Abstract: A lubricous glove is disclosed wherein the lubricous glove is made of a base material having a coating thereon of a hydrophilic lubricant mixed with a substantial portion of the material of the base material. For example, a natural rubber latex glove may have coated thereon a mixture of natural rubber latex and polyvinyl alcohol in order to provide a lubricous surface. In an alternate embodiment disclosed, the glove may be itself made of a mixture of the flexible base material and the hydrophilic lubricant. For example, a natural rubber latex may be mixed with either polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone or polyethylene oxide and a glove formed from the mixture in order to provide a lubricous glove.

Abstract: A catheter assembly comprising a catheter attached to a catheter hub, a cannula insertable into the catheter through the catheter hub and a tip guard providing automatic protection of the cannula tip and automatic locking and releasing of the tip guard form the catheter hub. The tip guard includes a base and a plurality of resilient fingers extending from the base which are adapted to flex radially outwardly to allow the cannula to be inserted in the hub and which return to the spring biased position when the cannula is withdrawn from the catheter into the guard to secure the catheter within the guard. A detent on the distal ends of the fingers engages corresponding recesses in the catheter hub to lock the tip guard in the hub when the cannula is inserted through the guard.

Abstract: An improved knee prosthesis disclosed that includes a patella for positioning in a trochlear groove formed by two condyles of a femoral component. The novel patella of the disclosure has an elliptical outer periphery and presents an articulating surface to the femoral component for sliding engagement with a trochlear groove formed between the condyles of the femoral component. A side opposite the articulating surface has extending therefrom three posts which enhance the attachment of the patella prosthesis to the patella bone. In one embodiment of the invention an undercut area which is cut into the bone contacting surface of the prosthesis presents an overhang or undercut to the bone in order to enhance cement fixation. The overhang is formed by an outer defining wall which is positioned at an angle to a bottom surface of the recessed overhang area of between 50.degree. and 75.degree..

Abstract: A pill dispenser is provided for dispensing a series of different pills over a prescribed period. The dispenser disclosed is provided with a calendar that can be pre-set to begin the regimen on whatever day is selected. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a cover, calendar and base which interlock to form a dispenser. The calendar is adjustable by applying a deliberate force using a coin or other tool. After the calendar is set to the correspond the initial day to the initial dose, subsequent doses are dispensed by rotating the cover. The calendar and the cover preferably rotate in opposite directions to minimize the possibility of mis-setting the dispenser. In addition, methods of dispensing a series of different pills over a prescribed period and methods of assembling the dispenser of the present invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: A catheter needle tip protector which assures that the needle is secured against accidental punctures after it is withdrawn from a patient's body. A catheter comprises a catheter hub, and a needle tip protector positioned within the catheter hub. A catheter needle defines a needle tip, with the needle being secured to a needle housing by first and second unequal biasing wires which extend between the needle housing and the needle tip protector. When the needle is withdrawn from the catheter hub, the first and second biasing wires extend the needle tip protector relative to the needle to an oblique position caused by the unequal biasing in which the needle tip is positioned within the needle tip protector. The first and second unequal biasing wires can comprise first and second coiled wires, which can have different biasing strengths to bias the needle tip protector to the oblique position, or can have different lengths to bias the needle tip protector to the oblique position.

Abstract: A catheter needle tip protector and a safety mechanism which provides fail-safe protection for clinical personnel against the possibility of accidental punctures by a used IV cannular needle through automatic catheter needle tip protecting structure operative upon withdrawal of the cannular from a venipuncture the body of a patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an instrument and method for performing a partial knee replacement and, in particular, a single condyle replacement method. The instrument includes a tibial mounted platform which has formed thereon a keyed slot for receiving a spacer which spacer is positioned between the femur and tibia of the knee joint being replaced. The spacer receives thereon a positioning element which positioning element includes guides for guiding a drill to drill mounting holes for mounting further instruments used in the knee operation. In particular, the mounting holes are drilled when the femur and tibia are in a predetermined angular relationship with the spacer providing a predetermined spacial relationship. In this way, the mounting holes are properly determined and positioned with respect to the relationship between the femur and tibia. A saw guide is mounted to the mounting holes and used to guide a saw when cutting the anterior chamfer, the posterior chamfer and the posterior femoral cut.

Abstract: A two-piece suture anchor is disclosed wherein a barrel-like main portion is provided with a pair of legs in a central opening. A ball-like actuating device is received within the central opening and drawn upward into the device in order to separate the legs and cause the device to expand into the soft cancellous bone of a previously prepared bone site.

Abstract: A catheter needle having surface indication thereon and process for forming such catheter by laser marking of the needle with a visual surface indicator of the terminus of the catheter tube.

Abstract: The invention is a method of applying a material usable as an orthopaedic bandage which material is an open weave substrate having thereon a curable resin. The resin is curable, for example, by polymerization which polymerization is initiated by immersion of the resin coated substrate in a bath. Gloves are worn during the performance of the method which gloves are provided with a coating which in use is lubricous relative to the resin coated substrate. Thus the interference in application of the substrate due to the substrate sticking to the gloves is substantially reduced or eliminated by the lubricousness of the gloves.

Abstract: A modified elastomeric glove is disclosed having a lubricous coating made up of polyvinyl alcohol and a thickening agent. The thickening agent is initially added in order to increase the processability of the polyvinyl alcohol coating in order to prevent runbacks and drips during the manufacturing process. A hydroscopic thickener may be used. The polyvinyl alcohol coating becomes lubricous when wetted in a water bath and therefore becomes particularly useful in applying a water-activated resin casting material for forming orthopaedic casting bandages.

Abstract: A process and product and apparatus are disclosed wherein a laser is used to form a conical tapered tip on a catheter product. The catheter is placed on an insertion needle prior to the formation process, thus eliminating the problems associated with wearing out forming tooling. The process and product further call for the use of the laser to create a surface effect on the cannula to indicate the terminus of the catheter.

Abstract: A new catheter stick protector is described having a metal flap clip which snaps down into place to prevent return of the needle through the protector device once withdrawn. The device is small and received over the needle to provide an interface between the needle hub and the hub of a catheter like product. A sleeve of hydrophobic or fluid impermeable material is provided and attached at one end to the needle hub and at a second end to the tip protector. The length of the material is selected to hold the tip protector in a position just extending beyond the tip of the needle of a catheter inserter.

Abstract: A new set of surgical instruments is described which provides a movable constraint such that the instruments include a saw guide which may be used in either a constrained or unconstrained fashion. The instruments have a movable restraint which, in the down position provides a continuous surface with the remainder of the instrument for guiding a saw, and when in the up position provides a constrained slot for guiding the saw of a surgeon in making cuts in prosthesis implantation surgery.

Abstract: A process is provided wherein a laser is used to shape and/or trim a polymer tubular catheter material while in situ on a metal insertion needle or cannula. The laser process seals the interface between the polymer catheter material and the metal cannula to prevent the flow of blood between the tubular catheter and the introducing cannula during insertion into a patient. The interface is of sufficient strength to resist such blood flow, but still sufficiently weak to prevent the removal of the cannula needle after insertion into a patient.

Abstract: Instrumentation useful in knee revision surgery uses the intramedullary canal as a mount for other instruments, such as cutting guides. A bearing sleeve is inserted into the intramedullary canal by a rod. The position of the rod within the sleeve and the canal is then fixed and a cutting guide is attached to the proximal end of the rod. The rod and sleeve connection prevents abandonment of the sleeve in the canal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the generation, use, and disposal of chlorine dioxide is disclosed. A solid sodium chlorite composition having impurities, at least one of which is sodium hydroxide, is contacted with an agent to consume essentially all of the sodium hydroxide. Chlorine dioxide gas is then generated by contacting the resultant composition with chlorine in a humidified inert carrier gas. The resultant chlorine dioxide gas mixture may then be treated to remove chlorine gas present therein by contacting the same with soda-lime in particulate form. After using the chlorine dioxide gas mixture in the desired manner, chlorine dioxide present in the spent effluent gas may be substantially removed via the introduction of the effluent gas into an aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate having a sufficient amount of an inorganic base to maintain the alkalinity of the solution during consumption of thiosulfate by chlorine dioxide.

Abstract: A capsule-like medicament, method for producing such medicaments and apparatus. Such medicaments are achieved by individually dipping and drying first one end, and then the other end, of each caplet to provide a coating which is another and easier to swallow than an uncoated caplet. The production of these capsule-like medicaments is readily facilitated by simple and inexpensive modifications which can be made to existing empty gelatin capsule making equipment.

Abstract: A carrier apparatus for a plurality of a product has a plurality of collets for maintaining the product in a fixed orientation wherein two specimens of the product are retained within one collet. The collets include a circumferential depression at one end and a resilient member which serve to retain the collets in the carrier apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for applying coating to products such as medicaments are disclosed. The present invention provides a apparatus comprising product holders and plates which interact with vacuum tubes to retain the product being coated in place while inverted and dipped into a tank of coating material. The vacuum tubes may be designed to hold product of nearly any shape or in any orientation. In a preferred embodiment, methods and apparatus for creating a two-color gelatin coating on a tablet are disclosed. In certain embodiments, additional apparatus are provided whereby the vacuum tubes rotate about their longitudinal axes and are placed in contact with a coating applicator, thereby applying a band or stripe of a coating material to a specified section of the product.