Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
187 pending office actions • 17 art units • 104 examiners • 0 of 187 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 185 patents granted in the last 365 days
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation maintains a large volume of 189 pending office actions primarily within the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area. This portfolio is distributed across 17 distinct art units, reflecting a broad range of mechanical and medical innovations. The prosecution involves 104 distinct examiners, showing a significant scale of interaction with the patent office. This high number of examiners suggests that the company's legal team must manage a wide variety of examiner behaviors and preferences across their 189 pending cases. For a practitioner, this volume requires a robust system for tracking examiner-specific trends to ensure consistency across the portfolio.
GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J serves as the busiest examiner for the company, managing 6 pending office actions. While this is the highest individual count, it represents a small fraction of the 189 total actions. The involvement of 104 distinct examiners across 17 art units indicates that the company's legal strategy must account for a wide variety of examiner behaviors and art unit specificities. With 17 distinct art units in play, the portfolio covers a diverse array of technical subjects within the medical device field, requiring specialized knowledge for each unit's unique requirements. Practitioners should note that the vast majority of cases are handled by unique individuals, necessitating a case-by-case approach.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 38 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. 38 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 | 6 (3%) |
| §103 only | 40 (21%) |
| §102 only | 15 (8%) |
| §112 only | 5 (3%) |
| Double-patenting only | 4 (2%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 12 (6%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 104 (56%) |
| No statute on record | 1 (1%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | 6 | 85.1% | +8.8% |
| FLORES, ADRIAN | 6 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| DUDDEN, TERESA MARIE | 5 | 48.1% | +45.2% |
| BARIA, DINAH N | 5 | 72.9% | +28.4% |
| PRONE, CHRISTOPHER D | 5 | 64.8% | +19.0% |
| HU, ANN M | 4 | 67.8% | +21.5% |
| FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | 4 | 80.0% | +21.9% |
| RIOS, GABRIELLA GISELLE BONO | 4 | 15.4% | +0.0% |
| MATHEW, SEEMA | 4 | 71.5% | +26.0% |
| PATEL, AREN | 4 | 77.6% | +17.2% |
Cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate of 80%+ where the difficulty is Easy or Medium. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18447241 | HIGH STRENGTH CORDS FOR CARDIAC PROCEDURES | FLORES, ADRIAN | 2d overdue |
| 19018270 | PERCUTANEOUS CLIP FOR REPAIRING A HEART VALVE | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | — |
| 18803529 | NATIVE VALVE REPAIR DEVICES AND PROCEDURES | GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | — |
| 18798753 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FORCE REDUCTION IN DELIVERY SYSTEMS | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | — |
| 18744251 | ANTI-THROMBUS PROSTHETIC VALVES | GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | — |
| 18614255 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ALIGNING A COMMISSURE OF A PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE WITH A COMMISSURE OF A NATIVE VALVE | GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | — |
| 18584129 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CRIMPING AND DEVICE PREPARATION | GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | — |
| 18418019 | SENSING HEART VALVE REPAIR DEVICES | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17558395 | HEART VALVE SEALING DEVICES AND DELIVERY DEVICES THEREFOR | RIOS, GABRIELLA GISELLE BONO | 191d overdue |
| 18491649 | NIRS / TISSUE OXIMETRY BASED METHOD TO MEASURE ARTERIAL BLOOD OXYGEN SATURATION FROM PULSATILE HEMOGLOBIN WAVEFORMS | OGLES, MATTHEW ERIC | 43d overdue |
| 18112455 | MEDICAL BALLOON SENSING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD | STIMPERT, PHILIP EARL | 31d overdue |
| 18222923 | PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE HAVING MULTI-LEVEL SEALING MEMBER | GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | 24d overdue |
| 18948838 | SOFT TISSUE ACCESS SUPPORT DEVICES AND METHODS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 9d overdue |
| 18486443 | PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE DELIVERY ASSEMBLIES WITH MULTIPLE LOCATION PRESSURE SENSING | DAVID, SHAUN L | 9d overdue |
| 18434642 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ALIGNING A COMMISSURE OF A PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE WITH A COMMISSURE OF A NATIVE VALVE | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 4d overdue |
| 18352860 | HEART VALVE SEALING DEVICES AND DELIVERY DEVICES THEREFOR | RIOS, GABRIELLA GISELLE BONO | 4d overdue |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18606350 | FLEXIBLE COMMISSURE FRAME | PRONE, CHRISTOPHER D | 12d |
| 18220730 | DILATORS AND SHEATHS WITH EXPANSION FEATURES | BARIA, DINAH N | 28d |
| 17982915 | KINK-RESISTANT EXPANDABLE SHEATH | DUDDEN, TERESA MARIE | 53d |
| 19349704 | EXPANDABLE SHEATH AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME | HU, ANN M | — |
| 19047425 | TETHERED COMPLIANCE-ENHANCEMENT BALLOONS | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | — |
| 19018270 | PERCUTANEOUS CLIP FOR REPAIRING A HEART VALVE | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | — |
| 18798753 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FORCE REDUCTION IN DELIVERY SYSTEMS | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | — |
| 18780203 | PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE HAVING FRAME WITH VARYING STRUT LENGTHS | DUDDEN, TERESA MARIE | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3774 | 59 |
| 3771 | 25 |
| 3783 | 7 |
| 3791 | 6 |
| 3796 | 4 |
| 3736 | 3 |
| 3799 | 3 |
| 3792 | 3 |
| 3781 | 2 |
| 3735 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19349704 | EXPANDABLE SHEATH AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME | HU, ANN M | 3774 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 03, 2025 |
| 19306885 | BLOOD-VESSEL-ANCHORED CARDIAC SENSOR | MERRIAM, AARON ROGERS | 3791 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Aug 21, 2025 |
| 19293867 | FORM FITTING TERMINALLY STERILIZABLE PACKAGING SYSTEMS FOR CATHETERS | THOMAS, KAREEN KAY | 3736 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 07, 2025 |
| 19265102 | TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE STORAGE CONTAINER AND CRIMPING MECHANISM | IMPINK, MOLLIE LLEWELLYN | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 10, 2025 |
| 19263886 | ROTARY FIBROUS MATERIAL APPLICATION TO MEDICAL DEVICES | SCHIFFMAN, BENJAMIN A | — | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 09, 2025 |
| 19217891 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSAORTIC DELIVERY OF A PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE | OU, JING RUI | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 23, 2025 |
| 19194644 | STORAGE JAR ASSEMBLY FOR A PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE | BUI, LUAN KIM | 3736 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 30, 2025 |
| 19190449 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PACKAGING AND PREPARING A PROSTHETIC VALVE DELIVERY SYSTEM | REYNOLDS, STEVEN ALAN | 3736 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 25, 2025 |
| 19177436 | MOTORIZED IMPLANT DELIVERY SYSTEM | KHANDKER, RAIHAN R | 3771 | §103DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 11, 2025 |
| 19176059 | MEDICAL DEVICE PACKAGING CONFIGURABLE FOR DEVICE PREPARATION | PAL, PRINCE | 3735 | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 10, 2025 |
| 19174837 | LOCK AND RELEASE MECHANISMS FOR TRANS-CATHETER IMPLANTABLE DEVICES | LOUIS, RICHARD G | — | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 09, 2025 |
| 19173459 | RIGHT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE | LEVICKY, WILLIAM J | — | §101§102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 08, 2025 |
| 19095774 | SPRING AND COIL DEVICES FOR PAPILLARY MUSCLE APPROXIMATION AND VENTRICLE REMODELING | LYNCH, ROBERT A | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 31, 2025 |
| 19087777 | PURSE-STRING SUTURES | MILLER, SERENITY A | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 24, 2025 |
| 19047425 | TETHERED COMPLIANCE-ENHANCEMENT BALLOONS | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 06, 2025 |
| 19044668 | UNIDIRECTIONAL VALVULAR IMPLANT | LYNCH, ROBERT A | — | §102§103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 04, 2025 |
| 19036626 | STACKED MIRROR TRAY | CAUDILL, JUSTIN REED | 3733 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 24, 2025 |
| 19020029 | PRESSURE-INDUCED MODULATION SYSTEMS | LE, KHOA TAN | 3771 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 14, 2025 |
| 19018270 | PERCUTANEOUS CLIP FOR REPAIRING A HEART VALVE | FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN | 3771 | §112DP | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jan 13, 2025 |
| 19016180 | MEDICAL DEVICE PACKAGING WITH MICROORGANISM RESISTANT CHANNELS | IMPINK, MOLLIE LLEWELLYN | 3799 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jan 10, 2025 |
| 18988463 | PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE DELIVERY APPARATUS | DAVID, SHAUN L | 3771 | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 19, 2024 |
| 18965594 | DOCKING STATIONS FOR TRANSCATHETER VALVES | LOUIS, RICHARD G | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 02, 2024 |
| 18955704 | TRANSECTION PATHWAYS FOR REDUCING PERICARDIAL RESTRAINT | SHOULDERS, ANNIE LEE | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 21, 2024 |
| 18954953 | PERICARDIAL TRANSECTION DEVICE WITH RETRACTABLE CUTTING APPARATUS | LANCASTER, LINDSAY REGAN | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 21, 2024 |
| 18948990 | OUTER SKIRT FOR AN EXPANDABLE PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE | SHI, KATHERINE MENGLIN | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 15, 2024 |
| 18948838 | SOFT TISSUE ACCESS SUPPORT DEVICES AND METHODS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 3771 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 9d overdue | Pending | Nov 15, 2024 |
| 18946456 | PERICARDIAL TRANSECTION DEVICE WITH SUCTION DEVICE | HUPCZEY, JR, RONALD JAMES | — | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Nov 13, 2024 |
| 18943635 | CONTROLLED OPENING OF EXPANDABLE ACCESS SHEATHS | NGUYEN, TUAN VAN | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 11, 2024 |
| 18942285 | COMMISSURE COVER FOR PROSTHETIC VALVE | GABR, MOHAMED GAMIL | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 08, 2024 |
| 18940693 | PERICARDIAL TRANSECTION DEVICE WITH RETRACTABLE CUTTING APPARATUS | FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL | — | §103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 07, 2024 |
| 18940504 | PERICARDICAL TRANSECTION DEVICES AND METHOD | RESTAINO, ANDREW PETER | 3771 | §102§103§112 | Final Rejection | 5d | Pending | Nov 07, 2024 |
| 18912033 | CRIMPING DEVICES FOR PROSTHETIC HEART VALVES | HALL JR, TYRONE VINCENT | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 10, 2024 |
| 18911013 | HANDLE FOR AN IMPLANT DELIVERY APPARATUS | COCHRAN, KARI LEE | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 09, 2024 |
| 18908057 | SENSOR IMPLANT DEVICE WITH STABILIZING APPENDAGE | BERHANU, ETSUB D | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 07, 2024 |
| 18907484 | PROSTHETIC VALVES FOR DEPLOYMENT | LABRANCHE, BROOKE N | — | §102§103Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 05, 2024 |
| 18906445 | DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR A DOCKING DEVICE | LABRANCHE, BROOKE N | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 04, 2024 |
| 18904572 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLINICAL EVENT EVALUATION | LULTSCHIK, WILLIAM G | 3682 | §101§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 02, 2024 |
| 18898337 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SHUNTING AND DEVICE IMPLANTATION | DANG, ANH TIEU | 3771 | §102§103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 26, 2024 |
| 18896523 | STEERABLE CATHETER WITH MULTIPLE PULL WIRES | GABR, MOHAMED GAMIL | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 25, 2024 |
| 18894212 | ADVANCED SHEATH PATTERNS | BYRD, BRIGID K | 3771 | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 24, 2024 |
| 18883921 | DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR A MECHANICALLY EXPANDABLE PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE | RIOS, GABRIELLA GISELLE BONO | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 12, 2024 |
| 18828165 | COLLAPSIBLE COIL ANTENNA | BLASS, PARIS MARIE | 3796 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 09, 2024 |
| 18827056 | FLEXIBLE VALVE ANCHORS | STRANSKY, KATRINA MARIE | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 06, 2024 |
| 18822844 | PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE | TANNER, JOCELIN C | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 03, 2024 |
| 18823351 | DOCKING STATION FOR HEART VALVE PROSTHESIS | LOPEZ, LESLIE ANN | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 03, 2024 |
| 18820788 | MULTI-DIRECTION STEERABLE HANDLES FOR STEERING CATHETERS | DOUBRAVA, JOHN A | — | §102DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 30, 2024 |
| 18821639 | EXPANDABLE ACCESS SHEATHS | LONG, SARAH A | 3771 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 30, 2024 |
| 18815297 | DUAL FRAME SHUNT | RASSAVONG, ERIC | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 26, 2024 |
| 18812877 | EXPANDABLE SHEATH WITH SEGMENTED INNER MEMBER | GABR, MOHAMED GAMIL | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 22, 2024 |
| 18802787 | SHUNT IMPLANT WITH ADJUSTABLE BARREL | WENG, KAI H | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 13, 2024 |
IP Author helps IP teams respond to office actions faster with AI-generated responses, examiner analytics, and prosecution intelligence.
Start Free TrialEdwards Lifesciences Corporation has 187 pending office actions as of October 2026, spread across 17 art units and 104 examiners.
Suzette Jaime J Gherbi has the most, with 6 of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation's pending office actions.
Mostly Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering (USPTO Tech Center 3700), based on where its pending office actions are examined.