Abstract: A biopsy device for taking tissue samples, includes a housing, a removable element and a control panel. The housing contains an electric power source and a tension slide connected to the power source. The tension slide may be brought into a cocked position against the action of a spring by the power source. The removable element is configured for insertion into the housing and includes a biopsy needle unit, a vacuum pressure-generating device and a control panel. The removable element may be provided as a sterile package unit. The biopsy needle unit can be arranged on the tension slide and includes a hollow biopsy needle with a sample removal chamber and a cutting sheath. The biopsy device can be held in one hand and is fully integrated with all components required to perform a vacuum biopsy such that no cables or lines are required to other external units.

Abstract: A biopsy device for tissue collection having a housing and a removable element. A power source is contained within the housing and the removable unit includes a biopsy needle module and a pressure source that can be integrated into the housing such that the biopsy device is fully operational without the need for wires or cables extending from the housing to connect to external units. The biopsy needle module includes a biopsy needle and a cutting sleeve, the biopsy needle having a sharpened distal end and a distal opening for collection of tissue, the cutting sleeve having a cutting blade on its distal end and being coaxially positioned with respect to the biopsy needle.

Abstract: Methods of sizing a nasal airway by using certain measurements of digits may include (a) pressing a distal portion of a digit of a hand against a resilient, flat surface, such that flesh of the distal portion of the digit spreads laterally on the surface; (b) measuring the digit's width at a digit measuring level, the measuring level being the widest part of the digit distal to a distal-most interphalangeal joint of the digit; and (c) identifying a nasal airway size as that size which correlates most closely to the digit's width as measured at the digit measuring level.

Abstract: A device for non-invasive measurement of the internal temperature of a physical body or thermal resistivity, the body comprising a thermally conductive medium between an internal region with a substantially constant internal temperature and an external surface with a surface temperature. The device comprises: a patch comprising one or more contact components for attachment to the external surface and an insulating cover for substantially thermally insulating the contact component from ambient thermal conditions; a reader for acquiring one or more thermal magnitudes on the patch; a processing unit for processing the thermal magnitudes to derive the internal temperature of the internal region or the thermal resistivity of the conductive medium.

Abstract: A torque device for selectively gripping a medical guidewire. The device includes a housing, an actuator slidably mounted on the housing, and a resilient member biasing the actuator. A lumen dimensioned to receive the guidewire extends through the housing and actuator. The resilient member biases the actuator from a first position in which the lumen portions are aligned, toward a second position in which the lumen portions are misaligned. The actuator may include a catch that interferes with a stop of the housing to retain the actuator within the housing. The actuator may be oblong or otherwise shaped to maintain the lumen portions in substantial alignment in a longitudinal direction. Preferably, at least a portion of the lumen is teardrop-shaped in cross-section. The housing may include circumferentially or longitudinally extending ribs defining an outer grasping surface. Frusto-conical cavities may be defined at entry and exit ends of the lumen.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a probe for measuring the impedance of human or animal body tissue has been placed over a boundary between different tissue types is described. The probe used in the method comprises at least a first (16), a second (22), a third (18) and a fourth (20) electrode arranged such that the third (18) and fourth (20) electrodes are each located substantially the same distance from both the first (16) and second (22) electrodes. The method comprises: driving a current between the first (16) and the second (22) electrodes; measuring a first value of an electrical parameter between the third (18) and the fourth (20) electrode; and determining whether the probe has been placed over a boundary between different tissue types based on the first value. A probe for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: A bioelectricity impedance measuring device includes a contact surface capable of being placed on a part of the body, a gripper which is formed to be easily grasped by a single hand, and electrodes on the contact surface. In addition, the bioelectricity impedance measuring device further includes a malnutrition measuring device which measures malnutrition. An operation and control device measures Phase angle theta and/or an RcXc ratio, and measures a nutrient state. The malnutrition measuring device measures the state of malnutrition from a value of Phase angle theta. A display shows the results of measurement with a bar classified by display of a color. In addition, the operation and control device further measures muscular volume. The operation and control device, by being capable of being provided data or regression, can also measure muscular volume for a child aged 5 or younger or an adult aged 60 or older.

Abstract: A method of monitoring electrical activity non-invasively (such as uterine activity) which includes applying a localized group of electrodes to a patient's skin and monitoring signals thereon. The electrodes are localized sufficiently such that their muscular signal contributions simulate a single source despite source non-stationarity. The signals are amplified, filtered and digitized. They are then digitally filtered and processed by independent component analysis (ICA) to separate a muscular activity source from other sources. The method may be used to monitor maternal uterine activity, fetal activity and maternal and fetal cardiac activity simultaneously with the aid of additional electrodes and associated circuitry.

Abstract: An electrode interface system for providing a connection between at least one electrode and a maternal-fetal monitor, wherein the interface system converts electrical muscle activity captured by the electrode(s) into uterine activity data signals for use by the maternal-fetal monitor. The electrode interface system of the invention preferably includes a conversion means for converting the signals from the electrode(s) into signals similar to those produced by a tocodynometer.

Abstract: The invented guidewire relates to improvements in a magnetically navigable medical guidewire to enable passage through an occluded or partially occluded vessel. The guidewire comprises an elongate wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end further comprises a magnetically responsive element and a helical thread formed on the tip. The distal end of the guidewire may be preferably aligned substantially in the direction of an applied magnetic field, after which the proximal end of the guidewire may be torqued to rotate the threaded tip while remaining aligned with the applied magnetic field and cause the tip to screw through the blockage in the occluded vessel.

Abstract: A microsampler puncturing system for collecting a body fluid from a body part is described, comprising a sample collection unit having a piercing element, and a puncturing instrument having a drive, by which a sample collection unit is movable on a movement path for piercing the piercing element into the skin of the body part and withdrawing it in a piercing and retraction movement, a setting device for setting the puncturing depth of the piercing wound to be generated, and a control device for controlling the piercing and retraction movement having the following sequentially executed movement phases: a forward phase, a retraction phase, and a collecting phase (S). The setting device is settable independently of the chronological mean <dr> of the defined residual puncturing depth (dr), with reference to the collecting phase.

Abstract: A device for obtaining a sample from inside a body includes a tubular body portion defining a chamber for receiving a sample of material therein; a plunger assembly operatively associated with the tubular body portion, the plunger assembly having a stopper slidably disposed within the chamber of the body portion; feedback elements provided on the tubular body and/or the plunger assembly for providing a user with audible and/or tactile indications regarding an amount of displacement of the plunger assembly relative to the body portion; and a cutting element is provided to facilitate sample removal.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a component measuring instrument with which a predetermined component in blood can be measured securely and in a short time. The component measuring instrument, which is used by mounting therein a chip having a puncture needle, includes: a specimen sampling portion application portion to which a specimen sampling portion to be punctured is applied; a puncturer for moving the puncture needle; pressure reducer for putting the punctured portion of the specimen sampling portion punctured by the puncture needle, together with a containing space for the puncture needle, into a reduced-pressure condition; measurer for measuring the amount of a predetermined component in the blood sampled from the punctured portion; and a chip retracting mechanism for moving the chip in a direction away from the specimen sampling portion while maintaining the reduced-pressure condition generated by the pressure reducer.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient including an outer tube; an inner tube within the outer tube; and a snare connected to the inner tube and to the outer tube. The outer tube has an outer surface that has a first region that terminates in the distal end and is the distalmost section of the outer tube and a second region adjacent the first region. The first region represents a tip transition region and has a frustoconical shape that is defined by an outer surface area (A) and is defined by a cross-sectional area (Ba) at the interface between the first and second regions in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the needle, the interface representing a base of the frustoconical first region, wherein a ratio R=(A)/(Ba) is approximately 1 for a predetermined needle type, such as an 8 gauge needle.

Abstract: A body motion measuring apparatus is described, embodiments of which include an apparatus for detecting the magnitudes of motions in different directions at a time using body motion sensors, calculating the size V of a composite vector based on the relationship between the magnitudes of the motions, comparing the size V of the composite vector with a reference value to determine whether the size V of the composite vector is adequate, calculating an angle ? based on the relationship between the magnitudes of the motions when V is determined to be adequate, calculating a body motion output M taking the angle ? into account, and counting a predetermined body motion based on the relationship between M and a predetermined elapsed time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measurement and distinguishing between brawny and pitting oedema comprises a measurement head including a tactile sensor to measure a first characteristic of the oedema and a force decay sensor mounted adjacent the tactile sensor, to measure a second characteristic of the oedema so as to distinguish brawny oedema from pitting oedema. The tactile sensor may be a resonance oscillating sensor which may determine frequency shift, and the forced decay sensor may provide information regarding the degree of displaced fluid as a measure of pitting oedema through measurement of decay of force.

Abstract: A guide wire includes a wire body having a tapered portion disposed on a distal end portion thereof and having an outside diameter progressively reduced toward a distal end thereof. The guide wire also includes a coil having a first coil portion covering an outer circumferential surface of the tapered portion and a second coil portion disposed adjacent to a proximal end of the first coil portion and covering an outer circumferential surface of a constant-outside-diameter portion of the wire body. Initial tensile forces of the first coil portion are greater than initial tensile forces of the second coil portion.

Abstract: An amount of fluid in a thoracic or other region of a subject may be monitored by internally injecting an electrical energy stimulus (e.g., constant voltage source) through the region, detecting voltage resulting from the electrical energy stimulus, and calculating a fluid volume indicative signal. The injected energy stimulus creates a first lead field. The responsive voltage is detected using an electrode configuration that defines a second lead field, which is arranged in a negative sensitivity configuration with respect to the first lead field at the region being monitored.

Abstract: In a method, device and computer program product for extracting an EMG signal out of a raw signal obtained with a number of electrodes, the electrodes being adapted to interact with a patient to obtain signals from the patient's diaphragm on respective channels associated with the electrodes, a signal-to-noise-ratio is determined for the raw signal in each channel, and a weighting factor is automatically determined dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio. The respective raw signals from the channels are weighted according to the weighting factors, and are summed in order to generate a sum signal that represents the total EMG signal contained in all of the raw signals.

Abstract: A visceral fat determining device is disclosed which can be used easily at home for example and can obtain information on visceral fat. The visceral fat determining device comprises input means for inputting personal data that represents vital characteristics of the patient; a data processing unit capable of performing various calculations; and a display device capable of displaying the personal data and results of the calculations. Upon inputting of a waist size which is a girth of the trunk of the patient, and a hip size which is a girth of the buttocks of the patient, quantitative information on abdominal visceral fat of the patient is given through a calculation based on WHR which is a ratio of the waist size to the hip size (waist size/hip size).