Karl Sung Jin Im from Irvine, CA, age 63

Us Patents

Methods And Devices For Catheter Advancement And Delivery Of Substances Therethrough
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US Patent:

8388680, Mar 5, 2013
Filed:

Oct 18, 2006
Appl. No.:

11/583627
Inventors:

Niel F. Starksen - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Karl S. Im - Palo Alto CA, US
Mariel Fabro - San Jose CA, US
Eugene Serina - Union City CA, US
Anne T. Meier - Santa Clara CA, US
Assignee:

Guided Delivery Systems, Inc. - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:

A61F 2/24
A61M 31/00
US Classification:

623 211, 604508, 604510
Abstract:

Methods and devices for successively advancing a plurality of catheters over a guide element to a body tissue are described. In some of the methods, the guide element may be attached to the body tissue, which may be accessible minimally invasively. In certain variations, the guide element may not be detached from the body tissue after the catheters have been advanced over the guide element. The methods may further comprise deploying at least one implant from at least one of the plurality of catheters. In some variations, a method may comprise advancing a first delivery catheter to a first region of a body tissue, deploying a first anchor from the first delivery catheter, where the first anchor is attached to a guide element, proximally withdrawing the first delivery catheter, advancing a second delivery catheter over the guide element, and deploying a second anchor from the second delivery catheter.

Balloon Centered Radially Expanding Ablation Device
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US Patent:

20040243124, Dec 2, 2004
Filed:

May 27, 2004
Appl. No.:

10/855656
Inventors:

Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
John To - Newark CA, US
Roger Perkins - Sunnyvale CA, US
International Classification:

A61B018/14
US Classification:

606/041000
Abstract:

A device and associated method for performing ablation procedures on anatomical structures accessible from within the chambers of the heart to form lesions that electrically isolate the tissue.

Devices And Methods For Anchoring Tissue
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US Patent:

20050273138, Dec 8, 2005
Filed:

Aug 11, 2005
Appl. No.:

11/202474
Inventors:

John To - Newark CA, US
Niel Starksen - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Mariel Fabro - Mountain View CA, US
Nathan Pliam - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
Assignee:

Guided Delivery Systems, Inc. - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:

A61B017/08
US Classification:

606219000
Abstract:

Anchors, anchoring systems, anchor delivery devices, and method of using anchors are described. An anchor may be a flexible anchor having two curved legs that cross in a single turning direction to form a loop, wherein the legs are adapted to penetrate tissue. The ends of the curved legs may be blunt or sharp. The anchor can assume different configurations such as a deployed configuration and a delivery configuration, and the anchor may switch between these different configurations. In operation, the anchor may be inserted into tissue by releasing the anchor from a delivery configuration so that the anchor self-expands into the deployed configuration, so that the legs of the anchor may penetrate the tissue in a curved pathway.

Methods And Devices For Deployment Of Tissue Anchors
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US Patent:

20070055206, Mar 8, 2007
Filed:

Aug 10, 2005
Appl. No.:

11/201949
Inventors:

John To - Newark CA, US
Mariel Fabro - San Jose CA, US
Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
Assignee:

Guided Delivery Systems, Inc. - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:

A61M 5/00
US Classification:

604191000
Abstract:

Described here are devices, methods, and kits for deployment of tissue anchors. In some variations, the devices described here comprise a shaft defining a lumen for housing at least one anchor therein (the anchor having an eyelet) and a mechanism for deploying the anchor distally from the lumen, wherein the inner diameter of the lumen is the same size or smaller than the diameter of the eyelet of the anchor to be disposed therein when the anchor is in an expanded configuration. In some variations, the methods comprise loading an anchor within a lumen of a shaft (where the anchor comprises an eyelet and the shaft has a slot therethrough), passing a linking member through the slot and through the eyelet of the anchor, and deploying the anchor. Other methods comprise loading an anchor within a lumen of a shaft, and deploying the anchor distally from the lumen.

Devices And Methods For Anchoring Tissue
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US Patent:

20080045982, Feb 21, 2008
Filed:

Aug 20, 2007
Appl. No.:

11/894368
Inventors:

John To - Newark CA, US
Niel Starksen - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Mariel Fabro - San Jose CA, US
Nathan Pliam - Los Altos CA, US
Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
International Classification:

A61B 17/08
US Classification:

606151000, 606219000
Abstract:

Anchors, anchoring systems, anchor delivery devices, and method of using anchors are described. An anchor may be a flexible anchor having two curved legs that cross in a single turning direction to form a loop, wherein the legs are adapted to penetrate tissue. The ends of the curved legs may be blunt or sharp. The anchor can assume different configurations such as a deployed configuration and a delivery configuration, and the anchor may switch between these different configurations. In operation, the anchor may be inserted into tissue by releasing the anchor from a delivery configuration so that the anchor self-expands into the deployed configuration, so that the legs of the anchor may penetrate the tissue in a curved pathway.

Devices And Methods For Anchoring Tissue
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US Patent:

20080045983, Feb 21, 2008
Filed:

Aug 20, 2007
Appl. No.:

11/894397
Inventors:

John To - Newark CA, US
Niel Starksen - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Mariel Fabro - San Jose CA, US
Nathan Pliam - Los Altos CA, US
Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
International Classification:

A61B 17/122
US Classification:

606151000
Abstract:

Anchors, anchoring systems, anchor delivery devices, and method of using anchors are described. An anchor may be a flexible anchor having two curved legs that cross in a single turning direction to form a loop, wherein the legs are adapted to penetrate tissue. The ends of the curved legs may be blunt or sharp. The anchor can assume different configurations such as a deployed configuration and a delivery configuration, and the anchor may switch between these different configurations. In operation, the anchor may be inserted into tissue by releasing the anchor from a delivery configuration so that the anchor self-expands into the deployed configuration, so that the legs of the anchor may penetrate the tissue in a curved pathway.

Devices And Methods For Anchoring Tissue
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US Patent:

20080051810, Feb 28, 2008
Filed:

Aug 20, 2007
Appl. No.:

11/894463
Inventors:

John To - Newark CA, US
Niel Starksen - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Mariel Fabro - San Jose CA, US
Nathan Pliam - Los Altos CA, US
Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
International Classification:

A61B 17/08
US Classification:

606151000
Abstract:

Anchors, anchoring systems, anchor delivery devices, and method of using anchors are described. An anchor may be a flexible anchor having two curved legs that cross in a single turning direction to form a loop, wherein the legs are adapted to penetrate tissue. The ends of the curved legs may be blunt or sharp. The anchor can assume different configurations such as a deployed configuration and a delivery configuration, and the anchor may switch between these different configurations. In operation, the anchor may be inserted into tissue by releasing the anchor from a delivery configuration so that the anchor self-expands into the deployed configuration, so that the legs of the anchor may penetrate the tissue in a curved pathway.

Devices And Methods For Anchoring Tissue
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US Patent:

20080051832, Feb 28, 2008
Filed:

Aug 20, 2007
Appl. No.:

11/894468
Inventors:

John To - Newark CA, US
Niel Starksen - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Mariel Fabro - San Jose CA, US
Nathan Pliam - Los Altos CA, US
Karl Im - San Jose CA, US
International Classification:

A61B 17/064
US Classification:

606219000
Abstract:

Anchors, anchoring systems, anchor delivery devices, and method of using anchors are described. An anchor may be a flexible anchor having two curved legs that cross in a single turning direction to form a loop, wherein the legs are adapted to penetrate tissue. The ends of the curved legs may be blunt or sharp. The anchor can assume different configurations such as a deployed configuration and a delivery configuration, and the anchor may switch between these different configurations. In operation, the anchor may be inserted into tissue by releasing the anchor from a delivery configuration so that the anchor self-expands into the deployed configuration, so that the legs of the anchor may penetrate the tissue in a curved pathway.