Abstract: Disclosed are surgical drains for use in surgical wounds. The drains are placed in the wound in the body and draw in unwanted bodily material. The drains can be of any shape, but preferably have a generally circular cross section or include a generally flat top surface, a generally flat bottom-surface and two sides connecting the top surface and bottom surface. The drain has an outer surface, two ends, a length and an interior lumen that may extend substantially along the length. At least one row of openings is formed in the outer surface along the longitudinal axis. The openings in a single row may comprise large cross-sectional openings alternating with small cross-sectional openings. If a plurality of rows are utilized, the small cross-sectional openings may not be included. It is preferred that the large cross-sectional openings in one row be offset, or staggered, from the large cross-sectional openings in a neighboring row.

Abstract: Disclosed is a race guide wire containment and dispensing system comprising an outer housing and an inner housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vascular sheath for helping to prevent bleeding during procedures in which devices must be inserted into a blood vessel such as an artery or vein. The vascular sheath includes at least one manually compressible primary seal that has a lumen passing therethrough. A device inserted into the blood vessel first passes through the sheath, and thus through the lumen in the primary seal. By manually adjusting the compression of the primary seal the size of at least part of the lumen is made to substantially conform to the outer surface of the device. The primary seal can thus seal against large and small sized devices to prevent bleeding. It is preferred that a secondary seal also be used and one type of secondary seal is a flexible disk or flap with one or more slits through which the device passes.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a circular, coiled wire containment/dispenser system that is designed to simplify production methods and reduce production costs, and, because it is ergonomically designed, is easier to use with respect to the user. The circular body is preferably made of a single circle of semitransparent plastic, which contains one or more spiral grooves closed by a matching, clip-on lid. There are preferably lateral and medial ramps or bumps on both sides of the spirals. These ramps deflect the wires toward the center of the spiral. Thus a large percentage of the surface of the wires are not touching the walls of the containment system and touch only the apexes of the medial and lateral ramps or bumps. By this method, friction is greatly reduced allowing efficient wire extraction and loading.

Abstract: The invention is a medical guide wire containment and dispensing device. The device is of unitary construction and defines a single, generally annular opening that receives the guide wire. Preferably, the device includes a mount for retaining a guide-wire torque device.

Abstract: A device for gripping a guide wire includes a body portion having an opening therethrough, and has an open position and a closed position. When the device is in the open position the guide wire may be passed through the opening. When the device is in the closed position the guide wire is gripped at more than one location thereby allowing force or torque to be applied to the guide wire. A device according to the invention may optionally, or instead, include (a) a snout to act as a guide wire director, (b) a structure, such as an opening, configured to receive an end of a guide wire package, (c) a structure for securing a body member to the device, and/or (d) a mechanism for advancing or retracting a guide wire. If the device includes one of these optional features, it need not be designed to grip a guide wire at two or more locations.