Abstract: A medical device particularly adpated for use with a blood collection tube including a nonlinear needle having first and second needle points wherein the first needle point is selectively protected by a movable protective shield and the second needle point is designed to pierce the stopper of an evacuated blood collection tube. The needle guard is movable axially along a portion of the nonlinear needle between a needle tip exposing retracted position and a needle covering locked extended position.

Abstract: An improved safety syringe is disclosed herein comprising a locating ring positioned on the distal end of a syringe barrel and a pair of first and second sleeves which interact with a projecting tab on the locating ring to movably retain the first sleeve in retracted and extended positions and wherein in the extended position one of the sleeves enclose the syringe needle in an irreversible locked arrangement.

Abstract: A connection component suitable for use with an enteral fluid delivery set wherein the connection component consists of a threaded cap having a projecting spike thereon to penetrate and deform a foil diaphragm on the fluid container and further including an air passageway having a flexible member therein to allow filtered air to flow into the fluid container while preventing the flow of fluid from the fluid container through the air passageway.

Abstract: A safety syringe including a conventional syringe, a locating ring and an elongate and tubular sleeve wherein the locating ring includes an outwardly extending projecting tab thereon which extends outwardly from the distal end of the syringe to engage an elongate slot having closed distal and proximal ends on the elongate sleeve to allow the sleeve to be movable between a retracted position wherein a needle on the syringe is exposed and a pair of extended positions wherein the needle is enclosed by the sleeve. The sleeve is releasably retained in one of the extended positions and irreversibly retained in the other extended position upon rotational movement of the projecting tab into one or the other of a pair of perpendicular slots on the sleeve.

Abstract: A chest drainage device having a collection chamber, a water seal chamber and a suction control chamber wherein the suction control chamber includes first and second columns wherein the top end of the first column is open to the atmosphere and the top end of the second column is in flow communication with a vacuum source and water seal chamber and wherein the bottom end of the first and second columns are in flow communication with a float chamber and ballast sleeve to increase the effective dynamic water height of liquid in the suction control chamber and to decrease the overall height of the suction control chamber of the chest drainage device while maintaining the same operational vacuum pressure range as previous chest drainage devices.

Abstract: An angiographic catheter includes a relatively soft, tip portion having a preformed curvature, and a resilient body portion extending therefrom having a preformed curvature in the opposite direction. A lumen extends through the catheter for the injection of angiographic dye therethrough to the right coronary artery. The part of the body portion of the catheter which it in the aortic arch of the patient during use has an amount of curvature which is less than the amount of curvature of the aortic arch, so that the body portion of the catheter is resiliently deformed where it passes through the aortic arch. The deformation results in the biassing of the tip portion of the catheter into the ostium of the right coronary artery.

Abstract: An over the needle catheter introducer having an introducer needle and a cannula member with finger engaging means on the introducer needle and cannula member and a groove means on the introducer means to selectively engage a luer extension on the proximal end of the cannula member so that the introducer needle engages the cannula member in one position and is readily released therefrom by rotation of the cannula member about the introducer needle.

Abstract: A blood collection assembly is provided for blood collection tubes, and more particularly for evacuated blood collection tubes, whereby the potential exposure of laboratory technicians or hospital personnel to potentially infectious blood specimens is reduced. The device consists of a cap which is configured to be placed over and fitted onto the rubber stopper of an evacuated collection tube. The top surface of the cap includes a centrally located bore section which is surrounded by a downwardly directed retaining ring to prevent accidental exposure of the user to the upper flange portion of the stopper wherein the user is protected from exposure to the contaminated bottom surface of the stopper as the cap and stopper are removed from the collection tube.

Abstract: A chest drainage device having a collection chamber, a water seal chamber and a suction control chamber wherein the suction control chamber includes first and second columns and wherein the top end of the first column is open to the atmosphere and the top end of the second column is in flow communication with a vacuum source. The bottom end of the first and second columns are preferably in flow communication with a float chamber to increase the effective dynamic water height of the liquid in the suction chamber and to decrease the required overall height of suction control chamber of the chest drainage device while maintaining same operational range as prior chest drainage devices.

Abstract: An improved non-whip angiographic catheter has a preselected number of openings of preselected size, location and orientation along the straight portion of the catheter near the distal tip so as to distribute the force of the high-pressure dye injection jets while maintaining the non-whip characteristic. At least one opening in the catheter long portion is provided facing the open end of the tip portion so that the dye trajectories from the catheter tip opening and the catheter long portion opening are generally coplanar and perpendicular so as to interfere with each other for improved dye dispersion. At least two reaction openings of predetermined size are provided on the opposite side of the catheter long portion at preselected locations, the dye trajectories of these three reaction openings also being generally coplanar with the trajectories of the first opening and the open end of the catheter tip.

Abstract: In a blood serum separator tube for separating blood into a lighter phase and a heavier phase, the thixotropic gel material initially disposed in the container lower end of the tube is protected from contact with any atmosphere contained in the tube, thus preventing separation of silicone oil from the silica-silicone fluid gel material during manufacture or storage. The gel material may be microencapsulated, or contained in a smaller number of larger capsules, or a single capsule. Alternatively, the gel material may be sealed in the tube under a curable elastomeric material, or under a water soluble material which dissolves upon contact with the blood being separated.

Abstract: An improved underwater drainage device having a baffle system preferably incorporated into the water seal column positioned in flow communication with the patient's pleural cavity wherein the baffle chamber consists of a baffle insert having a baffle tube and a plurality of spaced downwardly directed baffles. And wherein the baffle tube of the present invention includes a tapered outer wall directed toward the first baffle and sidewalls having a plurality of side openings to allow the water seal to flow downwardly therethrough once the negative pressure from the patient's pleural cavity has dissipated.

Abstract: A chest drainage device is provided for draining fluid and gases from the pleural cavity of a patient. The drainage device has three chambers; a collection chamber, a water seal chamber, and suction control chamber. The suction control chamber includes a first column which has an upper end adapted to be open to the atmosphere, and a second column, which has a substantially larger cross-sectional area than the first column. A filter member on the lower end of the first column disperses the atmospheric air into small diameter bubbles as it enters liquid present in the lower end of the second column. The present invention provides an improved means for muffling the sound of the atmospheric air as it bubbles through the liquid in the second column. Additionally, the present invention provides a means for increasing the accuracy of the vacuum pressure actually being applied to the pleural cavity of the patient as compared to the prescribed vacuum pressure.

Abstract: A disposable indwelling catheter placement unit includes a transparent plastic catheter for insertion into a blood vessel having depth indicating graduations thereon. The catheter is freely slidable into a transparent plastic tubular sheath having a slit line there along. The unit has a transparent inserter having an inner tube connected to a front portion of the inserter. The sheath tube is releasable from around the catheter responsive to movement through the inserter. By pushing the sheath tube forward into the inserter with the fingers while holding the inserter with other fingers, or pulling the split sheath from the inserter, the catheter can be pushed into the blood vessel up to a desired depth while maintaining sterility.

Abstract: A medical fluid delivery set is provided with a magnetic field source in the region of its mounting to a fluid flow control apparatus. The flow control apparatus includes a magnetic field sensitive switching component which detects the proper placement of the delivery set on the flow control apparatus and prevents operation of the fluid delivery system unless a set is in proper position.

Abstract: A chest drainage unit having a suction regulator in fluid communication with the suction control chamber for regulating the suction pressure applied to the pleural cavity of the patient wherein the suction regulator includes a valve device which provides a continuous amount of fluid communication between the atmosphere and the suction source in the normally closed position and being movable to an open position in response to the increased negative pressure to allow an increase in the amount of fluid communication between the atmosphere and the suction source.

Abstract: An attachment device for use in attaching a blood collection bag to the side of a chest drainage unit wherein the attachment device consists of an upper attachment arm removably fitting within an opening located on a removable bracket attached to the chest drainage unit and further including a pair of adhesive pads near the lower end of the side surface of the chest drainage unit and the collection bag holder.

Abstract: An improved lancet injector is provided which includes an elongate tubular housing, a penetration depth selector thereon, a moveable lancet guide in the housing and a compressible spring in the housing connected between the lancet guide and one end of the housing. The lancet guide further including a flexible plunger thereon to create a vacuum in one end of the injector after the patient's skin has been pierced to assist in drawing blood from the puncture site by manually moving the lancet guide from a neutral position to a vacuum position.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is a canister type of measuring and dispensing device featuring interchangeable canister sections and drawers and including a mixing lever in rotational engagement with a drawer holder wherein the drawers are removable from the drawer holder through an opening in the dispenser housing to provide an overall device which may be adapted to store nearly any quantity of granular material and to dispense the granular material from removable drawers having different dispensing dimensions.