Abstract: A self-sealing valve device for an angiographic catheter includes a housing having a first end adapted to form a luer lock connection with the proximal end of the angiographic catheter. A central bore extends between the first end of the housing and an opposing second end, and a deformable elastomeric slit seal is supported across the central bore to selectively seal the proximal end of the catheter. The slit seal is adapted to permit a guidewire to be passed therethrough and advanced into the catheter while sealingly engaging the walls of the guidewire to prevent blood loss through the catheter. The second end of the housing is provided with a female luer lock connection fitting for receiving the conical tip of a syringe, stopcock, or the like, and forming a pressure-tight connection therebetween.

Abstract: Curled, twisted cellulosic fibers are reduced in size by mechanical means, i.e., by refining. The refined fibers are formed into sheets which are used as an absorbent layer in diapers, bandages and, especially, in sanitary napkins. In one mode, the refined fibers can be used to provide shaped sanitary devices. In an optional mode, fibers having intra-fiber capillary channels can be used to direct fluids into absorbent sheets comprising the refined, curled cellulosic fibers.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical container comprises a housing with a wall structure and bottom defining an inner volume, a pierceable diaphragm sealingly positioned within an opening in the housing, and a protective cover received over the diaphragm. The diaphragm has at least one fluid check valve integrally formed therein and affording one way fluid communication from ambient toward the inner volume of the housing when the fluid pressure inside the container is less than ambient. The protective cover has one or more openings in fluid communication with the diaphragm check valves either via a set of grooves formed in the upper surface of the diaphragm or through a path provided by a spacer positioned between the cover and the diaphragm. A tear away seal covers the holes in the cover to prevent air flow toward the check valves prior to initial use.

Abstract: A core component for use in a fluid-absorbing article, such as a diaper, incontinence pad, catamenial device or the like is described, which core component has a plurality of core zones comprising a zone of vulnerability positioned in said core component for maximum potential exposure to wetting, and at least one additional core zone arranged in an area of reduced potential exposure to initial wetting and in direct or indirect fluid receivable relation from the zone of vulnerability. The zone of vulnerability has a wadding component comprising synthetic fiber of filament and has a greater average pore size and greater average fractional value of fiber volume to fiber surface area than the average pore size and average fractional value of fiber volume to fiber surface area of the wadding component in the at least one additional core zone.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting extravasation of injected liquid from the blood vessel of a patient. The system operates by monitoring electromagnetic microwave emission from the patient at the injection site by means of a microwave antenna assembly and processing apparatus connected to the antenna assembly for responding to changes in the microwave emission characteristics representative of extravasation. The antenna assembly has a reusable antenna element connected to the processing apparatus, a disposable attachment element for adhering to the patient's skin, and interfitting male and female coupling formations on the attachment element and the antenna element respectively for releasably coupling the reusable element to the disposable element.

Abstract: A medical implement and tubing organizer that allows medical implements to be held in a convenient location proximate to a patient and also allows the medical tubes to be organized and ordered according to size. The tubes are held in generally cylindrical lateral bores in the tubing holder. The holder is in detachable engagement with a substantially flat base portion. The base portion has a plurality of apertures adapted to receive and hold medical implements. The flat base portion also has a strap or the like to engage the rail or horizontal strut of a hospital bed. Thus, the entire unit is held in a fixed relationship with the patient for the convenience of the caregiver and the tube holding portion can be removed from the base, if desired, to facilitate turning or relocating the patient.

Abstract: A device and methods of use and manufacture are disclosed for controlled diffusion of chemical substances of interest intraorally. The device includes ported structure formed of material that is substantially impermeable to the substance of interest, an inner wall of which defines a compartment communicating through the ports with the exterior of the device. A dispersed layer is formed in the compartment of material having limited permeability, the layer being formed so that contact is maintained with the inner wall across the ports after formation, the ports and the layer thus providing a region of permeability to diffusion of the chemical substance of interest. In use, either the chemical substance of interest or a composition capable of binding itself to the chemical substance of interest is placed in the compartment and the device is positioned in the mouth of a subject where it may remain for extended periods.

Abstract: Endoscopic surgical instruments are provided that have bipolar electrodes on opposing movable members for passing a high frequency current through tissue for simulataneously severing or manipulating the tissue and causing hemostasis of the tissue. An electrically insulating material is interposed between the movable members so that the electrodes are spaced apart from 0.002 to 0.050 inches and the current passes between the opposing electrodes through the tissue. Methods of endoscopically achieving hemostasis while simultaneously, manipulating and cutting tissue are also provided. Use of a constant voltage high frequency power supply to deliver current to the tissue to cause hemostasis is described in conjunction with those methods.

Abstract: A fluid-absorbing article for personal use, such as a diaper or incontinence pad utilizing a core component having a plurality of contiguous zones comprising(a) a zone of vulnerability arranged within said core component for maximum potential exposure to wetting and(b) a plurality of intermediate zones in direct or indirect fluid receivable relation from the zone of vulnerability in areas of reduced potential exposure to initial wetting; the corresponding core component; and a method for increasing fluid receptivity and fluid storage efficiency plus reduced rewet characteristics of core components by use of intermediate zones as described.

Abstract: A disposable diaper having an inflatable component is disclosed. The inflatable component comprises an inflatable spacer, a gas evolving material, and a port for receiving an activating material. The port can comprise a gas impermeable, liquid permeable membrane, an adhesive closure, or a mechanical closure. The inflatable spacer maintains a fecal void space intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet of the diaper.

Abstract: A tamper-resistant closure for a medical injection device such as a syringe includes a cap having both a blind bore sized to receive and seat tightly against the syringe tip, to prevent material from entering or being withdrawn from the device. The cap has a threaded connection to the syringe tip, and is entirely covered by a loose-fitting shield having a one-way drive mechanism which prevents the cap from being unscrewed from the device while the shield is in place. The shield has at least one internal, frangible tang protruding obliquely into the envelope of the cap, so that the shield and cap can be easily assembled, but cannot thereafter be disassembled without breaking the tang and thus providing an indication of tampering.

Abstract: An absorbent device which comprises an absorbent layer having an apertured contoured polymer film attached to a surface, wherein this surface is provided with a plurality of depressions which communicate directly with the apertures in the film. The device may be produced by separating the polymer film and a carrier material which have been formed into a laminate having impressed therein raised areas defining, for example, the strands of net and depressed areas such that upon separation the depressed areas of the film remain attached together with associated portions of the attached absorbent, to the carrier, leaving the raised areas attached to the remainder of the absorbent.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, is disclosed that has components which may separate in the Z-direction with relation to other components of the article when the absorbent article is worn. The sanitary napkin of the present invention comprises a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a liquid pervious spacing structure for moving the topsheet away from the core. The spacing structure is generally positioned between the topsheet and the core. The spacing structure has a longitudinal centerline, and opposed lateral sides which may move inwardly toward the longitudinal centerline when the spacing is compressed from the sides. This results in at least a portion of the spacing structure moving the topsheet apart from the absorbent core. In an alternative embodiment, the sanitary napkin of the present invention also has an absorbent core which separates from the backsheet of the sanitary napkin.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is described that incorporates bipolar electrodes on opposing shearing members for passing a high frequency current through the tissue for causing hemostasis of the tissue and for cutting the tissue. An electrically insulating material is interposed between the shearing members so that the electrodes are spaced apart from 0.002 to 0.050 inches and the current passes between the opposing electrodes through the tissue and not between the opposing shearing surfaces. The insulating material has a higher hardness than the opposing members to reduce wear of the insulation and provide a self-sharpening feature. Methods of simultaneously causing tissue and severing tissue are also provided. The use of a constant voltage high frequency power supply to deliver current to the tissue to cause hemostasis is described in conjunction with those methods.

Abstract: This diaper comprises at the level of each of its transverse edges, a strip of open cell foam material extending transversely with respect to the diaper and fixed between the support and upper sheets of the latter. These elastic strips are designed to come into elastic contact with the body of a user at the level of the latter's waist. The longitudinal inner and outer edges of each strip communicate respectively with the inner space of the napkin and with the outside of the latter to permit this inner space to communicate thus with the outer space through the thickness of the strips so as to permit the internal ventilation of the napkin.

Abstract: A variable ratio, blood-additive solution, mixing device and delivery system that permits the varying of the ratio of blood to solution from either all blood to pure solution and any ratio of the two, either continuously or intermittently, prior to or during cardiovascular and cardiac perfusion procedures, particularly warm or cold cardioplegia procedures for open heart surgery.

Abstract: Disclosed are absorbent articles, such as diapers, for the management of incontinence. Such articles utilize in their absorbent cores an fluid acquisition/distribution component and a fluid storage/redistribution component maintained in fluid communication with the acquisition/distribution component. The fluid acquisition/distribution component can be any porous hydrophilic, e.g., fibrous or foam-based, material which will provide an initial Fluid Acquisition Rate of at least 2 mL of synthetic urine per second and will also preferably provide a 30-minute Vertical Wicking Height of at least 2 cm. The fluid storage/redistribution component comprises a hydrophilic, flexible, open-celled polymeric foam having a free absorbent capacity of at least about 12 mL of synthetic urine per gram of dry foam and an absorbent capacity under a 5.1 kPa confining pressure which is at least 5% of this free capacity.

Abstract: A bag for transferring fluid from a source of fluid to a fluid delivery system including three sheets of flexible material joined to form first and second adjacent compartments. Fluid is transferred into the first compartment via a perforated tube connected to the fluid source at a first end. The tube extends into the first compartment and is further connected to the fluid delivery system at a second end. The second compartment may be selectively inflated to exert force on the first compartment and control the rate of fluid flow through the tube to the delivery system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for the instant intraoperative detection and biopsy of metastatic cancer using fluorescence spectroscopy. A photosensitizing agent selectively retained by cancerous tissue is administered prior to surgery. A fiberoptic probe integrated with a biopsy device illuminates the examined tissue and causes fluorescence which is recorded by a spectrograph and plotted as a spectral curve. The intensity ratio (S1/S2) for the fluorescence from the photosensitizing agent (S1) and autofluorescence (S2) for the examined tissue is compared with the intensity ratio at the same wavelengths for primary tumor and normal tissue. Tissue that displays an intensity ratio different from that of normal tissue can immediately be analyzed for the depth of tumor involvement and then excised for histological examination using the biopsy device.

Abstract: An oximetry technique permits determination of hemoglobin oxygenation in vascular beds such as the inner retinal capillary beds. For a retinal application, an oximeter (FIG. 2) uses as a probe light source a multiline argon laser (11) that operates at three wavelengths in the hemoglobin absorption band, preferably 488, 501, and 514 nm. The oximeter optics module (30) attaches to the output end of a conventional slit lamp microscope (20). Reflected probe light is separated (34) into its constituent wavelengths, and photon counters (38) are used to measure light intensity for each wavelength. Data acquisition and analysis are performed by an oximeter processor (40) that computes hemoglobin oxygenation ratios from the intensity measurements, and determines the corresponding percent oxygen saturation.