Abstract: A temporary non-weight bearing prosthesis to be placed inside an implant area of a joint replacement patient. The prosthesis is impregnated with an antibiotic agent which leaches out to the surrounding tissue to fight infection in the implant area. While the infection is being overcome, the prosthesis maintains the joint spacing of the implant area against the contractive force of the surrounding muscles and tendons by fully occupying the space in which a primary prosthesis had once been.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new Length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient. The artificial grafts may have shapes other than tubular. Certain procedural and apparatus aspects of the invention have uses other than in connection with grafting in general or tubular grafting in particular.

Abstract: An intraluminal, crush resistant stent for implantation in a body lumen is disclosed. The crush resistant stent is made from a base section having a plurality of resilient, parallel, coplanar struts having a zig-zag configuration extending therefrom wherein the zig-zag struts are curved and pass through corresponding slots in the base section to form a continuous, cylindrical hoop. Each zig-zag strut has an amplitude that decreases when the zig-zag strut is placed under tension and an amplitude that increases when the zig-zag strut is unstressed or is placed under compression. Accordingly, each zig-zag strut can be pulled through the respective slot in the base section, but under compression the zig-zag struts assume the larger amplitude and cannot pass through the corresponding slot thereby maintaining the diameter of the stent constant.

Abstract: A perforated unitary multi-laminar tissue graft construct and method for preparing such construct is described. The method comprises overlapping strips of submucosa tissue with other strips of submucosal tissue, compressing at least the overlapped portions of said strips between two surfaces under conditions that allow or promote dehydration of the compressed submucosa sheets, and perforating the resulting unitary tissue graft construct. The perforated tissue graft compositions have enhanced mechanical and remodeling properties relative to non-perforated submucosal tissue grafts.

Abstract: An apparatus for facilitating the fusion of adjacent bone structures includes an implant member configured for insertion within a space defined between adjacent bone structures. The implant member includes an entry end portion and a trailing end portion and defines a longitudinal axis. The implant member includes at least a longitudinal portion having a generally elliptical cross-sectional dimension with a major cross-sectional dimension greater than a minor cross-sectional dimension. The apparatus is particularly contemplated for fusion of adjacent vertebrae.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a method and material for repairing focal arthritic defects in a mammalian joint, especially in a human knee. The invention disclosed provides an articular cartilage cancellous bone paste in a therapeutically effective amount for enhancing formation of cartilage. The paste can include a cartilage-stimulating factor.

Abstract: An apparatus for engrafting a blood vessel comprising: a plurality of strings, a tubular graft having a central lumen, wherein the plurality of strings are removably attached to the tubular graft, the graft is removably positioned at least partially within a restraining means, such as a sheath introducer, a guide wire with an attachment means for attachment of the plurality of strings, one or more stents for deployment within the graft, and a means for deploying the stents within the graft.

Abstract: A voice prosthesis intended for placing in an opening in the wall between the oesophagus and the windpipe, in the case of which the windpipe opens out into the neck by way of a stoma, comprises a tubular element which at one end has an external enlargement, and at the other end has retaining means which are expandable outwards from a contracted position to a spread position, which prosthesis with the retaining means in the contracted position can be fitted by way of the windpipe stoma in such a way that the tubular element goes into the opening and the external enlargement comes to rest against the wall part of the windpipe around said opening, and the retaining means can be fitted against the wall part of the oesophagus around said opening after the tubular element has been placed in said opening.

Abstract: A cemented acetabular prosthesis includes a cup body having a relative thin wall (for example, 2 mm). The body has a concave surface, a convex surface, and an annular rim. A plastic liner registers into a concavity of the cup body, the liner having a wall with a liner wall thickness much greater than the cup body wall thickness and a concave surface and a convex surface that registers and fits the concave surface of the cup body. The cup body wall provides a plurality of openings. Some of the openings are bone screw receptive openings that are reinforced with an annular reinforcement that extends away from the convex surface of the cup body. Other openings are unreinforced openings that allow cement to flow from the concave to the convex side of the cup body and into the patient's acetabulum during surgery. The cup body has a peripheral buttress portion for supporting a volume of cement of the cement mantle at a peripheral interface position between the liner and the body.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic articular cartilage heterograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing an articular cartilage heterograft by removing at least a portion of an articular cartilage from a non-human animal to provide a heterograft; washing the heterograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the heterograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally to chemical crosslinking. In accordance with the invention the heterograft has substantially the same mechanical properties as the native xenogeneic articular cartilage.

Abstract: An artificial eye that appears to look back at a plurality of observers simultaneously even while either change position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a radially expandable stent for implantation within a body vessel, comprising a first and second wire having a series of alternating peaks and valleys. The valleys of the first wire are braided with the peaks of the second wire forming a braided region with the interwoven first and second wire being wound into a continuous helix having a hollow cylindrical shape. The peaks of the first wire of the continuous helix may be welded to the adjacent valleys of the second wire of the continuous helix. The peaks and valleys of the first wire may symmetrically intersect with the peaks and valleys of the second wire to form a uniform series of crossings thereby permitting even expansion of the first and second wires. The proximal end of the first wire may be attached to the proximal end of the second wire. The distal end of the first wire may be attached to the distal end of the second wire.

Abstract: A method of and instrumentation for implanting a spherical prosthesis in a joint between a first bone and a second bone. The method includes the steps of exposing a joint between a first bone and a second bone; forming a semispherical cavity in the proximal surface of the first bone; forming a semispherical cavity in the distal surface of the second bone; and inserting a spherical prosthesis into the semispherical cavities in the proximal surface of the first bone and in the distal surface of the second bone.

Abstract: The food and beverage preservative of this invention uses a finely divided calcium component in a solution of vinegar, alcohol and a fermented germ. The calcium component is present in said preservative in an amount of from 3,000 to 4,000 mg for each 100 to 200 cc of the solution. The preservative has a ph of from 4.5 to 5.5. The calcium component is derived from egg shells, clam shells, oyster shells, scallop shells, animal bones, fish bones, coral and any mixtures of two or more of these.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an instant rice nectar which can be preserved for long time. The instant rice nectar of the invention is prepared by the process which comprises the steps of: adding water to malt while stirring, filtrating to obtain malt extract, adding starch hydrolase to the malt extract and saccharifying, heating and chilling, filtering, and adding sugar to the filtrate so that the total sugar content reaches Brix 32 to 68; steeping nonglutinous rice in water and boiling, adding 1 to 3 times of water by weight and starch hydrolase to the resulting nectaring rice, and saccharifying; diluting the malt extract with water saccharified nectaring rice to the resulting mixture, and filling up a container with rice nectar thus produced and sealing; and, putting the container filled with the rice nectar in a retort chamber and sterilizing.

Abstract: The present invention provides refrigeratable yeast-leavened dough compositions and methods of making such doughs. In a first embodiment, a dough composition of the invention is made by rehydrating dried yeast at chilled temperatures, which causes selective lysing (a loss in the selectivity of the yeast plasma membrane). Such a dough composition exhibits a cold sensitivity in that the yeast is capable of leavening the dough at elevated temperatures, but becomes inactive at refrigeration temperatures. In another embodiment, the dough composition and the strain of yeast used therein are chosen to limit the total leavening action of the yeast by controlling the amount of substrate in the dough fermentable by the yeast. In a third embodiment, a dough comprises a mixture of flour, water and a mutant yeast which is low temperature sensitive. Such an "lts" yeast is active at elevated temperatures, but becomes substantially inactive at refrigeration temperatures.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of ensiling fodder made by combining fresh or wilted silage material with solid carbon dioxide while utilizing the essential conditions for homofermentative lactic acid fermentation, which are known in themselves and the basic parameters of which can be monitored. The solid carbon dioxide is added in an amount of 0.5 to 20 kg per ton, preferably 1 to 3 kg per ton, according to a principle of distribution that gives priority to the zones of the silo most endangered by oxygen in the air, in particular the marginal zones. The fermentation process must take place with an amount of silage material large enough to be little affected by the ambient temperature.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a convenient and economical method for improving the rate of raising newborn piglets from the pregnancy of the sow to the weaning of the piglets. The method reduces the incidence of premature piglets and increases the lacteal yield of breeding sows by feeding the breeding sows a feed containing saccharides mainly composed of oligosaccharides.

Abstract: A method of reducing an equilibrium relative humidity level in an edible product comprising:applying a solution, incorporating a first humectant in a liquid form to the product whereby at least a part of the first humectant is absorbed into the edible product;applying a second humectant in a solid form to the product so as the second humectant absorbs residual moisture and is itself absorbed into the product; andwherein both the first and second humectants are effective in reducing the equilibrium relative humidity of the product to a predetermined level.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ester composition which can tenderize a stringy hard meat such as beef from abroad to a proper tenderness, the processing time, etc. and a meat tenderizer comprising said ester composition and protease without giving a special control over the amount of an enzyme. The present invention also provides a meat modifier which can provide a tender, juicy and less stringy meat that can be easily served and a food meat or meat product processed with such a meat modifier. A meat modifier is also provided, comprising an ester composition of a C.sub.12-22 saturated or unsaturated fatty monoglyceride with succinic acid or diacetyltartaric acid having an acid value of from 30 to 120. The present invention provides a meat modifier comprising the ester composition and a metalloprotease, which no longer causes round to be tenderized after 24 hours of storage at a temperature of 20.degree. C.