Abstract: A collapsible sheath secured in seal-tight manner on an arm of a Y-site connector to define a closed chamber for a guide wire. The guide wire is mounted at one end in a seal ring located in a bore of the arm of the connector and can be slid through the ring to be implanted in a body cavity, such as a blood vessel.

Abstract: The catheter assembly has a shielded unit in which a distal end of a catheter is sealed within a collapsible sheath in a sterile manner. One end of the sheath is secured to a hub which is slidable on the catheter in seal-fit relation and the other end of the sheath is secured to a connector which contains a hollow needle for passage of the catheter and a sealing membrane to seal off the connector. The catheter assembly also has an introducer which is provided with a sealing membrane which can be pierced by the hollow needle as the connector is coupled with the introducer. A container assembly is also provided which has a pierceable membrane through which the hollow needle of the connector may pass to permit pre-inflation of the balloon for use in conjunction with a flow directed type catheter for viewing the expansion of the balloon-tipped end of the flow directed type catheter within the sealed chamber of the container assembly.

Abstract: The composite seal is formed of a slit elastomeric septum and a sealing member which serves to seal against a blunt ended cannula passing through the slit septum. The composite seal may be made of one piece construction or of two piece construction. The sealing member may be formed of a separate rubber disc to frictionally grip a cannula in place. Alternatively, the sealing member may be formed by a plastic housing in which the slit septum is mounted. In this latter case, the plastic housing has a reduced bore for gripping of the cannula. No exterior mechanical locking elements are required to secure a cannula to the composite seal structure.

Abstract: The infusion delivery system has a primary pump for delivering a medicament into an implanted catheter in a vein as well as a second pump for delivering saline solution into the catheter in order to keep the vein upon completion of the delivery of medicament of the vein. The secondary pump operates under a pressure less than that of the primary pump.

Abstract: A sheath which contains a catheter or guide wire is provided with a connector at one end which, in turn, has a sealing membrane which can be pierced by a hollow needle when the catheter/guide wire is to be expelled from the adaptor assembly. An introducer, which is to be implanted in a body cavity such as a blood vessel, also has a hub with a sealing membrane disposed across the hub so as to abut the sealing membrane of the adaptor assembly. This membrane is also pierced by the hollow needle when the connection is made prior to insertion of a catheter or guide wire into the blood vessel. In one embodiment, a syringe may be provided with a connector and mounted on the hub of the introducer.

Abstract: The closed system connector assembly is formed with a male connector and a female connector. Both connectors have rubber membranes which can be pierced by a hollow needle disposed within the female connector. In some embodiments, the membrane of the female connector is mounted on a collapsible tube disposed about the hollow needle. During insertion of the male connector, this tube collapses and, upon withdrawal, the tube expands. In another embodiment, the female connector has a housing which carries the needle and is slidable within a sleeve which carries the membrane.

Abstract: The ambulatory infusion pump is provided with a preloaded spring having a fixed spring constant. A tab is provided to release the preloaded spring to impose a biasing force on the piston of the pump. The piston slides within the housing against a substantially constant friction force when moving from the filled position toward the empty position. The biasing force of the spring and the stroke of the piston are coordinated so as to maintain a pressure on the fluid being dispensed from the pump housing which decreases at a slow rate and within a range of about 15% of the referenced pressure.

Abstract: The pump of the infusion delivery system delivers fluid at a positive pressure. A restrictor is provided in the line to the IV catheter in order to maintain a flow rate at the catheter outlet in a range of from 0.1 to 5 milliliters per hour. The small amount of fluid infused is sufficient to maintain the vein open without backup of blood.

Abstract: The connector is constructed with a housing in which a hollow needle is disposed in a sealed condition. A rubber septum is spaced from the needle to close off a chamber with a female adaptor. The needle is able to pierce through the septum to communicate with the chamber within the female adaptor. A suitable male luer connector or the like can be inserted into the female adaptor in order to supply a medicament for infusion into a fluid transfer line via the hollow needle, a collapsible sleeve is used to seal off the needle while permitting movement of the needle into the septum.

Abstract: The needle connector is made with a shielded connector which is slotted to slide over an arm of a Y-site connector. A needle within the shielded connector is able to pierce a rubber stopper or seal in the end of the Y-site connector. A rotatable ring on the shielded connector has a cam surface at the end edge which locks against the arm of the Y-site connector while biasing the seal of the Y-site connector into sealing engagement with the interior of the shielded connector. The needle may be fixed in place or may be removably mounted in place via a needle hub.

Abstract: An over-the-needle I.V. catheter is depicted for attachment to an I.V. fluid supply. This product is primed prior to puncture of a patient's blood vessel. This product includes a catheter hub with an attached flexible catheter having its forward end tapered to provide penetration capability. This hub has a connection to I.V. fluid supply. The catheter is sized to accept a needle which in mounted condition has its sharpened tip extending from the entering end of the catheter. Venting is provided. The needle when and as withdrawn leaves a hole in a seal which in this product utilizes a resilient disc which may or may not be slit. Two washers are employed to assist in sealing of this needle withdrawal hole. A threaded cap is rotated just prior to use to bring this resilient disc under compression. Alternate means is provided by a bayonet-type of force actuation and lock.

Abstract: The catheter insertion assembly employs an aperture in the wall of the needle near the distal and to communicate with an annular flashback chamber between the needle and the surrounding catheter or a surrounding dilator. The needle may be hollow throughout for passage of a guide wire or may be plugged downstream of the aperture.

Abstract: A compact disposable delivery system is provided which includes a disposable fluid infusion device for infusing fluid under pressure, a restrictor for controlling the fluid flow, a disposable pressure transducer to receive the pressurized fluid, a catheter connected to the transducer to deliver blood pressure pulses thereto and a recording device electronically connected with the transducer to receive the blood pressure pulses. The fluid infusion device includes a piston which is slidably in the housing under the biasing force of a stretched elastomeric tubing.

Abstract: This invention pertains to both an apparatus and a method for constructing and using an incontinent female urine collection device. A molding of a partly resilient material and having a cup-shape and a stepped bore in said receptacle, is provided. Several attachment configurations to receive and retain a resilient, soft, compliant outer-rim portion are shown. This rim portion is secured to a lip edge of the molding by adhesive and the like to provide a fluid-tight seal when this device is mounted in the folds of the user's labia. A first length of tubing is secured in a formed stepped bore as by adhesive and/or the like. The discharge end of this tubing is connected to a second tubing conductor leading to a urine collection receiver. A vent in this conductor is provided to prevent air binding. A panty garment having elasticized properties is made with a reinforced aperture sized to accept and retain the first length of discharge tubing.

Abstract: This invention discloses disposable infusion delivery systems, in each of which fluid is drawn into a receiving and retaining housing and a piston is slideable in said housing. As the piston is moved away from a discharge end of the housing, at least one elastomeric member is stretched, with the stored fluid ahead of said piston discharged from said housing by the force developed by said stretched elastomeric member. This stored fluid provides a continuous flow of fluid to a patient. There are three arrangements shown. The first enables additive drugs to be infused into a fluid stream without purging. The second shows a syringe adapted to provide the disposable infusion device, and the third provides a fluid stream to and through a pressure transducer, enabling monitoring of blood pulses with minimum distortion.

Abstract: The catheter assembly employs a catheter unit, a needle unit and a guide wire unit which has a guide wire located within the hollow needle of the needle unit in the retracted position of the needle unit. The guide wire is initially spaced about three to six millimeters from the distal end of the hollow needle and can be inserted into a vessel over a distance of about one-half inch. The needle unit has a flashback chamber which is sealed by the guide wire unit to prevent outflow of blood.

Abstract: This invention is shown with two modes of construction and use. In the first arrangement, there is provided a dual tubular fluid conductor in which the blocking filter is positioned at the entering end of a second fluid conduit leading from a catheter to a transducer. In the second arrangement, the blocking filter is disposed at the fast-flush device and insures an absence of bubbles in a fluid conductor from the device to a transducer. The blocking filter is positioned so as to be in the fluid-conducting path from the patient to a transducer, with this blocking filter of hydrophilic material so that pulse signals sent to and through the fluid conductor connected to the transducer ar not distorted by the presence of air bubbles.

Abstract: The drug dispensing set includes a reservoir having a cylinder for receiving a primary infusion solution at the proximal end and a piston which slides within the cylinder in seal-tight relation. The piston includes a one-way valve to permit passage of the primary infusion solution to the distal side of the piston under pump pressure. A Y-site or three-way valve is connected in the tubing downstream of the reservoir to permit infusion of a drug dosage into the distal end of the cylinder while the piston moves towards the proximal end of the cylinder under the pressure of the delivered drug dosage. The drug dosage is subsequently dispensed from the reservoir when the pump is re-started and the primary infusion solution following the drug dosage serves to flush the tubing of the drug dosage.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a medicator securing device for use in an I.V. administration in which a needle is inserted into a resilient cap member to add drugs and the like to an infusion procedure. This inserted needle is retained in inserted condition and position in this cap by this securing device. A flexible, substantially transparent plastic film having one surface coated with a self-stick adhesive is applied tightly to a frame of semi-rigid material. This frame provides at least one window-like opening which is covered by the adhesively-coated film. A release sheet member is applied to the window-like area until a time of use and application of the securing device, at which time the release sheet is removed and the adhesive surface of the film within said window is brought to and around the connection, with a fold made of the device so that the film is engaged tightly around the connection.

Abstract: There are depicted two embodiments of an ambulatory disposable infusion delivery system in which fluid (drug) is fed to a substantially transparent receiving and retaining housing which has indicia markings conventionally applied to indicate quantity. The inflow of fluid causes an elastomeric member attached to a piston, which is slideable in a bore in this housing, to be moved, thus stretching this member. This tension provides an energy source (force) to push the fluid out of the bore when the connected tubing line is opened. The housing is provied with a discharge fluid conduit and a restrictor controlling the rate of flow. In both embodiments, the housing has a barrel with a substantially constant bore. The slideable piston in this bore has a resilient outer portion with at least two ribs providing sealing action while having a low coefficient of friction.