Abstract: A bandage and method of use for monitoring a selected site, e.g., an IV site, of a patient is provided. The bandage includes a first section, a second section, a bridge section, and associated electronic circuitry. The first section is secured to the skin of a patient on one side of the selected site. The second section is secured to the skin of the patient on the other side of the selected site. The bridge section is expandable. The electronic circuitry includes a detection component, e.g., a breakable electronic link or a strain gauge, mounted on the bridge section. The electronic circuitry provides an electrical signal, e.g., an alarm signal, in response to the expansion of the bridge section as determined by the detection component.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and a method for sterilizing an internal surface of a lumen in a medical instrument, e.g., an endoscope. The apparatus is in the form of an elongated UVC light guide, e.g., an optic fiber, having a central longitudinal axis and which is configured to be extended down the lumen in the instrument, and a housing including a source of UVC light. The UVC light guide includes a distal end portion and is configured to carry UVC light internally from the source of UVC light to the distal end portion. The distal end portion includes a reflective surface for directing the UVC light radially outward with respect to the central longitudinal axis, whereupon when the UVC light guide is extended into the lumen in the medical instrument the radially directed UVC light impinges the internal surface of the lumen to sterilize it.

Abstract: Disclosed is an alarm bandage and method of use for monitoring an IV site of a patient. The bandage includes a first section, a second section, a bridge section, and associated electronic circuitry. The first section is adhesively secured to the skin of a patient on one side of the IV site. The second section is adhesively secured to the skin of the patient on the other side of the IV site. The bridge section is expandable and includes a breakable electronic link forming a portion of the electronic circuitry. The link is configured to break upon the expansion of the bridge section beyond a predetermined threshold, which will occur in the event that the vein at the IV site blows, whereupon the breakage of the link produces an alarm signal.

Abstract: A feeding system and methods for feeding cats is disclosed. The system includes a package holding plural feeding devices. Each feeding device is made up of a hollow container configured to dispense a portion of the daily ration of a cat's dry cat food therefrom. Each feeding device has an internal cavity bounded by an arcuate external surface that provides the appearance of a creature that constitutes prey of a feral cat. The container has an outlet port configured to enable a portion of the cat food to gradually exit from outlet port when the container is rolled on a surface by the cat playing with the feeding device. The feeding system may include a plurality of feeding devices packaged together.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and a method for sterilizing an internal surface of a lumen in a medical instrument, e.g., an endoscope. The apparatus is in the form of an elongated UVC light guide, e.g., an optic fiber, having a central longitudinal axis and which is configured to be extended down the lumen in the instrument, and a housing including a source of UVC light. The UVC light guide includes a distal end portion and is configured to carry UVC light internally from the source of UVC light to the distal end portion. The distal end portion includes a reflective surface for directing the UVC light radially outward with respect to the central longitudinal axis, whereupon when the UVC light guide is extended into the lumen in the medical instrument the radially directed UVC light impinges the internal surface of the lumen to sterilize it.

Abstract: A feeding system and methods for feeding cats is disclosed. The system includes a package holding plural feeding devices. Each feeding device is made up of a hollow container configured to dispense a portion of the daily ration of a cat's dry cat food therefrom. Each feeding device has an internal cavity bounded by an arcuate external surface that provides the appearance of a creature that constitutes prey of a feral cat. The container has an outlet port configured to enable a portion of the cat food to gradually exit from outlet port when the container is rolled on a surface by the cat playing with the feeding device. The feeding system may include a plurality of feeding devices packaged together.

Abstract: A device and method for holding at needle along a desired percutaneous path into the body of a patient is disclosed. The device includes a base, a needle guide, a hinge, and a shapeable mass. The base has a top surface and a bottom surface. The needle guide has an inner surface and an outer surface, with the inner surface defining an elongate linear channel. The needle guide is pivotably connected to the base by the hinge, so that it can be oriented and the device positioned on the skin of the patient, whereupon a portion of the needle is disposed within the needle guide at its desired orientation. The shapeable mass is arranged to be secured between the outer surface of the needle guide and the top surface of the base to hold the needle guide in that desired orientation.

Abstract: A disposable, laser-resistant eye patch includes at least one sheet member and a metallic layer attached to the sheet member. The eye patch may include two sheet members, with the metallic layer interposed between the sheet members. The eye patch preferably has adhesive applied on a peripheral portion of the eye patch for attaching the eye patch to a wearer's face. The eye patch is preferably sized to fit entirely within the eye socket of a human eye.

Abstract: In a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging system, a receive-only RF surface coil is fixedly supported on a non-metallic portable base by a non-metallic flexible support which permits the coil to be translated along any one of three orthogonal directions and to be rotated about any one of three orthogonal axes with respect to the base. The coil is therefore quickly movable to any position and orientation adjacent a patient being scanned in the magnetic resonance imaging system, and is immovably supported in the selected position and orientation during the scanning process. The coil may therefore be quickly and easily placed as close as possible to any region of interest of the patient's body without touching it, thereby optimizing the quality of the images obtained while avoiding undesirable image artifacts normally caused by movement of the coil with the patient's body motion.

Abstract: A device for producing plural lines on a film bearing a radiographic image of a portion of the body of a living being to facilitate the location of a part of the being's body within that image. The device comprises a flexible substrate formed of a porous, translucent or transparent material having lines of a radio-opaque material disposed thereon and is made by the application a slurry of a plastisol material and lead particles in the line pattern on the substrate and then drying the slurry. The device is used by applying it over a selected portion of the body of a being, disposing a radiosensitive film under the selected portion of the being's body, exposing the film to radiation, and thereafter developing the film. The resulting radiographic image of the selected portion of the being's body thus has indicator lines crossing it which facilitates the demarcation of a desired portion of that image. A marking instrument, e.g.

Abstract: A device for producing plural lines on a film bearing a radiographic image of a portion of the body of a living being to facilitate the location of a part of the being's body within that image. The device comprises a flexible substrate having lines of a radio-opaque material disposed thereon and is made by the application a slurry of a plastisol material and lead particles in the line pattern on the substrate and then drying the slurry. The device is used by applying it over a selected portion of the body of a being, disposing a radiosensitive film under the selected portion of the being's body, exposing the film to radiation, and thereafter developing the film. The resulting radiographic image of the selected portion of the being's body thus has indicator lines crossing it which facilitate the demarcation of a desired portion of that image. In one preferred embodiment the substrate of the device includes plural openings in the lines so that a marking instrument, e.g.

Abstract: An eye patch is provided for preventing opening of an eye and preventing corneal abrasion. The patch comprises a compressible planar pad having a configuration which fits within the eye socket to permit easy contact with the outer surface of the eyelids over a closed eye. The planar pad is flexible to facilitate conforming to the outer surface of the lids of the eye. One surface of the pad has an adhesive with a low to moderate adhesion applied thereto to permit securement of the lids in a closed position while permitting removal of the patch with minimal patient discomfort.