Abstract: A syringe for administering a medicament having a barrel provided with a needle attachment member to which a needle may be mounted and which is retained by a catch at one end of the barrel, and a plunger which is movable in the barrel to expel medicament through the needle attachment member and needle. The plunger is hollow and contains a vacuum and is provided with a gripping member at one end which closes one end of the plunger and which when the plunger is advanced can engage the needle attachment member to releases its catch and withdraw the needle attachment member and mounted needle into the plunger.

Abstract: An improved self-sealing gasket provides hemostasis while reducing the force required to move a catheter or guidewire positioned within the gasket. Slits formed on one surface of the gasket intersect with a central aperture formed on the opposite face of the gasket. An annular ring formed on the gasket assists in retaining the gasket within a catheter introducer. An annular shelf may be provided distally of the gasket to prevent dislodgement of the gasket if an instrument is inserted into the introducer off axially.

Abstract: A prefilled syringe for one or two component medicaments is based upon the use of a vial containing a medicament or one component of a medicament, the vial having an open bottom closed by a piston. When a flexible extension of the piston is coupled with a tubular plunger, and an adaptor cap having an internal needle and an external connection for a needle is placed over a cap of the vial, the latter is converted into a prefilled syringe. The open bottom of the vial is configured so as not to interfere with handling of the vials by conventional vial sterilizing, filling and capping machinery, and may be formed so as to provide an internal shoulder which will secure a piston retention member.

Abstract: An apparatus for widening a stenosis in a body cavity, such as an artery, in the bile duct, in the ureter, etc. is proposed, which in view of a problem-free, reliable and permanent widening of a stenosis is characterized by a memory alloy part having a cylindrical jacket-shaped outer contour, said part radially widening at a transition temperature, which is above ambient temperature, but below body temperature, while maintaining a cylindrical outer contour and at a temperature below the transition temperature the diameter is smaller than that of the vessel.

Abstract: A medication injector for use with an inlet port having an imperforate closure for a conduit connected to and extending away from a container for liquid intended for intravenous administration includes a boss which carries a cannula with a scarf at one end spaced from the boss. The cannula scarf is adapted to puncture the inlet port closure. An elongated and generally cylindrical sheath is secured to the boss and extends around the cannula and extends beyond the scarf end of the cannula. An outwardly extending annular flange on the sheath prevents the cannula from being inserted into an injection port of a Y-site of an intravenous administration set, yet permits the cannula to be inserted into the inlet port of the i.v. container.

Abstract: Surgical needles are produced from martensitic precipitation-hardening stainless steel and then vacuum heat treated and vacuum cooled to increase its tensile strength while retaining the polished surface of the needle. A needle made by this process is also disclosed.

Abstract: A relief valve for regulating the operation of a surgical suction device comprises a plunger adjustably screwable into a fluid escape channel. A conical tip at the end of the plunger is shaped and dimensioned to progressively obstruct an escape port. Longitudinal grooves along the threaded walls of the plunger provide a passage for the fluid from or toward the escape port.

Abstract: A safety syringe including a generally cylindrical needle body having first and second opposite ends, the first end being open, a needle member extending from the second end of the needle body, a plunger having a central bore and piston secured to an end of the plunger, the plunger and piston being inserted through the first end of the needle body, the piston sealingly engaging an inner surface of the needle body, a stylette having a sharp point, the stylette extending through the needle member, penetrating through and frictionally engaging the piston and extending into the central bore of the plunger, wherein the sharp point of the stylette is normally retracted into the needle member to prevent needle-stick injuries, and extends from the needle member upon applying a biasing force to the piston by depressing the plunger, whereby frictional engagement between the piston and the stylette forces the sharp point to be exposed from the needle member.

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: A blood aspiration assembly for use as a blood access device inserted in a patient's blood vessel for obtaining undiluted blood samples. The assembly includes, in one embodiment, a first tubular portion defining a first internal volume. A distal end of the first segment is coupled to a blood access device and has a blood receiver at the proximal end thereof. The blood receiver permits a separate blood removal device to repetitively access its chamber. A second tubular portion or segment defining a third internal volume is coupled at its distal end to the blood receiver. A reservoir is coupled to the proximal end of the second segment so as to be in selective flow communication with it. The reservoir has a sufficient internal volume to selectively retrieve a volume X of fluid from the second segment, blood receiver, and first segment to insure that undiluted blood is present in the chamber of the blood aspirator.

Abstract: A needle catheter particularly for endovasal use, including a needle-guide or metallic mandrel (1) fitted with an end grip (2), and a catheter (4) with an end casing (5). Between the end grip (2) of the metallic needle (1) and the casing (5) of the catheter (4), there is an extensible element (9), (9') acting as a cover for the metallic needle (1) after its extraction. A tap, a ball or at least one vane is provided for blocking the lumen of the casing, movable from a position where it does not obstruct the lumen (11) of the catheter, to a position where it occludes the lumen.

Abstract: A medical probe for the treatment by radio frequency ablation of a target volume in tissue of a human having a urethral channel extending into the base of a bladder along a longitudinal axis. The probe comprises an elongate probe member having proximal and distal extremities and is sized so that it can be introduced into the urethra. The elongate probe member has a passage extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity. Guide cannulae are mounted in the passage of the elongate probe member and have proximal and distal extremities with the distal extremities of the guide cannulae being in the vicinity of the distal extremity of the elongate probe member. Each of the guide cannulae have a lumen extending therethrough from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity. A radio frequency conductive electrode is disposed in each lumen. An insulating sleeve is coaxially disposed on each radio frequency electrode. A control handle is secured to the proximal extremity of the elongate probe member.

Abstract: The invention is a pre-charged, disposable syringe capable of use by patients. The syringe has a housing with a cover having a central aperture which receives an actuator button. The actuator button extends to an internal piston which is mounted over a medication ampoule. The ampoule has a dependent hypodermic needle which is slidably received in the housing and moves between recessed and projected positions. In its recessed position, the ampoule is totally contained within the housing, and in its projected position, the hypodermic needle projects from the housing. The housing contains an actuator spring, which is compressed and biased to move the piston and the ampoule into its projected position. The medication is discharged from the ampoule by the mechanically coupled piston, or by the release of air from an internal air pressure chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides a one-piece rotator and manifold system and method of operating the same. The system comprises a manifold having an integral stem formed on its proximal end, a O-ring, and a cylindrical outer member. The integral stem has a spigot and a circular flange having a stepped surface which are received in a recess formed in the cylindrical outer member. The O-ring is disposed within the recess and encircles the spigot. During pressurization, the stepped surface is forced axially and radially into the outer cylindrical member and acts to prevent the outer cylindrical member from decoupling from the manifold.

Abstract: An improved intravascular catheter placement device including a hollow needle, an intravascular catheter concentric with said hollow needle, a chamber in communication with said hollow needle wherein the pressure within said chamber is a manually created vacuum pressure. A self-propelling apparatus is also included for moving said catheter into a blood vessel upon sensing penetration of the wall of the blood vessel by the tip of the hollow needle.

Abstract: An intravascular device having an elongated flexible tube sized for insertion into a coronary vessel beyond a distal end of a guide catheter. In use, the flexible tube has its proximal end within a guide catheter and has its distal end extending to a treatment site in a coronary artery. The device also including a push rod attached to a proximal end of the flexible tube to facilitate placement of the flexible tube within the coronary artery requiring treatment. In certain applications, the intravascular device is used as a drug (or other fluid) delivery device or as an aspiration device. In other applications, the intravascular device is used as a guiding means for placement of an angioplasty device, such as a guide wire or a balloon catheter. Additionally, an attachment tube may be provided which is designed to couple with a proximal end of the flexible tube to provide a continuous conduit for aspiration or fluid delivery to a treatment site in a coronary artery.

Abstract: Proposed is a moisture-curable polyurethane resin composition having good storage stability under a moisture-free condition without affecting the curability in the presence of moisture. The composition comprises (a) a polyurethane prepolymer as a reaction product of a polyol compound and a polyisocyanate compound, (b) a catalytic compound to promote curing of the composition and (c) a stabilizer which is trifluoromethane sulfonic acid in a limited amount. The improvement in the storage stability of the composition is particularly remarkable when trifluoromethane sulfonic acid is used in combination with a specific curing catalyst. The composition is useful in the preparation of a surgical casting tape by coating or impregnating a flexible substrate web such as a glass fiber cloth therewith.

Abstract: An integrate-forming silicone balloon catheter suitable for use as a urethral catheter, endotracheal tube, gastrostomy tube, nephrostomy catheter, hematuria catheter, etc. The catheter including a shaft, which defines a drainage lumen and has a longitudinal groove on the outside, a conical tip connected to one end of the shaft, a sheath mounted around the shaft and bonded with the shaft together and disposed in flush with the conical tip, the sheath having a inflatable section without enlarged step and not bonded to the shaft for inflating a balloon, the balloon defining with the shaft a space communicated with the longitudinal groove into which space a solution can be filled to inflate the balloon.

Abstract: Method of enhancing the healing of human wounds by controlling the microenvironment of the wound by sequentially applying to the wound dressings having moisture and oxygen permeabilities appropriate for the healing phases of the wound.

Abstract: A host controller (10) selectively predicts and controls drug concentrations for each of a plurality of channels delivered through multiple drug channels of a multi-channel drug delivery system. The host controller includes a controller (32) that is coupled to each drug channel of the multi-channel drug delivery system to receive actual drug delivery rate information. Delivery of each drug can be selectively separately controlled by a PK model (the same PK model for each channel or different PK models for different channels) to achieve either a desired setpoint for a blood plasma drug concentration or a setpoint for an effect compartment drug concentration. Control of the drug delivery by the PK model can be selectively interrupted during operation of the multi-channel drug delivery system, to switch to a manual mode in order to administer a bolus dose or a continuous infusion, and then, control of drug infusion using the PK model can be subsequently resumed.