Abstract: A patient support apparatus supports a patient and includes a litter. The litter includes a patient support deck and extends longitudinally between first and second ends. The apparatus includes a litter lift device coupled to the litter and configured to raise and lower the patient support deck. The apparatus includes a care station coupled to the litter adjacent one of the first and second ends. The care station includes a docking frame coupled to the litter and defining an angle between the docking frame and the axis. The docking frame is arranged to pivot relative to the litter between a folded position an upright position. The angle in the folded position less than the angle in the upright position. The care station includes a utility module configured for use by a caregiver and arranged to selectively mount to the docking frame.

Abstract: A patient transport apparatus includes a support structure. The support structure includes a base, a frame, and a patient support surface to support a patient. One or more handle assemblies are coupled to the frame to maneuver the patient transport apparatus. The handle assemblies include one or more handles to be manipulated by a user. The handles are capable of being adjusted to facilitate maneuvering of the patient transport apparatus, such as pushing/pulling the patient transport apparatus along a floor surface, lifting the patient transport apparatus over obstacles, loading the patient transport apparatus into an emergency vehicle, and/or unloading the patient transport apparatus from the emergency vehicle.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus comprises a base and a support frame. The patient support apparatus also comprises a lift assembly that operates to lift and lower the support frame relative to the base. The lift assembly comprises lift members that extend and collapse to lift and lower the support frame. A timing link is pivotally connected to one of the lift members and pivotally connected to the base. Guides operate to guide movement of the lift members during operation. In some cases guided bodies coupled to the lift members move passively in the guides. In other embodiments, driven members coupled to the lift members move actively in the guides to cause lifting and lowering of the support frame.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are strut attachments for external fixation frames. The strut attachments provide solutions for frame configurations in which it is not possible to attach a strut at its ends to corresponding rings. The strut attachments may be considered an outrigger type of mechanism that achieves more travel out of completely collapsed struts. The strut attachments, each having a pivot and a hinge joint, allow a strut to be attached on the level of a first ring and extend at least partially proximally or distally to a second ring depending on the frame of reference of the ring system. These strut attachments may be used when the fully collapsed length of the strut will not allow the rings to get any closer to one another than is needed or proscribed. In such cases, the strut attachments allow for even tighter ring to ring distance.

Abstract: A patient support system is provided for use on a litter of a patient support apparatus. The patient support system includes an expandable patient support and a control assembly connectable to the expandable patient support. The control assembly includes a user interface with a display and a controller configured to display a predetermined sequence of graphical animations on the display to graphically instruct a user to perform a plurality of tasks after the user selects a new width for the expandable patient Support on the user interface.

Abstract: A patient support system is provided for use on a litter of a patient support apparatus. The patient support system includes an expandable patient support and a control assembly connectable to the expandable patient support. The control assembly includes an inflator and a controller configured to provide pressure in one or more inner bladders at a first value when the expandable patient support is at a first width and reduce the pressure in the one or more inner bladders to a second value, lower than the first value, in response to inflating one or more outer bladders to expand the expandable patient support to a second width.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a synthetic (virtual) orthopedic treatment device (e.g. a virtual external fixator representing a physical fixator attachable to a patients anatomic structure) is displayed concurrently in two views (e.g. anterior-posterior and lateral) along corresponding digital medical images (e.g. X-rays), and rotation/translation user input received along one of the images is used to concurrently control both displays of the orthopedic treatment device to reflect the rotation/translation user input.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique for generating a data set that geometrically defines a bone plate design is presented. A method implementation of this technique comprises visualizing, based on shape data of a bone, a bone model on a display device, deriving, responsive to a user interaction signal that is indicative of a user interaction relative to the bone model, plate design data representative of a plate-specific design property, and generating a data set that geometrically defines a bone plate design from at least the plate design data and one or more generic plate parameters.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, devices, systems, and non-transitory process-readable storage media for voice-activated message filtering rule generation. Some embodiments may include receiving a spoken command from a communication device, parsing the spoken command to identify an element of the spoken command, generating a message rule based on the identified element of the spoken command, determining whether the generated message rule has been met, and sending a message to the communication device in response to determining that the message rule has been met.

Abstract: A control console for a powered surgical tool. The console includes a transformer that supplies the drive signal to the surgical tool. A linear amplifier with active resistors selectively ties the ends of the transformer primary winding between ground and the open circuit state. Feedback voltages from the transformer windings regulate the resistances of the active resistors.

Abstract: A method for hip distraction includes positioning a patient on a patient pad placed on a surgical table; and applying a distraction force to a leg of the patient that is sufficient to distract a hip joint of the patient, wherein the distraction force is opposed by a slide-resisting friction force provided by the patient pad and the patient pad is sufficiently stiff to resist bunching while providing the slide-resisting friction force.

Abstract: A cassette for retrieving plural tissue samples from a fluid stream. The cassette includes a bypass conduit and plural voids. A catch tray is removably seated in each of the voids. A fitting extends from the cassette. The cassette has an outlet opening through which a suction is drawn. The cassette also has a valve. The valve directs the fluid stream from the fitting so the fluid stream flows through the bypass conduit or through one of the voids in which a catch tray is seated.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell including a can defining a lumen, an electrode assembly, a current collector and an insulator is provided. The current collector includes an attachment portion for coupling to the electrode assembly and a current collector strap. The insulator comprises a disc defining a first aperture sized such that the current collector strap is capable of extending through the first aperture. The insulator further comprises a first guide portion including a first arcuate surface for controlling a first bend radius of the current collector strap. Further, the insulator is press-fitted into the lumen to prevent the electrode assembly from pistoning.

Abstract: A surgical system for providing an improved video image of a surgical site including a system controller that receives and processes video images to determine a video signature corresponding to a condition that interferes with a quality of the video images, with the system controller interacting with a video enhancer to enhance the video images from a video capturing device to automatically control the video enhancer to enhance the video images. The surgical system can also review the video images for a trigger event and automatically begin or stop recording of the video images upon occurrence of the trigger event.

Abstract: Chest compression machine systems and methods adjust the administration of patient treatment based on received physiological parameter measurements, such as a CO2 measurement. Adjustment of the administered chest compressions can include adjusting one or more chest compression parameters, such as the depth of the administered compressions, the administration of active decompressions, adjusting the height of active decompression, adjusting the rate of compressions and/or active decompressions and/or other changes to one or more properties, or characteristics, of the administered chest compressions and/or active decompressions.

Abstract: An expandable, intervertebral spacer includes a top component and a base component in engagement with the top component, the base component defining at least one channel for receiving a hardening material, and placement of the hardening material within the channel causes the top component to move between a first position in which the top component is a first distance from the base component and a second position in which the top component is a second distance from the base component, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The hardening material can be removed from the channel by a flexible coring tool, and the top component forced toward the base component to collapse the spacer.

Abstract: A mattress cover for a mattress providing movement therapy to a patient. A patient support portion covers the upper surface of the mattress, and a bottom portion is coupled to the patient support portion. The mattress cover may substantially encase the mattress. An augmenting feature is associated with a peripheral portion with the augmenting feature adapted to move between a stored configuration, and a deployed configuration in response to increasing thickness of the mattress during the movement therapy. The augmenting feature may include concertinaed material, such as thermoformed plastic, and/or a fold of material coupled to the peripheral portion. The patient support portion and the bottom portion may at least partially overlap and be moveable relative to one another. The mattress cover may be included on a mattress overlay having a patient turning device, or on the mattress supported on a patient support apparatus.

Abstract: An intravascular device comprises an elongated outer catheter body having a proximal catheter end, a distal catheter end, and an inner catheter lumen extending between the proximal catheter end and the distal catheter end. The intravascular device further comprises an elongated inner articulating member slidably disposed within the inner catheter lumen. The inner articulating member has a proximal member end and an articulatable distal member end. The intravascular device further comprises a control assembly mechanically coupled to the proximal catheter end and the proximal member end. The control assembly is configured for distally translating the outer catheter body over the inner articulating member, and for articulating the distal member end.