Abstract: A method and system for the infusion of a drug into a patient involving: (i) calculating a multiplicity of infusion rate profiles for a selected drug by monitoring drug efflux from the body of a group of patients for a corresponding multiplicity of target concentrations of the selected drug; (ii) determining the body size of the patient, such as their Lean Body Mass; (iii) selecting a target concentration of the drug to, in turn, cause selection from the multiplicity of infusion rate profiles of an infusion rate profile substantially corresponding to the infusion rate profile for the selected target concentration; (iv) scaling the selected infusion rate profile by the determined body size or Lean Body Mass of the patient; and (v) administering the drug to the patient in accordance with the scaled profile by means of an infusion device which is controlled to deliver said drug at said scaled infusion rate profile.

Abstract: A medical connector and method of using the connector to connect separate sections of medical tubing, especially tubing which is to be implanted in the human body. The connector includes generally cylindrical first and second end portions, the diameter of which are smaller than an enlarged middle portion. The end portions are sized to fit within the lumens of the tubing sections. The connection is made by grasping the enlarged middle portion and slipping each end portion into a respective tubing section until the tubing sections abut tubing stop surfaces located at each end of the enlarged middle portion. The enlarged middle portion makes the connector easy to handle and the tubing stop sections provide for accurate alignment of the connector between the tubing sections.

Abstract: A portable, lightweight bowel evacuation system is made up of a water bag which is elevated above the patient with a check valve in the delivery line from the water bag into a rectal insertion tube or speculum, a drain line leading from the speculum includes a disposable valve member for selectively opening and closing the drain line, and one or more pressurizing members in the form of manual squeeze bulbs are provided to simultaneously open the check valve for delivery of water from the water bag through the speculum and close the drain valve while the check valve is open and further is open to simultaneously close the check valve when the drain is opened. In a modified form, a flow control valve in communication with a source of air under pressure takes the place of the manual squeeze bulb to control opening and closing of the valve members.

Abstract: A safety dental syringe of the type adapted to receive a medication cartridge therein but having a protective needle shield thereon which is movable between a retracted position wherein the needle is exposed and a locked and extended position wherein the needle is protected and the needle shield is prevented from returning to the retracted position. A collar is attached to the distal end of the dental syringe to selectively engage a key on the needle shield as the needle shield is moved between the retracted and extended positions. The needle shield slides longitudinally between the retracted and extended positions and may be rotated about the barrel of the dental syringe to lock the needle shield in the locked and extended position. A locking mechanism is disclosed which preferably includes a series of ramps and slots adapted to engage portions of the keys on the needle shield to retain the needle shield in the locked and extended position.

Abstract: A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, especially an artery. The catheter comprises a shaft (5) having at least one lumen (7) for delivery of a fluid inflation media and an array (1) formed of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons (3) disposed in a cylindrical array around the shaft (5), each of the balloons (3) sharing a common wall (3a) with adjacent balloons (3). The balloons (3) are inflated by an array of channels (11) and separated from each other by a web (19). There is at least one opening (17) between two adjacent channels (11) to allow the flow of fluids into the array (1).

Abstract: A hand-held apparatus and method for insufflating an abdominal cavity includes a compact gas supply unit comprised of a gas cartridge which has a pair of tandem piercable seals positioned inside the cartridge neck and which contains a predetermined mass of compressed gas. A cap having a puncture stem is engaged with the gas supply unit, causing the puncture stem to penetrate the piercable seals and release gas through the puncture tube and into a hollow needle positioned inside the abdomen. The tandem piercable seals are arranged such that as the gas supply unit is engaged with the cap, the puncture stem punctures the first piercable seal and the first piercable seal seals around it before the puncture stem punctures the second piercable seal, thereby preventing accidental loss of gas and preserving the entire mass of gas for insufflation.

Abstract: The catheter of the present invention comprises a body portion, a distal portion and an internal lumen and at least the above body portion includes a super-elastic metallic tube. This catheter has a high efficiency of transmitting the pushing force given at its proximal end (pushability) and a high torque transmission efficiency. Furthermore, since the body portion of the catheter includes a super-elastic metallic tube, the wall thickness of the body portion can be made sufficiently thin and a catheter with a smaller diameter can be formed.

Abstract: Apparatus for the reliable filling of at least two containers below the skin surface, particularly of an infusion pump, with two septa made from a soft material, so that easy perforation by needles is possible and further seals which are positioned after the septa, at least one space being in each case provided between the seals and the septa connected to the catheters or containers to be filled, in the case of different septa said spaces being at different distances from a needle stop, a corresponding number of needles with lateral openings for filling purposes are provided and the openings for different needles are at different distances (A, B) from the needle tip.

Abstract: Proposed is a needle (12) with a sharpened point (14) at the tip and a needle holder (16) at the rear end holding the needle, a mandrel (24) which can be displaced inside the needle, and optionally a protective cap (18) enclosing the needle point and detachably attached to the needle holder, with which objects (10) such as longterm preparations, identification tags, or the like are to be inserted in the body of a living being. To ensure that the object is unequivocally fixed in position inside the needle, the object is arranged between a closure toward the tip of the needle and, for example, a constriction (20) toward the handling end. The closure is preferably a stopper which is carried along with the object when the latter is inserted.

Abstract: An improved gastrostomy tube is a flexible tube having on one inner end thereof an improved energy absorbent internal retaining member which provides for less patient trauma during emplacement and subsequent percutaneous removal, while almost entirely avoiding either separation of the internal retaining member, i.e., the bumper, or its acute displacement. The energy absorbing internal retaining member has a hollow body portion with two resiliently reversible physical forms or shapes, toroidal-like, and, goblet-like connected to a foreshortened hollow axial stem portion that is attached to or integrally made with the inward end of the flexible tube. The internal retaining member is made in the toroidal-like form. During intentional removal, when under pressure against the stomach mucosa, the internal retaining member snaps into the unrolled, goblet-like shape and pulls smoothly out through the stoma tract.

Abstract: A steerable catheter comprising a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities, a handle secured to the proximal extremity, said tubular member having a lumen extending therethrough, a mandrel slidably mounted in the lumen and extending into the distal extremity and means extending through the tubular member for causing a bending of the distal extremity with respect to the mandrel disposed therein.

Abstract: A body insertion tube can be configured as a nasogastric (NG) tube or endotracheal (ET) tube. When the tube is an NG tube, the tube has a distal segment positionable in the esophagus and a stomach segment connected to the distal segment and positionable in the stomach for aspirating fluids therefrom. An inflatable perforated jacket is positioned around a substantial portion of the distal segment such that anesthetic can be directed into the jacket and out of the perforations to anesthetize substantially all of the nasal passages and throat during intubation. When the tube is an ET tube, the tube has a distal segment positionable in the trachea, and an inflatable cuff is positioned around the distal segment of the tube. An inflatable perforated jacket surrounds a substantial segment of the tube such that anesthetic can be directed through the jacket to anesthetize substantially all of the throat and vocal cords during intubation.

Abstract: A surgical instrument tip protector includes a flexible sheath having an open end into which the tip of a surgical instrument may be inserted. The interior surfaces of the sheath include longitudinal channels and ribs to permit the flow of steam or gases over the tip portion of the instrument, for sterilization, while the tip protector is in place. The inner surfaces of the tip protector are in frictional contact with the instrument tip portion, to prevent the tip protector from inadvertently coming off of the instrument tip. The tip protector has a substantially closed cap end including a small aperture.

Abstract: A syringe has a needle mounted in the lower end of a tubular mount. A protective cover, in the form of a sleeve, fits over this lower end of the tubular mount, and extends to fully cover the sharp end of the needle. The tubular mount has a pair of elongated, axial slots for the entry and exit of a cog or lug on the inside of the sleeve. Pressure on the sleeve slides the lug up the entry slot and exposes the needle. A cross over slot carries the lug to the exit slot, where it slides down to the lower end of the mount, and over a locking ridge to automatically and securely recover the needle. A spring, coupled between the mount and the sleeve has an axial force urging the sleeve down in either slot, and a rotary force urging the cog towards the exit slot. The lug must be in the entry slot to depress and use the needle, but the lug is then rotated to the exit slot and returned by the spring, automatically, to lock the lug in the safe, covering position of the sleeve.

Abstract: An improved angiographic control syringe for use in high-pressure medical procedures. An oblong locking ring disposed on a plunger stem. The oblong locking ring has two circular end segments at the far opposing ends of the ring, and comprises two flat segments at the narrow diameter opposing sides of the ring. A plurality of grooves are vertically spaced on the upper part of the plunger stem. Notches extend inwardly from the flat segments of the locking ring. The exertion of a pinching force on the circular end segments of the locking ring causes convex radial expansion of the flat segments, thereby permitting detachable engagement of the notches with any groove. The plunger head has a highly angular frustoconical head. The syringe barrel has a less angular frustoconical seat that receives the plunger head when the plunger head is fully depressed within the syringe barrel.

Abstract: A reducer for trocar cannulae includes a covering cap which can be secured on the handle of a cannula and which has a socket engaging with a distal end to the handle provided for the shaft of operating instruments. The proximal end face of the socket is sealed off via a wall provided with at least two openings. Seals for shafts of operating instruments of smaller diameter are allocated to the openings.

Abstract: In the inhaler for the repeated inhalation of powdered pharmaceuticals there is arranged, in a housing (13) which has a rotatable cap (4), a dosing wheel with dosing chambers (22) between the intermediate floor (21) and a frame (20), which is supported on the baseplate (14). The rotatable cap (4), which is supported on the lid (17) by means of a spring (12), has an axially arranged cylinder (7) which projects through the lid (17), the intermediate floor (21) and the frame (20) into the housing (13) and is the drive shaft for the dosing wheel (1). The housing (13) is provided with a supply chamber (2) whose bottom part (intermediate floor (21)) has an opening (23) whose cross-section corresponds to that of the dosing chambers (22).

Abstract: Existing syringes are retrofittable with structure for capturing and enabling retraction of so-called extended needles proximally into the cylinders of the syringes upon complete expulsion of a medicament, without requiring alteration of the existing structure for attaching pistons and piston stems in order to mount the capturer. At complete expulsion of fluid from the cylinder, the typical rubber piston is pierced by a sharp proximal end of the needle. Flexible tabs of the capturer deflect proximally while maintaining engagement with the intruding needle, in order to cooperate with particular structure of the needle so as to maintain the captured state. The modification of the extended needle cannula also may include providing side ports which serve the dual functions of ensuring complete expulsion of the medicament and of cooperating with tabs of the capturer so as to cause canting of the retracted needle.

Abstract: A syringe comprises a barrel with a reciprocable piston having a liquid passage between the piston ends. The outer piston end is connectable to a needle, and an open ended tubular sheath having a needle and a handle end, and being slidable over the barrel, and attachable to the piston, to extend around the barrel when the piston is toward the handle end of the barrel. The piston is selectively detachable from the sheath, and is movable, after such detachment and with retraction of the barrel from the sheath, to selectively draw a needle means attached to the piston into the sheath.

Abstract: A douche nozzle has an internal baffle member for regulating the flow of liquid exiting the nozzle. The nozzle may be provided with spaced apart grooves on its exterior surface extending from the distal end of the nozzle to and across an internally threaded open base.