Abstract: A method and device for cutting venous valve located within the lumen of a vein. The device comprises an elongate shaft of rigid or flexible construction and a valvulotome blade positioned on the distal end of said elongate shaft. The valvulotome blade comprises an elongate shank portion which is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a head portion which extends laterally from the shank portion of the blade. The head portion of the blade comprises an outer venous wall abutment surface and a proximal cutting surface. The venous wall abutting surface is a spaced distance from the proximal cutting surface such that the venous wall abutment surface may be forced into abutment with the venous wall and the device may be drawn through a venous valve such that the proximal cutting surface will cut the venous valve, but will not come into contact with the adjacent vein wall.

Abstract: A continuous cardiac output monitor includes a general-purpose monitoring console with local display and communication facilities, and a module removably interfacing with the console to configure the latter for performing continuous cardiac output monitoring. The module includes a switch-mode high efficiency power amplifier for providing electrical heating power at a selected voltage, frequency, and wave form to a heating element of a continuous cardiac output monitoring catheter, which catheter at a distal end portion thereof is immersed in the blood flow of a patient. The catheter effects a temperature transient in the patient's blood flow by the controlled application of electrical resistance heating utilizing electrical power from the power amplifier, and this temperature transient is sensed and used to derive a value for the patient's cardiac output.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for harvesting adipose tissue so as to preserve an increased population of viable microvascular endothelial cells. Adipose tissue containing microvascular endothelial cells is harvested using a collection apparatus incorporating an elongate cannula having apertures with tissue cutting edges. A sub-ambient pressure is applied to a lumen in the cannula to draw the adipose tissue through the aperture where it is then severed using the cutting edge to disrupt the connective adipose matrix. This harvesting provides a cleaner, more homogeneous sample of adipose tissue, thereby increasing the population of viable microvascular endothelial cells obtained through further processing. Rapid and easy methods for the further homogenization of the harvested adipose tissue are also disclosed.

Abstract: Reduced allergenicity natural rubber latex articles having otherwise normal physical, mechanical, and chemical properties are produced by directly sequestering the antigenic components on one surface of the article followed by inducing the remaining antigenic components of the natural rubber latex to bloom onto and adjacent to the opposed surface of the article prior to treatment with a subsequent screening reagent to sequester the remaining antigenic compounds.

Abstract: Cardiac output CO is separately estimated in a local estimator and a trend estimator to provide CO values. A thermal signal is injected preferably according to a pseudo-random binary sequence signal profile at an upstream position in a blood flow region of a patient's body and is sensed as an indicator output signal at a downstream position. Low-frequency noise is preferably removed from the sensed indicator output signal. The local and trend estimations are based on measured frequency-domain transfer function values between the sensed and input indicator signal in relation to a pre-determined transfer function model, which is preferably a lagged normal model. The trend estimator is preferably a Kalman filter. The local estimator preferably forms its estimate based on non-recursive optimization of a cost function. The local estimator preferably provides initial values to start the trend estimator.