Abstract: A valve assembly adapted for introduction of surgical instruments into a patient's body includes a valve body formed of a flexibly resilient material which defines an aperture for reception of the instrument. The aperture is configured and dimensioned such that insertion of the instrument into the aperture will cause the resilient material of the valve body to resiliently engage the outer surface of the instrument in a substantially gas tight manner. The valve assembly includes a biasing member for closing the valve body to form a gas tight seal prior to inserting the instrument therethrough.

Abstract: A gastrostomy tube having a collapsible, internal retention flange is disclosed, and the gastrostomy tube is inserted into a patient's stomach by a percutaneous endoscopic or other suitable technique. The internal retention flange comprises a dome shape that will not only reduce patient risk during the placement procedure, but will also allow for a more consistent and less traumatic external removal procedure.

Abstract: A pressurized intravenous fluid delivery apparatus that operates as a closed system incorporating a waste component to avoid the accidental injection of air. The apparatus comprises a fluid reservoir under pressure, a manifold with a series of stopcock, an exhaust means in fluid connection with both the fluid reservoir and the manifold by means of a dual check valve, and a cannula and syringe means for injecting fluid into a patient. The closed system facilitates the flushing of blood and air out a catheter without the necessity of disconnecting any part of the apparatus and thereby risking exposure to air or risking physician contact with body fluids. The system is useful for delivering any quantity of one or more fluids under pressure, while avoiding the injection of air.

Abstract: A method of epidural surgery is provided that improves visibility in the epidural space of a patient for more effectively conducting therapeutic surgery therein. The method includes the steps of distending a portion of the epidural space of a patient by filling the portion of the epidural space with a fluid supplied from a catheter and positioning a portion of an optical scope in the distended portion of the epidural space by inserting the optical scope through the same catheter that supplies the distending fluid to thereby provide a visual image of the epidural space.

Abstract: A skin shield device for protecting users (to include caregivers and patients) from accidental needle stick or puncture (hereinafter needle stick). The skin shield device is to be used by users who are removing a needle from an subcutaneously implanted vascular access device (hereinafter port) injection area (hereinafter site). The skin shield body is comprised of a substantially flexible annular disc with finger tabs and a central shield opening. The finger tabs are used to apply pressure at a port site. The pressure at the port site is to secure and stabilize the port site for safe needle removal. The central shield opening is slipped over and around a needle to surround and stabilize the port site. Once the central shield opening is in place around the site, pressure is applied downward by a user's fingers applying downward force at the finger tabs. The downward pressure causes the shield body to stabilize the port site during needle removal.

Abstract: A bailout system for procedures involving angioplasty catheters, comprising a receptacle sized to fit inside an angioplasty guiding catheter, comprising an elongate tubular shaft having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end, a balloon angioplasty catheter extending through the lumen, the angioplasty catheter and the receptacle each adapted to slide longitudinally with respect to each other, and a longitudinally movable guidewire extending through the lumen but outside of the angioplasty catheter. Also disclosed is a method for using the system.

Abstract: A catheter assembly for the sterile introduction of a catheter into a body cavity is disclosed. The catheter assembly comprises a catheter, a stylet received within the catheter and a needle selectively mounted on one end of the catheter. Gripping means are incorporated on one or more of the stylet, needle or catheter to selectively mount the needle to the catheter.

Abstract: A balloon dilatation catheter including a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with an inflatable balloon secured thereto. The balloon has a cylindrical section having a first end, a first tapered section of the balloon gradually tapering from a first end adjacent the first end of the cylindrical section to a second end, and a second tapered section adjacent the first tapered section. The second tapered section tapers from a primary end adjacent the second end of the first tapered section to a secondary end. The first tapered section has a first taper angle with respect to the catheter shaft and the second tapered section has a second taper angle with respect to the catheter shaft, the first taper angle being smaller than the second taper angle.

Abstract: A medical device such as a retractor or isolation bag including an inflatable member which expands from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration when pressurized gas or liquid is supplied thereto. The member can include a plurality of fluid channels, ribs and pre-shaped wire members. The device is inserted into a body cavity through a tube. The device can also be actuated by a honeycomb reinforcing structure with or without the use of pressurized fluid. The device can be manufactured by forming one or more air conduits in a member of expandable material or by enclosing a honeycomb reinforcing structure in a polymer material.

Abstract: An apparatus for accurately infusing medicinal agents into an ambulatory patient at specific rates over extended periods of time. The apparatus is of a compact, low profile, laminate construction and includes either an elastic distendable membrane, or a thin barrier member which, in cooperation with a thin planar base defines a fluid chamber having a fluid outlet. The apparatus includes an internal stored energy source which functions to controllably expel the medicinal agents from the apparatus. The stored energy source may comprise either a distendable elastomeric membrane or an expandable sponge like cellular mass.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter provides means for infusing an agent into a treatment site in a body lumen and means for deploying the infusing means adjacent the treatment site which operate independently of one another. In a preferred embodiment, a flexible catheter body has an expansion member attached to its distal end in communication with an inflation passage, and an infusion array disposed about the expansion member in communication with one or more delivery passages. The infusion array includes a plurality of delivery conduits having laterally oriented orifices. The delivery conduits may be extended radially from the catheter body to contact a treatment site by expanding the expansion member with an inflation fluid. An agent may be introduced into the delivery passages and infused into the treatment site through orifices in the delivery conduits. The expansion member may be expanded for dilatation of the lumen before, during, or after infusion.

Abstract: A trocar penetration depth indicator has a first, inner housing including a first threaded section and longitudinally extending gripping fingers, and a second, outer housing including a camming surface and a second threaded section to engage the first threaded section. The first and second housings slidably mount onto a trocar tube and can be secured relative to the guide tube by rotatably tightening the housings to cause the gripping fingers to firmly grip the trocar tube. Depth penetration indicia is provided on the guide tube surface and sufficient guide tube grasping force is obtained to prevent the depth indicator from being dislodged during trocar insertion. A guide tube positioning device is provided to engage the penetration depth indicator and to secure the guide tube relative to the surrounding skin of the patient in order to prevent inadvertent withdrawal or further insertion of the trocar.

Abstract: A catheter device and method for laparoscopically dilating the sphincter muscle to flush common bile duct stones into the duodenum is set forth where the catheter consists of a flexible tube having three lumens. An inflatable balloon is carried by the flexible tube at its distal end and is inflatable and deflatable through an insufflation port. Radiopaque markers placed distally and proximally of the balloon are used to visualize the location of the balloon flouroscopically. A guidewire is advanced through the cystic duct, common bile duct and into the duodenum over which the catheter is advanced and the balloon positioned at the juncture of the common bile duct and duodenum. The balloon is then inflated sufficiently to dilate the sphincter muscle; the balloon is then deflated and the common bile duct irrigated with a fluid injected through an irrigation port located proximally of the balloon to flush the gallstones from the common bile duct.

Abstract: A method of performing knee surgery and retractors and a femoral distractor for use in performing such method are provided, said retractors including a PCL tibial retractor, lateral patellar retractor, collateral ligament retractor, posterior cruciate ligament retractor and unicompartmental retractor designed to cooperate with one another in performing such method.

Abstract: A perfusion-type dilatation catheter with perfusion ports in the wall of the catheter shaft wherein the proximal edges of the perfusion ports have depressions extending into a guidewire receiving inner lumen which passes through the catheter shaft. The depressed proximal edges prevent excursions of guidewires through the perfusion ports as the guidewire is passed through the guidewire receiving inner lumen. The perfusion ports may be conveniently made by forming holes into the wall of the catheter shaft, inserting shaping pins into the holes, heating the wall of the catheter shaft to make it readily deformable and then rotating the shaping pins proximally along the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft so that the rotated shaping pins form depressions along the proximal edges of the perfusion ports which extend into the guidewire receiving inner lumen within the catheter shaft.

Abstract: A wound clotting device includes a tubular portion having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween, an inflatable membrane associated with the distal end of the tubular portion and being moveable between a retracted position and an inflated position to form a balloon-like projection at the distal end when moved to the inflated position for treating a wound. A method for treating a wound by providing a wound-treating device, positioning the device in a location near the wound, moving an inflation membrane of the wound treating device to an inflated position near the wound, and removing the treating device is described. Finally, an alternate wound treating device having an inflatable membrane which is releasably carried at the distal end of the tubular portion and which is expelled to treat the wound is also described.

Abstract: The slitter includes a handle section having a handle member and an arcuate section joined thereto, a knife blade, a clamp member and interfitting parts for mounting the clamp member to the handle members for limited vertical movement between catheter clamping and release positions, each of the arcuate section and the clamp member having vertically opposite facing surfaces for clampingly engaging opposite surface portions of any one of a number of different outer diameter catheters. The arcuate section has a nose portion for entering between the clamped catheter and the introducer when the introducer is to be removed from the catheter without being moved over the proximal terminal end of the catheter. The knife blade is located radially outwardly of the arcuate section surface that abuts against the clamped catheter, extends radially outwardly of the nose and is located rearwardly of the forwardmost part of the nose.

Abstract: A monorail tip catheter includes a low friction guide wire lumen to facilitate removal of the catheter over the guide wire without buckling or kinking the guide wire. The catheter guide wire lumen is provided with a low friction lining with anchoring means, together with additional guide means to facilitate threading the guide wire into the monorail guide wire lumen.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for limiting access to a septum in a body implanted device. The apparatus includes a screen member which covers the septum. The screen member has a plurality of openings which are sized such that needles larger than a predetermined size will not pass through the openings. Needles of a size less than the predetermined size of the openings will pass through and be provided access to the septum.

Abstract: An improved balloon catheter is disclosed which is comprised of two jacketed spring coils placed end-to-end and joined by a linking element which contains a lumen communicating between the inflation lumens formed by the two spring coils. A side port entry to a guidewire lumen, which extends through the distal coil to the distal end of the catheter, is located in the transition region formed by the linking element. The linking element may include two polyimide tubes or may be a multilumen insert. The catheter is stiffened by a core wire which is bonded directly to the spring coils. A catheter comprised of a single spring coil with a side port entry in the coil is also disclosed, and a method and apparatus for crimping the coil to create the entry.