Abstract: A dispenser package for vessel occluding bands used in surgical procedures. A thin rectangular plastic card or sheet is provided with winding notches or grooves along opposed edges thereof, such that one or more bands or strands of elastic material may be wound on the card with the individual turns of the strand being spaced from one another. To keep the elastic band from unraveling from the card, slits are formed on the remaining opposed edges of the card and a tongue slit is formed centrally of the card such that one free end of the band can be retained in one of the edge slits and the other free end is retained in the tongue slit. An outer sleeve of transparent plastic film material is adapted to surround the card with the bands wound thereon to help ensure cleanliness of the bands, while allowing them to be dispensed from the card without removal of the card from the sleeve.

Abstract: A low-cost, disposable electrode for body surface stimulating applications having a backing layer formed from a sheet of foamed plastic material which is generally divided into two halves by a transversely extending fold line. The first half has an opening extending through the thickness dimension thereof and on a surface of the second half is adhesively affixed a flexible, conductive sheet which is so positioned that when the backing layer is folded along the fold line, the flexible conductive sheet fits through the opening formed on the first half. Completing the assembly is a layer of conductive adhesive which is affixed to the undersurface of the foamed plastic layer so as to abut the surface of the flexible conductive sheet exposed through the opening and an electrical lead connected to the flexible conductive sheet.

Abstract: An electronic interface module for use with patient monitoring equipment which allows use of the monitoring equipment at the same time that the patient is being treated through the application to his body of electrical stimulating pulses or the like. Body contacting leads used to pick up physiologically generated impulses from the body of the patient are coupled through a suitable amplifier to a sample and hold circuit. The interface module also includes means for generating a control pulse at the onset of a body stimulating impulse which control pulse persists for a predetermined time greater than the period of the stimulating impulse. This control pulse is also applied to the sample and hold circuit. The output from the sample and hold circuit (which may be analog or digital in nature) is, in turn, coupled through suitable matching circuitry to the patient monitoring equipment.

Abstract: A disposable vascular tourniquet for controlling the constriction of a blood vessel during surgery. The vessel occluder comprises a flexible tubular sheath having a clamping structure disposed at its proximal end. The clamping structure is a unitary molded plastic part which has a tubular base portion adapted to be inserted into the proximal end of the flexible sheath and projecting from this base portion are bifurcated fingers, one of which includes a transversely extending latch portion which is adapted to mate with a recess on the other finger. A retractor or snare having a hook at one end and a ring-type handle at the other end may be inserted between the fingers of the clamp when in its unlatched condition and through the tubular base of the clamp and the sheath so as to extend outwardly from the distal end of the sheath. A cord may be looped around a vessel to be constricted and the ends of the loop are captured in the hook of the retractor.

Abstract: An electronic peripheral nerve stimulator which may be used to monitor the type of neuromuscular blocks present in a patient following the administration of a muscle relaxant drug. An integrated circuit monostable multivibrator or one-shot is coupled to an amplifier and output stage. Plural integrated astable multivibrators are provided which may be selectively employed to trigger the one-shot circuit to thereby produce stimulating impulses of several predetermined repetition rates and duty cycles useful for producing the so-called "twitch" and "tetanus" responses of a patient's digital members. The peripheral nerve stimulator also includes indicating means for the power-on condition of the unit as well as for a low battery charged condition.

Abstract: A charging stand for a rechargeable battery pack having a receptacle for receiving a battery pack to be charged and/or tested and having indicator means for providing a visual indication of the condition of the battery pack. The charging stand is adapted to be connected to the output of a standard AC to DC converter and includes a circuitry for applying a charging current to the battery pack as well as sensing and indicating that charging is in progress and that the battery potential is low or fully charged. A manually operated switch is also provided to permit the testing of the condition of a battery pack. When the pack to be tested is inserted into the receptacle in the test stand and the switch is operated, a battery, which is partially discharged, will result in a "low" indication being given, but if fully charged, a "high" indication will result.

Abstract: A female receptacle for a male pin-type coaxial jack of the type having first and second cylindrical conductive segments coaxially aligned and having ends thereof separated by an insulating segment and having an annular detent notch formed in the endmost conductive segment. The receptacle comprises a conductive sleeve having a generally U-shaped cross-section, the sleeve being of a predetermined length. The sleeve is adapted to be mounted on a printed circuit board which has a pattern of electrical conductors thereon and an aperture formed therethrough inwardly of one side edge of the printed circuit board. The conductive sleeve is connected to the printed circuit board by means of projections which extend through holes drilled in the board and when so mounted, has a first open end proximate the side edge of the board and its opposite open end proximate the edge of the aperture.

Abstract: A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator in which a unijunction transistor relaxation oscillator is used to produce variable frequency, variable width pulses. The relaxation oscillator drives a two stage transistor amplifier and the output therefrom is transformer coupled to a set of output electrodes which are adapted to be placed on the area of a patient to be treated. The amplitude of the signals applied to the patient as well as the rate and duration thereof are controllable so that the patient may adjust the nerve stimulation to suit his particular needs.

Abstract: Transcutaneous nerve stimulating apparatus wherein a portable, battery-operated variable pulse width, variable pulse rate oscillator is coupled through a variable amplitude current amplifying device to a set of electrodes adapted to be positioned upon the skin of a patient in proximity to a pain exhibiting area. The electrical signals or impulses are transmitted through the skin to the underlying nerves and serve to block the pain.