US Patent Issued to Intuitive Surgical Operations on Aug. 11 for "Anchored guide tubes for insertion and stabilization of devices in body wall, systems, and methods" (Connecticut Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 12 -- United States Patent no. 12,702,440, issued on Aug. 11, was assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.).

"Anchored guide tubes for insertion and stabilization of devices in body wall, systems, and methods" was invented by Justin Krom (Southington, Conn.) and Ronald G. Litke (Sandy Hook, Conn.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A medical device includes a tube comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a wall extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the tube and surrounding a hollow interior of the tube, and one or more engagement features on the lateral wall. An inflatable member is located at a distal end portion of the tube. The medic...