Abstract: Apparatus for sterilization of a female mammal comprising at least one separation member for separation of a fallopian tube from a uterine cavity of the female mammal, a circulation assembly which is operatively connected to said at least one separation member, and at least one sterilization lumen which is operatively connected to said circulation assembly and debouching at a distal side of said at least one separation member, said at least one sterilization lumen being adapted for injection in use of a tissue necrotizing fluid capable of necrotizing a lining of at least a part of said fallopian tube, wherein said circulation assembly is adapted to circulate said tissue necrotizing fluid within said sterilization lumen and said fallopian tube. The apparatus allows quick, simple, safe and reliable sterilization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing heat treatment of a bodily cavity in a mammal. The apparatus comprises a catheter intended for insertion into said bodily cavity, an inflatable balloon surrounding a distal end of said catheter in a liquid tight manner which balloon is adapted in use of said apparatus to be inflated and dilated in said bodily cavity, control means operatively connected to said balloon by at least one oscillation lumen and being provided with an oscillation assembly adapted to drive a heat transmitting fluid within said apparatus, and heating means adapted to heat said heat transmitting fluid. Said control means are adapted to control pressure and temperature of said heat transmitting fluid. The heating means have a heat emitting portion and a heat receiving portion which is use of the apparatus are positioned in thermal contact with each other, and which are separable from each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for sterilisation of a female mammal comprising at least one separation member for separation of a fallopian tube from a uterine cavity of the female mammal, a circulation assembly which is operatively connected to said at least one separation member, and at least one sterilisation lumen which is operatively connected to said circulation assembly and debouching at a distal side of said at least one separation member, said at least one sterilisation lumen being adapted for injection in use of a tissue necrotising fluid capable of necrotising a lining of at least a part of said fallopian tube, wherein said circulation assembly is adapted to circulate said tissue necrotising fluid within said sterilisation lumen and said fallopian tube. The apparatus allows quick, simple, safe and reliable sterilisation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stent (1?) for use in a tubular organ of a body. The stent (1?) comprises a first part (8) to be positioned in a diseased part (2) of the organ and acting as a stentbody therein, and a second part (10, 10?, 40) to be positioned in a non-diseased part (6) of the organ and acting as an anchoring element therein. The two parts (8; 10, 10?, 40) are being designed as tubular members interconnected at the ends facing one another by a flexible, axially rigid connecting part (9), at least said second part (10, 10?, 40) having memorized therein a capacity to expand radially after an increase in temperature, thereby providing anchorage of the second part (10, 10?, 40) at a determined distance away from the diseased part (2) of the organ. The present invention further relates to a catheter (12, 50) and a method for using the stent (1?) and catheter (12, 50).

Abstract: The invention relates to balloon catheters (1) and methods of treatment for exerting internal pressure on surrounding tissue of a mammalian duct or cavity in a section thereof having a substantially circular cylindrical configuration. The elongate rigid distal section and the intermediate section of the catheter contain a central tube (3), whose distal part is provided with at least one outlet (23) for medium within the balloon, and whose intermediate part is surrounded by an axially displaceable tube (4), onto whose distal end the proximal end of the balloon is attached. The balloon has an envelope which is constituted by at least one substantially gas- and liquid-impermeable and elastic internal layer and an external layer of limited radial expansion, said expansion being substantially independent of the axial length of said balloon. The balloon may he encompassed by a radially expandible stent (40), or can be equipped with means for supplementing treatment using pressure with heat treatment.

Abstract: The invention relates to balloon catheters (1) and methods of treatment for exerting internal pressure on surrounding tissue of a mammalian duct or cavity in a section thereof having a substantially circular cylindrical configuration. The elongate rigid distal section and the intermediate section of the catheter contain a central tube (3), whose distal part is provided with at least one outlet (23) for medium within the balloon, and whose intermediate part is surrounded by an axially displaceable tube (4), onto whose distal end the proximal end of the balloon is attached. The balloon has an envelope which is constituted by at least one substantially gas- and liquid-impermeable and elastic internal layer and an external layer of limited radial expansion, said expansion being substantially independent of the axial length of said balloon. The balloon may he encompassed by a radially expandible stent (40), or can be equipped with means for supplementing treatment using pressure with heat treatment.

Abstract: A device for carrying out hyperthermia in a mammalin uterus cavity, including an elongate, rigid distal section (3) and a flexible and elastic bladder (9) encompassing said distal section which, together with said bladder, is intended for insertion into said uterus cavity, further including means (27) for the supply of a heat-transmitting medium under pressure for the expansion of said bladder (9) within said uterus cavity, and heating means (29) for heating said medium, the device further having an intermediate section (5) whose distal part when inserted is positioned in a cervix canal belonging to said uterus, and a proximal section (7) for operating the device, said distal and intermediate sections (3,5) containing at least a central tube (17), whose distal part is surrounded by said bladder and is provided with at least one outlet (19) for said medium within said bladder, and whose intermediate part is surrounded by an axially displacable tube (21;35), onto whose distal end (23;51) the proximal end (25) o

Abstract: Device for carrying out heat treatment so-called hyperthermia, in a body cavity or duct comprising a catheter having an elongate front part (3) intended for insertion into said cavity or duct provided with a central tube (9) and a flexible and/or elastic balloon (7) surrounding said central tube in a liquid-tight manner, further comprising an axially operating first inlet (11) at the proximal end of the central tube and at least one outlet from the central tube intended for the supply of said medium under pressure to the balloon for the expansion thereof. The device is characterized in that said central tube (9) at its distal end extends at least up to the forward inner wall of the balloon to which it is fixed, said device in connection with the distal end of the central tube (9) being provided with a valve (33; 33') enabling discharge of gas from the interior of the balloon (7) through at least one gas outlet arranged at said distal end.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting hyperthermia in a narrow body cavity or duct including: a disposable first part (1) having an elongate distal section (5) intended to be inserted into the cavity or duct having a centrally located, heat-releasing element (22), which is either surrounded by an elongate housing (24) or is itself constituted by an elongate housing, and a flexible and/or elastic enclosure (23) surrounding the housing in a liquid-tight manner, further including a device for supplying energy to the heat-releasing element (22) and an axially operating first inlet (135) at the proximal part of the housing, an outlet (133) from the housing being arranged for the supply of heat-transmitting medium under pressure for expansion of the flexible enclosure (23) to accommodate and to exert a controlled pressure on surrounding walls of the cavity or duct, a second inlet (131) to the housing (24), and medium-actuating device (13, 19) for the expansion of the flexible enclosure (23) and for internal circulation of the

Abstract: A device for hyperthermia treatment in a body cavity or duct which has a narrow access pathway includes an elongate distal section for insertion into the body cavity comprising a centrally-located heat-releasing element enclosed by an elastic enclosure. The heat-releasing element is either surrounded by an elongate housing or is shaped to form a housing. An axially opening inlet passage opens to the proximal part of the housing to supply a heat-transmitting fluid to the housing. The housing has an outlet port to allow fluid to flow from the housing to fill and expand the elastic enclosure to exert pressure on the walls of the body cavity and an inlet port which allows fluid to return into the housing, thus permitting circulation of the fluid during treatment which results in uniform heating of the fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for low temperature plasma treatment of powder particles for modifying the surface properties thereof, comprising means for the creation of a low pressure zone and, in association therewith, at least one cascade arc torch generator to form a plasma torch which is directed into said low pressure zone, means for the supply by gravity of powder particles to be treated into said low pressure zone and conduit means for the removal of the treated powder particles from said low pressure zone, said cascade arc generator having an orientation such that said plasma torch enters said low pressure zone at a downward angle (.alpha.) to the horizontal of from about 15.degree. to about 60.degree., and said conduit means being directed away from said plasma torch at an upward angle (.beta.) to the horizontal of from about 15.degree. to about 80.degree.

Abstract: A process for the surface treatment of individual particles of a pulverulent material to improve the surface properties thereof. The process includes a plasma-generating apparatus for generating a plasma in a plasmagenerator while supplying an inert gas at a high drift velocity into the generator to form a low temperature plasma flame which is directed into a low pressure zone. Subsequently, the pulverulent material is injected into the high velocity inert gas or into the base of the plasma flame to disintegrate any particle aggregate present in the material. The low temperature plasma acts on the surface of each individual particle to improve the properties thereof. The treated particles can then be recovered from the zone.

Abstract: A resilient, elastic self-expanding prosthesis comprising a flexible tubular body, the diameter of which is variable under axial movement of the ends of the body relative to each other, said body being composed of several individual rigid but resiliently flexible thread elements with spring properties each of which extends in helix configuration with the center line of the body as a common axis, a number of elements having same direction of winding but being axially displaced relative to each other crossing a number of elements also axially displaced relative to each other but having the opposite direction of winding to form a braided structure, characterized in that the residual tension of the thread elements as they form the structural elements of the tubular body, at least at the end sections thereof, is such that the diameter of the unloaded helix-shaped thread element, at least at the end sections thereof, when removed from the other elements forming the tubular body is not more than about 60% and prefer

Abstract: A device for transluminal implantation or extraction of a substantially tubular, radially selfexpanding stent (27), comprising a central tube (3) surrounded by an exterior tube (5) axially displaceable relative to the central tube (3), and a plurality of axially extending spring members (21) attached to the outer surface of said central tube (3) at the distal end thereof, said members being substantially evenly distributed around the periphery of said tube and capable of outward springing action of their front ends when retracting said exterior tube (5) from the distal end of said central tube (3).

Abstract: A prosthesis for transluminal implantation comprising a flexible tubular body which has a diameter that is variable by axial movement of the ends of the body relative to each other and which is composed of several individual rigid but flexible thread elements each of which extends in helix configuration with the center line of the body as a common axis, a number of elements having the same direction of winding but being axially displaced relative to each other crossing a number of elements also axially displaced relative to each other but having the opposite direction of winding; and method for transluminal implantation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an arrangement of cascade arc plasma torches in a process for plasma polymerization. The arrangement is utilized in low temperature plasma polymerization coating and utilizes a plasma reactor with concentric electroconductive rings separated by insulator rings. The rings are positioned between electrode connectors and form a central passage through the plasma reactor. A voltage supply source provides a voltage across the plasma reactor so as to initiate and continue the polymerization coating process. Downstream of the plasma reactor, an arrangement is provided by which monomeric gas is fed into a passage at a downstream end of the reactor so as to enable plasma polymerization.

Abstract: A device for transluminal implantation of a substantially tubular, radially expansible prosthesis (2), comprising in combination such prosthesis (2) and concentric therewith a flexible probe (1) with means (200) for maintaining said prosthesis (2) in a radially contracted state and for releasing same at the desired location, said means for maintaining and releasing the prothesis comprising a hose (5) concentrically surrounding said probe (1), one end of said hose being connected to the probe (1), and the hose (5) being folded inside itself to form a double-walled section (51, 52) radially surrounding the prothesis (2), the latter being releasable by axial relative movement of the ends of the hose, characterized by inflatable balloon means (30) positioned between said probe (1) and said prosthesis (2) and substantially coextensive with the latter, whereby after releasing the prosthesis at the desired location in the lumen controlled expansion of the prosthesis and the surrounding lumen wall can be achieved by

Abstract: A device and method for implantation of a prosthesis provides for insertion of the prosthesis in a location which is difficult to access. The prosthesis is held in a radially contracted state by the device. An expandable chamber within the device permits relative movements between elements of the devices as to permit the prosthesis to be inserted and radially expanded in the location.

Abstract: A prosthesis for transluminal implantation comprising a flexible tubular body which has a diameter that is variable by axial movement of the ends of the body relative to each other and which is composed of several individual rigid but flexible thread elements each of which extends in helix configuration with the center line of the body as a common axis, a number of elements having the same direction of winding but being axially displaced relative to each other crossing a number of elements also axially displaced relative to each other but having the opposite direction of winding; and method for transluminal implantation.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting hyperthermia in a narrow body cavity or duct including: a disposable first part (1) having an elongate distal section (5) intended to be inserted into the cavity or duct having a centrally located, heat-releasing element (22), which is either surrounded by an elongate housing (24) or is itself constituted by an elongate housing, and a flexible and/or elastic enclosure (23) surrounding the housing in a liquid-tight manner, further including a device for supplying energy to the heat-releasing element (22) and an axially operating first inlet (135) at the proximal part of the housing, an outlet (133) from the housing being arranged for the supply of heat-transmitting medium under pressure for expansion of the flexible enclosure (23) to accommodate and to exert a controlled pressure on surrounding walls of the cavity or duct, a second inlet (131) to the housing (24), and medium-actuating device (13, 19) for the expansion of the flexible enclosure (23) and for internal circulation of the