Abstract: A pre-slit injection site includes a housing with a flow path therethrough. A first end of the housing carries a pre-slit septum. One form of a blunt cannula, usable with the injection site, carries a locking member. When the pre-slit injection site slidably receives the blunt cannula, the locking member latches to the injection site and creates a mechanically coupled unit. Another form of the cannula includes a tube having a tapered distal end region and having elongate discharge slots for reducing contact surface area and for directing the flow laterally out of the cannula. The cannula may also include a rounded lead post, an annular barb, and axially oriented grooves.

Abstract: Devices and methods relating to percutaneous and hiatal approaches for treating urinary incontinence are provided herein. In particular, guide member placement devices, sling application catheters, tissue dissectors/dilators, sling application devices and a sling application system, tissue expanders, grasping devices, and balloon catheters are disclosed herein. Methods for using the preceding devices to stabilize the bladder neck or the urethral floor in order to maintain or improve urinary continence are also disclosed.

Abstract: A plurality of scalpel handles, one master handle and one or more slave handles. The master handle and one of the slave handles are interconnected to provide uniform, parallel blade separation of two scalpels and their blades.

Abstract: A method of crystalline lens replacement for eyes comprises the steps of forming a small hole that penetrates through the lens capsule, removing a part of the crystalline lens substance through the hole, refilling the lens capsule by injecting a composition comprising a hydrophilic polymer directly into the lens capsule, and closing the hole. The method of crystalline lens replacement may be performed on animals or humans. Furthermore, the method of crystalline lens replacement may be performed on a patient suffering from cataract, where the opaque crystalline lens substance in the lens capsule is removed.

Abstract: A system and method for removing impacted cerumen from within a person's auditory canal. The system includes a hand held instrument that is held against the ear, and a base that creates a negative pressure in the hand held instrument when it is not in use. The hand held instrument contains an auditory canal plug that seals over the auditory canal when manually biased against the auditory canal. The plug contains an aperture that leads to a vacuum chamber within the hand held instrument. The flow of air through the auditory canal plug and into the vacuum chamber is controlled by a manually operated flow control valve. The hand held instrument merely carries the vacuum chamber. To create a negative pressure in the vacuum chamber, the hand held instrument must be placed on a base. The base contains a vacuum pump that pneumatically interconnects with the vacuum chamber when the hand held instrument is placed on the base.

Abstract: A device for extricating ingrown hairs comprising a housing and a blade member disposed in the housing. The blade member has a proximal portion and a distal portion with the distal portion terminating in a hook member and the proximal portion attached to the housing via an attachment means. The attachment means provides the hook member with an adjustable tension for rotatable hair removal.

Abstract: An endovascular graft which is configured to conform to the morphology of the vessel to be treated and which is made from an inflatable structure having a proximal end with a proximal inflatable cuff and a distal end with a distal inflatable cuff. At least one elongated inflatable channel is disposed between and in fluid communication with fluid tight chambers of the inflatable cuffs which may contain rupture discs therebetween which can be configured to rupture at different pressures. A thin flexible barrier disposed between the inflatable cuffs and the elongated inflatable channel of the frame so as to form a tubular structure defining a longitudinal channel to confine a flow of blood or other fluid therethrough. The graft may also have an expansion member attached to the proximal end of the graft which is preferably made of linked expandable rings of pseudoelastic shape memory alloy which is self expanding and prevents axial displacement of the graft once it is deployed.

Abstract: A vascular filter comprises an emboli-capturing portion having a set of helical filter-wires joined at a central region and extending in a given direction along the blood vessel in a diverging relationship to the axis of the filter, the wires terminating in free ends constructed to engage the walls of said vessel. A major mid-portion of the length of the free ended wires are of generally helical form, cooperatively related to form an effective emboli capturing array. Anchoring is accomplished by a separate assembly formed of struts and anchoring devices. A parallelogram supporting strut assembly and other means for providing linear engagement with the wall of the vena cava are shown. The parallelogram structure is shown to have filter capability by itself as well.

Abstract: Hand-held instruments which may be employed to actuate a distally mounted tool by application of radial compressive force about the instrument circumference (i.e., omni-actuatable). In preferred forms, hand-held instruments have a handle which includes an actuator assembly for actuating a tool, wherein the actuator assembly has a generally V-shaped circumferential channel in which an actuator band is seated. A slide ring assembly is provided which defines the generally V-shaped circumferential channel and has at least one slide ring mounted for longitudinal movements relative to the handle. The actuator band is radially flexible. Thus, in response to a compressive force, the actuator band seated within the generally V-shaped channel will be flexed radially inwardly to thereby moves the slide ring longitudinally. The slide ring, in turn, coacts operatively with the distally mounted tool (e.g., through a longitudinally slidable actuator pin).

Abstract: An acupressure device with mechanisms for modulating the pressure applied to the user.

Abstract: A breath system appliance includes a planar thin elongate body having an applicator head at one end and a scraper head at the other end. The applicator head carries a troche having an oral hygiene and/or breath freshening active constituent. The active constituent may include an antibacterial agent, an antiseptic agent, a flavoring agent, an oxidizing agent and an anesthetizing agent. The active constituent is applied as a coating to dorsal surfaces of a user. The scraper head is applied against dorsal surfaces of the user to dislodge food debris and other odor generating matter from the dorsum of the user after application of the troche, before application of the troche, or both before and after. The appliance may be packaged in a sealed packet.

Abstract: An implantable device for positioning in the vicinity of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery (CCA) into the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the external carotid artery (ECA) comprises a deflecting element suitable to deflect the flow of embolic material flowing in the CCA toward the ICA, into the ECA.

Abstract: An improved screw and apparatus for placing screws in a wire mesh and/or bone plate during an operation. In the preferred embodiment, the screw is self-tapping and the apparatus includes color-coded screw cartridges that mount directly onto the tip of a screwdriver and are held in place until installed in the proper location as dictated by the surgeon. The cartridge fits into a magazine that can feed the screw cartridges automatically into a screw gun that drives the screw into the proper location in the bone and the wire mesh or plate, or alternatively can be used with a manual screwdriver.

Abstract: The endoluminal device delivery assembly and method for release and deployment of an endoluminal therapeutic device at a desired location for treatment within the vasculature of a patient utilizes an elongated flexible tubular catheter with a tubular distal tip formed of a yieldable material mounted to the distal end of the catheter for releasably holding the proximal end of the endoluminal device. The endoluminal device can be dislodged from the tubular distal tip by a pusher member or pressurized fluid to expel the endoluminal device through at the desired location for treatment within the vasculature of a patient. A flexible coil can be mounted to the distal end of the elongated pusher member to provide for improved tracking.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus including an outer sheath, made from an elongated tubular member having distal and proximal ends. The apparatus further includes a self-expanding stent located within the distal end of the sheath along a load area. The stent makes frictional contact with the inner layer of said sheath. Lastly, the apparatus includes a readily removable member or keeper, which is disposed along the outer sheath along at least a portion of the load area. The member has sufficient rigidity to prevent the outer sheath from expanding along the load area prior to delivery of the stent.

Abstract: Methods and devices for percutaneous, in situ coronary bypass wherein a tissue puncturing catheter is used to form blood flow paths between an artery and an adjacent vein such that arterial blood will flow through a segment of the adjacent vein, thereby bypassing a lesion in the artery. The tissue puncturing catheter comprises a flexible catheter having a tissue puncturing apparatus such as a sharp tipped member, an electro-surgical apparatus or a laser beam passable therefrom to create the desired blood flow paths between the artery and vein. Stents are provided for facilitating blood flow through the blood flow paths and the segment of the vein used as the bypass conduit. One such stent is specially constructed to carry arterial blood in one direction through the vein segment while allowing venous blood to continue to flow in the opposite direction through that venous segment.

Abstract: A dilation catheter suitable for use in medical procedures is provided which includes a balloon disposed on an elongated flexible tube. The tube is capable of passing fluid between the balloon and the tube for varying the balloon between a collapsed and expanded condition. The catheter includes a brace fitted over the balloon for restricting expansion of a selected portion of the balloon for forming a perfusion channel that allows fluid to be perfused past the balloon when it is expanded in a body vessel. A medical procedure for dilation under perfusion conditions is also provided.

Abstract: A tongue cleaner having an elongate shank portion for holding thereof and a portion extending from one end thereof for supporting a tongue scraping edge. The support portion is skewed relative to the shank portion to slope downwardly for effecting engagement of the edge with a posterior part of the upper surface of the tongue so that the posterior part may be comfortably scraped.

Abstract: A filter disposed at the distal end of an elongate guidewire. Catheters are provided for delivering the filter to, and retrieving the filter from, a treatment site. The catheters can be over-the-wire or single operator exchange. The catheters include a housing for receiving the filter therein. The housing has an atraumatic distal end.

Abstract: An improved laparoscopic apparatus for tunneling to a desired anatomical location and developing a surgical space is disclosed, including a tunneling member adapted to receive a laparoscope therein and an inflatable balloon secured on the tunneling member. The tunneling member has a passage extending between its open proximal and distal ends. A lip is integrally formed on the distal end to retain a laparoscope inserted into the passage, the lip having a substantially rounded and blunt distal edge. The lip defines a recessed or open center area in the distal opening, enhancing the field of view of the laparoscope therethrough. The balloon is formed from flexible, transparent material, and is rolled and secured to the tunneling member.