Abstract: A medical monitor includes a lanyard and an electronic package supported in the manner of a pendant. The lanyard includes integral electrodes or other sensors for making physiological measurements, auxiliary components and connectors for electrically connecting the electrodes or sensors to the electronic package. The physiological measurements may be stored in the monitor for later readout, or may be transmitted, before or after processing, to a remote location.

Abstract: A method for performing an in-vivo calibration of a blood pressure sensor that is associated with a balloon of an in-vivo balloon system, the sensor and balloon being associated such that the sensor is in-vivo when the balloon is in-vivo. The balloon is inflated so that a gas pressure in the balloon system is indicative of a patient's blood pressure. The patient's blood pressure is monitored through two channels, the gas pressure and the sensor. The blood pressure measurements obtained by monitoring the gas pressure are used as reference, or “true,” blood pressure measurements to determine a mathematical relationship between blood pressure measurements obtained through the sensor and the reference blood pressure measurements. In this manner, future blood pressure measurements obtained through the sensor can be modified according to the mathematical relationship to generate calibrated blood pressure measurements.

Abstract: A balloon catheter has a balloon membrane, a tip connected to the distal end of the balloon membrane and an outer tube connected to the proximal end of the balloon membrane for supplying a medium for inflating and deflating the balloon membrane. A pressure sensor, such as a fiber optic sensor, may be mounted in a pocket in the tip. The pocket may be filled with a flexible substance which both communicates pressure to and protects the pressure sensor. A membrane may overlie the pocket to prevent leakage of the flexible substance therefrom.

Abstract: A balloon catheter has a balloon membrane, a tip connected to the distal end of the balloon membrane and an outer tube connected to the proximal end of the balloon membrane for supplying a medium for inflating and deflating the balloon membrane. A pressure sensor, such as a fiber optic sensor, may be mounted in a pocket in the tip. The pocket may be filled with a flexible substance which both communicates pressure to and protects the pressure sensor. A membrane may overlie the pocket to prevent leakage of the flexible substance therefrom.

Abstract: A device is proposed for inserting hemostatic material through a tissue channel and against the outside wall of a blood vessel of a patient, wherein the blood vessel wall has a puncture therein adjacent the tissue channel. The device includes a charge of hemostatic material and a hollow sheath adapted to pass through the tissue channel, the sheath having a cross sectional profile larger than the puncture. The device places the hemostatic material in the hollow sheath and advances the hemostatic material through the sheath to the outside of the vessel wall around the puncture.

Abstract: A system is provided for joining two tubular structures by a surgical stapling procedure. The system includes a series of sizers, a specifically designed graft, a loading unit, a wand, a surgical loop and a stapling instrument. The sizers are for determining the diameter of a target aorta and the availability of a sufficient transected aortic length to perform a stapling procedure. The loading unit holds the graft in position in the body and deploys a circumferential line of staples through the graft and an overlapping end of the aorta. The graft may include a side port by which the loading unit holds the graft during the stapling procedure, and which may be closed once the stapling procedure has been completed. The wand may be used to introduce the loading unit and graft into the body, to position them within the transected aorta, and to hold them in place during the application of the surgical loop.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a blood pressure sensor connected to the catheter and also a fluid-filled transducer system for adjusting the blood pressure sensor measurements.

Abstract: In order to fully automate the inflation timing and deflation timing of an intra-aortic balloon pump, certain delays intrinsic in the system must be taken into account. A process for calculating these delays includes determining a nominal inflate command time, adding a dither time interval to the nominal inflate command time to obtain an actual inflate time, and determining a deflate command time. An inflation/deflation cycle is then processed in which the intra-aortic balloon pump is inflated at the actual inflate command time and deflated at the deflate command time. Blood pressure data is acquired from the patient during the inflation/deflation cycle, and is then analyzed to determine a realization time at which the effects of inflating the intra-aortic balloon are realized on the blood pressure waveform. From this the total delay time between the actual inflate command time and the realization time can be determined.

Abstract: A dressing for applying compression to a wound in a patient includes a bladder having a non-deformable end wall and a deformable membrane. The dressing may include a flexible web having an adhesive layer on one side thereof for securing the dressing to the patient so as to hold the bladder against the patient's skin. Upon inflation, the deformable membrane projects towards the patient's skin and exerts pressure on the wound to reduce the flow of blood from the wound.

Abstract: A vacuum reservoir, for use with an intra-aortic balloon pump or other system, containing a muffling means having a honeycomb-like cell structure or other flow straightening structure.

Abstract: A balloon catheter has a balloon membrane, a tip connected to the distal end of the balloon membrane and an outer tube connected to the proximal end of the balloon membrane for supplying a medium for inflating and deflating the balloon membrane. A pressure sensor, such as a fiber optic sensor, may be mounted in a pocket in the tip. The pocket may be filled with a flexible substance which both communicates pressure to and protects the pressure sensor. A membrane may overlie the pocket to prevent leakage of the flexible substance therefrom.

Abstract: An intra-aortic balloon catheter having a collapsible variable diameter inner tube.

Abstract: A dressing for applying compression to a wound in a patient includes a bladder having a non-deformable end wall and a deformable membrane. The dressing may include a flexible web having an adhesive layer on one side thereof for securing the dressing to the patient so as to hold the bladder against the patient's skin. Upon inflation, the deformable membrane projects towards the patient's skin and exerts pressure on the wound to reduce the flow of blood from the wound.

Abstract: A mounting device for securing transport patient connected equipment, specifically an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), in the typically crowded medical transport vehicle. An engagement stud on the IABP slides into a spring-loaded latch connected to a vehicle mounted base. The engagement stud configuration allows the user to engage the IABP from any desired direction, i.e. slide the pump from any of the four sides onto the mount. No effort is required from the user beyond the pushing motion for locking the IABP onto the mount.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a micromanometer connected to the catheter and also a fluid-filled transducer system for adjusting micromanometer pressure measurements.

Abstract: A reduced size IAB catheter system comprising an IAB catheter disposed within a tube serving both as a insertion sheath and as a reinforcement tube. The tube is preferably disposed about the entire catheter up to the balloon membrane. The catheter remains disposed within the tube during therapy.

Abstract: A protective sleeve for a catheter having a distal end capable of (i) being disposed within and engaging a majority of existing hemostatic valves; and (ii) capable of being partially inserted into a patient, thus, securing the sleeve to the patient in a sheathless catheter insertion procedure.

Abstract: An intra-aortic balloon pump system having a leak detector comprising a processor, a pressure sensor, and optionally a temperature sensor. Gas leaks from the intra-aortic balloon pump system are detected by comparing shuttle gas pressure readings, taken just prior to IAB inflation, with similar thermodynamic histories, i.e. similar equilibrium times.

Abstract: A method and device for increasing the horizontal resolution of both a color flat panel display and a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. The method involves fine horizontal positioning of pixels according to information encoded in the color. Since pixel size is not changed, the display and processing bandwidth requirement is not increased. For the case of the color flat panel display, the fact that each pixel is constructed of a horizontal stripe of 3 primary color sub-pixels is utilized. Complex color information is spread across adjacent pixels to increase the apparent horizontal resolution by a factor of three. For the case of the CRT, a clock multiplier is used to multiply the video clock frequency by three. The apparent horizontal resolution of the CRT is increased by a factor of three by delaying pixels a varying multiple of this high clock speed.