Abstract: Air bubbles can be reduced or eliminated from the infusion source used during surgical procedures which require the delivery of irrigating fluid to the operating field. This is particularly a problem during surgical procedures performed within a closed organ, such as the eye. A constant low rate of infusion is created upon removal of a test chamber from a surgical handpiece. Pressure within the test chamber is lowered prior to removal of the test chamber.

Abstract: An infusion system for infusing a liquid into a body includes an external infusion device and a remote commander. The external infusion device includes a housing, a receiver, a processor and an indication device. The receiver is coupled to the housing and for receiving remotely generated commands. The processor is coupled to the housing and the receiver to receive remotely generated commands and to control the external infusion device in accordance with the commands. The indication device indicates when a command has been received and indicates when the command is being utilized to control the external infusion device so that the external infusion device is capable of being concealed from view when being remotely commanded. The remote commander includes a commander housing, a keypad for transmitting commands, and a transmitter for transmitting commands to the receiver of the external infusion device.

Abstract: An ampule having a body portion and a sealed end portion and a sealed delivery portion adapted for use in a delivery syringe system for controllably dispensing a low viscosity material, such as a liquid, gel, or paste. An ampule having sealed rear portions adapted to mate with a plunger of a syringe so as to facilitate controlled dispensing of a low viscosity material. The syringe has a breach positioned to provide controlled flow of the dispensed low viscosity material and facility easy removal from the syringe. Low viscosity materials, such as liquids and gels, are controllably dispensed in a measured unit dose quantity. The present invention has many applications, but is particularly applicable to dispensing low viscosity materials such as used in coatings and not injected parenterally, and is particularly applicable to dental applications.

Abstract: A medical valve has an open mode that permits fluid flow, and a closed mode that prevents fluid flow. Among other things, the medical valve includes a housing forming an interior having a fluid chamber, and a valve mechanism within the interior. The valve mechanism has a movable member that includes a needle (e.g., a hypetube). The needle may extend into the fluid chamber when the valve is in the open mode.

Abstract: An automatic repeater vaccinator apparatus (10) for dispensing a predetermined volume of a fluid into an animal, particularly a fluid which is a vaccine, and reloading after each volume of fluid is dispensed. The apparatus (10) comprises a handheld syringe (100) for dispensing the fluid, a flexible conduit (12) for transferring the fluid from a dispensing means to the syringe (100), and a reservoir (48) for providing the fluid to the dispensing means. The dispensing means is electrically activated by a magnetically closeable switch (preferably a reed switch (142)) in the syringe (100), which enables a predetermined volume of the fluid to be dispensed from the syringe (100) when the dispensing means is activated and reloading fluid from the reservoir (48) to replace the volume of fluid which has been dispensed from the syringe (100) when the dispensing means is deactivated.

Abstract: A passively shieldable needle assembly set is provided for use with a tube holder. The assembly includes a needle cannula, a hub mounted to the needle cannula and a tip guard slidably movable along the needle cannula. The tip guard can be slid into a distal position where the tip of the needle cannula is safely shielded. A collapsible guard drive is mounted to the hub and includes a pair of collapsible leaves extending from the hub to the tip guard. The leaves have a length that enable the tip guard to move into shielding engagement around the tip of the needle cannula, while preventing complete removal of the tip guard from the needle cannula. The leaves are resiliently deformable and can be collapsed onto themselves and onto the hub. The leaves can be retained in their collapsed condition by a packaging cover and subsequently by the grip of a medical practitioner.

Abstract: A steerable catheter having a shaft with one or more internal stiffeners coextruded within the shaft along a portion of its length. The internal stiffeners have a higher or lower hardness than the body of the catheter shaft. The overall stiffness of the shaft varies along its length for improved steerability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety needle assembly for injecting a fluid into a human body comprising a cylindrical housing with a bottom surface supporting a needle cannula and a shield telescopically movable relative to the housing. A spring located within the housing urges the shield in a distal needle covering direction and a locking member also provided inside the housing moves simultaneously with the shield during injection and automatically locks the shield in a position where the sharp end of the needle cannula is concealed thereby irreversible immobilizing the safety needle assembly.

Abstract: An implantable, refillable, rate controlled drug delivery device is disclosed that includes a base structure having at least a first opening and a second opening, the base structure defining a chamber, a septum covering the first opening and configured to substantially prevent leakage from the first opening to an exterior of the device, a drug delivery tube comprising a first and second distal end, wherein the first distal end of the tube communicates with the chamber through the second opening, and at least one rate-limiting permeable membrane disposed across a passage between the base structure and the second distal end of the drug delivery tube, which membrane passively regulates drug delivery. The drug delivery device is used to provide controlled drug delivery to an internal portion of the body and is advantageously leak-proof and does not rely on a pressure differential to drive the drug from the device.

Abstract: A catheter shaft for a balloon catheter includes a centrally-located guidewire lumen. A body portion of the catheter shaft includes arc-shaped nodes that define a guidewire track within the guidewire lumen. Each node provides a single contact point for a guidewire within the guidewire lumen, thereby limiting frictional contact due to “rolling” friction, rather than “sliding” friction, between the catheter shaft and an inserted guidewire. The nodes include a crown region that includes the contact point. The crown region may be formed of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the remaining portion of the catheter shaft. At least one node has an inflation lumen extending therethrough. The inflation lumen is in fluid communication with an interior of an inflatable balloon.

Abstract: A needle holder for use with a needle assembly for blood collection is provided, and in particular, for use with a needle assembly including an activation mechanism adapted for axial displacement between a first position and a second position with respect to the needle assembly through engagement with a blood collection tube. The needle holder includes an outer body having a first end adapted for attachment to such a needle assembly and a second end having an internal opening therein. The needle holder further includes an inner body slidable within the outer body which includes a mechanism for axially displacing the activation mechanism between the first retracted position and the second activated position. The inner holder may be in the form of a tubular body which is axially slidable within the outer body, or may be in the form of an arm extending through a channel in the outer body, and including a tab for finger activation by a user.

Abstract: A flexible tissue injection catheter is used to accomplish injections at a precisely controlled depth of precisely controlled volumes of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent into an interior body cavity, such as the epicardium or myocardium of the heart. In one embodiment, the invention method includes repeated injections at spaced intervals along the myocardium or epicardium of sterile fluid containing autologous bone marrow aspirate to promote angiogenesis. For myocardial injection, depth penetration is controlled by using a catheter that allows the operator to control depth penetration by means of an adjustable needle stop attached to the catheter handle. In another embodiment depth penetration during epicardial injections is controlled by use of an injection catheter having an operator-controlled adjustable needle stop that produces a sensible signal, such as a visible or audible signal, marking each increment of needle tip exposed by operation of the adjustable needle stop.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a node rotatably mounted within a restraining structure at the distal end of a shaft. The node can be rotated allowing manipulation and orientation of a surgical tool extending from the node at the distal end of the shaft through control remote from the distal end of the shaft. Cameras may also be located at the distal end of the shaft allowing stereoscopic imaging to be conveyed to an operator. The surgical instrument is well suited for administering biologically active substances to a desired location. The method of administration comprises insertion of a flexible shaft comprising a channel, controlling the location of the distal end of the shaft through control cables within the shaft, and projecting the biologically active substance from the end of the channel at the desired location.

Abstract: A needle assembly includes a tube holder for receiving an evacuated fluid collection tube. A needle cannula projects distally from said tube holder and a tip guard is slidably movable along said needle cannula from a proximal position near said tube holder to a distal position for shielding the distal end of the cannula. An actuator arm extends proximally from said tip guard and releasably engages the holder when the tip guard is in the proximal position. Insertion of a tube into the tube holder releases the actuator arm and enables the tip guard to be propelled to the distal position.

Abstract: A catheter useful for non-surgical entry into a uterus to dispense a diagnostic fluid therein. The catheter includes a tubular body having a lumen extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof. The lumen includes an external opening adjacent the first end for dispensing a diagnostic fluid into the interior of a subject uterus, and a balloon disposed marginally adjacent to the first end of the body for fluid sealing the interior of the subject uterus. The lumen further includes a second opening in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflation thereof with the diagnostic fluid. In most applications, the catheter can be combined with a syringe to form a catheter apparatus.

Abstract: A blood collector system utilizes a standard disposable needle assembly and standard blood collecting and receiving tubes of the type sealed by a pierceable septum. The system has a hollow cylinder, including an internally apertured sleeve into which the needle assembly is mounted and into which the sealed blood collecting tubes are inserted to be pierced by a needle of the needle assembly. A protective sheath with two clips is concentrically mounted to the barrel cylinder with slot on both sides of the barrel so that the hollow cylinder can move down to cover the patent contacted needle. On both side of the barrel, there are one upper slot and one lower slot, a slot channel between the upper slot and lower slot. The clip is shaped so that it can be snap in the upper and lower slot and can be only slide down from the upper slot to lower slot, but not backwards.

Abstract: In a method and a device for use in micro-invasive surgical procedures, and a guide catheter and a valve unit for use in micro-invasive surgical procedures, a bypass section (5) having an enlarged hydraulic cross section is provided, into which an instrument (10), for example a balloon, on an instrument catheter (11) can be retracted after treatment has been administered, thus allowing a sufficient quantity of fluid to flow past the instrument (1) and out of the guide catheter (4). By providing the bypass section (5) with an enlarged cross section, it becomes possible to use instruments (10) with very close-fitting guide catheters (4).

Abstract: A system is provided which permits syringe barrels of prefilled disposable syringes to be filled and capped on standard vial filling equipment, and which permits the syringe body and piston comprising the barrel to be simultaneously sterilized by a sterilizing gas. The system provides means for stabilizing syringe barrels so they can be conveyed upright on their bases without tipping through vial filling and capping equipment. Preferably, the stabilizing means comprises a cylindrical sleeve into which the lower end of the syringe body is inserted, thereby stably supporting it against tipping. The system also provides means by which the piston is retained in close proximity to the lower end of the syringe body, but slightly separated therefrom to permit access to all surfaces of the piston by a sterilizing gas.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a modular pressure infuser apparatus adapted to allow a user to modify the configuration of the pressure infuser apparatus by utilizing one or more interchangeable manual and/or automatic pumps to inflate a pressure infuser bag of the pressure infuser apparatus. The modular configuration of the pressure infuser apparatus permits the user to detach and reattach a motorized pump and/or a manual pump to the pressure infuser bag quickly, easily, and efficiently without decreasing the air pressure of the pressure infuser bag. By providing selectively removable pump modules, the user can select the configuration of the pressure infuser apparatus that is best adapted to the needs of the patient. A pressure release valve is configured to regulate the pressure of the pressure infuser bag.

Abstract: An implantable drug infusion pump for delivering drug therapy to a patient and which also permits a patient to deliver or self-administer an additional bolus, reduces the likelihood of over dosage or under dosage by drug dosage characteristic limitations programmed into a microprocessor memory. The dose limits define the maximum and minimum amount of drug to be delivered per unit time or otherwise, reducing the likelihood that a patient may inadvertently or deliberately interfere with a treatment regimen.