Abstract: There is described an artificial blood vessel for use in a region of a living body which needs to be repeatedly pierced with a needle. The artificial blood vessel includes a main section having a vessel wall which includes a laminated assembly comprising an inner layer, an outer layer, and an intermediate layer positioned therebetween, and a pair of anastomotic sections disposed on the respective opposite ends of the main section. Each of the anastomotic sections has an intermediate layer thinner than the intermediate layer of the main section or is free of an intermediate layer, so that the anastomotic section as a vessel wall thinner than the main section.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel amphiphilic substance, a nanoparticle using the novel amphiphilic substance, which can be used as a nanocarrier having high biocompatibility, a drug delivery system and a probe useful for the system, and, a molecular imaging system and a probe useful for the system. An amphiphilic block polymer comprising a hydrophilic block; and a hydrophobic block, wherein the hydrophilic block is a hydrophilic polypeptide chain having 10 or more sarcosine units, and the hydrophobic block is a hydrophobic molecular chain comprising units selected from the group consisting of amino acid units and hydroxyl acid units as essential structural units, and having 5 or more of the essential structural units.

Abstract: This invention relates to a drive mechanism for a drug delivery device, drug delivery devices comprising the drive mechanism of the invention and a method of assembling such drug delivery devices, which allow the user to select multiple doses of an injectable drug and to dispense the set dose of the drug.

Abstract: This invention relates to a dose display mechanism for a drug delivery device that allows the user to select multiple doses of an injectable drug and for the dispensing of the set dosage of the drug and applying said drug to a patient, preferably by injection.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cap for drug delivery devices, in particular of the injector-type comprising a needle and a needle cover, wherein said cap is suitable as a needle safety tool, by comprising a needle cover retaining portion. In particular, the present invention relates to such devices, which are handled by the patients themselves.

Abstract: Precursor of fatal arrhythmia is detected and by setting the tolerance level for carrying out nerve stimulation depending on the severity degree of the precursor, significant variation of the heart rate is suppressed and induction of the fatal arrhythmia is repressed. For this purpose, precursor of tachyarrhythmia occurrence such as premature contraction, ST change, repolarization abnormality or the like is detected and the lower-limit of the atrium interval which becomes the tolerance level of the nerve stimulation is set according to the detected result. Then, it is constituted according to the precursor of aforesaid tachyarrhythmia such that time for making the nerve stimulation means in an operation state is to be adjusted or nerve stimulation is to be carried out as much as the heart rate of a predetermined number of times.

Abstract: There is disclosed heart treatment equipment in which it is possible to carry out controlling of a preventive treatment after an anti-tachyarrhthmia treatment in order to execute prevention and treatment of a fatal arrhythmia and the anti-tachyarrhythmia treatment is carried out by controlling tachyarrhythmia prevention means and tachyarrhythmia treatment means (tachyarrhythmia termination means) according to the result of detecting occurrence of tachyarrhythmia. In the anti-tachyarrhythmia treatment, there is provided with a structure for reducing or stopping the activation current with respect to the vagus nerve or a repression current with respect to the sympathetic nerve after a supply of an electroshock to the heart such as cardioversion, defibrillation or the like, so that it is possible to prevent deterioration of hemodynamics, recurrence of fatal arrhythmia and supraventicular arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation or the like.

Abstract: A conduit assembly for attachment to a mechanical circulatory device, such as a VAD, and a method of using the same. The conduit assembly includes a conduit having a first rigid, curved conduit and a second rigid, curved conduit. A first coupling attaches a first end of the first rigid, curved conduit to the mechanical circulatory device, the coupling being movable between a rotatable position and a fixed position. The conduit assembly further includes a second coupling for attaching a second end of the first rigid, curved conduit to the second rigid, curved conduit, the second coupling being movable between a rotatable position and a fixed position.

Abstract: A heart assist device, for example a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) including a blood pump, is controlled on the basis of a ratio of the pump's speed and the patient's heart rate. The patient's activity and a required cardiac assist level can be defined via the heart beat rate of the patient and a rotational speed of the LVAD pump. Controlling the pump of the heart assist device based on the pump speed and the patient's heart rate enables the heart assist device to respond to changes in the patient's activity level.

Abstract: A centrifugal fluid pump apparatus includes a control mechanism including an emergency impeller rotation function. The emergency impeller rotation function includes a rotation termination function when the failure detection function detects a failure; impeller magnetic counterforce application function to apply a current to the electromagnet sufficient to overcome the magnetic attraction force of the rotor to the impeller caused by the magnet; hydrodynamic levitation control detection function to detect rotation of the impeller and the rotor by using a motor current monitored by the motor current monitoring function; motor speed control function for increasing the motor speed up to a predetermined value after the hydrodynamic levitation control detection function detects that the hydraulic bearing coupling between the impeller and the rotor has been made; and impeller magnetic counterforce termination function to terminate current to the electromagnet once the predetermined impeller rotation speed is reached.

Abstract: A blood vessel in a patient is severed by inserting a shaft through an incision in the patient, the shaft carrying first and second clamps. The first and second clamps are closed against the vessel in closely adjacent relationship to one another. Thereafter, the clamps are moved in generally opposing directions to sever the vessel at a location between the clamps. Each clamp carries a cauterizing pad for cauterizing the severed ends of the vessel.

Abstract: An inflow conduit system including an inflow conduit having a distal end, a proximal end, and a body portion extending therebetween, and an apical cuff assembly having a sleeve portion and a ring portion. When in use, the apical cuff assembly is disposed over the inflow conduit such that a predetermined tip length of the body portion is defined between the distal end of the inflow conduit and the ring portion, the predetermined tip length being determinable based upon a position of the sleeve portion relative to the inflow conduit.

Abstract: A blood vessel in a patient is severed by inserting a shaft through an incision in the patient, the shaft carrying first and second clamps. The first and second clamps are closed against the vessel in closely adjacent relationship to one another. Thereafter, the clamps are moved in generally opposing directions to sever the vessel at a location between the clamps. Each clamp carries a cauterizing pad for cauterizing the severed ends of the vessel.

Abstract: Heart treatment equipment and a heart treatment method directed to prevention of a fatal arrhythmia by detecting a physical exercise or a mental stress by using a sensor and thereafter controlling the vagus nerve stimulation, wherein sensor means for detecting various living body information for generating a signal which designates degree of a sympathetic tone is provided and heart rate threshold for carrying out the vagus nerve stimulation is adjusted according to the living body information detected by the sensor means. Further, a nerve stimulation parameter for adjusting the strength of the vagus nerve stimulation is adjusted in response to the degree of the patient sympathetic tone.

Abstract: A heart assist device, for example a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) including a blood pump, is controlled on the basis of a ratio of the pump's speed and the patient's heart rate. The patient's activity and a required cardiac assist level can be defined via the heart beat rate of the patient and a rotational speed of the LVAD pump. Controlling the pump of the heart assist device based on the pump speed and the patient's heart rate enables the heart assist device to respond to changes in the patient's activity level.

Abstract: A lumen wall of a blood vessel, such as a coronary artery, is imaged by inserting a catheter into the vessel and emitting near-IR radiation toward the lumen wall through a side window formed in the catheter. Blood flowing through the vessel is caused to react with a fin arrangement formed on a body of the catheter to displace the window toward a region of the lumen wall opposing the window in order to minimize the amount of blood that is interposed between the window and the lumen wall. Thus, the amount of radiation that is scattered or absorbed by the blood is minimized.

Abstract: The diamter of &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is reduced by cold wire-drawing and the &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is subjected to heat treatment. The heat treatment comprises the first aging process for precipitation strengthening and the second aging process for removing processing strain. &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is heat-treated under the supply of tension at the second aging process.

Abstract: An inflow conduit system including an inflow conduit having a distal end, a proximal end, and a body portion extending therebetween, and an apical cuff assembly having a sleeve portion and a ring portion. When in use, the apical cuff assembly is disposed over the inflow conduit such that a predetermined tip length of the body portion is defined between the distal end of the inflow conduit and the ring portion, the predetermined tip length being determinable based upon a position of the sleeve portion relative to the inflow conduit.

Abstract: An endoscopic apparatus for harvesting blood vessels includes a endoscopic barrel including a plurality of lumens, one of the lumens being dimensioned for receiving an endoscope, a handle disposed at a proximal end of the endoscopic barrel, and at least one integrated member for dissecting and cauterizing a blood vessel. The at least one integrated member includes two fingers having distally curved ends. Movement of each of the fingers is independently controlled by a control mechanism disposed within the handle. More specifically, a control rod extends between the handle and each of the fingers such that movement of the control mechanism between a first position and a second position produces a predetermined movement of the respective finger.

Abstract: The diamter of &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is reduced by cold wire-drawing and the &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is subjected to heat treatment. The heat treatment comprises the first aging process for precipitation strengthening and the second aging process for removing processing strain. &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is heat-treated under the supply of tension at the second aging process.