Abstract: Embodiments of a syringe-based device for procuring bodily fluid samples can include a housing having a port that can be coupled to a lumen-defining device for receiving bodily fluids, an actuator mechanism retained at least partially within the housing, the actuator mechanism including a pre-sample reservoir, a plunger operably coupled with pre-sample reservoir, a plunger cap, a plunger tube, a valve, a plunger seal, an a selectively attachable collection vial for capturing a bodily fluid sample.

Abstract: A medical appliance for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in a patient, the appliance comprising: a securing device configured to be removably affixed to the patient's jaw; and a biasing member which is insertable behind the soft palate and/or the base of the patient's tongue, thereby providing for the flow of air in the nasopharyngeal airway; wherein the securing device is connected to the biasing member to allow insertion and/or removal of the biasing member from the nasopharyngeal airway.

Abstract: A steerable guidewire. The steerable guidewire is fabricated includes an outer tube, an inner tube, a hub, and a distal articulating region. The steerable guidewire hub can be removed to permit advancement of catheters over its proximal end followed by re-attachment of the hub to permit deflection of the distal end of the steerable guidewire.

Abstract: Embodiment methods of treating a human or animal patient using a remotely controlled robotic catheter device inserting a handle of a catheter into a handle controller, inserting the catheter tubular portion into a resealable delivery channel forming a sterile barrier to a sled base, engaging a tip of the catheter with a sterile introducer disposed at an end of the sled base and engaged with the patient's body, positioning the catheter into the patient's body by remotely sending commands to the tele-robotic device to cause the sled member to advance toward the patient's body, and performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on the patient using the catheter. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures may include a mapping procedure, an ablation procedure, an angioplasty procedure, a drug delivery procedure; an electrophysiology procedure, a radiological procedure, and a medical device implantation or positioning procedure.

Abstract: A method of selective catheterism of in a network of conduits of an anatomical structure including inserting a flexible distal end of a guide for catheterism through the network of conduits. An appendage is attached on the distal end of the guide, the appendage includes a channel extending along a longitudinal axis of the guide. A catheter is slid along the catheter until a distal face of the catheter surrounding the guide engages a proximal surface of the appendage. A force oriented in a distal direction is exerted with the catheter on the appendage, which disengages the appendage from the distal end of the guide within the network of conduits. Navigation through the network of conduits is continued with the flexible distal end of the guide once the appendage is removed.

Abstract: A measurement device suitable to measure a load applied by the muscular-skeletal system is disclosed. The measurement device can be a prosthetic component having an articular surface for measuring parameters of a joint in extension or flexion. A first and second support structure forms an enclosure having load-bearing surfaces. The first support structure includes at least one alignment feature extending from a surface. The second support structure includes a corresponding opening for receiving the alignment feature. The first and second support structures include a peripheral channel and corresponding flange to support sealing of the enclosure. Interior to the enclosure is the measurement system. The alignment feature couples through and aligns a first load plate, a sensor array, and a second load plate to surfaces of the first and second support structures. The sensor array is coupled to electronic circuitry in the enclosure via a unitary circuit board.

Abstract: A method of neurocognitive training or neuropsychological assessment of a subject including providing at least one initial stimulus to the subject, assessing at least one initial action of the subject in response to the at least one initial stimulus, based on the assessing the at least one initial action of the subject in response to the at least one initial stimulus, thereafter providing at least one further stimulus to the subject, assessing at least one further action of the subject in response to the at least one further stimulus and based at least on the assessing the at least one further action of the subject in response to the at least one further stimulus, thereafter providing at least one additional stimulus to the subject.

Abstract: Non-invasive intracranial pressure detection and/or monitoring and use of data with respect thereto. Illustratively, with respect to a method, there can be a method to digitally produce and communicate intracranial pressure data from skull deformation electric signals, the method including: receiving, from at least one sensor, detected skull deformation electric signals at electrical equipment configured to transform and process the skull deformation signals that are received; transforming and processing, by the electrical equipment, the received skull deformation electric signals to produce digital intracranial pressure data; and outputting, by the electrical equipment, the digital intracranial pressure data via an output device operably associated with the electrical equipment to render the digital intracranial pressure data.

Abstract: Blood collection assemblies with safety features are disclosed. The assemblies have a housing for receiving a vacutainer, which has a septum that penetrates a sharp needle tip. The disclosed assemblies further have a shield for covering the other end of the needle following use to prevent accidental contact with the distal needle tip. The shield is spring loaded so that the spring force moves the shield over the needle. The shield can be secured or held in an initial position and allowed to move to cover the needle upon actuation or activation of an activator unit.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for the localization of body lumen junctions and other intraluminal structure are disclosed. Various embodiments permit clinicians to identify the locations of intraluminal structures and medical devices during non-surgical medical techniques, such as cardiac ablation, by determining the intralumen conductance and/or cross-sectional area at a plurality of locations within the body lumen.

Abstract: An optical device including an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and an optical fiber core with a distal end having a distal terminating end configured to discharge a first laser energy in a first direction and a second laser energy in a second direction. The optical device also includes a fiber cap having an interior cavity and an opening to the interior cavity, where the distal end of the optical fiber core is received within the interior cavity through the opening. A cladding is included on the distal end of the optical fiber core between the optical fiber core and the fiber cap.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure is directed toward an implantable medical device that includes a plurality of sensor modules that are implanted within a patient. The sensor modules may cooperate with each other to coordinate the timing for performance of one or more sensor actions across the modules when making a measurement. Example measurements include tissue perfusion measurements, oxygen sensing measurements, sonomicrometry measurements, and pressure measurements. The coordination of the sensor modules may be controlled by a signal that is transmitted from a host controller to the sensor modules via a bus. In some examples, the bus may have two wires that transmit both timing information and data information to the sensor modules. The signal may be a signal that is substantially periodic, such as a pulsed signal. In additional examples, the signal may supply operating power and timing information to the sensor modules.

Abstract: A medical device having a frontal attachment and a connector housing having at least a body part of an associated medical apparatus, the frontal attachment slidably engaging the connector housing and having a forwardly projecting, rearwardly biased needle and a needle retraction assembly, and the connector housing having a needle retraction cavity laterally offset from the needle in a first position, the needle retraction cavity being selectively movable relative to the frontal attachment following use to reposition the needle retraction cavity into alignment with the needle to permit retraction.

Abstract: There is provided a method for estimating the volume of fluid in part of the body of a subject, the method comprising obtaining a measurement of the circumference, c, of the part of the body of the subject; obtaining a measurement of the impedance of the part of the body of the subject using electrodes attached across the part of the body of the subject; and estimating the volume of fluid in the part of the body of the subject from the measurement of impedance and the measurement of the circumference c. An apparatus comprising a control unit configured to perform the method is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a guide wire insertion device for a catheter procedure. The guide wire insertion device for a catheter procedure includes an injection unit (100) including an injection needle, and a guide wire transfer unit (200) which transfers a guide wire so as to insert the guide wire through the injection needle, and the injection unit and the guide wire transfer unit are integrated with each other so as to continuously perform injection of the injection needle and transfer of the guide wire. According to such a configuration, the injection of the injection needle and the insertion of the guide wire may be accurately and easily performed so that a catheter procedure is convenient.

Abstract: A surgical system kit is described. The surgical system kit includes a peripheral electrode, a surgical access instrument configured to be placed in a surgical target site, and a control unit. The surgical access instrument has a body with a proximal end, and a distal end, two or more electrodes on the distal end at fixed locations and spaced apart a known distance. The control unit is configured to send a signal to the peripheral electrode, receive information indicative of a neural response from at least one electrode of the surgical access instrument, and interpret the information according to a nerve conduction velocity modality to measure the nerve conduction velocity through the segment of the nerve.

Abstract: A medical device is provided comprising a shaft comprising a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is configured to buckle upon application of a first critical force. The second segment includes an outer surface and an inner surface and is configured to buckle upon application of a second critical force. The second critical force is lower than the first critical force. The medical device further comprises a coil disposed radially inwardly of the inner surface of the second segment.

Abstract: Portable operatively simple touch screen apparatus uses testing methods and systems that are free of age and language constraints include special signal processing techniques that provide a temporal resolution highly sensitive for probing cognitive function. The embodiments include or make use of one or more modules implemented at least partially in a set of instructions in software and configured to measure user reaction times to visual stimulus on a touch screen device having a capacitive sensor touch-sensitive surface and a detector of audio waves resulting from touch on the touch-sensitive surface. The modules employ recordation of acoustic vibrations resulting from a user's touching a target location on the touch screen surface spaced from a touched starting location on that surface, in one embodiment, to measure temporal response to a visual stimulus placed at the target location.

Abstract: A handheld device for extracting tissue samples includes a needle arrangement and control arrangement. The needle arrangement has a cutting needle, a sample extraction needle, and a first end for inserting into tissue. The cutting needle has a cutting edge for cutting the tissue sample. The sample extraction needle has a side opening for receiving the tissue. The control arrangement has a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the sample extraction needle. The vacuum chamber has a first member and a second member that move relative to each other. The first member is mechanically connected to the cutting needle. The handheld device is configured so that movement between the first and second members to increase volume of the vacuum chamber thereby reduces pressure in the sample extraction needle, induces movement between the cutting needle and the sample extraction needle to expose the side opening.

Abstract: A system and method for profiling electrical activity in smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract muscular of a patient are disclosed. The system includes electromyographic-sensing patches adapted for placement on the skin of the abdomen of the patient. Each patch has at least one bipolar electrode pair, or a multitude arranged in an array, and is enabled for communication of a signal indicative of a sensed electromyographic signal. The system further includes networked computing devices. The local patch device is configured for wireless communication between the EMG-sensing patches and a local computing device, to enable wireless transmission from the patch to the networked computing devices. The networked computing device is configured to process large aggregate collections of multi-hour or day signals received from the local computing device to yield diagnostically valuable physiological parameters of gastrointestinal smooth muscle electrical activity.