Abstract: A cap assembly for a container has a hollow housing with an upper end that receives a fluid transfer device and a lower end that engages a stopper on the container. The housing has an internal cavity open at the upper and lower ends and a radially outwardly extending portion at the lower end. A penetrator is received in the internal cavity. The penetrator has a pointed distal end opposite the stopper and an upper end constructed to be engaged by a fluid transfer device. A cap is constructed the hollow housing. The cap has a closed upper end, an open lower end, a radially outwardly extending portion at the open end, and a circumferential line of weakness connecting the upper and lower ends. A ferrule is over the radially outwardly extending portion of the hollow housing and the radially outwardly extending portion of the cap.

Abstract: A device for supporting and displaying interrelated medical components, such as cardiopulmonary bypass circuit components. The device includes a rigid or flexible chassis having openings therein for receiving the components. A plurality of retainers, such as straps, hooks, or tabs, are provided adjacent the openings for releasably securing the components therein. The chassis may be formed of a thin, flexible polymer sheet having tabs cut therein and adapted to be bent out of the plane of the sheet for securely retaining the various components. The pre-arrangement of the components in close proximity greatly simplifies the task of setting up a particular medical circuit, and reduces the potential for error. For cardiopulmonary bypass circuits, the support device enables the tubing lengths to be reduced, thus reducing the prime volume of the circuit. The chassis is provided with apertures for mounting on rods in the operating room, which rods may extend from the operating table.

Abstract: Segmental edema is treated by inserting a plasma extraction filter device in a major vein of a body segment or servicing the body segment containing the edemic tissues, and inserting a return catheter in a major artery of the body segment affected or feeding the body segment from which plasma is extracted. Blood plasma and plasma proteins extracted from the edemic body segment through the plasma extraction filter fluids are directed to an ultrafiltration apparatus where plasma water is separated from the plasma proteins. Plasma proteins are returned to the body segment from which the plasma was extracted via the return catheter in the major artery of the subject body segment.

Abstract: Location-specific diagnostic information is detected and recorded by the cardiac stimulation device for subsequent display using the external programmer device. The diagnostic information includes location-specific event records, counters and IEGM signals. The event records include event codes that distinguish among events occurring in the four chambers of the heart, such as sensed or paced events occurring within the left or right atria or the left or right ventricles. The counters separately count events occurring within the chambers of the heart. The IEGM signals are separately detected within the four chambers of the heart using a multiple sensing lead arrangement. The location-specific event records, counters and IEGM signals are ultimately transmitted to the external programmer, which displays graphic representations of the diagnostic information. The event records are displayed using distinct event marker icons which distinguish among the four chambers of the heart.

Abstract: The equipment comprises an impulsion pump (5-5′) with a displaceable piston (7), that adopts a bellows shape, located in the inside of the same, the chamber of the pump receiving the patient's venous blood from a reservoir (4). In the communication (16) between the reservoir and the chamber a float valve (17) has been provided for, a valve that closes the passage when the piston (7) impels the blood through a nozzle (15), passing through a valve (22), then through a heat exchanger (28) and then through an oxygenator (29) from which the oxygenated blood is sent once again to the patient. The shaft (9) of the nozzle (7) is operated by a mechanism (14) that transforms the rotating and alternate movements of a servomotor (12) into linear movements, the operation of this servomotor (12) being controllable by means of a computerized console, permitting a pulsatile blood flow to be provided with adjustable flow and frequency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the effective treatment of diseases associated with a deterioration of the macrocirculation, microcirculation and organ perfusion to achieve an improvement of the local environment and the metabolic situation and to aim at the improvement of organ function or the stabilization of organ function with imminent functional deterioration, which comprises the treatment of blood of patients by extracorporeal plasmapheresis techniques.

Abstract: A probe having the ability to deliver cardioplegia solution to the coronary sinus under direct visualization and to provide venous drainage from the right atrium for cardiopulmonary bypass. The probe has an elongate tubular member, including a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen. A membrane, optionally perforated, mounted within the lumen of the tubular member partitions the lumen and is removable or penetrable by a cardioplegia catheter. The distal end comprises a toroidal balloon or a circumferential recessed vacuum manifold. A vacuum port communicates with the distal end of the tubular member or the vacuum manifold. Methods of using the cardioplegia access view probe for catheterization of the coronary sinus and for venous return as herein described are also disclosed.

Abstract: An extracorporeal circulation apparatus used for the selective temperature controlling method in which a temperature of an object is kept at a predetermined temperature, includes: (A) a fluid replacement supply unit which quantitatively supplies a fluid replacement of which temperature has been adjusted into a blood vessel; (B) a blood concentration unit which quantitatively withdraws blood diluted by the fluid replacement from a blood vessel and concentrates the withdrawn diluted blood; and (C) a blood supply unit which controls a temperature of the blood which has been concentrated and quantitatively supplies the concentrated blood into a blood vessel, the blood concentration unit comprising a diluted blood temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the withdrawn diluted blood, and the fluid replacement supply unit including a means which controls a temperature of the fluid replacement to be supplied based on a different extent between the measured diluted blood temperature and the predetermined

Abstract: A dialysis apparatus includes a dialysis liquid circuit for circulating sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate through a haemodialyzer and a circuit for infusing a patient with at least one solution containing at least one ionic substance “A” absent from the dialysis liquid. The substance “A” has a determined concentration (A)sol in the infusion solution.

Abstract: Stenosis in a blood access circuit (graft, fistula) or in an extracorporeal circuit are detected by monitoring pressure pulses in the extracorporeal circuit created either by the heart or by the peristaltic blood pump of the extracorporeal circuit. By monitoring pressure pulses created by the. peristaltic blood pump loss of occlusion of the blood pump can be detected. Measurement of the pressure pulses is done either with sensors already built into the blood treatment equipment or, according to the invention, with sensors mechanically coupled to the wall of the blood tubing. The deviation of a pressure pulse amplitude proportional signal from a predetermined value indicates stenosis or loss of occlusion, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention is a cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal oxygenation apparatus that provides a pulsatile blood flow output. The apparatus comprises: a primary pump, which primary pump is preferably a continuous pump; an oxygenator in fluid communication with the primary pump; a pulse wave generator in fluid communication with the oxygenator and positioned downstream from the primary pump. The pulse wave generator comprises: (i) a collapsible chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet opening formed therein; (ii) a first one-way valve connected to the inlet opening and positioned to permit the flow of blood from the primary pump through the collapsible chamber. A compression assembly is operatively associated with the collapsible chamber and configured to alternately compress said collapsible chamber and permit the expansion of the collapsible chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that efficiently clears solutes from blood of patients with renal disease solely by convection and with a single filter that includes a hemofilter, a blood pump for drawing blood from a patient and propelling the blood into a mixing chamber, a mixing and detention chamber where the blood and a non-isosmotic diluent are mixed and are allowed to approach or reach equilibrium (with regard to solute concentration), a mixing element for creating turbulence in the mixing/detention chamber, and suitable tubing for carrying the pumped blood to and from the patent. Methods for utilizing the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and method for the dialysis of blood. The improved apparatus comprises a subcutaneous port and catheter assembly comprising a connector portion comprising a subcutaneous port element, and a catheter portion comprising a catheter element. The improved apparatus also comprises a novel percutaneous catheter assembly comprising a catheter portion comprising a catheter element, and a connector portion comprising an extracorporeal connector element.

Abstract: A method to treat cancer uses ultrapheresis, refined to remove compounds of less than 120,000 daltons molecular weight, followed by administration of replacement fluid, to stimulate the patient's immune system to attack solid tumors. In the preferred embodiment, the patient is ultrapheresed using a capillary tube ultrafilter having a pore size of 0.02 to 0.05 microns, with a molecular weight cutoff of 120,000 daltons, sufficient to filter one blood volume. The preferred replacement fluid is ultrapheresed normal plasma. The patient is preferably treated daily for three weeks, diagnostic tests conducted to verify that there has been shrinkage of the tumors, then the treatment regime is repeated. The treatment is preferably combined with an alternative therapy, for example, treatment with an anti-angiogenic compound, one or more cytokines such as TNF, gamma interferon, or IL-2, or a procoagulant compound. The treatment increases endogenous, local levels of cytokines, such as TNF.

Abstract: A system is presented for correction of a patient's biological fluid, such as his blood, lymph or spinal fluid, containing various low-, medium- and high-molecular toxins. The system comprises an extracorporeal flow line in the form of a flexible tube interconnected between outlet and inlet means attached to appropriate location(s) on a patient's body. A small amount of the biological fluid, i.e., substantially not exceeding 100 ml, substantially continuously flows through the tube, and is mixed with magneto-conductive particles capable of adsorbing the various toxins. An obtained mixture of the biological fluid with the particles passes through a magnetic field region, and substantially all of the magneto-conductive particles are retained therein. Particle-free biological fluid is then returned into the patient's body through the inlet means.

Abstract: Light-protective container assembly for a light-sensitive fluid includes a translucent container defining an inner reservoir to contain the fluid, and a flexible sleeve connected to the container. The sleeve has a tubular configuration sized to substantially cover at least the reservoir of the container, and is made of a material capable of substantially preventing the transmission therethrough of an identified range of wavelengths from the electromagnetic spectrum. Preferably, the sleeve is made of a mixture of a base material and a colorant capable of substantially preventing the transmission of undesired energy through a predetermined thickness of the base. material. The sleeve is connected indirectly to the container by providing the container with at least one passageway therethrough, and by positioning the sleeve such that a first portion of the sleeve is on one side of the container, and a second portion is on an opposite side of the container.

Abstract: An integrated heat exchanger/reservoir for use alone or in combination in an extracorporeal blood circuit. The reservoir includes a hard outer shell topped by a lid with a venous blood inlet. Blood from the inlet enters an elongated annular heat exchange chamber defined between two vertical cylindrical walls within the reservoir. A plurality of heat exchange coils in the annular chamber provides an efficient heat transfer function with low prime volume requirement. Cardiotomy fluid may be first debubbled and then combined with the venous blood stream entering the heat exchange chamber. After passing through the heat exchange chamber, the blood passes through a series of filters before being pumped to the oxygenator.

Abstract: A novel device and method for applying two or more liquid components, for example fibrin sealant-forming components, comprises sources of the components fliud communication with, but remote from, an applicator for delivering the components to a desired site. Preferably, the user of such a device and method can actuate the application of the components by providing a signal to a controller which dispenses components from their sources to, and out of, the applicator. Greater ease, accuracy and control are realized by the user since the sources of components and controller are remote from the applicator and therefore not manually held by the user.

Abstract: An extracorporeal blood processing system is disclosed which includes a variety of novel components and which may be operated in accordance with a variety of novel methodologies. For instance, the system includes a graphical operator interface which directs the operator through various aspects of the apheresis procedure. Moreover, the system also includes a variety of features relating to loading a blood processing vessel into a blood processing channel and removing the same after completion of the procedure. Furthermore, the system also includes a variety of features relating to utilizing a blood priming of at least portions of the apheresis system in preparation for the procedure. In addition, the system includes a variety of features enhancing the performance of the apheresis system, including the interrelationship between the blood processing vessel and the blood processing vessel and the utilization of high packing factors for the procedure.

Abstract: Blood mixing in fiber-wound oxygenators is improved by inserting at least one layer of a planar apertured mat between selected layers of wound gas-exchange fibers.