493 patents currently held
70 more in force are now held by other companies
Held is read from USPTO's recorded assignments; a transfer never recorded there does not appear.
The next term ends in Mar 2027. from the record
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
73
Ending by 2030
Mar 2027
Next term end
450
Patent families
When these terms end
Held patents by the year their term ends
notable patents
fee due within 90 days
all others
Updated Nov 14, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 14, 2026 and grant & fee data published Nov 10, 2026 (weekly) · how we know
Notable: the highest-ranked patents in this portfolio by citations and family size. Fee due within 90 days: a maintenance fee is due within 90 days of when this page was computed and not yet paid.
Notable patents
Ranked by citations and family size, against patents of the same kind granted the same year. How we rank
Notable
Ends Apr 2028 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Oct 2032 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Apr 2027 · High confidence
Method and Apparatus for Surgical Electrocautery
US 7,803,156
Cited by 339 later US patents, top 1% of utility patents granted in 2010 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2028.
Impedance Mediated Control of Power Delivery for Electrosurgery
US 8,827,992
Cited by 337 later US patents, top 1% of utility patents granted in 2014 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2032.
Surgical Stapler
US 7,473,258
Cited by 641 later US patents, top 1% of utility patents granted in 2009 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2027.
Formerly held, still cited
Notable
Ends Mar 2029 · High confidence
Cited by 1,122 later US patents, top 1% of utility patents granted in 2015 in our data, and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2029.
Also notable
Ends Jun 2029 · High confidence
Cited by 1,817 later US patents, top 1% of utility patents granted in 2013 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2029.
Fee deadlines
Maintenance fees fall due 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant. A missed fee ends a patent at the end of the six month grace period that follows, not on the due date.
- 1 fee due Nov 14, 2026The maintenance fee for Connection Element and Spine Stabilization System (US 10,285,736) comes due Nov 14, 2026. Unpaid by May 14, 2027, it lapses early.
- 5 fees due Dec 2 to 25, 2026 · next Dec 2
- 6 fees due Jan 2 to 30, 2027 · next Jan 2
- 8 fees due Feb 4 to 27, 2027 · next Feb 4
- 8 fees due Mar 3 to 22, 2027 · next Mar 3
- 11 fees due Apr 1 to 30, 2027 · next Apr 1
- 7 fees due May 5 to 24, 2027 · next May 5
- 4 fees due Jun 15 to 17, 2027 · next Jun 15
- 3 fees due Jul 2 to 16, 2027 · next Jul 2
- 11 fees due Aug 4 to 27, 2027 · next Aug 4
- 10 fees due Sep 3 to 29, 2027 · next Sep 3
- 6 fees due Oct 19 to 30, 2027 · next Oct 19
- 2 fees due Nov 7 to 10, 2027 · next Nov 7
Recent changes
- 15 of the patents on this record were granted since Aug 16, 2026
- 6 terms have ended since Aug 16, 2026
What they patent
The 5 largest of its 450 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| Method and Apparatus for Surgical Electrocautery | 6 in force | to Jan 2031 |
| Surgical Hammer | 5 in force | to Oct 2036 |
| Impedance Mediated Power Delivery for Electrosurgery | 4 in force | to Oct 2032 |
| Apparatus for Tissue Cauterization | 4 in force | to Feb 2030 |
| Surgical Stapler | 4 in force | to May 2027 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 8,096,999 | Surgical Instrument held by Aesculap AG & Co. KG In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,473,258 | Surgical Stapler In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,066,720 | Surgical Method for Stapling Tissue In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,641,651 | Devices and Methods for Mobilization of the Uterus In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,753,250 | Surgical Stapler with Splaying Mechanism In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,533,790 | Surgical Stapler In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 9,339,323 | Electrocautery Method and Apparatus In force · Medium confidence | In force | Medium confidence | |
| US 8,079,468 | Surgical Screw Container In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,842,014 | Surgical Sealing Element, Surgical Seal, and Surgical Sealing System In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,783,087 | Surgical Needle and Method of Manufacturing a Surgical Needle In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 493: 70 patents in force now held by others · 257 patents ended · 136 applications pending · 240 applications abandoned. List them
Sources and methods
Compiled from USPTO application file histories, grants and recorded assignments, with the company's own names reviewed by hand. How this record was built
Portfolio grouped automatically from ownership conveyances to the names matched to this company, usually every name that begins with its own, so it counts patents an affiliate holds; each list row names the holder of record. Security interests are excluded and ambiguous records are not reviewed by hand.
Fee due within 90 days marks a patent with a maintenance fee due within 90 days of the date this page was computed and not yet recorded paid, so it can end earlier than the bar shows. A fee left unpaid ends the patent at the close of the six month grace period that follows its due date, not on the due date itself. It is not a prediction that the fee will be missed.
Computed patent terms end on the dates shown. Related patents and pending applications may cover overlapping subject matter.