Abstract: Computing systems, methods, and program products can support a closed retail network. A computing system can receive an inquiry from a first member entity of a retail network and identifying a product of interest. The system can use a datastore to determine if the product of interest is available for sale by a first member by determining if the product is available from a second member. If the product of interest is available for sale, the computing system can indicate that the product is available, receive data from the first member entity indicating that the product has been sold to a customer and including payment information, use the payment information to transfer funds from the customer, and initiate a distribution of the transferred funds to the first and second member entities. The system may consider distribution rules in determining if the product is available for sale by the first member.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for relieving dyspnoea in an ambulatory exercising subject comprises a housing (3) to be worn on the subject, and within which a variable speed air blower motor (5) is located for delivering an air supply to the subject through a mouthpiece (10) at a pressure similar to average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure of the subject. A pressure transducer (25) in the mouthpiece (10) monitors the pressure during breathing cycles of the subject, and a control circuit (22) determines the average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure of the subject over five breathing cycles. The control circuit (22) operates the air blower motor (5) for delivering the air supply to the subject at a pressure similar to the determined average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure.

Abstract: A delivery device for administering an active substance to a subject transdermally includes a first plate member having a plurality of first chambers formed therein. Solid form structures including the active substance and of conical shape having a pointed skin penetrating tip are located in the first chambers. A second plate member having a plurality of second chambers including a driving substance is secured to the first plate member with a first membrane of an expandable material sealably located between the respective first and second plate members. Expansion of the driving substance in the second chambers urges the first membrane into the corresponding first chambers for in turn urging the solid form structures to penetrate through a second membrane into the skin of the subject. A third plate member includes a plurality of electrically powered heating elements aligned with the second chambers for heating and expanding the driving substance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the volume of a pouch formed in a stomach during bariatric surgery comprises a balloon catheter having an inflatable balloon located at a distal end of a catheter for locating in the stomach. A pair of spaced apart stimulating electrodes are located on the catheter within the balloon and a plurality of spaced apart sensing electrodes are located on the catheter between the stimulating electrodes. The balloon in the stomach is inflated by a saline solution to define the interior of the pouch. By applying a constant current signal to the stimulating electrodes, the volume of the pouch is determined from signals read from the sensing electrodes.

Abstract: A balloon of a balloon catheter is inflated with a liquid inflating medium by a syringe through a flow line. Air in the flow line and the balloon is displaced into a return line. The balloon is deflated by drawing the liquid inflating medium from the balloon along with the air in the return line into the syringe where the air is trapped in the syringe. The balloon is reinflated and deflated by the syringe until the level of air in the liquid inflating medium has been reduced to a predefined level. A first non-return valve and a second non-return valve are provided in the flow and return lines, so that the liquid inflating medium is prevented from flowing from the balloon to the syringe in the flow line and from the syringe to the balloon in the return line.

Abstract: A device (1) for monitoring the transverse cross-section of a gastric sleeve (3) as the gastric sleeve (3) is being formed in a stomach (4) during a sleeve gastrectomy procedure comprises a catheter (15) with a primary balloon (19) located thereon towards a distal end (17). The primary balloon (19) is located in the stomach, and the portion of the stomach which is to form the gastric sleeve (3) is stretched around the primary balloon (19) when the primary balloon (19) has been inflated to a diameter approximating to the diameter to which the sleeve (3) is to be formed. As the stomach (4) is being sutured to form the sleeve (3) the pressure within the primary balloon (19) is monitored to avoid excessive stretching of the stomach around the primary balloon (19). The diameter of the primary balloon (19) is also monitored to avoid necking of the sleeve (3) during suturing of the stomach (4).

Abstract: A micro-needle device (3) comprises a micro-needle element (2) which is carried on a strap (14) and is securable around a limb of a subject by the strap (14) with the micro-needle element (2) located at a desired site. A pressure sensor (23) is located between the strap (14) and the micro-needle element (2) for detecting the pressure at which the micro-needle element (2) is urged into engagement with the skin of the subject. An adjustable clasp (18) secures the strap (14) and permits adjustment of the tension in the strap (14) for in turn adjusting the pressure with which the micro-needle element (2) is urged into engagement with the skin of the subject.

Abstract: A device (1) comprises a sheath (9) for protecting a balloon catheter (2) from contamination with bodily fluids and other matter during the carrying out of a procedure or investigation at a remote site in a human or animal body. The sheath (9) defines a catheter accommodating portion (14) and a balloon accommodating portion (15) for accommodating a catheter (4) and a balloon (8) of the balloon catheter (2) therein. The sheath (9) is of a flexible material having a closed distal end (11) and a proximal opening (13) at a proximal end (10) thereof to a hollow interior region (12) within which the balloon catheter (2) is accommodated. A guide wire engaging distal portion (19) engages and locates a guide wire (7) within the sheath (9). The balloon accommodating portion (15) permits inflating of the balloon (8) to a predefined volume.

Abstract: A balloon catheter (1) comprises a catheter (2) and a balloon (6) located on the distal end of the catheter. A pair of stimulating electrodes (15) for receiving a constant current stimulating signal when the balloon (6) is inflated with an electrically conductive medium and a plurality of sensing electrodes (16) for producing voltage response signals are located on the catheter (2). The voltage response signals are indicative of the values of the transverse cross-sectional area of the balloon (6) adjacent the sensing electrodes (16). A first lumen <9) accommodates the inflating medium to and from the balloon (6), and a second lumen (19) accommodates electrically conductive wires (18) to the stimulating and sensing electrodes (15,16).

Abstract: A micro-needle device comprising an active substance layer (3) having a plurality of active substance chambers (4) formed therein, a drive substance layer (9) having a plurality of drive substance chambers (10) formed therein and a needle support layer (5) having a plurality of micro-needles (6) extending therefrom. An activation layer (12) comprising a plurality of heating elements (14) for heating an expandable drive substance (11) located in the drive substance chambers (10) for in turn urging the second membrane (16) into the active substance chamber (4) for pressurising and urging an active substance (2) therefrom through the corresponding micro-needle (6). A plurality of membrane accommodating recesses (25) extend into the needle support layer (5) for accommodating the first membrane (15) as the active substance in the corresponding active substance chamber (10) is pressurised. A puncturing member (33) with a piercing point (35) extends into each membrane accommodating recess (25).

Abstract: A micro-needle delivery device (1) comprises an active substance accommodating layer (17) having active substance accommodating chambers (20) therein, a drive substance accommodating layer (32) having drive substance accommodating chambers (35) therein aligned with the active substance accommodating chambers (20), an activating layer (45) having heating elements (48) aligned with the drive substance accommodating chambers (35) for heating a drive substance therein, and a micro-needle element (8) having a needle support layer (9) and a plurality of micro-needles (12) extending therefrom. A burstable first membrane (22) is located between and sealably secured to the micro-needle element (8) and to the active substance accommodating layer (17) for sealably closing the active substance accommodating chambers (20) at one end.

Abstract: A system for inflating a balloon (8) of a balloon catheter (4) with a liquid inflating medium which removes air during inflation of the balloon (8) comprises a vertically mounted syringe (36) containing the liquid inflating medium for inflating the balloon (8). Air in the system is displaced into a return lumen (30) and a return line (46). Air drawn into the syringe (36) with the liquid inflating medium is trapped between a piston (39) of the syringe and a top surface of the liquid inflating medium in the syringe, and thereby separated from the liquid inflating medium. Re-inflating and deflating of the balloon continues until the level of air in the balloon, the flow and return lumens and the flow and return lines (44,45) has been reduced to a predefined level. Then, an accurate determination of the inflation pressure can be read from first and second pressure sensors (50,51; 52,53) on the return and flow lines, respectively.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the volume of a vessel (2,3) or a part thereof comprises a balloon catheter (5) having a catheter (6) and an inflatable balloon (10) located at a distal end (8) thereof which when inflated defines with the catheter (6) an annular hollow interior region (12). A pair of spaced apart stimulating electrodes (14) are located on the catheter (6) within the balloon (10) and a plurality of spaced apart sensing electrodes (15) are located on the catheter (6) between the stimulating electrodes (14). The balloon (10) is inflated by an electrically conductive saline solution to define the interior of the vessel (2,3). A stimulus signal of constant current is applied to the stimulating electrodes (14), resulting voltages on the sensing electrodes (15) are read for determining the transverse cross-sectional area of the balloon adjacent the respective sensing electrodes (15).

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for measuring distensibility of a vessel, lumen or sphincter comprises a balloon catheter (8) having a balloon (12) located adjacent a distal end (11) of a catheter (9) for inserting in, for example, the sphincter (3), the distensibility of which is to be determined. The balloon (12) is inflated to a first pressure to distend the sphincter, and the distensibility of the sphincter (3) is determined as the transverse cross-sectional area to which the sphincter (3) distends when the pressure of the inflating medium in the balloon (12) has been raised to the first pressure. By comparing the distensibility of the sphincter (3) with reference distensibility values of healthy and diseased sphincters, the state of the sphincter (3) under investigation can be determined.

Abstract: A delivery device (1) for administering an active substance to a subject transdermal? comprises a first plate member (7) having a plurality of first chambers (8) formed therein. Solid form structures (2) comprising the active substance and of conical shape having a pointed skin penetrating tip (5) are located in the first chambers (8). A second plate member (12) having a plurality of second chambers (16) comprising a driving substance (18) is secured to the first plate member (7) with a first membrane (20) of an expandable material sealably located between the respective first and second plate members (7,12). Expansion of the driving substance (18) in the second chambers (22) urges the first membrane (20) into the corresponding first chambers (8) for in turn urging the solid form structures (2) to penetrate through a second membrane (22) into the skin of the subject.

Abstract: A method for producing a catheter (100) having a plurality of axially spaced apart electrodes (5) towards a distal end (4) of the catheter (100) comprises forming the electrodes (5) from a single sheet (110) of electrically conductive foil material by forming spaced apart slots (111) in the sheet material to define a plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive elements (114) extending transversely between spaced apart elongated connecting portion (112,113). The electrically conductive elements (114) subsequently form the electrodes (5), and are retained spaced apart by the connecting portions (112,113) until bonded to the catheter (100). Electrically conductive wires (10) electrically coupled to the electrically conductive elements (114) extend through an elongated slot (105) into and along an axial communicating bore (9) to a proximal end (3) of the catheter (100).

Abstract: A system (1) and a device (3) is used in a fundoplication procedure in order to avoid over-tightening of the fundus of the stomach when the fundus is being wrapped around the oesophagus (7) adjacent the lower oesophageal sphincter (5). The device (3) comprises a catheter (8) having a primary balloon (12) located at a distal end (9) thereof which is inflatable with a saline solution by a primary pump (26). A pair of spaced apart primary stimulating electrodes (32) on the catheter (8) within the primary balloon (12) receive a stimulating current signal from a constant current signal generator (40) under the control of a microprocessor (43), which reads voltage signals from spaced apart primary receiving electrodes (35) on the catheter (8) in the balloon (12).

Abstract: A system (1) for dilating an occlusion (3) in an oesophagus (4) comprises a device (5) having a catheter (8) extending from a proximal end (9) to a distal end (10). An inflatable balloon (12) defining a hollow interior region (14) is located on the catheter (8) adjacent the distal end (10) thereof for dilating the occlusion (3). The balloon (12) is inflated with a saline solution by a pump (34) through an axial communicating bore (20) and radial communicating bores (21) in the catheter (8). A pair of stimulating electrodes (25) on the catheter (8) within the balloon (12) adjacent axially opposite ends (18,19) thereof receive stimulating voltage signals from a signal generator (43).

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for relieving dyspnoea in an ambulatory exercising subject comprises a housing (3) to be worn on the subject, and within which a variable speed air blower motor (5) is located for delivering an air supply to the subject through a mouthpiece (10) at a pressure similar to average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure of the subject. A pressure transducer (25) in the mouthpiece (10) monitors the pressure during breathing cycles of the subject, and a control circuit (22) determines the average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure of the subject over five breathing cycles. The control circuit (22) operates the air blower motor (5) for delivering the air supply to the subject at a pressure similar to the determined average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for relieving dyspnoea in an ambulatory exercising subject comprises a housing (3) to be worn on the subject, and within which a variable speed air blower motor (5) is located for delivering an air supply to the subject through a mouthpiece (10) at a pressure similar to average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure of the subject. A pressure transducer (25) in the mouthpiece (10) monitors the pressure during breathing cycles of the subject, and a control circuit (22) determines the average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure of the subject over five breathing cycles. The control circuit (22) operates the air blower motor (5) for delivering the air supply to the subject at a pressure similar to the determined average intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure.