Abstract: A peritoneal catheter comprises a flexible catheter tube carrying porous cuff means to facilitate permanent securance of the catheter to the abdominal wall. The catheter tube defines, in its natural, unstressed condition, a bent segment adjacent the porous cuff means. This permits the catheter to be mounted in a tunnel formed through the abdominal wall in relatively unstressed configuration with both ends pointing downwardly.

Abstract: A unique selectively openable seal line made between two sheets of flexible thermoplastic material is disclosed, the seal line being exceptionally resistant to unintentional opening forces but being easy to open upon the application of a specific force. The seal line may be employed in various containers, including a two chamber container for the separate storage and selective mixing of two medical substances. The container includes two sheets forming the exterior of the container and an inner, diaphgram sheet between the outer sheets. The selectively openable seal line is disposed between one of the outer sheets and the diaphragm sheet. Preferably a permanent line of securement is also included, between the other exterior sheet and the inner diaphragm sheet, extending substantially parallel to and coextensive with the openable seal line.

Abstract: A blood constituent processing system uses a disposable plastic fluid flow path into which an anticoagulant must be accurately metered with respect to pumped blood flow. In a preliminary calibration phase, a closed fluid flow path is provided between the anticoagulant pump and the blood pump. One of the pumps is then controlled to inject fluid into such closed path while the other pump is controlled to withdraw fluid from that path at what is nominally an equal fluid flow rate. Changes in fluid pressure within the closed fluid flow path are then monitored and the flow rate of at least one of the pumps is changed as necessary to achieve an approximately constant fluid pressure within the closed fluid flow path. The relative pump flow control required to achieve constant pressure may then be taken as a relative flow rate calibration between the two pumps so as to permit subsequent accurate pumped metering of anticoagulant into the pumped blood flow.

Abstract: A method of preparing a dialyzer unit having a plurality of coextending hollow fibers includes washing interior fiber surfaces with an acetic acid both, flushing the interior surfaces with an aqueous glycerin solution, and removing the residual water while retaining a substantial quantity of absorbed glycerin in the fibers. The dialyzer can then be sealed and sterilized.

Abstract: A method of blending two different sizes or two different types of hollow fiber membranes provides hemodialyzers with specifiable characteristics utilizing standardized housings. The system can blend two different fiber sizes of the same type to achieve a desired ultrafilteration rate in a standard housing. This system can also blend two different types of fibers to be used in a standardized housing to provide a desired ultrafiltration rate.

Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis solution which comprises a water solution of physiological pH, and having physiological salts and metabolizable carbohydrate polymers in concentrations sufficient to safely effect the removal of solutes and water from a patient by peritoneal dialysis.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing a web of film including a heater member for melting a portion of the film to create side and chevron seals. A back-up bar is located diametric the heater member. The heater member includes two elongated heater bars and two wing heater bars.

Abstract: A disposable dental instrument is described in which the instrument is formed by insert molding a handle about a wire. The wire has a working portion and a embedding portion; both the working portion and the embedding portion have a common diameter. In one embodiment of the subject invention, the handle changes color when exposed to ultraviolet light. In another embodiment of the invention, the instrument can be sterilized using only radiation sterilization techniques.

Abstract: Various embodiments of an improved reconstitution device 30, 168, 170, 186, 242, 256, 274 are disclosed, directed to the proper mixing of two substances, and are particularly directed to the medical field for the reconstitution of a drug 36 which may be stored in a drug vial 32 with a diluent 60 stored in a flexible medical solution container 34 and used for the intravenous delivery of a medicament. In one embodiment the reconstitution device 30 includes an improved vial adapter 76 and bag adapter 78 which permit the permanent coupling of the vial 32 and liquid container 34. The bag adapter 78 may be rotatable relative to the vial adapter 76 to operate a valve including a stem channel 108 and a base post 148 on the vial adapter 76, a base segment channel 136 and a cut out portion 146 of a rim 140 on the bag adapter 78, and a sealing segment 80 disposed between the vial and bag adapter 76, 78.

Abstract: A disposable biomedical rotating filtration system for processing fluids in a closed environment includes a rotor mounted for rotation on a pivot pin, a seal between the rotor and pivot pin, an external permanent magnet drive mechanism, and a star shaped drive element mounted on the rotor for rotating the rotor in response to a magnetic field induced by the permanent magnet of the drive mechanism. The drive element on the rotor is stamped from an inexpensive non-permanent ferromagnetic sheet metal and has a configuration and position in relation to the center of said magnetic field such that said drive element receives sufficient torque for driving said rotor and sufficient seal force is applied on the rotor to provide fluid tight seal between the rotating rotor and the seal. The pivot pin is molded from a hard plastic material such as a polyamide base resin having a low coefficient of friction and good lubriciousness.

Abstract: An infusion pump has a removable reservoir including a piston and drive member. The drive member is an internally threaded elongated portion of the piston. A motor rotates a short drive screw, which engages the threads of the drive member to displace the piston in the reservoir. In one embodiment the piston is attached to the drive member by a severable central stem which breaks away to allow engagement with the drive screw. With the stem severed, the piston cannot be retracted, or the reservoir refilled. Other safety features are shown for locking the displaced piston in the reservoir. A digital metering system has a safety circuit to prevent dangerous failure modes of the rotation sensor and motor drive systems.

Abstract: A membrane plasmapheresis system introduces a flow of whole blood subject to a predetermined inlet pressure into a fluid path across a membrane which is suited for filtering the plasma from the whole blood and across which a predetermined pressure drop occurs. The plasma-poor blood is conducted from the membrane subject to a determinable plasma-poor blood pressure. Likewise, plasma filtrate is conducted from the membrane subject to a determinable plasma-filtrate pressure. The conduction of plasma filtrate is metered in response to the existent plasma-poor blood pressure to achieve and thereafter maintain substantial equilibrium between the plasma-poor blood pressure and the plasma filtrate pressure. A substantially constant transmembrane pressure can thereby be maintained at a level below which hemolysis occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus for splicing film together is provided. The apparatus includes a first jaw and a second jaw, the jaws cooperating to clamp two film ends together. A heat sealer for sealing the two film ends together is located in the first jaw. A rotatable block is located in a second jaw. The rotatable block is rotatable to a cutting position and a sealing position. In the cutting position, a side of the rotatable block having a slot faces upwardly and contacts the film. In the sealing position a side of the rotatable block having a back up member faces upwardly and contacts the film. When the film is clamped between the jaws and the rotatable block and is in the cutting position, a portion of the block, and accordingly the film, extends outwardly from a horizontal plane defined between the jaws. Therefore, after the film is cut along the slot in the block and the block is rotated to the sealing position, the severed ends of the film overlap. A method of splicing film is also provided.

Abstract: A shunt system for implantation in the body comprises a body having an inlet and an outlet and a first fluid-flow passageway extending between the inlet and outlet. A pressure regulated valve is provided within the first fluid-flow passageway to provide fluid flow at selected fluid pressures in the passageway. A filter is positioned within the first fluid-flow passageway. A second fluid-flow passageway extends between the inlet and outlet and provides a passageway through the body around the filter. A valve and valve seat is provided within the second fluid-flow passageway which can be selectively closed or opened to provide fluid flow through the second fluid-flow passageway.

Abstract: An infusor (10) is disclosed for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a predetermined flow rate. The influsor (10) includes a housing (12) containing an elastomeric bladder (16) for receiving the liquid under pressure. The liquid is delivered from the bladder to a patient through tubing (36). A non-adjustable, preselected flow regulator (38) includes a capillary bore (48). The flow regulator (38) is disposed at the distal end of the tubing (36), such that the tubing may be primed quickly, in a time period virtually unaffected by the flow regulator (38). Distal placement of the flow regulator (38) results in a more constant temperature, and thus a more constant flow rate, of fluid flowing through the flow regulator.

Abstract: A disposable diagnostic plasma filter dispenser includes a low cost disposable container and a rotor drive for rotationally energizing a rotor within the container. The disposable container is particularly suitable for drawing and dispensing blood samples for clinical analysis and includes a tube shaped outer wall having a frangible dispenser outlet cover, a close fitting inner tube supporting a filter membrane and a unitary rotor disposed for axel free rotation and axial translation within the inner tube in response to energization from the rotor driver. The rotor produces vortex enhanced filtration while maintaining a flow of filter fluid through the filtration gap and creating a transmembrane pressure.

Abstract: A pair of separate conduits, each having an internal seal zone, may be joined by the method which comprises sealingly joining the ends of the conduits together; thereafter adding an antiseptic into the area of the joined conduits between internal seals formed in the zones; and then opening said internal seals without separating the conduits to permit internal fluid flow through the joined conduits.

Abstract: A heat exchanger (38) is provided which may be used in a mass transfer device (20), such asn an oxygenator or a dialyzer. The heat exchanger comprises a core (40) formed of a corrugated metal having a high thermal conductivity. Each of the corrugations of the core comprises substantially parallel side walls (70, 72). A first fluid, such as blood, is introduced onto the outside of the core. A second fluid, such as water, is introduced into the inside of the core. The first and second fluids will be in heat exchange relationship with each other and the flow of the fluids is substantially uniform resulting from the substantially parallel side walls of the corrugations. The core is formed by providing a flexible metalhose, annealing the flexible metal hose, compressing the annealed hose and expanding the compressed hose to a length that is substantially less than its original length but greater than its length during compression.

Abstract: A centrifugal blood processing system is disclosed having a rotor drive assembly that is rotatably mounted to a stationary base for rotation along a predetermined axis. A rotor assembly, which includes a blood processing chamber, is rotatably mounted with respect to the base for rotation about the axis. A flexible umbilical cable segment is provided for establishing fluid communication with the blood processing chamber. One end of the cable segment is fixed with respect to the base along the axis at one side of the rotor assembly while the other end of the cable segment is attached on the axis in rotationally locked engagement to the rotor assembly. Guide means are provided for causing the umbilical cable to rotate about the axis with the motor drive assembly. Means are provided for rotating the rotor assembly and the rotor drive assembly in the same direction with a speed ratio of 2:1 to prevent the umbilical cable from becoming completely twisted during rotation of the rotor.