Changes
The number of ureteral stents used in patients with stones 2 cm or less treated with ESWL is significant in spite of the lack scientific evidence in support of this practice. Of 1,029 urologists returning surveys, for patients with renal pelvic stones 10, 15 or 20 rnm treated with ESWL, routine stent placement was preferred by 25.3%, 57.1 % and 87.1 %, respectively. Urologists recommend using ureteroscopy rather than ESWL for distal ureteral calculi 5-1 0 mm.
=== Intellectual property ===
==== Search strategy ====
* Databases searched: US-G, US-A, EP-A, EP-B, WO, JP, DE, GB, FR
* Search scope: Title, Abstract or Claims
* Years: 1981-July 2008
* Search query: (ureter* OR urether* OR ureth* OR uretr*) AND (stent*) AND (*microb* OR *bacter*)
* Results: '''177 patents (82 unique patent families)'''
==== Sample patents ====
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|- style="background:lightgrey"
!align = "center" bgcolor = "#00CCFF"|Patent
!bgcolor = "#00CCFF"|Assignee
!bgcolor = "#00CCFF"|Title
!bgcolor = "#00CCFF"|Abstract
|-
![http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6468649.PN.&OS=PN/6468649&RS=PN/6468649 US6468649 B1]
| SCIMED LIFE SYSTEMS INC
| Antimicrobial adhesion surface
| The present invention provides an implantable medical device having a substrate with a hydrophilic coating composition to limit in vivo colonization of bacteria and fungi. The hydrophilic coating composition includes a hydrophilic polymer with a molecular weight in the range from about 100, 000 to about 15 million selected from copolymers acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, isocrotonic acid and combinations thereof.
|-
![http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5554147.PN.&OS=PN/5554147&RS=PN/5554147 US5554147 A]
| CApHCO, Inc.
| Compositions and devices for controlled release of active ingredients
| A method for the controlled release of a biologically active agent wherein the agent is released from a hydrophobic, pH-sensitive polymer matrix is disclosed and claimed. The polymer matrix swells when the environment reaches pH 8.5, releasing the active agent. A polymer of hydrophobic and weakly acidic comonomers is disclosed for use in the controlled release system. Further disclosed is a specific embodiment in which the controlled release system may be used. The pH-sensitive polymer is coated onto a latex catheter used in ureteral catheterization. A common problem with catheterized patients is the infection of the urinary tract with urease-producing bacteria. In addition to the irritation caused by the presence of the bacteria, urease produced by these bacteria degrade urea in the urine, forming carbon dioxide and ammonia. The ammonia causes an increase in the pH of the urine. Minerals in the urine begin to precipitate at this high pH, forming encrustations which complicate the functioning of the catheter. A ureteral catheter coated with a pH-sensitive polymer having an antibiotic or urease inhibitor trapped within its matrix will release the active agent when exposed to the high pH urine as the polymer gel swells. Such release can be made slow enough so that the drug remains at significant levels for a clinically useful period of time.
|-
![http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220030153983%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20030153983&RS=DN/20030153983 US20030153983 A1]
| SCIMED LIFE SYSTEMS INC
|Implantable or insertable medical device resistant to microbial growth and biofilm formation
| Disclosed are implantable or insertable medical devices that provide resistance to microbial growth on and in the environment of the device and resistance to microbial adhesion and biofilm formation on the device. In particular, the invention discloses implantable or insertable medical devices that comprise at least one biocompatible matrix polymer region, an antimicrobial agent for providing resistance to microbial growth and a microbial adhesion/biofilm synthesis inhibitor for inhibiting the attachment of microbes and the synthesis and accumulation of biofilm on the surface of the medical device. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing such devices under conditions that substantially prevent preferential partitioning of any of said bioactive agents to a surface of the biocompatible matrix polymer and substantially prevent chemical modification of said bioactive agents
|-
|}
==Market Analysis==
[[Media:Detailed calculation workbook.xls|'''Detailed model workbook''']]
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