Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
32 pending office actions • 13 art units • 29 examiners • 0 of 32 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 58 patents granted in the last 365 days
Aesculap AG currently manages 29 pending office actions within the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area. These actions are distributed across 13 distinct art units, indicating a variety of specialized medical and mechanical focuses. The prosecution involves 27 distinct examiners, which means that nearly every pending application is being reviewed by a different individual. This distribution across 13 distinct art units suggests that the company's medical device innovations span multiple specialized classifications.
Vi X Nguyen is the busiest examiner for the portfolio, currently overseeing 2 pending office actions. This is a very low concentration relative to the 29 pending office actions total, suggesting a highly decentralized prosecution process. With 27 distinct examiners involved, the company must navigate many different examination styles and preferences. The 13 distinct art units further emphasize the technical breadth of the medical device innovations currently under review. Practitioners should be prepared for varied examiner perspectives across the 27 distinct examiners currently assigned.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 8 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.
Every pending office action with a known statutory deadline, placed on a days-until-due axis. Dots left of Today are overdue; the further right, the more runway. Cases that share a deadline window stack vertically. 8 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date.
Difficulty is derived from the rejection statutes on the most recent pending office action. §101-driven and multi-statute cases are graded Hard; §112-only and obviousness-type double-patenting cases are graded Easy; everything else is Medium. "Unknown" means we have not yet parsed a statute for that office action.
| Bucket | Cases |
|---|---|
| §101 + other | 4 (12%) |
| §103 only | 10 (31%) |
| §102 only | 4 (12%) |
| §112 only | 2 (6%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 12 (38%) |
How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.
Manual office-action response work runs about 10 hours per case. The time-saved bands below show what IP Author's prosecution pipeline typically delivers — a conservative 20% on the low end, 35% in the middle, 50% on the high end.
| Examiner | Apps on this docket | Allow rate | Interview lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGUYEN, VI X | 3 | 85.8% | +13.4% |
| FLORES, ADRIAN | 2 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| RUSHING-TUCKER, CHINYERE J | 1 | 74.8% | +10.7% |
| CIGNA, JACOB JAMES | 1 | 63.8% | +32.4% |
| MCEVOY, THOMAS M | 1 | 70.8% | +35.5% |
| AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL | 1 | 59.2% | +20.9% |
| COBANOGLU, DILEK B | 1 | 33.3% | +27.0% |
| SEBASTIAN, KAITLYN E | 1 | 73.8% | +20.4% |
| GIBSON, ERIC SHANE | 1 | 85.4% | +17.2% |
| BECCIA, CHRISTOPHER J | 1 | 83.5% | +14.0% |
Cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate of 80%+ where the difficulty is Easy or Medium. The top 4 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18348620 | FEMORAL CONDYLE TRIAL IMPLANT | FLORES, ADRIAN | 5d overdue |
| 18916942 | INSTRUMENT FOR KNEE ARTHROPLASTY PROCEDURE | GIBSON, ERIC SHANE | — |
| 18915702 | FEMORAL OFFSET SYSTEM FOR KNEE ARTHROPLASTY PROCEDURE | BECCIA, CHRISTOPHER J | — |
| 18539973 | MODULAR TRIAL IMPLANT SYSTEM | FLORES, ADRIAN | — |
Multi-statute / §101-driven matters, or cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate under 30%. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18563645 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A SPRING UNIT OPTIMISED FOR CLEANING | MENDEZ, KATHERINE H | 153d overdue |
| 18863098 | INTEGRATED THERAPY CHAIN | COBANOGLU, DILEK B | 53d overdue |
| 18901158 | PATELLA CLAMP | BATES, DAVID W | 38d overdue |
| 18914465 | PATELLA HOLDING DEVICE | KAMIKAWA, TRACY L | 30d overdue |
| 18292428 | BENDABLE SHAFT FOR A MEDICAL HAND-HELD INSTRUMENT | MCEVOY, THOMAS M | — |
| 18864358 | TRANSPORT DEVICE AND USE OF SAME FOR TRANSPORTING AT LEAST ONE STERILE-PRODUCT CONTAINER | AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL | — |
| 18863062 | IMPLANT ASSISTANCE METHOD AND IMPLANT ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR OPTIMISED INSERTION OR JOINT REPLACEMENT | SEBASTIAN, KAITLYN E | — |
| 18860079 | IMPLANT FOR FIXING A CRANIAL BONE FLAP IN A CRANIAL OPENING OF AN OSSEOUS SKULL | NGUYEN, VI X | — |
Cases in front of an examiner whose interview lift is 10 percentage points or more — i.e. interviewed cases historically resolve more favorably than non-interviewed ones. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18863098 | INTEGRATED THERAPY CHAIN | COBANOGLU, DILEK B | 53d overdue |
| 19475496 | DEVICE FOR POSITIONING A SCREEN BASKET IN A CONTAINER | RUSHING-TUCKER, CHINYERE J | — |
| 19243573 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT | CIGNA, JACOB JAMES | — |
| 18292428 | BENDABLE SHAFT FOR A MEDICAL HAND-HELD INSTRUMENT | MCEVOY, THOMAS M | — |
| 18864358 | TRANSPORT DEVICE AND USE OF SAME FOR TRANSPORTING AT LEAST ONE STERILE-PRODUCT CONTAINER | AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL | — |
| 18863062 | IMPLANT ASSISTANCE METHOD AND IMPLANT ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR OPTIMISED INSERTION OR JOINT REPLACEMENT | SEBASTIAN, KAITLYN E | — |
| 18860079 | IMPLANT FOR FIXING A CRANIAL BONE FLAP IN A CRANIAL OPENING OF AN OSSEOUS SKULL | NGUYEN, VI X | — |
| 18925237 | AUGMENT FOR A BONE IMPLANT, SET OF AUGMENTS | NGUYEN, VI X | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3774 | 6 |
| 3775 | 4 |
| 3771 | 3 |
| 3792 | 2 |
| 3799 | 2 |
| 3731 | 1 |
| 3726 | 1 |
| 3795 | 1 |
| 3652 | 1 |
| 3687 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19475496 | DEVICE FOR POSITIONING A SCREEN BASKET IN A CONTAINER | RUSHING-TUCKER, CHINYERE J | 3731 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 15, 2025 |
| 19243573 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT | CIGNA, JACOB JAMES | 3726 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 19, 2025 |
| 18292428 | BENDABLE SHAFT FOR A MEDICAL HAND-HELD INSTRUMENT | MCEVOY, THOMAS M | 3795 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 18, 2024 |
| 18864358 | TRANSPORT DEVICE AND USE OF SAME FOR TRANSPORTING AT LEAST ONE STERILE-PRODUCT CONTAINER | AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL | 3652 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 08, 2024 |
| 18863098 | INTEGRATED THERAPY CHAIN | COBANOGLU, DILEK B | 3687 | §101§103 | Final Rejection | 53d overdue | Pending | Nov 05, 2024 |
| 18863062 | IMPLANT ASSISTANCE METHOD AND IMPLANT ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR OPTIMISED INSERTION OR JOINT REPLACEMENT | SEBASTIAN, KAITLYN E | 3792 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 05, 2024 |
| 18860079 | IMPLANT FOR FIXING A CRANIAL BONE FLAP IN A CRANIAL OPENING OF AN OSSEOUS SKULL | NGUYEN, VI X | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 25, 2024 |
| 18925237 | AUGMENT FOR A BONE IMPLANT, SET OF AUGMENTS | NGUYEN, VI X | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 24, 2024 |
| 18916942 | INSTRUMENT FOR KNEE ARTHROPLASTY PROCEDURE | GIBSON, ERIC SHANE | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 16, 2024 |
| 18915702 | FEMORAL OFFSET SYSTEM FOR KNEE ARTHROPLASTY PROCEDURE | BECCIA, CHRISTOPHER J | 3775 | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 15, 2024 |
| 18914465 | PATELLA HOLDING DEVICE | KAMIKAWA, TRACY L | 3775 | §102§103§112 | Final Rejection | 30d overdue | Pending | Oct 14, 2024 |
| 18901158 | PATELLA CLAMP | BATES, DAVID W | 3799 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 38d overdue | Pending | Sep 30, 2024 |
| 18660378 | PROSTHESIS, ESPECIALLY KNEE PROSTHESIS OR HIP STEM PROSTHESIS | COCHRAN, KARI LEE | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 10, 2024 |
| 18294960 | SAFETY DEVICE FOR A NEEDLE AND SAFETY NEEDLE SYSTEM COMPRISING A SAFETY DEVICE | SCHMIDT, EMILY LOUISE | 3783 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 02, 2024 |
| 18418745 | PATELLA-TRACKING FOR DETERMINATION OF ROTATIONAL ALIGNMENT OF "A" TIBIAIMPLANT | COX, THADDEUS B | — | §101§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 22, 2024 |
| 18417133 | AUGMENTATION COMPONENT FOR AN ARTICULAR OR JOINT BONE IMPLANT | SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD | 3774 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jan 19, 2024 |
| 18412928 | MEDICAL SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CHECKING THE COMPATIBILITY OF IMPLANTS AND INSTRUMENTS OF A MEDICAL SYSTEM | BAKKAR, AYA ZIAD | 3796 | §101§102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 15, 2024 |
| 18539973 | MODULAR TRIAL IMPLANT SYSTEM | FLORES, ADRIAN | 3774 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 14, 2023 |
| 18563645 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A SPRING UNIT OPTIMISED FOR CLEANING | MENDEZ, KATHERINE H | 3771 | §102§103§112 | Final Rejection | 153d overdue | Pending | Nov 22, 2023 |
| 18470743 | KNEE JOINT IMPLANT AUGMENTATION AND KNEE JOINT IMPLANT | NGUYEN, VI X | 3771 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 20, 2023 |
| 18460853 | POSTERIOR STABILIZED KNEE PROSTHESIS SYSTEM | PELLEGRINO, BRIAN E | 3799 | §103 | Final Rejection | 13d | Pending | Sep 05, 2023 |
| 18278579 | BONE IMPLANT SYSTEM, BONE IMPLANT, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH A BONE IMPLANT | MANNAN, MIKAIL A | 3774 | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 23, 2023 |
| 18363936 | MEDICAL CHAIN NET | HOBAN, MELISSA A | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 02, 2023 |
| 18355693 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SLIDING SURFACE ELEMENT, SLIDING SURFACE ELEMENT AND KNEE JOINT ENDOPROSTHESIS | GRAHAM, ANDREW D | 1742 | §103 | Final Rejection | 70d | Pending | Jul 20, 2023 |
| 18348620 | FEMORAL CONDYLE TRIAL IMPLANT | FLORES, ADRIAN | 3774 | §103 | Final Rejection | 5d overdue | Pending | Jul 07, 2023 |
| 18347900 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, FEMORAL TRIAL IMPLANT AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM | JONES, DIANA S | 3775 | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jul 06, 2023 |
| 18025632 | FEMORAL STEM OFFSET ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM | WEISS, JESSICA | 3775 | §112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Mar 09, 2023 |
| 18081452 | MEDICAL APPARATUS, METHOD FOR RECORDING A MODEL DATASET, DATA PROCESSING PROGRAM, AND PROGRAM MEMORY MEDIUM | ZHANG, LEI | — | §101§102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 14, 2022 |
| 17985539 | MEDICAL CLIP AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEDICAL IMPLANT | GEIGER, RACHAEL L | 3771 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 11, 2022 |
| 17918028 | BONE IMPLANT | DUDDEN, TERESA MARIE | 3774 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 96d overdue | Pending | Oct 10, 2022 |
| 17625869 | HAND-OPERATED MEDICAL INSTRUMENT WITH APPARATUS FOR DETECTING ACTIVATION CYCLES | MULLINS, JESSICA LYNN | 3792 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 10, 2022 |
| 17470324 | KNEE JOINT ENDOPROSTHESIS APPARATUS AND KNEE JOINT ENDOPROSTHESIS | WOZNICKI, JACQUELINE | 3774 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 09, 2021 |
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