Abstract: A cuffed endotracheal tube and method designed for insertion of the tube through the mouth of a patient to provide a passage for artificial respiration. The device includes an elongated flexible air tube having proximal and distal end portions. A pair of enlargements encircle the tube intermediate the proximal and distal end portions. The lower of the enlargements is sized and shaped to fall short of fully occupying the cavity defined by the wall of the trachea and rests at or below the opening defined by the lower lateral surfaces of the larynx. The upper of the enlargements is sized and shaped to fully occupy the cavity defined by the wall of the pharynx and seals the opening defined by the superglottic structure of the glottis. At least the upper of the enlargements is an inelastic inflatable-deflatable cuff secured to the tube proximal to the lower of the enlargements. The device further includes separate inflation means for each cuff permitting the cuff to be inflated independently of any other cuff.

Abstract: A biological surgical dressing, especially a surgical dressing for wounds composed of a combination of collagen fibers and carbamide, primarily in a ratio of 65 to 99 percent by weight collagen fibers and 1 to 35 percent by weight carbamide.

Abstract: An intravaginal contraceptive system for the pre-programmed, unattended delivery of an antifertility steroid is disclosed. The system comprises (a) an antifertility steroid, (b) a delivery module comprising a reservoir for storing the steroid in an amount for execution of the program, a rate controller which maintains the rate of steroid delivered in a contraceptive effective amount throughout the life of the system, an energy source for transferring steroid from the reservoir to the vagina, and a portal for releasing the steroid from the module to the vagina, (c) a platform which integrates the module into a unit sized, shaped and adapted for insertion and retention in a vagina, and (d) a contraceptive program which provides for the controlled release of steroid to produce an antifertility effect over a prolonged period of time.

Abstract: An absorbent structure is provided comprising peat moss in combination with mechanical wood pulp, said wood pulp having a Canadian Standard Freeness of from about 30-600 and present in the ratios, by weight of wood pulp to peat moss, of greater than about 0.35. The absorbent structure, which may also contain other absorbent materials such as long-fibered chemical wood pulp, rayon or the like, exhibits improved absorbent properties in both liquid-holding capacity and liquid-retention capacity and maintains its structural integrity.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to an orthopedic bandage which hardens by means of a free radical catalyzed polymerization reaction, including 1,2-ditertiary glycol to improve the conformability thereof. The bandage comprises a flexible carrier having a cast forming composition comprising a monomer (polymerizable by means of a redox catalyst system) supported thereon, which monomer may be a solid, water-soluble, vinyl monomer such as diacetone acrylamide (DAA), N-isopropylacrylamide (N-IPA) or mixtures thereof. The preferred 1,2-ditertiary glycol is pinacol.The polymerization of the above monomer is initiated by contacting the cast forming composition with water, in the presence of a redox catalyst system, e.g. by dipping the bandage, including the redox catalyst system supported thereon, in tap water.The dipped bandage of the instant invention is soft, conformable and easy to wrap; unlike similar bandages which do not include the 1,2-ditertiary glycol.

Abstract: A medical drainage pouch is provided with a breathable microporous adhesive patch for attaching the pouch to the body of a patient. The pouch includes a moisture-impermeable plastic bag having a drainage opening. A plastic annular retainer ring may be secured to the bag around the drainage opening. The adhesive patch has a thin non-woven porous backing sheet which is relatively easy to tear, and the patch is attached to the bag by a flexible annular attaching ring. The attaching ring may comprise a first layer of plastic and a second layer of hot melt adhesive. The plastic layer of the attaching ring is heat-sealed to the retainer ring or to the bag around a generally circular area of attachment, and the adhesive patch is heat-sealed to the adhesive layer of the attaching ring around a generally circular area of attachment which extends radially outwardly beyond the first area of attachment.

Abstract: A tobacco-smoke filter has a filter body comprising at least one intermediate section which is located between end sections, has a cross section less than that of the end sections and lies wholly within the outline of the latter sections as viewed axially of the body, and a porous wrap of sheet material which is pervious to volatile constituents of tobacco smoke and which bounds, with the said body, at least one space affording a path through which smoke can pass when the filter is in use and from which said constituents are removed fom the smoke by diffusion through the said sheet material, each of the said sections being made of filter material. Suitably the body is of generally cylindrical form and composed of cellulose acetate. Advantageously the intermediate section is integral with at least one end section.

Abstract: An ureteral catheter stent comprises an elongated, flexible tubular member of uniform outside diameter throughout its length which has proximal and distal ends which are in the form of hooks. Openings extend through the wall of the member to provide passages for fluid to enter the lumen of the tubular member and the proximal end of the member is closed to facilitate its introduction into a body passage. Since the stent is straightened for introduction into a body passage by inserting a wire stylet in the lumen of the stent, the stent is provided with indicating means which show the direction the proximal hook will form when the stylet is removed so that proper placement is insured.

Abstract: A digital tampon of unitary construction made of absorbent material capable of being compressed to self-sustaining form. A portion of the material is compressed to a rod-like shape to provide a rigid central support for the remaining relatively uncompressed portion which originates at the top of the rigid central support and is draped downwardly to surround and extend past the lower terminus of the support to form a finger receiving pocket at the tampon base. During insertion the rigid central rod provides positive support to the softer outer portion, while the portion of the tampon surrounding the finger protects the finger from contact with menstrual fluid. After insertion the finger can easily spread the draped over portion to better deploy and position the tampon within the body.

Abstract: A tampon designed for catamenial or medical use which includes a collapsible and invertible shroud (13) affixed to the front or inserted end (17) of the main tampon body (12). The shroud has an inner layer (15), adjacent to the main tampon body, fabricated from a smoothly gliding, yet permeable material which allows the main tampon body to slide from the shroud upon withdrawal. The shroud is also configured to invert behind the main tampon body during withdrawal. The collapsed and inverted shroud is significantly smaller than the main tampon body and barely contacts the surrounding body tissue, thereby eliminating withdrawal irritation.

Abstract: An osmotic device is disclosed for dispensing a drug. The device comprises an exterior wall surrounding a first and second compartment. The first compartment is in contact with the exterior wall and the second compartment is surrounded by an interior wall that is in contact with the exterior wall. A passageway exists through the exterior wall connecting the first compartment with the exterior of the device, and a passageway exists through the interior wall connecting the second with the first compartment. The first compartment contains an osmotic solute that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against an external fluid, and the second compartment contains a drug that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid. The exterior and the interior walls are permeable to the passage of the fluid, and they are impermeable to the passage of solute and drug, but the rate of fluid, permeability is greater through the exterior than through the interior wall.

Abstract: A disposable nappy for a baby comprises at least one sheet of flexible impermeable material comprising two longitudinal edges intended to define the openings for the baby's legs and two transverse edges intended to define a waist portion and an absorbent pad superimposed on a central region of the impermeable sheet. The nappy is characterised in that it comprises respectively in the immediate vicinity of each of the longitudinal edges; on either side of the pad, a flexible longitudinal sheath inside which a flexible longitudinal tie is able to slide and in that each sheath comprises means for gaining access to the corresponding flexible tie in order to enable the latter to be gripped manually and to be tensioned at will in order to reduce the apparent length of the longitudinal edges; to press the latter at will around the baby's legs and to give the disposable nappy the shape of a trough, between the latter.

Abstract: A self-powered device for delivering drug is disclosed. The device comprises (1) a substantially rigid housing, (2) a collapsible container storing a drug and having a passageway for delivering the drug in the housing, and (3) an expandable laminate positioned between the housing and the container. The laminate comprises (a) a lamina formed of an absorbent material laminated to (b) a lamina placed adjacent to the container and formed of a swellable hydrophilic polymer. In operation, when the device is in a biological environment, fluid from the environment is imbibed by the laminate into the housing causing the laminate to expand and exert pressure on the container, thereby collapsing the container and concomitantly pumping drug through the passageway from the device at a correspondingly controlled rate over a prolonged period of time.

Abstract: A drug-dispensing device and method for controlled and prolonged internal administration of medicaments to warm-blooded animals comprising an outer polymer envelope containing an expanding agent, drug metering means, and the drug itself. The outer polymer envelope is permeable to both the drug and body fluids and expands when the expanding agent is contacted by body fluids when the device is in the environment of use (e.g., the stomach). This expansion maintains the device in the environment of use while the drug is administered by the metering means.

Abstract: A flexible cup contains a medicinal substance and the open face of the cup is pressed against a subject's ear skin by a pin passing through the cup and ear. A compensating member on the end of the pin presses the ear into the cup to maintain contact with the medicinal substance.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for force-feeding a patient despite a swallowing impairment is disclosed and includes a feeding tube which may be passed through the patient's nasal cavity and by way of the pharynx sufficiently far into the stomach to allow foodstuff or like material emanating from the tube to enter the patient's stomach. The feeding tube extends from a material outlet on a dispensing container which has a further air inlet. The material may be placed in the container so that upon increasing the air pressure within the container, material is forced therefrom by way of the tube to the patient. A source of air at a pressure greater than the ambient atmospheric pressure provides the pressure increase and includes a bleeder valve for regulating the rate of air flow from the pump to the container thereby also regulating the material flow through the tube.

Abstract: Ostomy bag securing apparatus, and method of applying same, characterized by implanting a plurality of small powerful permanent bar magnets through skin punctures to positions beneath the skin and surrounding a stoma, without surgical cutting of the skin, and applying a magnetically permeable collar, having a bag removeably affixed thereto, on the outer surface of the skin, concentric with the magnets. Alternatively, the implanted bars may be magnetically permeable, but not permanently magnetized, and permanently magnetized bars disposed on the collar which latter may be formed of non-magnetic material.

Abstract: A composition adapted for use around the stoma consisting of a homogeneous mixture of a pressure sensitive adhesive component, mineral oil, and hydrocolloid gums or cohesive strengthening agents or a mixture of hydrocolloid gums and cohesive strengthening agents. By controlling the amount of mineral oil the resulting composition can be easily shaped according to the particular need.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for supplying and delivering an useful agent. The device comprises (1) a housing defining an internal space, (2) a flexible container in the housing and having a passageway for connecting the container with the exterior of the device, (3) a useful agent in the container, and (4) a gas generating means located between the housing and the container. In operation, when the device is in a fluid environment, fluid is admitted into the device and contacts the means, causing it to produce a gas that exerts pressure against the container. The pressure urges the container to decrease its dimensions and correspondingly deliver agent through the passageway from the device. Also, article of manufactures are enclosed, which articles consists of a gas generating means between two different polymeric films, and a gas generating means housed in a polymeric matrix.

Abstract: An osmotic system for delivering a beneficial agent is disclosed. The system comprises a wall surrounding a compartment and has a passageway through the wall for delivering agent from the compartment. The wall is formed of a material permeable to the passage of an external fluid and impermeable to the passage of agent. The compartment contains (1) an agent that is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid, or (2) the compartment contains an agent having limited solubility in the fluid and exhibits a limited osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid. The compartment also contains along with (1) or (2) a volume amplifier for increasing the amount of agent delivered from the system. The amplifier comprises a membrane surrounding a gas generating couple with the membrane formed of an expandable material permeable to fluid and impermeable to the couple.