Abstract: Ear candle with an air-permeable retaining member disposed at least partially within the ear candle, wherein the retaining member comprises a wall and an interior space, wherein at least two lamellas directed into the interior space are disposed on the wall, wherein the at least two lamellas are disposed opposite from each other in the interior space, and wherein the at least two lamellas are configured so as to overlap in the axial direction.

Abstract: A lancing device for ejecting a lancet having a pricking element protruding therefrom along an ejection axis is provided. The lancing device includes a front cap having an opening facing against an object to be pricked, a lancet holder slideable between a cocked position and a pricking position, and a safety switch moveable between a safety position and a passing position, wherein the pricking element extends beyond the opening when the lancet is ejected; the safety switch prevents the lancet holder form being cocked when the safety switch is in the safety position, and the safety switch allows the lancet holder to be cocked and moved when the safety switch is in the passing position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses calculi breakup method and apparatus. The method comprises: inserting a combination of an endoscope with a driving assembly and a milling assembly, or a combination of an endoscope and a sleeve with a driving assembly and a milling assembly into the urinary intracavity; starting up a driving unit to drive the milling assembly so as to mill the calculi in the intracavity into powder; and, discharging the milled calculi powder out of the body. Compared to the other calculi breakup method, the calculi breakup apparatus according to the present invention has the advantages of high calculi breakup speed, high efficiency, no heat during the calculi breakup, no hurt to the urinary mucous membrane, painless, short time for the treatment, low calculi residual rate, simple operation, and easy maintenance.

Abstract: A skin removal instrument that comprises first and second resilient arms. Each of the first and second arms includes a main body that has a middle, an attachment end and a nipping end opposite the attachment end. The attachment ends are attached to one another, thereby forming a spring area that allows the nipping ends to resiliently move toward and away from each other. Each of the first and second arms includes an outer gripping area disposed offset from the middle of the main body of the first and second arms, respectively. The outer gripping area has a substantially bulbous shape. Each of the nipping ends of the first and second arms includes an extension portion that extends from the main body and a nipping blade portion that extends from the extension portion. Each of the nipping blade portions has an angled surface angled downwardly from an inner surface of the extension portions, respectively, such that the nipping blade portions converge toward one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of using medical cutting tools for treating aortic septal dissections.

Abstract: An intraocular injector includes a syringe body having open-ended cone disposed in one end thereof along with a piston disposed in the body. A transparent implant holder having a lumen therein is aligned with an open-ended cone, a needle include a proximal end and a distal end with a bevel disposed on the distal end of the needle. A plunger affixed to the piston and slidable within a holder lumen and needle lumen is provided for injecting solid intraocular implants into an eye. A cylindrical syringe body shape facilitates control over the needle bevel orientation during injection of the implant into the eye.

Abstract: A uterine manipulator includes an elongate shaft and a tip hub. The elongate shaft has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is configured to be inserted into a vagina. The tip hub is disposed at the distal end and is configured to releasably receive and support a tip mount for engaging a uterus. The elongate shaft includes one or more channels extending between the distal and proximal ends. The channels are configured to releasably receive catheter tubing.

Abstract: A laparoscopic scissor instrument can include a scissor assembly pivotally coupled to an elongate shaft. The scissor assembly can be formed of scissor blades having apertures. A rivet or pivot pin can couple the scissor blades to the elongate shaft. The scissor blades can also include actuation posts thereon. An actuation mechanism slidable within the elongate shaft can include a slot to engage the actuation posts and open or close the blades of the scissor assembly. The elongate shaft can include a longitudinal guide to stabilize the motion of the actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism can have a forked end including projections to flexibly maintain the spacing of the forked end.

Abstract: A corneal surgery apparatus which comprises a laser irradiation optical system and an eye position change detection unit comprising an illumination optical system and an image pick-up camera picking up an anterior-segment image of a patient's eye and detecting the change in eye position based on an iris pattern in the image, and is arranged such that an irradiation position tracks movement of the eye to ablate a cornea, wherein the apparatus further comprises a contrast adjustment unit extracting a pupil portion and an iris portion based on luminance information of the image, and increasing/decreasing a set value of an illumination light amount and/or a set value of a gain of the camera to increase a contrast of the pupil portion to the iris portion and/or a contrast of the iris pattern within a range that luminance at the iris portion is not saturated.

Abstract: A laparoscopic scissor instrument can include a scissor assembly pivotally coupled to an elongate shaft. The scissor assembly can be formed of scissor blades having pivot posts thereon. The pivot posts can engage apertures on the elongate shaft, thus eliminating the need for a through-pinned pivot connection of the scissor blades. The scissor blades can also include actuation posts thereon. An actuation mechanism can include a slot to engage the actuation posts and open or close the blades of the scissor assembly. The scissor assemblies described herein can have a relatively low operational height such that they do not extend beyond a diameter of the elongate shaft during opening and closing of the scissor assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to medical cutting tools for treating aortic septal dissections. The cutting tool is provided with a delivery catheter and has a remotely actuated cutting blade or cutting wire component. The cutting tool is provided with at least one displacement element. The displacement element assists in placement of the cutting tool at a desired location. The displacement element also assists in maintaining contact between the cutting blade and tissue being cut.

Abstract: The present invention provides a three section skin marking system combining target placement, lancing, marking, cleanup and protective bandaging comprising a positioning target, an ink application pad and a bandage pad, wherein the ink application pad is attached to the positioning target and the bandage pad is attached to the positioning target, wherein the positioning target is an appliqué with a top side and a bottom side and a peripheral border of material with a center portion of the appliqué removed and free of material, wherein the bottom side has an adhesive for adhering to skin of a patient; wherein the application pad comprises an absorbent pad surrounding micro-encapsulated or macro-encapsulated ink for marking the patient's skin; and wherein the bandage pad comprises an absorbent pad and an adhesive strip.

Abstract: A puncture instrument includes a movable body movably disposed in a case, and a needle unit held by the movable body and having a needle. When a distal end face of the movable body is brought into abutment against a region to be punctured and the case is advanced toward the region to be punctured, the case is advanced together with the needle unit, and the tip end of the needle becomes protruded from the movable body and punctures the region to be punctured. An arm of the needle unit is abutted against and turned about a fulcrum member, thereby withdrawing the needle rearwardly.

Abstract: A disposable lancing device including: a lancet housed in a housing and urged by a spring member such that a puncture member provided at a distal end of the lancet is adapted to extend out from the housing so as to carry out a puncturing operation; a locking ring disposed within the housing such that the lancet is allowed to displace in an extension direction through the locking ring; a locking protrusion provided to the lancet and adapted to be engaged by the locking ring so as to hold the lancet in a puncture-ready position located deep in the housing with the spring member being compressed; and an operating member adapted to carry out the puncturing operation by rotating the locking ring so as to disengage the locking protrusion from the locking ring and displace the lancet in the extension direction by means of the spring member.

Abstract: An up-cutting knife that has particular application for minimally invasive spinal surgical procedures. The knife includes an elongated tube that is operable to be inserted through a tubular retractor used in minimally invasive surgical procedures. One end of the elongated tube includes a curved head portion having a cutting blade formed on a top surface thereof and a suction port, and an opposite end of the tube is coupled to a handle having a chamber. A suction device can be coupled to an outlet port in the handle that causes blood and other surgical material to be drawn through the tube and out of the handle.

Abstract: Instrument and method for removing material from an intervertebral disc. The instrument includes outer and inner tubular members. The outer tubular member defines a passage and a cutting window. The inner tubular member is coaxially disposed within the passage, and defines a central lumen and a cutting tip. The cutting tip forms an open mouth having a plurality of teeth. Upon assembly, the cutting tip is exposed within the cutting window combining to define a shaving head. A manual decorticating implement is coupled to the outer tubular member and defining a scraping surface. A powered handpiece is coupled to the inner tubular member, and the shaving head is inserted into an intervertebral disc and positioned such that the cutting tip contacts targeted material (e.g., nucleus, annulus and/or end plate). The handpiece is activated to rotate the cutting tip relative to the cutting window. Contacted material is sheared between an edge of the cutting window and the teeth of the cutting tip.

Abstract: A lancing device and method for self-collecting a sample of body fluid by penetrating a body tissue at a sampling site. The invention includes a housing geometry configured for ease of use at different sampling sites on the body, even by persons having reduced dexterity and/or poor vision. Depth of penetration is selectively controlled by adjusting the stroke range of a spring-driven lancet carrier. A pressure applicator is included for stimulating flow of the body fluid. A transparent portion permits observation of the sampling site.

Abstract: A pneumatically driven vitrectomy probe system includes a movable member disposed within a cylinder to define an enclosed pressure chamber, which has an inlet and an outlet. A pressure transducer senses the pressure level within the enclosed pressure chamber, and a valve communicates pressurized air to the inlet of the enclosed pressure chamber based on the pressure level. A displacement device coupled to the movable member extends and retracts the movable member within the enclosed pressure chamber, to respectively increase and decrease the pressure level of pressurized air communicated via the chamber outlet. The pressurized air is communicated to enclosed volume within a pneumatically activated vitrectomy probe, which includes a hollow inner cutting member disposed within the hollow outer member.

Abstract: A tissue puncture assembly includes an elongate tubular member having a lumen, a distal portion having a side wall, a side port opening extending through the side wall and, and a guiding surface having a distal end that extends adjacent to a distal edge of the side port opening. The tissue puncture assembly further includes a flexible puncture member insertable through the lumen of the elongate tubular member. The flexible puncture member deflects upon contacting the guiding surface to exit the elongate tubular member through the side port in a lateral direction relative to a longitudinal direction of the elongate tubular member. The tissue puncture member is capable of puncturing tissue at an oblique angle. The tissue puncture member may further adopt a pre-formed shape at its distal end to prevent inadvertent puncture of tissue and to maintain access to the puncture site.

Abstract: A medical device includes: a medical instrument introduced into a body cavity and having a contact portion that is fixed in contact with a wall within a body, and a wire; an extracorporeal device installed on a body surface and having a hole portion through which the wire can be inserted and removed, fixing mechanisms for fixing the wire inserted through the hole portion, and a housing that is fixed in contact with the body surface; and a pressure adjusting portion provided in one of the medical instrument and the extracorporeal device for maintaining a predetermined tensile force or more that is applied to the wire when the wire is fixed by the fixing mechanism with a body wall being sandwiched between the contact portion and the housing.