Abstract: A method and apparatus extract a signal component of a measured signal using one of two methods. If the signal component in the measured signal is a periodic signal with a certain well-defined peak-to-peak intensity value, upper and lower envelopes of the measured signal are determined and analyzed to extract said signal component of the measured signal. This signal component can further be used to calculate a desired parameter of the sample. The DC component of the signal is determined as the median value of the upper envelope, and the AC component is determined as the median value of the difference between the upper and lower envelopes. If the signal component of the measured signal is a periodic signal characterized by a specific asymmetric shape, a specific adaptive filtering is applied to the measured signal, resulting in the enhancement of the signal component relative to a noise component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus extract a signal component of a measured signal using one of two methods. If the signal component in the measured signal is a periodic signal with a certain well-defined peak-to-peak intensity value, upper and lower envelopes of the measured signal are determined and analyzed to extract said signal component of the measured signal. This signal component can further be used to calculate a desired parameter of the sample. The DC component of the signal is determined as the median value of the upper envelope, and the AC component is determined as the median value of the difference between the upper and lower envelopes. If the signal component of the measured signal is a periodic signal characterized by a specific asymmetric shape, a specific adaptive filtering is applied to the measured signal, resulting in the enhancement of the signal component relative to a noise component.

Abstract: Disclosed is a brachytherapy seed deployment system, for use in any of a variety of medical procedures such as radiation treatment of the prostate gland. The system includes a number of brachytherapy seed deployment needles, each preloaded with brachytherapy seeds in patterns and activities predetermined for a unique patient. The seeds are contained in transparent tubular sleeves, thereby allowing direct visualization of the brachytherapy seeds and spacers, so that the seed pattern may be inspected at the clinical site. A releasable retainer prevents accidental brachytherapy seed loss. The system additionally includes shipping containers, separately accessible calibration seeds and a display stand for use at the clinical site. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A breast biopsy device is provided which includes a localization needle having a guide wire preloaded into the biopsy device. The device includes a stylet having a blade for transecting and separating healthy tissue on route to the biopsy site. The use of the stylet blade reduces the trauma to healthy breast tissue. The device further includes a cannula blade and a garrote for forming a cut transverse to the core cut by the cannula blade. A lockout feature prevents the garrote from deploying until after a cutting plane of the garrote has been advanced beyond the end of the guide wire.

Abstract: Objective lenses for endoscopes are made substantially of sapphire. The high refractive index of sapphire results in optical components with shallower curvatures, leading to smaller geometric aberrations, and consequently, fewer components are required to correct for these aberrations. Chromatic aberrations are less severe because of sapphire's low dispersion. The objectives may be either of the landscape or retrofocus type, and are compact with moderate field of view, low f-number, and less distortion than most conventional designs.

Abstract: A medical device for deploying surgical fabric at an operative site within a body cavity of a patient. The device includes a deploying member in the form of an elongated inserter shaft with a supporting member in the form of a sheet of plastic attached to a distal end of the shaft. A sheet of surgical fabric is placed on the supporting member and rolled around the inserter shaft. An introducer tube surrounds the rolled-up fabric and supporting member to prevent them from unrolling. The introducer tube may then be inserted into the body cavity and retracted to allow the supporting member to self-unwind the fabric sheet within the body cavity. The device may also provide for irrigation of the surgical site.

Abstract: An intubation device comprises an imaging conduit including an illumination conduit for delivering illumination to a distal end of the device and an image-receiving conduit for communicating images from the distal end of the device to the proximal end of the device. The device also comprises a flushing conduit for delivery of fluids and/or gases to the distal end of the device. The image conduit and the flushing conduit are attached at the distal end of the device. The distal end of the device can be manipulated by advancing the imaging conduit in an axial direction while maintaining the flushing conduit fixed in place. Furthermore, a length adjustment member is provided for adjusting the extent to which the distal end of the device extends beyond a distal end of an endotracheal tube which is inserted over the imaging and flushing conduits. The illuminating conduit and the image-receiving conduit terminate in separate ports at the distal end of the device.

Abstract: An introducer is shown and described which includes a number of unique and useful features designed to improve the process of obtaining access to a bodily cavity for the purpose of performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, particularly laparoscopic procedures. These features include, among others, a sharpened cannula distal end, in order to assist entry of the introducer through the tissue barrier into the bodily cavity, a substantially transparent support disk so that visual access to the insertion site is maintained at all times, a septum seal designed to sealingly receive instruments having a cross-sectional dimension of 2.2 mm or less, an improved anchoring device which is simply and manually actuated and is of an advantageous three-slit design, and a simple, side-mounted gas insufflation port, usable at all times during the procedure and adapted for connection to gas tubing fitted with a pinch clamp for easy control of the gas flow.