Abstract: A sealable external access catheter including a portion implanted in the body of the patient, a fixation or anchoring sleeve extending through the skin, and a portion located outside the patient and provided as its free end with a self-sealing septum made of a material which is repeatably and sealably pierceable by an infusion instrument. The septum may include two fins forming a flat base enabling it to be easily attached to the patient's skin. The catheter is provided with a sealing plug whereby any danger of infection is avoided.

Abstract: Treating a patient by collecting a bodily sample from deep within the body of a patient and collecting the sample outside the body to facilitate treatment of the patient. A sampling probe is provided in the form of an elongate catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located within the body. The distal portion includes a polymer on its outer surface capable of receiving a substantial amount of bodily sample. The catheter is positioned within the body and the sample is taken by exposing the polymer by placing it in proximity within a desired location so that said bodily sample is received by the polymer. The catheter is removed from the patient and the sample is collected outside the body.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ampule safety syringe which before and after use protects the needle from exposure. A syringe and ampule combination comprising: (a) an elongated plunger with a thumb press thereon; (b) a finger grip with an opening therein for slidably receiving therethrough the elongated plunger; the finger grip releasably engaging a first end of an ampule; (c) a hollow cylindrical ampule releasably affixed to the finger grip; (d) a plunger moveable piston located and slidably held in the interior of the hollow cylindrical ampule, the piston reciprocating along the longitudinal axis within the interior of the hollow cylindrical ampule; (e) an ampule cap affixed to a second end of the ampule; (f) a hollow needle with first and second pointed ends and having a needle hub between the first and second pointed ends; and (g) a fitting for enabling the needle hub to be releasably affixed to the ampule and cap.

Abstract: A device is proposed for inserting hemostatic material through a tissue channel and against the outside wall of a blood vessel of a patient, wherein the blood vessel wall has a puncture therein adjacent the tissue channel. The device includes a charge of hemostatic material and a hollow sheath adapted to pass through the tissue channel, the sheath having a cross sectional profile larger than the puncture. The device places the hemostatic material in the hollow sheath and advances the hemostatic material through the sheath to the outside of the vessel wall around the puncture.

Abstract: A safety injection device, such as a hypodermic needle, for dispensing liquid from a cartridge in quantities determined by the length of a plunger which may be selectively adjusted in one position only of the plunger. The plunger comprises first and second threadedly connected sections cooperating with a connector which may be selectively activated when the plunger is moved into the one position to permit rotation of one plunger section relative to the other. Preferably, the adjustment position of the plunger coincides with its positions assumed in preparation of an injection stroke, with the connector preferably providing for undirectional rotation of the one plunger section.

Abstract: An angiographic catheter has a relatively stiff though flexible shaft and a soft tip. The soft tip consists primarily of a tungsten loaded polyether block amide (PEBA) copolymer surrounded by two thin PEBA layers. This three ply radiopaque tip is bonded to a PEBA shaft. The shaft is reinforced either by a inner nylon ply or by metal braiding.

Abstract: A medication delivery pen is provided having a pen body assembly and a cartridge assembly that are threadedly engageable with one another. The pen body assembly includes a rotatable driver for driving a cartridge plunger preselected distances that are in accordance with a desired dose of medication to be delivered. The driver providing different preset rates of injection.

Abstract: A dry-state iontophoretic drug delivery device (10, 30) is provided. The device has drug and electrolyte reservoirs (15, 16) which are initially in a non-hydrated condition. In one embodiment of the invention, a sealed liquid-containing pouch (21, 22) is provided in each electrode assembly (8, 9). Water or other liquid (20) is released from the pouch (21, 22) by pulling a tab (27, 28) attached to a portion (25, 26) of the pouch (21, 22) which is capable of being torn or ripped in order to hydrate the drug and electrolyte reservoirs (15, 16) and activate the device (10, 30). In another embodiment, the device (30) is held in a package (32). The device (30) has pouches (21, 22) which release their liquid contents automatically upon removal of the device (30) from the package (32). In yet another embodiment, the device (40) is held in a package (42) having a compression zone (46). The pouches (21, 22) must be moved through the compression zone (46) when removing the device (40) from the package (42).

Abstract: A safety syringe for preventing "needle stick" injury and/or reuse of the syringe includes a body (100), a plunger (127) mounted within the body, a protuberance (129) on the plunger for connecting the plunger to a needle holder (102) adapted in use to carry a needle at the end of an injection stroke of the plunger whereby subsequent retraction of the plunger withdraws the needle into a shielded position within the body. The syringe includes a braking device (123) disposed between the body (100) and the plunger (127) to retard but not stop the withdrawal of the plunger and needle after the injection stroke. The needle holder (102) includes a radially extending flange (108) which engages with a complementary rib (109) or groove on the syringe until the needle holder is engaged by the protuberance (129) on the plunger.

Abstract: A suction catheter for sucking mucus and other fluids from the tracheobronchial area of a patient, has a flexible tube with at least one through lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end. A thickened area is provided adjacent to the distal end in the form of a cylindrical portion for promoting guidance of the catheter in the tracheobronchial area of a patient. In addition, the lumen is provided with a funnel-shaped enlarged outlet.

Abstract: Method of implementing endoscopic surgical procedures on a patient, and more particularly, a novel and unique technique of performing uniportal surgical entries. Moreover, also disclosed is a unique endoscopic surgical instrument including a unique cutting device adapted to be employed in the implementation of the foregoing methods of endoscopically effecting the uniportal carpal tunnel release. This surgical procedure only requires the formation of a single and relatively small entry portal or incision in the patient, resulting in minimum discomfort.

Abstract: This invention relates to a holder for use in combination with a pre-filled cartridge-needle unit, the holder comprising a hollow body sized for housing the cartridge-needle unit therein, and means for permitting the body to move axially relative to the cartridge-needle unit. In one preferred embodiment, the distal end of the body is elliptical in cross section and the proximal end of the body is circular in cross section. In another preferred embodiment, the body comprises a pair of cam slots at the distal end and a pair or retaining slots at the proximal end, the slots being sized to accept a circumferential ring on the cartridge-needle unit and positioned to hold the cartridge-needle units in use and safe positions. The holder is easier to use and manufacture and reduces the susceptibility of health care workers to accidental needle strikes.

Abstract: An adhesive composition, and the surgical dressing of which it is a part, in which the composition takes the form of a water-absorbing and water-swellable hydrocolloid material distributed throughout the interstices of a three-dimensional, open-mesh, randomly-oriented network of flexible, water-insoluble, polymeric filaments, such filaments being surface coated by a tacky, water-insoluble adhesive material that has an adherence affinity for the filaments and that secures such coated filaments together at their points or zones of contact. When hydrated, the hydrocolloid material swells and become a gelatinous continuous phase, with the network of filaments expanding to retain the hydrated hydrocolloid material within the dressing. Despite the phase change, the water-insoluble adhesive material is also retained within the dressing because of its strong adherence to the filaments of the network.

Abstract: The present invention is a kit for handling a needle. The kit comprises a shielding device, a protector, and a needle guard. The shielding device protects against needle strikes upon extraction of the needle, the protector protects against needle strikes while inserting the needle, and the guard sheathes the needle prior to use. The shielding device includes a cavity for depositing a used needle therein and a self-closing passageway which permits the needle to enter the cavity but prevents the needle from exiting the cavity. The protector comprises a ring and a shroud. The ring has a central aperture for stabilising the patient's skin and an implanted venous access device. The shroud is joined to the ring and protects the health care worker against needle strikes while inserting the needle. The needle guard comprises a barrel having a longitudinal slit therein which is separable upon insertion of the needle into the patient's skin to permit the needle guard to be shed from the needle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new and improved design associated with the fabrication and construction of a needleless transfer system wherein through the use of a unique valve mechanism there is avoided the necessity to utilize a needle in conjunction with a syringe for purposes of transferring and/or injecting a liquid medium from one environment into another environment. By having the valve mechanism comprise a hollow enclosure which has contained therein a compressible structure which acts both as a filter and as a mechanism to allow for the selective flow of a liquid medium through the system in a singular direction, the capabilities of the needleless transfer system are achieved.

Abstract: A cardiovascular catheter comprises an elongated catheter body having a flexible plastic wall reinforced with at least two concentrically spaced-apart braided stainless steel meshes. The catheter exhibits high resistance to buckling and torsional stiffness to allow precise rotational control of the catheter tip.

Abstract: A guiding catheter for use in coronary angioplasty and other cardiovascular interventions which incorporates a transition element in the shaft of the device. The transition element which has a different flexibility than the sections immediately proximal and distal to it, creates a zone in the catheter shaft which is either more or less flexible than the rest of the shaft. The transition element allows a portion of the shaft to be made more rigid or more flexible, without changing the flexibility of the other portions of the shaft. The transition element also allows for a differential flexibilty to be added to the catheter shaft.

Abstract: A needle protector sheath comprises a body having a top wall, sidewalls and open ends. A slot is formed in each sidewall to slidingly receive a needle wing extending through each of the slots. Typically the slots extend through one end of the protector sheath. The protector sheath also defines an open, bottom aperture extending from end to end of the body, to permit the sheath to be laterally applied to tubing connected to a winged needle and to be advanced to a position where the needle tip is recessed in the sheath and the needle wings extend through the slots. In another embodiment an elongated anchor member may extend forwardly from the body to be manually pressed to retain the protector sheath as the needle is being withdrawn from the skin of a patient. The anchor member may have an outer end portion that bends away from the patient in position of use. Also, a novel sheath design and slot arrangement is disclosed.

Abstract: A needle protector sheath comprises a body having a top wall, sidewalls and open ends. A slot is formed in each sidewall to slidingly receive a needle wing extending through each of the slots. Typically the slots extend through one end of the protector sheath. The protector sheath also defines an open, bottom aperture extending from end to end of the body, to permit the sheath to be laterally applied to tubing connected to a winged needle and to be advanced to a position where the needle tip is recessed in the sheath and the needle wings extend through the slots.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for the removal of viscoelastic material from an eye chamber. The apparatus enables a procedure, or method, which includes the steps of directing an irrigation fluid toward a viscoelastic material disposed in an eye chamber in order to loosen said viscoelastic material from eye chamber surfaces, hydraulically forcing the loosened viscoelastic material from the chamber surfaces, and aspirating the loosened viscoelastic material from the eye chamber.