US Patent Issued to Covidien on April 8 for "Rail system for use with a bronchoscope" (Maryland, Colorado, Minnesota Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 9 -- United States Patent no. 12,268,364, issued on April 8, was assigned to Covidien LP (Mansfield, Mass.).

"Rail system for use with a bronchoscope" was invented by William S. Krimsky (Forest Hill, Md.), William J. Dickhans (Longmont, Colo.) and Joshua B. Stopek (Minneapolis).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A surgical system includes a bronchoscope, an extended working channel defining an elongated passageway and adapted to extend through the bronchoscope, and a valve in fluid communication with the passageway of the extended working channel. The surgical system further includes an elongated surgical instrument configured and dimensioned to be inserted through the exten...