System and Method]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326407.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The invention relates to an electrophysiological analysis system which comprises a plurality of electrodes (E 1 -E 4 ), power supply means ( 10, 30 ) for successively applying a substantially continuous voltage ranging approximately from 1 to 5 volts and lasting from 0.1 to 5 seconds to different slotted electrode pairs, collecting and storing means ( 450 ) for recording the variation of a current flow in the electrode pairs to which said voltage slots are applied, means ( 50 ) for enabling the current variations obtained by comparison between at least two current variations caused by supposed identical conditions and means ( 50 ) for comparing data related to the current variations recorded for several electrode pairs and enabled with reference data. Said invention can be used for chronoamperometrically detecting pathologies, pathological areas and organ dysfunctions]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[WEARABLE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY-BASED CONTROLLERS FOR HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERFACE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326406.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A “Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller” includes a plurality of Electromyography (EMG) sensors and provides a wired or wireless human-computer interface (HCl) for interacting with computing systems and attached devices via electrical signals generated by specific movement of the user's muscles. Following initial automated self-calibration and positional localization processes, measurement and interpretation of muscle generated electrical signals is accomplished by sampling signals from the EMG sensors of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. In operation, the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller is donned by the user and placed into a coarsely approximate position on the surface of the user's skin. Automated cues or instructions are then provided to the user for fine-tuning placement of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. Examples of Wearable Electromyography-Based Controllers include articles of manufacture, such as an armband, wristwatch, or article of clothing having a plurality of integrated EMG-based sensor nodes and associated electronics.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[TECHNIQUES FOR DETERMINING HEARING THRESHOLD]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326405.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A computerized method for determining a test subject's (TS) hearing threshold (HT). An acoustic stimulus (AS,  102 ) is applied the test subject's (TS) ear. The stimulus intensity is increased during a ramp, with a predetermined dependency on time, such that the intensity begins below the hearing threshold and ends above it. The test subject's brain response ( 104 ), which includes a transient brain response (TR) 1  is non-invasively recorded during the ramp section. The stimulus-response cycle is repeated several times. The recorded brain responses and stored a-priori information on transient brain response to the acoustic stimulus are used to determine a combined time interval between the acoustic stimulus and the transient brain response. The test subject's hearing threshold is determined based on the predetermined dependency on time of the intensity during the ramp and the combined time interval between the acoustic stimulus and the transient brain response.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Single trial detection in encephalography]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326404.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An EEG cap ( 8 ) having 64 or 128 electrodes ( 10 ) is placed on the head of the subject ( 11 ) who is viewing CRT monitor ( 14 ). The signals on each channel are amplified by amplifier ( 17 ) and sent to an analog-to-digital converter ( 20 ). PC ( 23 ) captures and records the amplified signals and the signals are processed by signal processing PC ( 26 ) performing linear signal processing. The resulting signal is sent back to a feedback/display PC ( 29 ) having monitor ( 14 ).]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[DISTINGUISHING CLOSED AND OPEN RESPIRATORY AIRWAY APNEAS BY COMPLEX ADMITTANCE VALUES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326403.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Methods and apparatus are disclosed for determining the occurrence of a closed or open apnea. Respiratory air flow from a patient is measured to give an air flow signal. The determination of an apnea is performed by applying an oscillatory pressure waveform of known frequency to a patient's airway, calculating a complex quantity representing a patient admittance ( 12 ) and comparing its value with ranges ( 14,16 ) indicative of open or closed apneas. The method distinguishes open from closed apneas even when the model used to calculate admittance is not based on details of the respiratory apparatus. In addition the patient admittance may be compared with admittance during normal breathing to avoid having to characterize the airway.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING EFFORT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326402.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to embodiments, methods and systems for determining effort is disclosed. Effort may relate to a measure of strength of at least one repetitive feature in a signal. Effort may also relate to physical effort or work of a process (e.g., respiratory effort) that may affect the signal (e.g., a PPG signal). Effort may be determined through feature analysis of a transformed signal that has been transformed via a continuous wavelet transform. For example, respiratory effort may be determined using a scalogram generated based at least in part on a wavelet transform of a physiological signal and analyzing features of the scalogram.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Method and System for Dynamical Systems Modeling of Electrocardiogram Data]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326401.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Electrocardiogram data is received in association with a subject, the electrocardiogram data comprising a series of RR intervals and a series of QT intervals. A first value which indicates an amount by which uncertainty associated with the QT intervals is reduced given the RR intervals is generated. A second value which indicates an amount by which uncertainty associated with the RR intervals is reduced given the QT intervals is generated. The subject is determined to be associated with a low risk of cardiac dysfunction responsive to the first value exceeding the second value and a result of the determination is provided.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[ECG ELECTRODE AND ELECTRODE SUPPORT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326400.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An electrically non-conductive back plate for supporting the back of a patient in a supine position comprises on its front face facing the back of the patient a pair or more of ECG electrodes capable of maintaining electrically conductive skin contact with the patient's back. The pair of ECG electrodes is disposed at a sharp angle with the mean heart vector, in particular so as to form an angle β of about 45°±25° with the projection S of the patient's spine on the back plate. Also disclosed is an ECG electrode for mounting in a recess of the back plate and an apparatus for treating cardiac arrest by compression of the sternum comprising the back plate.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MAGNETIC FIELD SENSOR, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE HEART BEAT RATE OF A PERSON IN A VEHICLE, AND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING FATIGUE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326399.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system for detecting the heart beat rate of a person in a vehicle, comprising: at least one magnetic field sensor ( 11, 12 ) mounted inside the vehicle in a position close to a person's seat in the vehicle; and signal processing circuitry ( 2, 13 ) arranged to receive an output signal from said at least one magnetic field sensor, and to extract from said output signal data indicative of a heart beat rate. The invention also relates to a system for fatigue detection, and to the corresponding methods.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SENSING BIOLOGICAL DATA]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326398.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system is provided for obtaining and analyzing biological data of a subject. The system includes a biological data recording device that can sense biological signals of a subject over time and record the sensed biological signals as biological data. The system also includes an event time recording device that is physically separate from, and does not communicate with, the biological data recording device. The event time recording device includes a user actuatable component, and also includes a recording component that records user actuation data, which includes a time stamp indication as to when any instances of user actuation occurred. The system also includes equipment that can periodically receive the recorded biological data from the biological data recording device and the user actuation data from the event time recording device, and can correlate the biological data and the user actuation data to generate correlated biological data.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CLINICAL APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRICAL TOMOGRAPHY DERIVED METRICS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326397.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Clinical applications for electrical tomography derived metrics are disclosed. One aspect of the present invention pertains to a method for generating clinical data by processing one or more metrics obtained via an electrical tomography. The method comprises receiving one or more metrics of an electrode stably associated with a tissue site of a subject, where the metrics are based on an induced signal of the electrode generated in response to one or more continuous electrical fields applied to the subject during an electrical tomography process. In addition, the method comprises generating clinical data of the internal organ of the subject based on the metrics.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[DUAL BODY PLETHYSMOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR MEASURING BLOOD FLOW BETWEEN THE THORAX AND ABDOMEN (THE TRUNK) AND THE BODY PERIPHERY]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326396.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An apparatus is described ( 1 ) for measuring the blood flow (Vb) between the trunk and the extremities. Such an apparatus ( 1 ) comprises a whole body plethysmograph ( 102; 4, 12, 15, 40 ) for measuring the variations of gas volume in the lungs (ΔVL), a thoraco-abdominal plethysmograph ( 101, 2, 3 ) for measuring the volume variations of the trunk (ΔVCW) and a system for processing ( 20 ) allowing measurement of the said variations of gas volume of the lungs (ΔVL) and the volume variations of the trunk (ΔVCW) so as to compute the volume of blood shifted between the trunk and the extremities (Vb). Further a process is described for measuring the volume of blood shifted between the trunk and the extremities (Vb). Such a process comprises: a measurement ( 121 ) of the volume variations of the trunk (ΔVCW) by means of thoraco-abdominal plethysmography, a measurement ( 104 ) (performed at the same time as the previous measurement) of the variations of gas volume of the lungs (ΔVL) by means of whole body plethysmography; a processing ( 120 ) of said volume variations of the trunk (ΔVCW) and of said volume variations of the lungs in order to measure the volume of blood shifted between the trunk and the extremities (Vb).]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING PULSES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326395.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to embodiments, systems and methods are provided for detecting pulses in a PPG signal. Local minima and maxima points may be identified in the PPG signal. Each minimum may be paired with an adjacent maximum forming an upstroke segment. Noise may be removed by comparing adjacent segments and ignoring segments that are too long or too large. Notches in the pulse may be identified and ignored by analyzing adjacent segments. Adjacent upstroke segments may be combined as a single upstroke if the lengths of adjacent upstroke segments are about the same, have similar slopes, and the end point of one segment is close to the start point of an adjacent segment. Segments having small temporal or amplitude difference relative to adjacent segments may be disregarded. The remaining segments may represent the pulse upticks. A sliding time window may be used instead to detect pulses in the PPG signal.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF APPARATUS AND SYSTEM]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326394.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A pressure cuff is disclosed herein. The pressure cuff includes a sleeve and a cuff bladder. The cuff bladder defines a bladder length of 9.2+/−2.1 centimeters and a bladder width of 24.6+/−4.2 centimeters. The bladder length and bladder width dimensions provide precise non-invasive blood pressure measurements when the pressure cuff is applied to a forearm having a circumference in the range of 27 to 37 centimeters.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Systems and Methods for Non-Invasive Continuous Blood Pressure Determination]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326393.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to some embodiments, systems and methods are provided for non-invasive continuous blood pressure determination. In some embodiments, a PPG signal is received and locations of pulses within the PPG signal are identified. An area within a particular pulse is measured. The area may be of just the upstroke, downstroke or the entire pulse. The area may be measured relative to a time-domain axis or a baseline of the pulse. The pulse may be split into multiple sections and the area of each section may be measured. The area of one portion of the pulse may correspond to systolic blood pressure while the area of another portion may correspond to diastolic blood pressure. Empirical data may be used to determine blood pressure from the measured area by applying calibration data measured by a suitable device.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR NON-INVASIVE BLOOD PRESSURE ESTIMATION]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326392.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method for non-invasively estimating blood pressure is disclosed herein. The method includes inflating a cuff and collecting first oscillation amplitude data at a first plurality of cuff pressure levels while inflating the cuff. The method includes identifying an artifact in the first oscillation amplitude data. The method includes identifying a specific cuff pressure level where the artifact occurs and deflating the cuff to the specific cuff pressure level. The method includes collecting second oscillation amplitude data at the specific cuff pressure level and estimating a blood pressure parameter based on both the first oscillation amplitude data and the second oscillation amplitude data. A non-invasive blood pressure system is also disclosed.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[WRIST-TYPE BLOOD PRESSURE METER]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326391.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A wrist-type blood pressure meter for measuring blood pressure and heart rate of a person and displaying the measurement reading with segmented screens showing numeric figures and graphical plot. It has memory module and fingerprint module allowing more than one user to store and retrieve measurement readings according to time sequence and calculate average readings.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Pressure and Oxygen Saturation Monitoring Devices and Systems]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326390.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Pressure and oxygen saturation monitoring devices and systems are disclosed. The devices, or portions thereof, can be implanted within a subject for monitoring blood pressure and oxygen saturation.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Medical Therapy Device]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326389.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system and a method for synchronizing operation between a patient monitoring device and a patient treatment device are disclosed. The patient monitoring device and the patient treatment device are operatively connected via a network, for example, a patient area network (PAN) or a local area network (LAN). A controller with a display is configured to accept user input via a graphic user interface (GUI) and display a patient's physiological data and operating parameters of both the patient monitoring device and the patient treatment device. The operation is synchronized by starting to operate the patient monitoring device at a predetermined operating state of the patient treatment device, and delaying changes in the operating state of the patient treatment device, until the operation of the monitoring device is concluded or the operating state of the patient treatment device indicates an abort condition.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Systems And Methods For Processing Signals With Repetitive Features]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326388.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting features of a signal. According to embodiments, by transposing segments of a signal, such as segments representing pulses in a PPG signal, such that they are stacked next to each other, various characteristics about the signal may be discerned such as information about repetitive features of the signal. According to an embodiment, from a PPG signal respiration information may be determined about individual breaths, blood pressure changes may be determined, and information about other physiological parameters affecting the PPG signal may be determined.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Electrocardiogram and Respiration Monitoring in Animals]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326387.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An ambulatory animal monitoring system includes a wearable structure constructed to be worn about a body of a non-human animal to be monitored. The system includes a plurality of electrical signal conduits each associated with the wearable structure and each connectable to a different one of a plurality of surface electrode components. The system includes processing and control device adapted to be worn with the wearable structure, the processing and control device comprising a) an ECG monitoring component and b) an impedance level monitoring component that generates data indicative of electrical impedance levels of the animal over time.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Systems and Methods for Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Monitoring]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326386.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to embodiments, systems and methods for non-invasive blood pressure monitoring are disclosed. A sensor or probe may be used to obtain a plethysmograph or photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal from a subject. From the signal, the time difference between two or more characteristic points in the signal may be computed. The time difference may correspond, for example, to the time for a pulse wave to travel a predetermined distance from the senor or probe to a reflection point and back to the sensor or probe. From this time difference, blood pressure measurements may be computed continuously or on a periodic basis.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[OBTAINING OPTICAL TISSUE PROPERTIES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326385.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This application describes a medical device ( 230 ) for obtaining optical tissue properties of a target material. The medical device ( 230 ) comprises an elongated body ( 231 ) having a longitudinal axis ( 232 ) and an optical fiber being integrated within the elongated body ( 231 ). The optical fiber has a second fiber end ( 242, 242 a,  242 b ), which is arranged at a side wall ( 233 ) of the elongated body ( 231 ) and which provides a lateral field of view with respect to the longitudinal axis ( 232 ). According to an embodiment many optical fibers are integrated each having an optical outlet ( 242, 242 a,  242 b ) around the elongated body ( 231 ). Using the outlets ( 242, 242 a,  242 b ) to do diffuse optical tomography and also use optical fibers to do an optical inspection, one can get information on the presence of tumors in a volume around the medical device ( 230 ) and a tissue characterization in the vicinity of the medical device ( 230 ). Thereby, an optical biopsy may be carried out, wherein no real tissue is removed. According to another embodiment an optical detection system is integrated into a real biopsy needle ( 330 ) allowing inspection and taking real biopsy simultaneously.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Device With Integrated Multi-Fiber Optical Probe and Methods of Use]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326384.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Biopsy instruments are integrated with a multi-fiber optical probe adapted to perform diagnostic measurements. In addition to being able to analyze, treat or remove tissue, such integrated devices characterize tissue by measuring the amount of scattering and absorption of light transmitted into the tissue. Each fiberoptic probe has an illuminating fiber that provides a broadband light source for transmission into tissue, and a collecting fiber that collects the light scattered by the tissue and transmits the collected light to a spectrometer. One embodiment is an endoscope-mediated tool with a jaw-type biopsy forceps and a multi-fiber optical probe which is conveyed through a hollow central channel. Another embodiment is an endoscope-mediated tool with a jaw-type biopsy forceps and a plurality of multi-fiber optical probes. Yet another embodiment is an endoscopic polypectomy-type snare catheter with a multi-fiber optical probe located at the tip.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326383.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An apparatus for analyzing a subject including a hyperspectral image module is provided. It is used to identify a suspect region of a subject by using a hyperspectral sensor (for obtaining a hyperspectral image of the subject), a control computer including a processor unit (PU) and a computer readable memory (CRM) (for controlling and is in electronic communication with the sensor), a control software module including instructions stored in the CRM and executed by the PU (for controlling said at least one operating parameter of the sensor), a spectral calibrator module including instructions stored in the CRM and executed by the PU (for applying a wavelength dependent spectral calibration standard constructed for the sensor to a hyperspectral image), and a light source for illuminating the subject. An optional contact probe module is used to collect a signal of the suspect region for medical diagnosis.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326382.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A device for determining a concentration-related quantity of a fluorescent contrast agent applied to an object ( 2 ), in particular a turbid medium. Said device generally comprises a source ( 4 ) of electromagnetic radiation for irradiating the object ( 2 ) at an excitation wavelength and at least one first detecting means ( 6, 7.1, 7.2, . . . , 8 ) for detecting fluorescent electromagnetic radiation emitted by the contrast agent at a fluorescence wavelength, said first detecting means producing fluorescence intensity data (F). The proposed device further comprises at least one second detecting means ( 6, 7.1, 7.2 , . . . ) for detecting electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the object ( 2 ) at the excitation wavelength, said second detecting means producing transmission intensity data (T), and evaluating means ( 10 ) adapted to receive the transmission intensity data and the fluorescence intensity data and to determine said concentration-related quantity of the contrast agent from a ratio (R) of fluorescence intensity data and transmission intensity data.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SYSTEM AND METHOD TO FACILITATE HEALTH EVALUATION AND MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS OF A HUMAN SUBJECT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326381.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method and system to facilitate health evaluation of a human subject using one or more thermal images of the human subject. The thermal images can be converted into electronic data and subjected to signal processing. Spatial distribution of the data can be calculated and determined to provide energy points that can subsequently be compared to and analyzed with pre-determined meridians and vessels to provide a medical diagnosis of the human subject.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Portable Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326380.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Disclosed herein is a portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a body part, a handle coupled to the body part and having a curved shape, and a display unit coupled to the handle. The handle has a curved shape to improve close contact feelings with an operator's palm, so that an operator does not experience palm fatigue even after extended use.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[HIGH FRAME RATE QUANTITATIVE DOPPLER FLOW IMAGING USING UNFOCUSED TRANSMIT BEAMS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326379.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An ultrasound imaging system with pixel oriented processing is provided in which a method of producing a Doppler velocity image is accomplished by emitting unfocused acoustic signals into a medium over substantially an entire field; receiving scattered and reflected ultrasonic signals on a transducer array in response to the emission; processing the received ultrasonic signals to extract information to construct a Doppler velocity signal corresponding to at least one point in the medium; and generating on a display device the Doppler velocity image from the processed Doppler velocity signal. Acquisition sequences and signal processing algorithms are described that provide improved quantification of fluid flow parameters, including improved discrimination between regions of blood flow and tissue. Very high frame rate Spectral Doppler and Vector Doppler acquisition modes for real-time and post-acquisition visualization over a large field of view are described.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Formation Of An Enhanced Elastic Image In An Ultrasound System]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326378.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[There are disclosed embodiments for forming an enhanced elastic image in an ultrasound system. An elastic image of a target object may be formed by scanning N scan lines. A control unit divides the N scan lines into M scan lines groups by using an acquisition period necessary for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals to acquire ultrasound data. An ultrasound data acquiring unit transmits ultrasound signals to a target object and receives the ultrasound signals reflected from the target object at a predetermined transmission/reception sequence for each of the M scan line groups. This forms ultrasound data corresponding to each of the M scan line groups while a pressure is applied to the target object. An elastic image forming unit forms at least one sub elastic image corresponding to each of the M scan line groups based on the ultrasound data. The elastic forming unit sums M sub elastic images corresponding to the respective M scan line groups to thereby form an elastic image of the target object.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326377.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus that can acquire ultrasound image data of an excellent spatial resolution and contrast resolution by electrically controlling focusing points of transmission/reception waves so as to form transmitting beams and receiving beams having a substantially uniform thin beam width along an elevation direction in an object. Transmission ultrasounds emitted from a prescribed number of transducers are focused at a hypothetical point sound source. Transmitting wave-fronts propagated from the point sound source reflect at a plurality of observing points in the propagation area. Reception ultrasounds reflected at the observing points are received through a prescribed number of receiving transducers so as to generate a plurality of channels of receiving signals. The receiving signals are focused by performing receiving phase compensation and summation so that the observing point becomes a reception focusing point. The phase compensated and summed receiving signals are focused by performing wave-front phase compensation and summation in order to correct transmitting delays due to the propagation distances between the transmitting focusing point and the observing points.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING PLACENTAL VOLUME]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326376.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Method and system for determining a volume of a placenta in utero. The placenta in utero may be modeled as having a convex-concave shape (e.g., like that of a portion of a spherical shell). Volume of the placenta may be determined based on the width (or height) and thickness of the placenta, or based on width, height and thickness of the placenta. Placenta size characteristics may be measured using imaging techniques, such as ultrasound. In one aspect of the invention, a volume of a placenta in utero may be compared to the volume of other placentas for similar gestational age, and a determination regarding whether the placenta volume poses a risk to fetal health may be made.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[RECEIVE BEAMFORMER FOR ULTRASOUND]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326375.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method of ultrasound receive beamforming includes receiving a first plurality of sensing signals from target tissue, forming a first plurality of digital sensing signals, and data processing the digital sensing signals along a first plurality of data paths to form a first plurality of delayed and apodized digital sensing signals. Data path combining generates data combinations of the delayed and apodized digital sensing signals to include two or more of the delayed and apodized digital sensing signals that originate from different ones of the transducer elements. The data combinations are interpolation filtered using a plurality of interpolation filters to form a second plurality of delayed and apodized digital sensing signals, which are then summed to form an ultrasound receive beamformed signal. The interpolation filters can be interpolation filters in a single shared filter bank, with each interpolation filter providing a different fractional delay.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Ultrasound observation device and method for controlling operation thereof]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326374.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An ultrasound observation device includes a depth knob and a pulse generator. The depth knob is operated to switch the display depth of an ultrasound image on a monitor. Upon every rotation of the depth knob by a predetermined angle, the pulse generator generates a switching pulse. A control circuit has a waiting time determiner, which determines a waiting time to start signal processing every time the switching pulse is generated. When a subsequent switching pulse is generated within the waiting time, the waiting time determiner calculates an average generation interval of the switching pulses, and determines a new waiting time based on the average generation interval. When the waiting time elapsed without the generation of a subsequent switching pulse, the control circuit recognizes the end of switching operation, and starts a display switching process under the conditions corresponding to the number of the switching pulses generated.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Method for assisting with percutaneous interventions]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326373.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present invention relates to a method for assisting with percutaneous interventions, wherein 2D x-ray images of an object region are recorded before the intervention using a C-arm x-ray system or a robot-based x-ray system at different projection angles and 3D x-ray image data of the object region is reconstructed from the 2D x-ray recordings. One or more 2D or 3D ultrasound images are recorded before and/or during the intervention using an external ultrasound system and registered with the 3D image data. The 2D or 3D ultrasound images are then overlaid with the 3D image data record or a target region segmented therefrom or displayed next to one another in the same perspective. The method allows a puncture or biopsy to be monitored with a low level of radiation.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Compound Imaging with HIFU Transducer and Use of Pseudo 3D Imaging]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326372.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical imaging and therapy applicator is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the medical imaging and therapy applicator is that it can image target tissue of a patient with ultrasound imaging transducers. Another feature of the medical imaging and therapy applicator is that it can display the imaging information and provide therapeutic energy to the target tissue. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy applicator are also covered.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Surgical Probe Apparatus and System]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326371.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions. A hand-held probe includes a detector configured to generate a low-level electrical signal relating to a radiation source proximate the detector, and a probe wireless link configured to transmit a message containing gamma data relating to the low-level electrical signal. An instrumentation console includes a housing, an integral console wireless link within the housing and configured to receive the message transmitted by the probe wireless link, a receiver electrically coupled to the console wireless link to convert the message to corresponding electrical display signals, and a visually perceivable display electrically coupled to the receiver to convert the electrical display signals to a visually perceivable display relating to the amount of radiation detected.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[INTERFACE UNIT FOR USE WITH INJECTORS AND IMAGING SYSTEMS AND RELATED DEVICES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326370.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system for producing a contrast-enhanced medical image of a patient includes a source of a contrast or enhancement medium, a pressurizing unit in fluid connection with the source of contrast or enhancement medium, an energy source operable to apply energy to a region of the patient, an imaging unit providing a visual display of an internal view of the patient based upon a signal resulting from the energy applied to the region of the patient, and a control unit. In an embodiment, the signal is affected by a condition of the contrast or enhancement medium in the patient. To control the procedures, the control unit adjusts the condition of the contrast or enhancement medium in the patient based upon the signal. A communication interface preferably enables information between an injector subsystem and an imaging subsystem.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING THE POSITION OF A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT IN A BODY]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326369.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present invention relates to a method for ascertaining the position of the head of a medical instrument in a vascular system, wherein the instrument can be inserted into the vascular system of a body and describes a path at least partially inside the vascular system, and the position of the instrument head is calculated from structural data, length data and the relative position between a reference point and the vascular system, wherein the instrument is guided past the reference point, the structural data represents the structure of the vascular system, and the length data represents the length of the path between the reference point and the instrument head.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[System and Method For Integrating Electromagnetic Microsensors in Guidewires]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326368.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system and method of integrating electromagnetic microsensors into interventional endovascular devices such as guidewires for tracking guidewires within vessels of a body with the use of a surgical navigation system.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Magnetic resonance imager, method and program which continuously applies steady-state free precession to k-space]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326367.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A magnetic resonance imager for forming images of a moving portion of a patient includes imaging coils. The imager includes a computer that causes the imaging coils to apply continuously steady-state free precession to k-space of a magnetic resonance image series of the patient and acquire the image series, and generates images from the image series. A method for forming images of a moving portion of a patient includes the steps of applying continuously steady-state free precession to k-space of a magnetic resonance image series of a patient. There is the step of acquiring the image series. There is the step of generating images from the image series. A method for forming images of a patient includes the steps of triggering a steady-state free precision imaging sequence to an ECG r wave of cardiac cycles of the patient. There is the step of performing the steady-state free precision imaging sequence with imaging coils of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner such that data for a series of k-space data sets associated with the imaging sequence are acquired in a manner that is time resolved through the cardiac cycle, with data acquired over a number of consecutive cardiac cycles. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium to form an image of a patient with an MRI.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD FOR VISUALLY MONITORING AN IRREVERSIBLE ELECTROPORATION TREATMENT, AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED ELECTROPORATION TREATMENT DEVICE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326366.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[In a method for implementing an irreversible electroporation treatment with an electroporation device having at least two treatment electrodes, magnetic resonance exposures are acquired for visual monitoring of the treatment, and magnetic resonance-compatible electrodes are used as treatment electrodes. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus has an electroporation device integrated therein, so as to be operable by co-use of at least some of the same components that arte used for image data acquisition.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Medical robot for use in a MRI]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326365.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical robot for use inside a magnetic resonance imager includes a horizontal motion assembly, a vertical motion assembly and a controller. The horizontal motion assembly includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the horizontal motion assembly. The vertical motion assembly is operably connected to the horizontal motion assembly and it includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the vertical motion assembly. The controller is operably connected thereto and is adapted to be powered off when the magnetic resonance imager is being used to collect images. A medical instrument assembly is connectable to the medical robot.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MRI compatible robot with calibration phantom and phantom]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326364.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical robot for use inside an MRI includes a horizontal motion assembly, a vertical motion assembly and a controller. The horizontal motion assembly and the vertical assembly each includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the respective horizontal motion assembly and vertical motion assembly. Each motor has a cross section positioned in one of the axial and sagittal plane of the MRI. A medical instrument assembly is operably connectable to one of the moving joint of the vertical motion assembly. The controller is operably connected to the horizontal motion joint and the vertical motion joint and it is adapted to be powered off when the magnetic resonance imager is being used to collect images.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[FUSED IMAGE MODALITIES GUIDANCE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326363.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An improved system and method (i.e. utility) for registration of medical images is provided. The utility registers a previously obtained volume onto an ultrasound volume during an ultrasound procedure to produce a multimodal image. The multimodal image may be used to guide a medical procedure, In one arrangement, the multimodal image includes MRI and/or MRSI information presented in the framework of a TRUS image during a TRUS procedure.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[REGISTRATION OF MULTI-MODALITY IMAGES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326362.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system for generating registered diagnostic images ( 58, 62 ), such as nuclear and magnetic resonance (MR) images, of a subject includes a nuclear imaging device ( 10 ) for generating emission diagnostic images ( 58 ) and optionally also intermediate transmission or emission images ( 56 ). A second imaging device ( 12 ), such as an MR imaging device generates magnetic resonance diagnostic images ( 62 ) and optionally also intermediate images which are more readily registered with images from the nuclear imaging device than the diagnostic MR images. Processing for the images includes a preprocessing portion ( 64 ) for generating a transform for aligning common anatomical structures in images ( 56, 58, 60, 62 ) generated by the nuclear imaging device and the MR imaging device and a diagnostic image registration portion for applying the transform to bring the emission and magnetic resonance diagnostic images into registration ( 58, 62 ).]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Computer aided method and apparatus]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326361.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A computer aided method and apparatus are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes acquiring image data of a scanned location of a subject by performing a nuclear magnetic resonance scan thereon, and displaying via a user interface an image formed by the image data; determining particular feature information by using an image segmentation algorithm to the image, determining the position of an acupotome insertion point according to the particular feature information, and displaying the position of the acupotome insertion point on the image. In at least one embodiment, the present invention can provide to a doctor the image information formed after scanning the scanned location, determine the particular feature information by using the image segmentation algorithm, and determine the position of the acupotome insertion point according to the determined particular feature information, thus providing to the doctor objective evidence for a decision on an acupotome surgical operation plan, thereby improving the accuracy of an acupotome treatment.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE GROWTH POTENTIAL OF CEREBRAL INFARCTS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326360.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The invention relates to a method for automatic estimation of the growth potential of cerebral infarcts, particularly in the acute phase, that is to say in the six hours following survival of the stroke. The method includes sequences of diffusion MRI images are obtained, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) is calculated at a multiplicity of points or voxels of the cortical parenchyma, and locating and delimiting the initial infarct and modelling the development of the infarct based on a growth model.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD OF IN VIVO DETECTION AND/OR DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER USING FLUORESCENCE BASED DNA IMAGE CYTOMETRY]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326359.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The invention relates to a method of determining in vivo in a human or animal subject the amount of nuclear DNA by first localizing cell nuclei of living tissue and subsequently measuring the nuclear UV absorbance using confocal scanning microscopy. The invention relates also to a method for detecting cancerous cells in vivo in a human or animal subject by first identifying the localization of cell nuclei in living tissue and subsequently determining the nuclear UV absorbance by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of diagnosing cancer in a human or animal subject in vivo relying on a combination of identifying the localization of cell nuclei in living tissue and measuring nuclear UV absorbance by laser scanning confocal microscopy.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Non-invasive fast-response biodosimeter]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326358.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Our invention disclosures a biodosimeter and method of measurements a dose of radiation and/or biological-chemical substances absorbed by human or animal body, microbes, plants. The invention describes a multiparametric analysis system to evaluate biochemical and physical patterns related to a range of doses of radiation and/or biological-chemical substances following exposure of human body by radiation and/or biological-chemical substances. In our invention we also propose to use a method of plasmon enhancement by which intrinsic biomolecular targets within human body may increase their fluorescence QY close to unity, especially for the variety of biochemicals. The disclosed robust biodosimeter provides fast-response field applications to normal populations exposed to radiation and/or biological-chemical substances release, and to first-responders evaluating those normal populations.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Method, system, and computer program product for calculating daily weighted averages of glucose measurements (or derived quantities) with time-based weights]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326357.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method and system for calculating daily weighted averages of glucose measurements (or derived quantities) with time-based weights are disclosed. The present invention computes an average daily glucose value using the time based weights based on only consecutive glucose measurements in the plurality of glucose measurements with acceptable time intervals that do not exceed a predefined maximum time interval. The invention further relates to a computer program for implementing the method for calculating daily weighted averages of spot monitoring glucose measurements (or derived quantities) with the time-based weights.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CARDIAC SIGNAL SENSOR CONTROL]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326356.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An optical perfusion sensor may monitor blood oxygen saturation of blood-perfused tissue, which may be referred to as tissue perfusion, until a tissue perfusion value is within a threshold range of a reference value, and, in some examples, for at least a minimum period of time. The tissue perfusion value may indicate an absolute blood oxygen saturation level or a relative change in blood oxygen saturation level. The reference value may be, for example, determined by an optical oxygenation (O2) variation index that indicates a change in blood oxygen saturation of tissue. In some examples, an operation of a cardiac signal sensing module may be controlled based upon detecting a threshold change in tissue perfusion. For example, the cardiac signal sensing module may be activated upon detecting a threshold change in tissue perfusion.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Integrated Test System for Monitoring Bodily Fluids]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326355.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An integrated diagnostic instrument ( 10 ) for analyzing a fluid sample includes a housing ( 12 ), a sensor pack ( 122 ), a disk drive mechanism ( 200 ) and a lancing mechanism ( 16 ). The lancing mechanism includes a lance holder ( 110 ) adapted to removably engage a base of a lance ( 86 ), a plunger ( 66 ) coupled to the lance holder, a shaft ( 70 ) running through a central portion of the plunger, a spring at least partially surrounding the shaft, and a slider ( 90 ) located on a rail on the exterior of the housing.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Noninvasive Sensor Housing]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326354.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A flexible sensor pad includes a cavity to hold a sensor unit with an attached cable. According to one aspect of the present invention, a light-shielding layer is coupled to a bottom surface of the sensor pad, surrounds the sensor unit, and extends past two sides of the sensor pad. A transparent adhesive layer is coupled to the light-shielding layer and extends past two sides of the light-shielding layer. Another light shielding layer is coupled to a top surface of the sensor pad and covers the sensor unit. The cable divides the sensor pad into a first side and a second side which are mirror images of each other.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[PROCESSING AND DETECTING BASELINE CHANGES IN SIGNALS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326353.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to embodiments, systems and methods for detecting the occurrence of events from a signal are provided. A signal processing system may analyze baseline changes and changes in signal characteristics to detect events from a signal. The system may also detect events by analyzing energy parameters and artifacts in a scalogram of the signal. Further, the system may detect events by analyzing both the signal and its corresponding scalogram.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING PARAMETERS OF CARDIAC FUNCTION]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326352.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A device for non-invasively measuring at least one parameter of a cardiac blood vessel in a patient is provided. The device comprises at least one light source that emits light in the 400 nm to 1000 nm wavelength range; at least one photodetector adapted to receive light emitted by the light source and generate an output based on the received light, wherein said light is reflected from or transmitted through tissue of the patient, the output of said photodetector being correlated with a parameter of the blood vessel; and at least one probe for facilitating delivery of light from the light source to an external tissue site on the patient in the proximity of the cardiac blood vessel and receipt of light by the photodetector. A system and methods of monitoring/measuring cardiac parameters utilizing the device and/or system are also provided.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Signal Processing Mirroring Technique]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326351.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Embodiments may include systems and methods capable of processing an original signal by selecting and mirroring portions of the signal to create a new signal for further analysis. In an embodiment, the signal may be a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal and the new signal may be further analyzed using continuous wavelet transforms. Any suitable number of reconstructed new signals may be created from the original signal and scalograms may be derived at least in part from the new signals. Ridges may be extracted from the scalograms of the new signals and secondary scalograms may be further derived from the ridges. A sum along amplitudes technique may be applied to a selected scalogram and may be plotted as a function of the scale of the scalogram. Desired information, such as respiration information within the original signal, may be identified from the plot.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[TISSUE PERFUSION SENSOR CONTROL]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326350.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An optical perfusion sensor may monitor blood oxygen saturation of blood-perfused tissue, which may be referred to as tissue perfusion, until a tissue perfusion value is within a threshold range of a reference value, and, in some examples, for at least a minimum period of time. The tissue perfusion value may indicate an absolute blood oxygen saturation level or a relative change in blood oxygen saturation level. The reference value may be, for example, determined by an oxygen (O2) variation index that indicates a change in blood oxygen saturation of tissue. In some examples, the optical perfusion sensor may be activated upon detecting a cardiac event, such as a cardiac arrhythmia. In addition, in some examples, cardiac signal monitoring may be activated upon detecting a threshold change in tissue perfusion.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Consistent Signal Selection By Signal Segment Selection Techniques]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326349.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to embodiments, techniques for selecting a consistent part of a signal, including a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal, are disclosed. A pulse oximetry system including a sensor or probe may be used to obtain a PPG signal from a subject. Signal peaks may be identified in the PPG signal. Characteristics of the signal peaks, including the amplitude levels of the signal peaks and/or the time-distance between the signal peaks may be used to determine if the PPG signal is consistent. In an embodiment, signal peaks are processed based on a consistency metric, and the processed signal peaks are compared to the consistency metric to determine if the PPG signal is consistent. If the PPG signal is determined to be consistent, the PPG signal may be further analyzed to determine an underlying signal parameter, including, for example, a patient respiration rate. If the PPG signal is determined to be inconsistent, the inconsistent portion of the signal may be removed from the overall signal or otherwise transformed.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD FOR IMPROVED OXYGEN SATURATION ESTIMATION IN THE PRESENCE OF NOISE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326348.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to devices, systems, and methods for estimating a physiological parameter in the presence of noise. For example, the disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to devices, systems, and methods for assessing (erg., estimating, measuring, calculating) oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ). Methods of assessing SpO 2  may include assessing a noise metric associated with motion artifact. In some embodiments, a percentage (e.g., an empirically determined percentage) of a noise metric may be simply added to the SpO 2  estimate to produce a corrected SpO 2  estimate. An oximetry algorithm may include, according to some embodiments, combining multiple internal SpO 2  estimates and associated noise and/or signal quality metrics (e.g., using a radial basis neural network) to produce a modified (e.g., corrected) SpO 2  estimate (e.g., rather than merely selecting the estimate from a finite number of candidates). A modified SpO 2  estimate may include little or no movement-based error.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Synchronous Light Detection Utilizing CMOS/CCD Sensors For Oximetry Sensing]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326347.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This disclosure describes a system and method for measuring a physiological parameter, such as a SpO 2  measurement, generated by a monitoring device having a plurality of sensors. Embodiment described herein disclose a monitoring device, such as a pulse oximeter having an array of sensor elements and an oxygen saturation module configured to calculate an estimated value of oxygen saturation of a patient's blood. This calculation is based on information received from the array of sensor elements.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[OPTICAL PERFUSION SENSOR DETECTOR]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326346.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A reflectance optical perfusion sensor may include at least one light source and a plurality of detector elements arranged in a planar or nonplanar configuration, such as a three-dimensional array. The detector elements may sense light emitted by the at least one light source and reflected by a blood mass of a patient, such as blood within a blood vessel. In some examples, the detector elements may be arranged such that photodetection surfaces of at least two of the detector elements are nonparallel. In addition to or instead of the nonplanar arrangement of detector elements, an optical perfusion sensor may include a detector array including a plurality of detector elements at least partially surrounding a light source. Varying the location and orientations of detector elements may help increase a quantity of light emitted by the at least one light source and reflected toward the optical perfusion sensor by blood.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[RESULT VALIDATION IN NON-INVASIVE CEREBRAL OXYGENATION LEVEL MONITORING]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326345.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Methods, systems, and related computer program products for optically monitoring a chromophore level in a body part of a patient are described. An optical source introduces optical radiation into the body part, and an optical detector receives optical radiation that has propagated through at least a portion of the body part and produces a first signal representative of the received optical radiation. The first signal is processed to produce a chromophore level metric, which is output on a user display, and is further processed to produce a second signal known to exhibit measurably significant timewise fluctuations corresponding to at least one intrinsic physiological oscillation of the patient when the optical source and the optical detector are in proper optical coupling with the body part. An error condition indication is provided if the measurably significant timewise fluctuations are not present in the second signal.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[System and Method for Optical Continuous Detection of an Analyte In Bloodstream]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326344.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method for performing a blood assay includes the steps of positioning an optical biosensor in fluid communication with a blood vessel whereby blood from the blood vessel contacts the biosensor. The biosensor includes at least one material adapted to bind to an analyte. The method also includes the steps of detecting a change in at least one optical property of the biosensor resulting from binding of the at least one material with the analyte and transmitting a continuous signal representative of the change in at least one optical property of the biosensor to a display module to provide real time analysis by a clinician.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[FLUID HANDLING CASSETTE HAVING A SPECTROSCOPIC SAMPLE CELL]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326343.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A fluid handling module is configured for removable engagement with a reusable main fluid handling instrument. The module includes a module housing and a first fluid passageway extending from the module housing. The first fluid passageway has a patient end remote from the housing. The first fluid passageway is configured to provide fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient. A fluid component separator is in fluid communication with the first fluid passageway. The fluid component separator is configured to separate at least one component from a portion of the bodily fluid drawn from the patient. A spectroscopic sample cell is configured to hold at least a portion of the first component.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD, ARRANGEMENT AND SENSOR FOR NON-INVASIVELY MONITORING BLOOD VOLUME OF A SUBJECT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326342.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method, arrangement and sensor for monitoring blood status of a subject are disclosed. In-vivo measurement signals indicative of absorption caused by blood are acquired at a plurality of measurement wavelengths. Based on the in-vivo measurement signals, successive values are determined for a hemoglobin parameter indicative of the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood of the subject and the blood volume status of the subject is monitored based on the successive values. The monitoring may involve determining the absolute value of the blood volume or relative changes in the blood volume. In one embodiment, the absolute value of the blood volume is indicated continuously together with hemoglobin concentration and composition.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[APPARATUS FOR MOTOR TRAINING AND EXERCISE OF THE HUMAN BODY]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326341.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An apparatus ( 1 ) for motor training and exercise of the human body, comprising:
 
     means ( 11 - 21 ) for acquiring biophysiological data and motion parameters related to a voluntary human action, means ( 31 - 40 a ) for processing, storing and summarizing the acquired data and parameters, and means ( 41 - 45 ) for returning at least two feedbacks of information related to the acquired, or acquired and processed, data and parameters, adapted to facilitate correction of the voluntary human action being performed, the information return means being designed to utilize at least one sensory channel.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Patient Monitor Alarm System And Method]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326340.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Provided herein is a patient monitoring alarm escalation system and method, according to embodiments, which may include a medical device configured to measure physiological data received via a patient monitor configured to initiate an alarm in response to predefined measurements of the physiological data. The medical device is configured to communicate with a medical station and escalate an alarm if an alarm acknowledgement mechanism at the medical station is not activated.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CONNECTED HEALTHCARE DEVICES WITH REAL-TIME AND PROACTIVE CAPTURE AND RELAY OF CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326339.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A portable healthcare device is connected to a networked healthcare service to form a connected healthcare system that is configurable to address a particular predicted or emergent healthcare condition or provisioned to address a number of emergent healthcare conditions. A portable sensor detects the predicted or emergent healthcare condition. A two-way communication channel provides instructions to the affected person or those in proximity, takes remote control of the portable healthcare device to deliver a therapeutic intervention, or facilitates a rendezvous with dispatched first responders. A buffered quantity of data that is recorded proactively can be transmitted in order to make a more accurate remote diagnosis. The remote, networked healthcare service can maintain additional information about the device or a person assigned to the device to augment the transmission, including healthcare records, contact information, configuration type of the device including therapeutic capabilities, service billing, facility location of an assigned device, etc.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING GAS COMPONENT DERIVED FROM LIVING BODY AND DISEASE DETERMINATION SUPPORTING APPARATUS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326338.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A method of analyzing a gas component derived from living body, includes: extracting a first gas component from a gas contained in an atmosphere by a first method and removing the extracted first gas component from the gas to defecate the atmosphere; obtaining a mixed gas of the defecated atmosphere and a second gas component from a subject; extracting the first gas component from the mixed gas by a second method; and analyzing the first gas component extracted from the mixed gas. The second method is the same as the first method.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MULTIFUNCTIONAL NANOSCOPY FOR IMAGING CELLS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326337.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Disclosed herein is an apparatus for sensing characteristics of an object. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises an array, wherein the array comprises a plurality of nanoscale hybrid semiconductor/metal devices which are in proximity to an object, each hybrid semiconductor/metal device being configured to produce a voltage in response to a perturbation, wherein the produced voltage is indicative of a characteristic of the object. Any of a variety of nanoscale EXX sensors can be selected as the hybrid semiconductor/metal devices in the array. With such an array, ultra high resolution images of nanoscopic resolution can be generated of objects such as living cells, wherein the images are indicative of a variety of cell biologic processes.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Process for comprehensive surgical assist system by means of a therapy imaging and model management system (TIMMS)]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326336.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This invention provides a process and system for a comprehensive surgical assist system, called a Therapy Imaging and Model Management System (TIMMS), which combines and integrates all of the necessary information and communication technology; workflow analysis, data processing and data synthesis; interactive interfaces between surgeon and mechatronic devices; and, cognitive agents; to provide comprehensive assistance and guidance throughout complex medical and surgical therapies, such as image guided surgery. The components of this invention, which are modular, scalable and may be distributed in location, act synergistically to provide functionality and utility that exceeds the sum of its individual parts.  A method of performing surgery on a patient comprising the step of comparing a chosen patient's data to statistical data in a repository of patient data to develop a patient specific model, wherein the data comprises information from two or more sub databases selected from the group consisting of workflow data, electronic medical records, diagnostic data, biological data, measurement data, anatomical data, physiological data, genetic data, molecular data, imaging data, chemical data, clinical laboratory data, simulated data, coordinate data and surgical result and wherein the patient specific model aids in the preoperative, operative or post operative phase of surgery performed in real time on the patient.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Pulse Oximeter With Wait-Time Indication]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326335.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure provides a system and method for determination and indication of the time remaining before a patient's physical characteristics are displayed on a monitor. The indication may be a numeric count-down, a progress bar, a clock face, an audible signal, or any other time and/or progress indication. The approximate wait-time may be determined, for example, by adding the known, generally fixed durations of characteristic determination processes to the calculated, variable durations of characteristic determination processes. Exemplary processes which may have generally fixed durations include monitor boot-up, sensor validation, and sensor calibration. Exemplary processes which may have variable durations include sensor location determination and pulsation detection. The sum of the pre-determined and calculated durations may be an approximate wait-time, which is indicated to a caregiver via visual or audible display. If a process takes longer than anticipated or an unexpected event occurs, the wait-time indication may be modified to reflect the longer anticipated wait-time.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[HEALTH CONDITION DETECTION, STORAGE, AND PRESENTATION]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326334.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Health-related devices often record and represent health-related information describing a patient in many manners, and the disparities and variance among such representations may interfere with the accuracy of a recorded electronic medical record and with communication among healthcare providers. These aspects of health information representation and communication may be facilitated according to several techniques, such as by storing health information according to a standardized health information hierarchical classification scheme, and by presenting such information to healthcare providers and the user by displaying one or more icons of predominantly pictorial form that describe the health information in a language- and literacy-independent manner. Variations of these techniques relate to the types of devices so presented, the storage of the detected health data with the representation, and the annotation of the data by the individual or healthcare providers that becomes part of the electronic medical record.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[ASSESSING OUTCOMES FOR BREAST CANCER PATIENTS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326333.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This document provides methods and materials related to assessing the likely outcome for mammals (e.g., humans) with cancer (e.g., breast cancer). For example, methods and materials for using the ratio of HOXB13 polypeptide expression to IL-17BR polypeptide expression to determine the likelihood of a breast cancer patient to experience breast cancer relapse or death are provided.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BUTTON PORT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326332.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure relates to a surgical apparatus for positioning within an incision in tissue. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the surgical access apparatus includes an elongated seal member configured to removably receive at least one surgical object, and a deployment member. In another of the present disclosure, the surgical access apparatus includes a housing configured to removably receive at least one surgical object, an elongated member, and at least one filament. A method of percutaneously accessing an underlying surgical work site using the surgical apparatus is also disclosed.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Examination Apparatus]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326331.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An apparatus and method for an examination apparatus that includes a manually movable structure having a first movement from a free state to a compressed state and a second reversing movement from the compressed state to the free state. Also included is a plurality of fingers that are disposed adjacent to the structure. The fingers having a stowed state and an open state, the stowed state having a nested relationship between the fingers to reduce a silhouette profile size. In moving from the stowed state to the open state of the plurality of fingers requires a selected sequential movement of each the fingers to proceed from the nested relationship to the open state that is accommodated by an assemblage for moving the fingers sequentially utilizing the manually operated structure, wherein the fingers are moved from the stowed state to the open state and reversed manually.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[APPARATUS FOR INSERTING A SURGICAL DEVICE AT LEAST PARTIALLY THROUGH A WOUND OPENING]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326330.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An apparatus ( 1 ) for inserting a wound retractor device ( 2 ) at least partially through a wound opening. The apparatus ( 1 ) comprises a conveying device ( 4 ) and a holder element ( 5 ). The conveying device ( 4 ) is insertable at least partially through the wound opening to convey the would retractor device ( 2 ) at least partially through the wound opening. The holder element ( 5 ) holds part of the wound retractor device ( 2 ) in a low-profile configuration. The holder element ( 5 ) is slidable relative to the conveying device ( 4 ) between a holding configuration in which part of the wound retractor device ( 2 ) is held in the low-profile configuration, and a release configuration in which the wound retractor device ( 2 ) is released. As the conveying device ( 4 ) is inserted through the wound opening, the holder element ( 5 ) engages with the external surface of the tissue. In this manner the holder element ( 5 ) is moved from the holding configuration to the release configuration.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BOX FOR ENDOSCOPE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326329.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[In a light source box disposed to project in a predetermined direction from an endoscope operation section and mounting a rear supporting body on a front supporting body, a cylindrical conductive body forming a notch is disposed in a battery storage section of the rear supporting body. On the rotating switch disposed on the rear end of the rear supporting body, an engagement section is mounted which integrates a resilient connector for the battery connection and a switch movable connector disposed up to the inner side face of the battery storage section. The movable connector is placed in an OFF position by displacement to the notch and is placed in an ON position by connect with the side face of the cylindrical conductive body due to rotational operation of the rotating switch.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Protective Cap for Arthroscopic Instruments]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326328.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A protective cap for use on arthroscopic instruments and sheaths disposed over arthroscopic instruments. The cap protects the distal end of the instrument from accidental damage caused by other instruments used during a surgical procedure. The portion of the cap that covers a view port on an arthroscope is transparent in order to allow a user to see through the instrument and through the cap.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[ADAPTER FOR OBJECTIVE LENS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326327.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[High-precision observation is made possible while allowing contact between a distal end of an objective lens and an optical element without damaging the distal end of the objective lens and the optical element even when attaching to and detaching from the distal end of the objective lens. Provided is an objective lens adapter including a fixed member that is fixed to a lens tube of an objective lens, a distal-end member including an optical element that is made to be placed in contact with the distal-end surface of the objective lens, and an elastic member that is disposed between the distal-end member and the fixed member and that urges the optical element in a direction that causes the optical element to contact the distal-end surface of the objective lens.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Endoscope Head Apparatus]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326326.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present invention discloses an endoscope head apparatus comprising a head mechanism, an elastic element, a support portion, a first wire, a second wire and a bilaterally flexible body. The elastic element is connected to the head mechanism and has a first accommodating space therein. The support portion is connected to the elastic element and has a second accommodating space therein. The first wire and the second wire are connected to head mechanism. The bilaterally flexible body is located at the first accommodating space, and connected to the head mechanism and the support portion respectively, and has a first bendable surface and a second bendable surface. The bilaterally flexible body can swing toward the first surface or the second surface by pulling the first wire or the second wire.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MULTIJOINTED BENDING MECHANISM AND MULTIJOINTED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT HAVING MULTIJOINTED BENDING MECHANISM]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326325.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A multijointed bending mechanism having a first bending piece, a second bending piece connected to the first bending piece so as to be rotatable around a first rotation shaft, a third bending piece connected to the second bending piece so as to be rotatable around a second rotation shaft, at least two first wires connected to the first bending piece to rotate the first bending piece and at least two second wires connected to the second bending piece to rotate the second bending piece. The second wires are disposed inwards of the first wires with respect to a vertical direction of the first and second rotation shafts.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING IN MINIMALLY-INVASIVE SURGERY, WHICH CAN POSITION A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT IN RESPONSE TO ORDERS FROM A SURGEON, IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE OPERATING TABLE AND DOES NOT REQUIRE PRE-CALIBRATION OF THE INSERTION POINT]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326324.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Robotic system for assisting in minimally-invasive surgery, which can position a surgical instrument in response to orders from a surgeon, is not attached to the operating table and does not require pre-calibration of the insertion point. The system includes: a manipulator robot having three active degrees of freedom, which is provided with an end actuator having two passive degrees of freedom, said actuator being used to attach a surgical instrument; a robot controller built into the structure thereof, which can perform a method for calculating the movement to be imparted to the carried surgical instrument so that it reaches the desired location without requiring pre-calibration and without the assembly having to be attached to the operating table; and an interface system for ordering the system to perform the desired actions. The assembly comprising the robot, the controller and the interface system is battery operated.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE AND CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE SYSTEM]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326323.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Smooth guiding through the inside of a body cavity is carried out by a magnetic field applied from the outside of the body. The provided capsule medical device ( 1 ) includes a bio-information detecting device ( 5 ) for detecting bio information of the inside of a body cavity; a magnet ( 12 ) for receiving a guidance magnetic field applied from outside the body and generating a driving force; a coil ( 7 ) for receiving a position-detection magnetic field applied from outside the body and generating a position-detection signal; a filter device ( 8 ), connected to the coil ( 7 ), for attenuating an induction signal component which is generated by the guidance magnetic field incident on the coil ( 7 ); and a wireless transmission device ( 10 ) for externally transmitting the position-detection signal which has passed through the filter device ( 8 ) and the bio information which has been detected by the bio-information detecting device ( 5 ).]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH IMAGE REFERENCED CAMERA CONTROL USING PARTITIONABLE ORIENTATIONAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MODES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326322.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical robotic system includes an entry guide with articulatable instruments such as surgical tools and a camera extending out of its distal end. The camera instrument is manipulatable by a camera manipulator, which has a first mechanism for pivoting a focal point of the camera instrument about a pivot of the camera instrument and a second mechanism for positioning the pivot within a three-dimensional space in response to translational commands received from one or a coupled pair of input devices. The system also includes a controller which is configured to receive sensed movement of the input devices, and cause actuation of the first mechanism in response to the sensed movement if the system is in an orientational mode and cause actuation of the second mechanism in response to the sensed movement if the system is in a translational mode.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Miniaturized Imaging Device Including Multiple GRIN Lenses Optically Coupled to Multiple SSIDs]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326321.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A miniaturized imaging device and method of viewing small luminal cavities are described. The imaging device can be used as part of a catheter, and can include at least one solid state imaging device (SSID) including multiple imaging arrays respectively, and multiple graduated refractive index (GRIN) lenses optically coupled to the multiple imaging arrays.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VISUALIZING TISSUE DURING ABLATION PROCEDURES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326320.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Systems for visualizing cardiac tissue during an ablation procedure are provided. In general, the systems include an imaging module configured to measure absorbance data at first and second wavelengths wherein the ratio of these absorbance values identifies the nature of the tissue (e.g., lesion, de novo tissue, etc.). The imaging module can also include a video system having at least two chips with corresponding bandpass filters centered at the first and second target wavelengths. The system can also include a processor and/or video monitor for combining the images produced by the various chips, determining treated and non-treated tissue based on the ratio of absorbance values at the target wavelengths, and displaying images of the treatment area. Methods of visualizing cardiac treatment areas during ablation procedures are also provided herein.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326319.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[An endoscope apparatus includes an accessory including an actuation portion configured to be actuated, an operating unit for operating the actuation portion, an endoscope including an accessory insertion pass wherein the accessory is adapted to be inserted through the accessory insertion pass from a proximal end portion of the accessory insertion pass to a distal end portion of the accessory insertion pass, and projected from and retracted into the distal end portion of the accessory insertion pass, a detecting unit configured to detect a condition of a part of the accessory, which is projected from the distal end portion of the accessory insertion pass, and a control unit configured to control an actuation of the actuation portion by an operation to the operating detecting unit.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM PROVIDING AN AUXILARY VIEW INCLUDING RANGE OF MOTION LIMITATIONS FOR ARTICULATABLE INSTRUMENTS EXTENDING OUT OF A DISTAL END OF AN ENTRY GUIDE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326318.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical robotic system includes an entry guide with surgical tools and a camera extending out of its distal end. To supplement the view provided by an image captured by the camera, an auxiliary view including articulatable arms of the surgical tools and/or camera is generated from sensed or otherwise determined information about their positions and orientations are displayed along with indications of range of motion limitations on a display screen from the perspective of a specified viewing point.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Instrument for intra-uterine transfer via the natural vagino-uterine route]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326317.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Instrument for intra-uterine transfer by the natural vagino-uterine route, including a catheter ( 6 ) including a tube carrying at one end a transfer head ( 8 ), said tube having passing through it a passage for feeding substances, said transfer head ( 8 ) being provided with at least one orifice for substances to be transferred to pass through; characterized in that said transfer head ( 8 ) has an oblong shape having a general orientation in line with that of said tube, with a varying cross section including at least two separate rounded lateral enlargements ( 31, 32 ), no portion of said head ( 8 ) being more prominent laterally than said two enlargements ( 31, 32 ).]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[METHODS OF ASSESSING THE RISK OF REPRODUCTIVE FAILURE BY MEASURING TELOMERE LENGTH]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326316.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The invention features a method of identifying oocytes with a risk of reproductive failure and/or aneuploidy based on a telomere length assay.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR PRODUCTION PROMOTING DEVICE]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326315.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A neurotrophic factor production promoting device is provided, which is able to promote production of a neurotrophic factor or neurotrophic factor-like substance in an affected area by a simple technique that, regardless of the place of treatment, can be performed without transplantation of cells or injection into the affected area, in order to prevent or treat various diseases such as brain diseases. In order to apply a high frequency alternating magnetic field in the range of 20 MHz to 180 MHz, 280 MHz to 600 MHz, or 700 MHz to 1000 MHz to cells at a magnetic flux density of no more than 0.01 Tesla, the neurotrophic factor production promoting device includes a high frequency electromagnetic wave generating means generating a high frequency electromagnetic wave of the abovementioned frequency, in which the magnetic stimulation by the high frequency alternating electromagnetic field of the abovementioned high frequency allows the intracellular concentration of calcium ions to be increased so that exocytosis of the neurotrophic factor group is induced, and the magnetic stimulation allows messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) of the neurotrophic factor group to be increased in the cells so that the synthesis and extracellular release of the neurotrophic factor group are promoted.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BRACHYTHERAPY APPARATUS FOR ASYMMETRICAL BODY CAVITIES]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0326314.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The present disclosure provides a brachytherapy apparatus, system and method that delivers partial breast irradiation treatment for post-lumpectomy patients via introduction of a catheter-like device through a trocar. The apparatus may be introduced post-surgically with local anesthesia under image guidance into the previous excision site and into a cavity by a surgeon. The brachytherapy apparatus includes one or more thin-walled tubes, each of said thin-walled tubes being configured to contain one or more radioactive sources, at least one radiation source configured to deliver a prescribed dose of radiation, a whisk adjuster configured to permit adjustment of each of the one or more thin-walled tubes so that the tubes substantially conform to a size of the body cavity; and an expansion element configured to expand outwardly said one or more thin-walled tubes within the cavity so that the thin-walled tubes substantially conform to a shape and/or size of the body cavity.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Medical emergency alert system and method]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0322513.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A medical emergency reporting system and methodology that utilize a wearable monitoring device to continuously monitor key physiological parameters of a person, and when measurements exceed programmed threshold levels, it will automatically issue a medical emergency alert along with location information to a remote monitoring center via a wireless network and the Internet for immediate local response. This system will also provide manual emergency alert activation, continuous updates with key physiological measurements to the emergency response personnel along with the medical history of the subject as well as redundancy in emergency alert reporting and malfunction diagnosis to assure ultimate accuracy, immediacy and reliability for the person that requires medical assistance.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[PACKAGING SYSTEM]]></title>
            <link>http://www.freepatentsonline.com./y2009/0321287.html</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A system comprising disposable medical devices and a packaging strip comprising a plurality of chambers containing the disposable medical devices. The strip is folded along breadthwise running fold lines to form a series of loops, each loop comprising opposing sections. The opposing sections of at least some of these loops are sealed to each other thus forming chambers between said sections. A cartridge contains such a packaging strip.]]></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST</pubDate>
        </item>
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