Abstract: A device for securing a catheter with respect to a patient's mouth that preferably includes a balloon that can be inflated within the patient's mouth on the exterior of the catheter, a bite block, and a shield. The balloon preferably immobilizes the catheter with respect to the securing device when inflated while permitting relative movement of the catheter and the securing device when deflated. The balloon preferably also prevents inadvertent withdrawal of the securing device from the patient's mouth when inflated while permitting withdrawal when deflated. The invention preferably includes a method for using such a securing device.

Abstract: A resizable inflatable balloon, primarily for use with balloon catheters. The resizable inflatable balloon comprises a first portion and an adjacent second portion. The first portion is inflatable to a working diameter at a first pressure while the second portion does not substantially expand at the first pressure. The second portion does expand to the working diameter at a second pressure greater than the first pressure, so that subsequent inflation at the first pressure inflates the first portion and the second portion to the working diameter. The methods of resizing the inflatable members include placing the inflatable balloon in a mold and supplying inflation fluid to expand the second member to the working diameter. In practice, a catheter having the resizable inflatable balloon is guided through a patient's vasculature until the inflatable balloon is positioned in a desired region. Inflation fluid is supplied at the first pressure to inflate the first portion to the working diameter.

Abstract: A holder for receiving a sampling tube of a blood sampling system is disclosed. The holder has an interior pocket which can be conformed from a closed position to an open position for receiving the sampling tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for steering a guidewire and for connecting the guidewire to an extension guidewire. The apparatus includes a steering device for gripping an exterior of the guidewire, the steering device defining a passageway therein through which the guidewire may pass; and a connecting device for connecting the guidewire to the extension guidewire. The connecting device is configured for mating with the steering device to form an integral unit. The invention further includes a method of inserting a guidewire in a body and connecting the guidewire to an extension guidewire.

Abstract: An injection syringe (10) has an elongated syringe body (12) including a tube (18), a perforated front wall (26) for receiving an injection needle (70), and a rear actuating plunger (14) movably mounted inside the tube (18). A mobile needle shield (16) is externally movable along the syringe body (12) between a retracted position and an active position. An axial coupling mechanism (54) is provided between the shield (16) and the actuating plunger (14) for their simultaneous displacement towards the front on a common section. A release mechanism (58) is provided for releasing the coupling mechanism (54) to disengage the actuating plunger (14) and the needle shield (16) when the needle shield (16) is finally set in place.

Abstract: A syringe assembly includes a needle sheath that has a cavity that receives a needle cannula. The needle sheath can be formed of materials such as thermoplastic elastomers or plastics yet still be utilized with conventional gas sterilizing processes. The needle sheath includes a passage that permits the sterilizing gases to enter the cavity while preventing entry of microorganisms into the cavity. Thus, a syringe assembly is provided that facilitates sterilizing a needle after the needle sheath has been placed over the needle.

Abstract: An infusion control system having a flexible, collapsible infusion container. The container can be compressed between rollers or plate so at to pressurize the container. Such a system allows for rapid pressure response rates without the need of venting devices or air filtering. The may also include an irrigation flow sensor. The sensor may be placed in the control console or in the infusion handpiece. Irrigation flow measurements provided by the sensor allows the control system to vary irrigation pressure and/or flow, aspiration pressure and/or flow and power supplied to the handpiece more accurately than sensors that monitor aspiration flow.

Abstract: A cassette for storing and insertion of a solid medicine peg appears as a unit having a first bore (2) which accommodates the medicine peg (3) and has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of this peg (3), a second bore (4) in coaxial extension of the first bore (2) and having a diameter larger than the diameter of the first bore (2), an inserter having a shaft (5) fitting into the first bore (2) and a guiding head (6) in coaxial extension of the shaft (5) fitting into the second bore. The inserter shaft (5) has one end adjacent to the peg (3) and the other connected to the guiding head (6) which projects from the cassette. The head (6) fits into the second bore with a fitting providing a diffusion tight sealing and the distal end of the unit is closed by a membrane diffusion tightly sealing this distal end.

Abstract: An apparatus for steering a guidewire and for connecting the guidewire to an extension guidewire. The apparatus includes a steering device for gripping an exterior of the guidewire, the steering device defining a passageway therein through which the guidewire may pass; and a connecting device for connecting the guidewire to the extension guidewire. The connecting device is configured for mating with the steering device to form an integral unit. The invention further includes a method of inserting a guidewire in a body and connecting the guidewire to an extension guidewire.

Abstract: A fluidic media introduction apparatus for closing an opening in a vessel wall includes an elongated member with a fluidic media introduction port and a guide wire lumen. The guide wire lumen extends from a proximal portion to a distal portion of the elongated member. A fluidic media mixing chamber is positioned in the elongated member and coupled to a fluidic media introduction port. A fluidic media delivery lumen is coupled to the mixing chamber. A fluidic media advancement port is positioned at the distal portion of the elongated member. An inflatable member is coupled to the distal portion of the elongated member.

Abstract: A combined device having a reservoir for venous blood and a reservoir for cardiotomy blood is disclosed. The device is characterized in that the venous reservoir is separated from the cardiotomy reservoir by a partition which includes a plurality of apertures. The apertures are in fluid communication with a plurality of ducts and passageways which are configured to provide various modes of operation depending upon whether, for the particular surgical conditions, it is desired to mix venous and cardiotomy blood, or to isolate those blood pools from each other.

Abstract: A high pressure dilation medical device delivery catheter having a proximal and distal end comprising two tubes mounted generally concentrically about an inner tube. The balloons being characterized as a relatively short inner tube which is inflated with high pressure and a longer outer tube which is inflated with low pressure. The balloons have independent inflation lumens which extend toward the proximal end of the inner tube. A medical device mounting region is disposed about at least a portion of the outer balloon and may have a stent or other medical device mounted thereupon. A retractable outer sheath is further disposed about the medical device mounting region and is operatively connected near the proximal end of the catheter.

Abstract: The invention provides a means of closed exchange of implanted medical device components. An exchanger is brought into contact with the implanted medical device in situ. The component is withdrawn from the implanted device and brought into a closed chamber of the exchanger. Without breaking the contact between implanted device and exchanger, the replacement component is then moved from its position in the exchanger, and inserted into the correct position in the implanted device. The surfaces of the implanted device are not brought into contact with the outside environment, thereby minimizing the possibility of introducing contaminants into the body during the exchange process. The invention is particularly useful for devices that are difficult to position and re-position, thus making it advantageous to exchange only an expended component, rather than the entire device.

Abstract: A fluid warming cassette with a stiffening frame structure and an integral handle is provided to support a parenteral fluid container. The fluid container is desirably thin to minimize heat exchange inefficiencies. The frame structure permits the thin fluid container to be inserted into the narrow space between fixed position warming plates of a warming unit. The frame structure has a quadrilateral shape with sides and ends. The fluid container is attached, at its periphery to the sides and ends of the frame structure, within the quadrilateral shape. Part of the frame structure is formed into a handle to assist in both the insertion and removal of the cassette from a warming unit.

Abstract: The applicator (10) for depositing a one- or multi-component fluid, particularly a tissue adhesive, comprises a housing (12) arranged for attachment of at least one supply container (16) for the fluid. The supply container (16) comprises a discharge opening (28) and a piston (20) for sliding displacement in the direction of said discharge opening (28). A tensioning lever (58) is pivotally supported on the housing (12), which, when manually operated, causes movement of a spring tensioning element (54) by which a spring (46) for storage of mechanical energy can be tensioned. Coupled to the spring tensioning element (54) is a drive element (66) being adapted to be driven, by the stored mechanical energy of said spring (46), in increments and which is arranged to move a press-on element (84) acting on said piston (20) for displacing it in the direction of said discharge opening (28) of said supply container (16).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical article for containing a pharmaceutical protein preparation comprising at least a first component and a second component, having at least one surface coated with a coating to reduce the friction between the two components and to reduce the protein adsorption to the coating. The coating is a hydrophilic coating whereby the hydrophilicity of the surface of the coating as measured by the water contact angle is below 90°, and the long term static friction forces between the first and the second component are below 14 N. The coatings according to the present invention are especially suited for permanently coating in ternal surfaces of containers equipped with stoppers for storage and administration of liquid protein preparations, such as insulin preparations. The coating is preferably a silicon-containing coating, such as a poly(dialkyl siloxane) oil or copolymer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a low profile catheter shaft configuration for incorporation into any of a variety of catheters. The shaft comprises first and second side-by-side lumens with a movable wall extending axially therebetween. The first lumen may occupy more than half of the inside diameter of the shaft such as during advancement along a guidewire, and the second lumen may occupy more than half of the inside diameter such as following withdrawal of the guidewire and during inflation of a balloon. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved medical introducer devices which incorporate a single or multi-layer PTFE peelable sheath. Devices of the present invention are suitable for use in inserting an ancilliary medical device, e.g., a catheter, guide wire and the like, into a patient. Methods of the present invention also are disclosed which employ a precision sintering process in order to produce sheaths having excellent tear properties and optimal peelability.

Abstract: A dilating and support apparatus with disease inhibitors and methods for use is disclosed that is particularly useful for repairing and/or serving as a conduit for body passageways that require reinforcement, dilatation, disease prevention or the like. Such apparatuses are utilized to deliver a therapy, that therapy being from a family of devices, drugs, or any of a variety of other elements to a specific location within the body. The instant disclosure provides a system of combining a novel radial deployment and/or drug delivery therapy with existing balloon dilatation therapy into one device. This combination will yield a significant decrease in cost to the healthcare system as well as providing a therapy to the patient with increased safety and efficacy. Further, the instant invention provides a novel and improved platform for synthetic/tissue interface between the device and the body.

Abstract: A shape memory alloy actuator array comprising a plurality of individually trained shape memory alloy actuators to provide relative movement of different actuator array portions and a thin-film heating element positioned adjacent at least one shape memory alloy actuator to thermally activate the actuator for movement away from its initial shape. A shape memory alloy medical device such as a catheter or a conduit is further provided comprising a lattice network or scaffolding of individually activated and oppositely trained shape memory alloy actuators set with a predetermined shape to provide a full range of directional movement within a body, and a network of thin-film heating elements to selectively activate a combination of actuators for movement or variable stiffness.