Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for modifying a liquid enteral nutritional product during delivery thereof from a supply to a feeding tube delivering the modified liquid enteral nutritional product to the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. At least one beneficial agent not in controlled release dosage form in a useful, dose unit, amount, is disposed within a formulation chamber so as to be taken up in a liquid enteral nutritional product traversing the formulation chamber while feeding the modified nutritional product into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. The beneficial additive(s) are selected from nutrients, medicaments, probiotics, or diagnostic agents, or mixtures thereof, each in a dosage form that is dispersible in the medium of the liquid enteral nutritional product in less than two hours.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for modifying a liquid enteral nutritional product during delivery thereof from a supply thereof, such as a hangable container, to a feeding tube delivering the liquid enteral nutritional product to the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. The apparatus has at least one formulation chamber, such as a drip chamber, with at least one controlled release dosage form unit in the form of a coated tablet, osmotically driven device, coated capsule, microencapsulated microspheres, agglomerated molecular sieving type material, or a quantity of fine hollow permeable fibers located therein. The controlled release dosage form unit or units contain at least one beneficial agent selected from nutrients, medicaments, probiotics, or diagnostic agents or mixtures thereof, to any of which a physiologically acceptable marker dye in controlled release dosage form and/or the same or different beneficial agent not in controlled release dosage form may be added.

Abstract: A device for intermixing a first component, such as a parenteral fluid with a second component, such as an immobilized drug carried by a scaffold to form a beneficial agent which, following the mixing step, can be dispensed directly from the device for infusion into a patient. The device includes novel mechanisms for mateably interconnecting a container, such as a glass vial containing the first component with a housing having a fluid outlet which houses a sealed container containing the second component, and then for controllably mixing the components under sterile conditions to form an injectable solution which is automatically dispensed through the fluid outlet of the device.

Abstract: A piercing device for use with an essentially rigid medical instrument having a proximal portion and a distal portion including working means for performing some medical procedure in an internal portion of the body of a living being. The piercing device comprises a guide member having a handle at the proximal end. The guide member comprises an elongated trough shaped, U-shaped, sidewall having an inner surface, and a distal end in the form of a piercing tip. The device is arranged to be held so that the piercing tip can be pierced through the skin and at least a portion of the underlying tissue to form a trough shaped percutaneous puncture. The tissue contiguous with the puncture engages the inner and outer surfaces of the sidewall to form a generally fluid tight interface therebetween.

Abstract: A micro-acupuncture needle for a finger of a hand comprises a sharp needle of a substantially cone-shaped protuberance made by molding a metal sheet of at least one of a group of aluminum and copper.

Abstract: An apparatus is useful for dye marking a liquid enteral nutritional product during delivery thereof from a supply container to a feeding tube delivering the nutritional product to the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. A formulation chamber, such as a drip chamber, is connectable to the supply container. At least one sustained release reservoir containing a physiologically acceptable marker dye is positioned within the formulation chamber, or if not, is included as part of a kit. The sustained release reservoir may be in the form of a coated tablet, osmotically driven device, coated capsule, microencapsulated microspheres, agglomerated molecular sieving material, or chopped hollow fibers having permeable walls. A liquid communication means connects the formulation chamber to the feeding tube of a patient. The marker dye may be a colorant dye or a fluorescing dye or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for modifying a liquid enteral nutritional product during delivery thereof from a supply container to a feeding tube delivering the nutritional product to the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. During enteral tube feeding the nutritional product passes through a formulation chamber, e.g., a drip chamber, having located therein at least one controlled release dosage form unit containing at least one beneficial agent. The beneficial agent may be selected from nutrients, medicaments, probiotics, or diagnostic agents or mixtures thereof, and any such together with a physiologically acceptable marker dye in controlled release dosage form and/or the same or different additional beneficial agent not in controlled release dosage form. Controlled release dosage forms may be of a conventional sustained release type or an osmotically driven delivery device.

Abstract: In the device for administering implants, which comprises an active substance container with injection cannula and plunger, the plunger is arranged in a plunger channel. The plunger channel merges with continuity into the lumen of the cannula. A holder device (5) for the implant (2) is arranged at the lumen-side end of the plunger channel (3).

Abstract: The combination of a syringe and needle cover that not only provides protection for the needle prior to use of the syringe but also facilitates the mating the syringe to a vial without exposing the needle to the user until the syringe is filled and ready for injection. Advantages include greater economy, convenience, simplicity and safety than prior art devices.

Abstract: A syringe is disclosed having a large syringe housing which can be fitted with a large needle holder which in turn holds a large introducer needle. The introducer needle defines a passageway. A small seeker needle which is designed to fit within and through the passageway of the large introducer needle is attached by way of a small needle holder to a small syringe housing. A washer adapter attaches to the front of the small needle holder in order to have the small syringe housing move within a large syringe housing as a plunger for the large syringe housing. The small syringe housing in turn receives on one end a small syringe plunger which may define a small plunger lumen or chamber which can be used for transduction. Another embodiment has a modified needle having a port in the shaft within the syringe to allow sampling.

Abstract: A syringe and adapter are constructed so as to provide a bend in the hypodermic needle allowing a dentist to reach hard to get to places inside the mouth. With a bend in the needle, the dentist can rotate the body of the syringe to point the needle in various directions while the body of the syringe is placed inside the mouth. Around the bend of the needle is a solid material to prevent the needle from breaking about the bend while in use.

Abstract: A safety syringe adapter (4) has a hollow body (26) sized to house a cartridge-needle unit (6) to which a carrier (24) is fixed. The cartridge-needle unit and carrier therewith are movable from a use position, with the needle tip (58) exposed, to a safe disposal position, with the needle tip within the body. A stem assembly (28) has an elongate stem (60) and a coaxial tubular stem extension (64) and is movable to a post-injection position, at which the stem extension becomes secured to the carrier. Pulling the stem assembly proximally causes the cartridge-needle unit to move to its safe-disposal position so the needle tip is within the body for safe disposal.

Abstract: Disposable syringes are marketed with a plastic cover which protects the needle assembly inserted within. Typically, the end of the cover that extends towards the barrel of the syringe is designed with a surrounding lip. The holder of the invention is fixed to a surface or stand to receive the cover and grasp, secure or envelop its surrounding lip. In use, the syringe, with its cover, is placed into the holder, slid to one side for the lip of the cover to be grasped, and then the syringe and needle assembly can then be safely pulled away from the cover. To dispose of it, the syringe is reinserted into the grasped cover, then slid with the cover out of the grasp of the holder to the other side, where a pair of nibs are provided to limit its movement and allow for the syringe, with its cover in place, to be lifted out. The holder of the invention makes almost impossible any accidental jabbing of one's fingers or hand in removing the needle assembly from, or inserting it back into, the syringe cover.

Abstract: The present invention is for a remote drug injection device which is suitable for use with a standard hypodermic syringe. The device has a tube which has a front rim and rear rim and a tube axis. The tube has a syringe section having a longitudinal syringe engaging passage configured to grippably engage the syringe. The tube has a plunger section having a plunger passage with a cross section configured to accommodate the plunger. The tube has a rear section having a rear passage. The three tube passages are arranged so that their axis forms the tube axis. A syringe insertion passage passing through the syringe section of the tube is provided. The syringe insertion passage has an axis which intersects the tube axis. A bottom syringe passage opening extends form the front rim of the tube and joins the syringe insertion passage. Similarly, a top syringe passage opening is provided from the syringe insertion passage and extends to the plunger section.

Abstract: A subcutaneous drug delivery device having a driving member for advancing a piston, concentrically enclosed by a cannula, to deliver a drug pellet to a subcutaneous tissue site. The piston has a recessed distal platform upon which the pellet rests for delivery when the distal end of the piston is exposed beyond the cannula.

Abstract: An ampule containing a liquid, e.g., a dose of medicine, connects to a hand-held portable power unit containing an energy accumulator which can be charged and then discharged by manual actuation of a trigger. Preferably the energy accumulator is a compressible spring which is charged by compressing it and discharged by releasing it. The discharging accumulator powers a thruster, preferably a rod, driving it against a plunger in the ampule. The driven plunger applies pressure to the liquid in the ampule and drives the liquid through a small tapered orifice having an open mouth. During an injection, the open mouth of the orifice is pressed against an injection site so that the liquid being forced through the orifice can hypodermically penetrate the injection site. The preferred compressible spring can be charged by forcing the thruster backward against the spring, compressing it to a point where a latching device catches it and holds it compressed.

Abstract: An iontophoretic structure for medical devices is provided that uses controlled electrical current derived from two dissimilar galvanic materials to drive oligodynamic metal ions into solution to kill bacteria on and near the device to which the structure is affixed. In one embodiment, a first galvanic material separated from a second galvanic material by a resistive material produces an anti-bacterial current flow when placed in contact with an electrolytic fluid. In another embodiment, a cylindrical elastomeric catheter incorporates a first and a second galvanic material separated by a resistive material which controls a current flow between the galvanic materials when the catheter is immersed in an electrolytic fluid. The galvanic materials can be dissimilar metal powders embedded in a conductive polymer substrate that forms an iontophoretic composite material, or dissimilar metals arranged in layers separated by a resistive layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fluid-imbibing dispensing device for the extended or protracted delivery of an active agent following an initially delayed startup of the delivery to a fluid environment of use.

Abstract: A magnifying syringe shield including a hollow sleeve, a needle shield, and a snap ring. Radially extending projections, provided on the hollow sleeve, slide within longitudinally extending slots in the needle shield, allowing extension and retraction of the needle shield. The snap ring is positioned within a groove in the hollow sleeve at retraction, and extends into a groove in the needle shield at extension. Extension of the snap ring into the groove in the needle shield locks the shield in the extended position over the syringe needle. The needle shield further includes a magnifying arrangement for enlarging the dosage indicia imprinted on the housing of an enclosed syringe.

Abstract: An artificial insemination and embryo transfer device comprises an elongate hollow tube, and a hollow straw containing a reproductive organism therein and fitted in the elongate tube. A flexible tip is secured to an end of the elongate tube and engaged with the straw. The tip has a passage in communication with the straw and a conical portion adapted to smoothly pass it through a cervical canal of a female subject. A piston rod is slidably mounted in the elongate tube and constructed to enter into the straw so as to discharge the reproductive organism contained in the straw through the passage of the tip by its axial advancement. A locking element is disposed between the elongate tube and the piston rod for restraining a free axial movement of the piston rod within the elongate tube. A first enclosure is inserted around the elongate tube so as to protect the elongate tube against contamination from infectious materials in the cervical canal during the passing of the device through the cervical canal.