European Patent Office

T 0035/99 (Pericardial access/GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY) du 29.09.1999

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
ECLI:EP:BA:1999:T003599.19990929
Date de la décision
29 septembre 1999
Numéro de l'affaire
T 0035/99
Requête en révision de
-
Numéro de la demande
92923107.4
Classe de la CIB
A61M 31/00
Langue de la procédure
Anglais
Distribution
Publiées au Journal officiel de l'OEB (A)
Téléchargement
Décision en anglais
Autres décisions pour cet affaire
-
Résumés pour cette décision
-
Titre de la demande
ACCESSION A L'ESPACE PERICARDIQUE PAR L'INTERMEDIAIRE DE L'AURICULE DROITE
Nom du demandeur
Georgetown University
Nom de l'opposant
-
Chambre
3.2.02
Sommaire

In contrast to procedures whose end result is the death of the living being "under treatment", either deliberately or incidentally (eg the slaughter of animals or methods for measuring biological functions of an animal which comprise the sacrificing of said animal, cf. T 182/90), those physical interventions on the human or animal body which, whatever their specific purpose, give priority to maintaining the life or health of the body on which they are performed, are "in their nature" methods for treatment by surgery within the meaning of Article 52(4) EPC.

The terms "treatment" and "surgery" in Article 52(4) EPC cannot be considered as constituting two distinct requirements for the exclusion provided therein. The exclusion encompasses any surgical activity, irrespective of whether it is carried out alone or in combination with other medical or non-medical measures.

Dispositions juridiques pertinentes
European Patent Convention Art 52(4) 1973
Mots-clés
Method for treatment of the human body by surgery (yes)
Exergue
-

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The appeal is dismissed.