(19)

(11)

EP 1 601 394 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 22.09.2005 (43) Date of publication: 07.12.2005 Bulletin 2005/49 (21) Application number: 04717924.7 (22) Date of filing: 05.03.2004

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: A61M 5/178 (86) International application number: PCT/US2004/003369 (87) International publication number: WO 2004/080493 (23.09.2004 Gazette 2004/39)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK (30) Priority: 06.03.2003 US 452105 P 05.08.2003 US 492295 P 23.02.2004 US 546178 P (71) Applicant: Erblan Surgical, Inc. Belmont, MA 02478 (US)	(72) Inventor: Blanco, Ernesto, E. Belmont,MA 02478 (US) (74) Representative: Poulin, Gérard  Société BREVATOME 3, rue du Docteur Lancereaux 75008 Paris 75008 Paris (FR)