Technologies available for licensing - Medical device

TASMC case No. 103

Inventors
Talma Hendler; Andrey Zhdanov; Ilana Klovatch; Mordehay Medvedovsky; Firas Fahoum

Summary
The proposed invention offers a technology for improving EEG signal readings when performed simultaneously with fMRI. This new interface will enable optimized preparation of epileptic patients for surgery, thereby providing opportunities for a broader range of EEG/fMRI applications

Technology
Electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are two noninvasive neuroimaging techniques with highly complementary characteristics. Combined EEG/fMRI recordings are particularly promising for localizing epileptogenic zones in patients with intractable epilepsy as a part of their pre-surgical evaluation. The MR scanner environment, however, distorts the EEG signals that are recorded simultaneously with fMRI. The main sources of such distortions are gradient artifacts and motion. The proposed device improves EEG quality during simultaneous EEG/fMRI recording and is specifically designed to detect epileptiform activity in EEG signals. It is also expected to be advantageous for broadening the range of EEG/fMRI applications.

Patent Status
Provisional 

TASMC case No. 82

Inventors
Jeffrey M. Hausdorff; Nir Giladi

Summary
Falls among older adults are a major healthcare problem with significant associated costs. During the past three decades, tremendous advances have been made in the understanding of the factors that contribute to loss of balance and falls, however, assessment tools for diagnosis of increased fall risk are hardly optimal while treatment solutions are poor. The present invention presents a novel technology for assessing falls risk, allowing improved diagnosis and medication development for falls prevention.

Technology
Falls are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among older adults and many specific patient populations. Research on falls among the elderly was listed third in the Institute of Medicine's 2009 report to Congress on national priorities for the United States. Much effort has been devoted to the development of methods for evaluating fall risk, but the most common means of quantifying the number of falls remain self-reporting. The proposed invention is a wearable system for automatic identification and quantification of gait and balance disturbances in the home-setting. This Holter-like device will be capable of detecting and monitoring near-falls and other transient losses of balance, as well as of documenting any changes in the examinee’s gait pattern. It will also provide an objective quantitative sensitive marker of fall risk and gait impairment based on real-life performance over relatively short periods of observation.

Patent status
PCT

TASMC case No. 74

Inventor 
Adiel Barak

Summary
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently impacting vision in the affected eye(s) and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. Current treatments for Glaucoma consist mainly of pharmacological solutions while surgical interventions may be indicated when the latter is inefficient. To date, all have yet to offer a sufficient answer due to their many complications or limited efficacy. The present invention is intended to offer superior efficacy together with substantially reduced surgical adverse effects.

Technology
Glaucoma is a potentially blinding group of diseases affecting 2–3% of the United States population. The major known cause of glaucoma is a relative increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). Treatment of glaucoma is currently focused on lowering the IOP, thus preventing progression of visual field loss. First-line treatment is pharmacological, mostly via eye drops. Surgery is recommended when pharmacological treatment fails. There are many types of glaucoma surgeries, and many variations or combinations of those surgeries, which facilitate the escape of excess aqueous humor from the eye to lower the IOP. In all but one of these procedures, the eye is approached from the anterior chamber, and fluid is drained from the eye into the subconjunctival space and from there into the blood circulation via venous drainage. Placing the drainage site close to the ocular surface has several limitations, the most serious of which is an increased risk of intraocular infection. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel shunt device that is placed in a location relatively remote from the ocular surface. We use an approved surgical technique, which had been developed for other indications. The surgical procedure itself is quick, easy to perform and safe.

Patent status
PCT

TASMC case No. 59

Inventors
Dimitry Pevni; Nachman Kudlik

Summary
The present invention presents a novel device and method for repairing mitral valve abnormality replacing the need to perform open-heart surgical procedure with a minimal invasive one. The technology is expected to reduce procedure related complications and broaden possibilities of treating heart valve patients at earlier stages of the disease.

Technology
Mitral valve prolapse is the most prevalent heart valve abnormality, affecting 5-10% of the population worldwide. Individuals with severe mitral regurgitation require a major open-heart surgical procedure that is associated with various difficulties and complications. The proposed device is intended for the treatment of a mitral or tricuspid valve. It requires a minimally invasive surgical approach and not open-heart surgery. This technique has the potential of decreasing the extent of surgical trauma, the number of postoperative complications and the level of postoperative pain. Because of relative simplicity with respect to existing solutions, it will enable more patients to receive treatment for heart valve conditions.

Patent Status
Provisional

TASMC case No. 66

Inventors
Eran Maman

Summary
Oral tracheal intubation is a commonly performed therapeutic intervention in critically ill or wounded patients. Extubations rate in intensive care units is as high as 13.1, are highly risky and may lead to death. The proposed invention involves a novel tube allowing a better fixation for the prevention of unintended extubation.

Technology
Oral tracheal intubation is a commonly performed therapeutic intervention in critically ill or wounded patients. It is considered a lifesaving procedure that is sometimes performed in the battlefield and under difficult and stressful conditions. Maintenance of the airway of intubated patients requires that the tube be firmly fixed in place in order to prevent unintended extubation, which can be a life-threatening occurrence. A well-secured tube is also essential for safe anesthesia and for the prevention of advancement of the tube too deeply into the trachea. Earlier studies have reported a rate of accidental extubations in intensive care units as high as 13.1%, and extubation rates under battlefield conditions are most probably substantially higher. The proposed invention involves a novel technique for tube fixation for the prevention of unintended extubation.

Patent Status
Provisional

TASMC case No. 151

Inventors
Mordechai Himmelfarb; Nachman Kudlik

Summary
The present invention inserts a unique modification into Cochlear Implants to improve long term results and avoid possible health complications resulting from current technologies and method of treatment.

Technology
Cochlear implants (CI) represent a groundbreaking technology externally substituting cochlear function and restoring hearing of deaf patients. The CIs are surgically implanted electronic devices that electrically stimulate the auditory nerve. Cochlear implants are suitable for the majority of hearing impaired people who have an intact auditory nerve and who suffer from profound or total sensoneural hearing loss. In the last few years, patients with residual low-tone hearing are being implanted with a special electro-acoustic device - the hybrid cochlear implant. This device enabling combined acoustic and electric speech processing, resulting in enhanced hearing capability in both quiet and noisy surroundings, and increased enjoyment of music. The success of this device has prompted hearing rehabilitation professionals to expand the use of the hybrid-cochlear implant from adults to the paediatric population. One major problem of this technology is that loss of hearing may occur immediately after the operation. This will result in a need for re-implantation involving an operation with all the known problems of cochlear implantation surgical procedures and especially those of a previously implanted ear. Thus current cochlear implant technology cannot comply with progressive hearing loss or with those who do not respond well enough to the implanted hybrid device or with immediate or delayed hybrid implantation failures. The present invention was developed to circumvent the need for re-operation, thus improving patient's wellness and dramatically reducing health costs.

Patent Status
Provisional 

TASMC case No. 179

Inventors
Talma hendler; Ilana Klovatch; Nathan Intrator; Sivan Kinreih

Summary
The invention presented enables the use of EEG instead of fMRI for Neuro-Feedback (NF). This novel NF device is portable enabling affordable treatment outside of clinical setup.

Technology
Advance NF (Neurofeedback) relies on activating and deactivating specific brain areas, and currently the best way to determine whether those areas are activated or not is with fMRI.  However, fMRI is bulky, expensive and very inconvenient for NF as some patients get anxiety just from being inside the MRI machine, due to the noise and general setup of the MRI data collection.
The proposed invention is aimed at enabling an efficient and accurate NF machine based on EEG measurements only. Such NF, should be much less expensive, portable and easily performed outside of clinical setup.

Patent Status
Provisional