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.

Abstract: An aspiration system (10) having pressure-controlled and flow-controlled modes comprises connective plumbing (26), a collector (14), a pump (12), a variable flow resistor (20), a pressure sensor (18), and a control circuit (24). The connective plumbing (26) includes a conduit (28) which communicates with the surgical site from which fluid is to be aspirated and delivered to the collector (14). The pump (12) induces flow from the surgical site to the collector (14). The variable flow resistor (20) and the pressure sensor (18) are in fluid communication with the conduit (28) by the connective plumbing (26). In the pressure-controlled mode, the variable flow resistor (26) is adjusted to maintain a pre-selected pressure according to an output signal (50) from the pressure sensor (18). In the flow controlled mode, the pump (12) is adjusted to maintain a preselected flow according to a pressure differential in the connective plumbing across the variable flow resistor (20).

Abstract: The device comprises a tubular housing with two jackets and a container filled with the liquid component of a drug. Within the inner jacket of the housing, close to the closed end thereof, is a chamber containing the powdered components of a drug. A needle for piercing the stopper which closes the container enables the interior of the container to be put in communication with the chamber so as to allow the liquid component to flow out and consequently mix with the powdered component. The subsequent advance of the container into the housing, with the consequent penetration of the piston into the container, causes the further flow of the liquid component into the chamber carrying the drug solution to the exterior of the device generally like a syringe. Its use as a supplier of infusions is also foreseen.

Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing at least two fluids comprises a housing (12,22) of a pistol-like configuration having an integral handle (50), in which a spring-biased trigger (60) is received. Within the housing (12,22) of the dispensing device (10), two syringes (80,81) are received and fixated, which syringes contain respective fluids to be accurately dispensed. Provided a cover (22) of the housing is closed, the motion of the trigger (60) relative to the handle (50) is transmitted to a toothed rack which cooperates with a propeller body (70) in a ratchet-like manner. The ratchet-like cooperation allows a uni-directional motion of the propeller body (70) and prevents a motion of the propeller body (70) in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A container having a neck with a non-tapered cylindrical upper drain portion, and a frictional interference fit collar type gripper for the withdrawal member is disclosed which results in tight interference fit. Also total effective withdrawal of the contents of the container is promoted by providing a ring like stop or seat at the bottom of the neck. The construction also will accommodate flaws and defects in the manufacture of the withdrawal member or the drain portion resulting from scratches which will otherwise permit leakage upon withdrawal of the contents. The method of the present invention is directed to manufacturing the container by which the mandrel for insertion in the neck has a lower end portion providing a seating ring, and an upper portion defining the interior portion, with an interference collar protruding inwardly in a portion spaced from the lower end portion.

Abstract: A device for delivering a medicament has a membrane (7) with at least one permeable area (7b) permeable to the medicament and a reservoir space (25) which contains a solvent and the medicament at least partially dissolved therein, An adjustable and/or deformable control element (7) is disposed on the side of the membrane (7) facing the reservoir space (25) with which the access of the medicament from the reservoir space (25) to at least one permeable area (7b) of the membrane (7) can be changed. In addition an electronic device (37) is provided with which the control element (17) can be automatically controlled via a motor (37). The device permits the periodic alteration of the delivery rate of the medicament which is advantageous in many cases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steering system for a catheter tip. The system includes wire members that extend through a catheter wall that are used to pull a distal portion of the catheter tip. Anchoring members located near the catheter tip connect the distal end of the catheter with wire members. The steering system also contains control members which are located at a proximal portion of the catheter and are used to control the pull on the wire members. Steering enhancement members are also included in the steering system which facilitate the bending of the catheter wall.

Abstract: The invention concerns a surgical apparatus for irrigating an operative site during endoscopic surgery. The apparatus comprises a reservoir of irrigation fluid contained within an air actuated pouch, a pump for inflating the pouch so that the reservoir is compressed, pressure control means, a microprocessor for operating the system, heating panels contained within the pouch for providing heated irrigation fluid, and a nozzle and tube for delivering the irrigation fluid to an operative site. The apparatus also provides a stick fitting for attaching tubing to the fluid reservoir. In addition to the stick fitting, the apparatus provides a locking receiver system for insuring that the stick fitting will not disengage during use.

Abstract: An organ support system and method adapted for use with a patient and designed to modify the blood from the patient includes a control system, a venous line coupled to an output of a patient, an arterial line coupled to an input of the patient, and a cell line inserted into a hollow fiber cartridge to form an organ assist device. Blood is passed through the organ assist device. A small flow is extracted from the extracapillary space to check the integrity of the organ assist device. With this closed loop arrangement, a proper fluid balance can be maintained for the patient without requiring any dialysate, and leaks from the cell line to the patient can be immediately detected and prevented from reaching the patient.

Abstract: A sleeve for attaching a medical balloon to a catheter utilizing a balloon (8). The sleeve comprises a plurality of co-extruded and coextensive layers of different polymeric materials (20A, 20B) at least one of which is a base structural layer (20B) and the other of which (20A) is formed of polyethylene and copolymers thereof or of Selar. The base structural layer is thicker than the other layer. The diameter of the catheter at the joint (10, 11) is substantially the same as the tube.

Abstract: An anchor sheet and anchor body for holding a cannula within the abdominal cavity of a patient is described. The cannula is used during a laparoscopic surgical procedure. The anchor sheet and anchor body assist in holding the cannula in a preferred orientation relative to the abdominal cavity. An attachment mechanism such as a hook and loop fastener may be utilized to connect the anchor sheet to the anchor body.

Abstract: A modular femoral internal implant system for use in the treatment of femoral disorders resulting from injury, disease or congenital defect includes at least three interconnectable components: 1) an elongated epiphyseal/metaphyseal implant, 2) an intramedullary rod and 3) an angled side plate having an elongated plate portion adapted to be secured to the outer cortical wall and a hollow sleeve adapted to extend into the femur. The epiphyseal/metaphyseal implant can be connected to either the angled side plate or the intramedullary rod. The system may also include an elongated bone plate connectable to the angled side plate, one or more additional epiphyseal/metaphyseal implants of variable length, an additional angled side plate, a distal buttress plate connectable to the elongated bone plate, and a plurality of bone screws of a universal design. Preferably, many or all of the components of the system are made of an inert, resilient titanium-base alloy.

Abstract: A catheter device is described for the localized introduction of pharmaceutical material into the uterine cervix and the upper vagina. In one embodiment the catheter device comprises a flexible tube having a port at the proximal end and a rounded closed tip and an aperture away from the tip at the distal end. A diaphragm having a hole through which the tube may pass is used to seal off the cervix and upper vagina from the lower vagina, and a syringe is used to administer the pharmaceutical material through the port in the flexible tube. In a second embodiment two ports are provided in the flexible tube, enabling a flushing material to be ejected into the tube after the pharmaceutical material, thus ensuring that the entire dose of pharmaceutical material is delivered to the cervix and the upper vagina.

Abstract: An epidural cannula for local anesthesia having a cannula point with an adjacent lateral opening parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cannula. The cannula has a cross-sectional enlargement spaced from the point and having an area directed toward the point that forms an angle greater than 30.degree. relative to the longitudinal axis of the cannula.

Abstract: In a sleeve catheter for supplying medicine to the walls of a vessel or tubular organ in which a number of outer lumina extend longitudinally around a central lumen, the outer lumina have radial discharge openings in the area of the head portion of the catheter, which is slidable onto a balloon catheter in order to be disposed at least partially on the balloon of the balloon catheter so as to be expandable thereby into abutment with the inner wall of a vessel to be dilated whereby medicine can be supplied through the discharge openings in the outer lumina under pressure directly to the tissue of the vessel adjacent the outer lumina, thereby applying the medicine solely to the area engaged by the outer surface of the head portion.

Abstract: A stent delivery catheter system employing a retractable protective sheath for protecting a body lumen from a stent delivered by the catheter. The catheter has a plurality of lumens, with at least one lumen devoted to housing a rod, wire or hypotube that retracts the protective sheath. The lumen housing the retracting member can carry a flushing fluid to purge the distal portion of the catheter.

Abstract: An aspiration and irrigation system, in particular for performing surgical operations on an eye of a living being to maintain the intraocular pressure, includes a pressure unit for supplying gaseous fluid to the eye via a first fluid passageway and communicating with an infusion unit comprised of successively arranged first and second infusion bottles, both containing a liquid fluid. An irrigation unit is connected with the second infusion bottle for conducting liquid fluid from said second infusion bottle to the eye via a second fluid passageway; with the liquid fluid in the second infusion bottle being pressurized by gaseous fluid supplied from the pressure unit. A multiport valve selectively controls the flow between the first and second fluid passageways to the eye. Tissue and/or gaseous and liquid fluids are removed from the eye by an aspiration unit.

Abstract: A balloon catheter comprises a catheter shaft, an inflation lumen defined in the catheter shaft, an inner balloon attached to the catheter shaft, with the interior of the inner balloon communicating with the inflation lumen, and an outer balloon surrounding the inner balloon. The inner balloon can be expanded by applying pressurized fluid through the inflation lumen for expansion of the inner and outer balloons, with the outer balloon being driven to expansion by the inner balloon. The inner balloon has a maximum inflation diameter which cannot be exceeded without bursting, while the outer balloon is capable of inflation to a diameter which is at least about 10 percent greater than the maximum inflation diameter of the inner balloon. Thus, upon further inflation, the inner balloon breaks at a predetermined diameter, permitting the outer balloon to be further expanded by further addition of inflation fluid through the lumen. Thus two balloons are controlled by a single inflation lumen.