Abstract: A device and method of closing an incision or puncture in a patient by inserting a vessel plug into the incision or puncture until the distal end of the vessel plug is adjacent to the outer lumen of the blood vessel or target organ so that the vessel plug does not obstruct the flow of fluid through the blood vessel or target organ. The precise positioning of the vessel plug in the incision or puncture is accomplished through the use of a balloon catheter or a cylindrical insertion assembly having a proximal plunger member associated therewith.

Abstract: A device and method of closing an incision or puncture in a patient by inserting a vessel plug into the incision or puncture until the distal end of the vessel plug is adjacent to the outer lumen of the blood vessel or target organ so that the vessel plug does not obstruct the flow of fluid through the blood vessel or target organ. The precise positioning of the vessel plug in the incision or puncture is accomplished through the use of a balloon catheter or a cylindrical insertion assembly having a proximal plunger member associated therewith.

Abstract: A fluid delivery system is disclosed which includes a pump and a fluid delivery set. The fluid delivery set includes a stop cock valve, and the pump includes a valve actuation unit into which the stop cock valve is positioned for operation of the system. The valve actuation unit includes a valve receiving mechanism which requires the valve to be closed in order to be inserted into or removed from the valve actuation unit, thereby preventing accidental free flow of fluid at all times. The fluid delivery set may also include an auxiliary fluid source to allow periodic flushing of the fluid delivery line, and the valve actuation unit can be programmed by the pump to automatically initiate periodic flushing cycles if desired.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a reliable, contamination free, distal end adapter for a suction catheter. The adapter allows the patient to breathe directly therethrough when it is connected to the patient's endotracheal tube for use, and provides an enclosure for preventing exposure of medical personnel to contaminants when withdrawing the catheter from the patient and disconnecting the catheter adapter from the endotracheal tube for disposal.

Abstract: A dressing is described which is preferably constructed of a layer of hydrocolloid material having a downwardly extending lip member thereon that is sized to be received adjacent to a percutaneous device which is at least partially implanted into a patient such that the dressing having a lip member thereon forms a physical barrier to decrease the incidence of catheter tract infections in a patient and the lip member provides a downward extension into the wound to help remove exudate and detritus from the catheter tract and wherein the dressing further includes a mesh layer adjacent to the skin of the patient to minimize the amount of hydrocolloid material remaining on the skin of the patient after use.

Abstract: A signal management system is disclosed which integrates a patient switching box and an amplification unit into a single compact enclosure sufficiently small to reside by the patient table in an operating unit set up for electrophysiology procedures. The system includes a front panel designed to accept standard ECG leads, a plurality of intracardiac leads, including leads available for stimulation and/or lesion generation, and a plurality of pressure channels. The front panel also includes a touch screen display to allow quick assignments of labels to each of the ECG or intracardiac leads and the pressure channels. The system includes an onboard microprocessor which allows any operation performed on the system to be automatically updated on a remote computer processing unit if attached, and vice-versa. Digital signal processors are used in the system to perform switching operations on the electrical signals received, and to perform gain, limiting and/or filtering processes thereon.

Abstract: A single or multiple lumen catheter having one or more non-circular, oval, elliptical or oblong shaped lumens therein and wherein the cross sectional shapes of a plurality of the lumens in the multiple lumen catheters are opposed with respect to each other to minimize the existence of sharp corners or flow restriction areas in the lumen and minimizing the occurrence of septum or catheter wall deflection while maximizing the cross sectional area of the lumens of the catheter.

Abstract: A syringe needle thimble cap and its method of use is shown such that the thimble cap has a porous plastic, hydrophilic core captured within a cylindrical cap member for use with an arterial blood gas syringe barrel and needle assembly. The syringe needle thimble cap has a generally thimble-shaped cap with a proximal opening. The porous plastic core material is positioned within the thimble cap distally to the proximal opening, and the core material is held in place by an inwardly extending ring to prevent its removal. An open or hollow space is created distally to the porous material which is otherwise bounded by the interior surfaces of the thimble cap.

Abstract: A dressing is described which is preferably constructed of a layer of hydrocolloid material having a downwardly extending lip member thereon that is sized to be received adjacent to a percutaneous device which is at least partially implanted into a patient such that the dressing having a lip member thereon forms a physical barrier to decrease the incidence of catheter tract infections in a patient and the lip member provides a downward extension into the wound to help remove exudate and detritus from the catheter tract and wherein the dressing further includes a mesh layer adjacent to the skin of the patient to minimize the amount of hydrocolloid material remaining on the skin of the patient after use.

Abstract: A pneumatic control system for providing pressurized air and vacuum to ophthalmic microsurgical instruments. The pneumatic system is constructed in a drawer assembly to allow it to be readily inserted into or removed from a modularly construct ed cabinet of a microsurgical control console.In addition, the pneumatic system improves upon existing pneumatic control systems by providing a third mode of microscissors operation from a single pneumatic port. The third mode is made possible by a high speed three-way solenoid control valve which provides rapid pulses of air to the pneumatic port.

Abstract: A control system controls a D.C. speed-change motor to change the transmission configurations on a treadmill transmission powered by an A.C. drive motor. The control system may be either microprocessor based or a system of discrete logical pieces. The control system responds to both the current speed of the treadmill belt and the electrical current drawn by the speed-change motor. The control system uses this information to modulate the duty cycle of voltage pulses sent to the D.C. speed-change motor to power the speed-change motor in response to a determination by the control system that the speed-change motor needs to rotate faster or slower to produce a controlled rate of speed change for the treadmill belt. The control system also includes a rapid deceleration system. In response to the user's direction or in response to the condition of the treadmill, the control system sends a high voltage to the D.C.

Abstract: A lancet type device having a movable and retractable lancet tip is disclosed. The lancet tip extends beyond the end of a lancet body. The device includes an actuating mechanism that moves and retracts the sharp distal lancet tip linearly into and out of contact with a patient's skin. The actuating mechanism includes an arm with a substantially "V" shaped groove. In one embodiment, the arm extends away from and pivots around the proximal end of the device. In another embodiment, the arm moves transversely across the device. A cylindrical cam follower protrudes from the lancet body. Contact between the groove and the cam follower moves the cam follower, and consequently the lancet body, in a linear direction along the axis of the lancet body.

Abstract: A surgical fastener is comprised of a center span with two locking arms extending therefrom, each locking arm containing an indentation adapted to receive a locking point and an indentation adapted to receive a locking nub. An inner bendable member extends from the center span terminating in a staple point member, the staple point member terminating in a tissue piercing point. An outer bendable member extends from the staple point member parallel to the inner bendable member, terminating in a locking point and locking nub. In the closed position the locking point of the outer bendable member locks into the indentation in the locking arm, to lock the staple in the closed position. In the open position the locking nub of the outer bendable member locks into the locking nub indentation in the locking arm to hold the staple in the open position.

Abstract: A device for sealing incisions in the body of a patient wherein the device includes a bioabsorbable sealing member having an elongate shaft member and an elastomeric and flexible balloon member. The device may also include a preformed or injectable collagenous material associated therewith to hemostatically seal the incision in the body of the patient. The shaft member may include one or more lumens extending therethrough in flow communication with one or more balloon members thereon to provide a relatively simple device which effectively seals an incision in the body of a patient.

Abstract: An aqueous silicone coating composition containing a reactive siloxane polymer and a non-reactive dimethylpolysiloxane in an aqueous carrier having an effective amount of at least one dispersing agent to disperse the siloxanes throughout the aqueous carrier. Also provided is a method of lubricating substrates by applying an aqueous silicone coating composition to the substrate and curing the silicone thereon, as well as lubricated surgical needles prepared by that method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying a lubricant coating to surgical needles utilizes a belt coating system with two endless belts. The endless belts have confronting running sides and are rotated in opposite directions for feeding the surgical needles therebetween. The needles are fed between the confronting running sides and are pressed lightly between the endless belts, whose surfaces have been wetted with the lubricant solution. The needles are cured after coating.

Abstract: A sleeve which includes a tamper-evident indicator that is securely engagable to a catheter assembly and allows for clear visual indication of whether the connected tubes have been tampered with or the tubes have been disconnected and reconnected. The sleeve comprises a first and second cover portions having a hollow cylindrical shape including barb members attached to the interior surface of the cover portions. A tab connects the two cover portions and is severable from the catheter assembly upon pulling the tab relative to the cover portions, thereby releasing the sleeve. Other than by using the tab, a user cannot release the sleeve without an indication of tampering to the sleeve itself.

Abstract: This invention relates to materials for medical or veterinary use that possess considerably improved properties with regard to friction. The invention also relates to the production of such materials from existing materials that possess suitable bulk properties, but inappropriate frictional properties. This invention also relates to a hydrophilic coating material that provides improved frictional properties.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a fringe pattern having variable parameters. The apparatus includes a light source which directs light to a first beamsplitter which transmits a first portion of the light beam along a first light path and reflects a second portion of the light beam along a second light path. The apparatus is further configured to cause the first and second light paths to converge at a second beamsplitter. A half-wave retarder is provided along the first light path in order to rotate the plane of polarization of the light traveling along the first light path by approximately 90.degree. such that the light traveling along the first and second light paths creates a fringe pattern upon convergence at the second beamsplitter. The apparatus is further configured such that one or more of the contrast, temporal frequency, spatial frequency, and orientation of the fringe pattern can be selectively varied.

Abstract: A CDU hanger mount assembly and hanger is provided. The mount assembly and hanger allows the CDU to be supported by an object for supporting the CDU while the connecting point between the hanger mount and the pivot end of the hanger may be selectively moved from a point midway between the front and back of the CDU top toward the back of the CDU. This allows the CDU to be less displaced from the vertical upon displacing contact with an object such as a bedframe piece. The hanger and hanger mount assembly allows the alignment of the indicia on the CDU with the top surface of the material collected in the CDU to be a more accurate representation of the actual volume of material collected in the CDU. The mount assembly and hanger may also be used with medical devices other than CDUs.