Abstract: A speculum for examining body cavities comprises two angle pieces, each having a generally U-shaped cross-section along substantially its whole length, and consequently troughed-like legs, both angle pieces with their troughs facing each other being removably connectable to each other with side portions thereof on either side of the speculum overlapping each other to form a pivot portion from which the four legs extend, respective legs of the angle pieces being movable together or apart by means of one pair of legs comprised of a leg of each angle piece, serving as handles for operating the other pair, and characterized in that both angle pieces are identically alike and that in the area of the pivot portion, each has on one side a pin and on the opposite side a hole, the hole in each angle piece being made to accommodate the pin of the opposing angle piece.

Abstract: A condom comprises inner and outer sheaths with the region between the inner and outer sheaths forming a fluid reservoir so that the inside of the inner sheath remains dry.

Abstract: A transurethral resection apron system having ties adapted for securing one end of the apron to a urological operating table and the opposite end of the apron about the surgeon's neck, including two generally pentagonal flexible water impervious panels joined along two of their sides to define a capture region for fluids and particles expelled from the bladder during transurethral resections. The apron drains into an outlet in fluid communication with a strainer assembly for filtering out resected particles entrained in the expelled fluids, the fluids passing into a discharge hose for disposal at a remote location. The strainer element may be removed from the strainer assembly and resected particles collected for pathological analysis.

Abstract: An improved construction for electrically illuminated otoscopes whereby more light is provided and the light is whiter and more uniform than the light output of prior art instruments. To obtain more light, a larger than normal lamp is employed which preferably is a halogen lamp as the latter gives a whiter light than a vacuum lamp and has a longer life span. Since a larger lamp produces more heat and would be more of an obstruction if positioned in the usual location, the lamp is positioned in the base of the instrument and its light is transmitted from there to a point in the viewing passage through the instrument by a bundle of optical fibers. The fiber bundle minimizes viewing passage obstruction and assists in providing the uniform, diffuse illumination that is desired without light loss.

Abstract: Equipment for medical or surgical uses is provided for purposes, for example, of withdrawing or draining body liquids from cavities tending to accumulate such liquids, for instance as a result of wounds, surgical procedures or of pathological conditions in the body. The equipment comprises a vacuum chamber having a wall structure and a door cooperating to provide a closed but openable vacuum compartment adapted to receive a disposable collection bag. The bag has a liquid inlet tube and the wall structure and door have portions cooperating to form a channel therebetween for receiving the inlet tube, and the inlet tube carries a sealing device insertable into and removable from said channel with the tube in a direction transversely of the tube when the door is open.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a lip and cheek expander and tongue retractor for mechanically holding open a patient's mouth and stabilizing his tongue therein so as to facilitate dental and medical procedures. The present expander-retractor comprises first and second arc-shaped shells, each of said shells having a trough-shaped cross-section including first and second side walls; and a spring element having two ends, one of each of said ends secured to the first and second shells respectively, said element disposed in a plane which is substantially transverse to those planes defined by said side walls and which, upon insertion is substantially co-planer with the plane of the patient's tongue. The spring element includes a lingual arch which is adapted for engagement with the paient's tongue.

Abstract: An external male catheter device including a flexible external catheter tube adapted for application to the male organ to transmit urine voided by the patient, a cylindrical shaped belt receptacle over which the base of the catheter tube extends, support straps which extend around the body of the patient, said support straps have free ends which extend into a cup recess around the belt receptacle and are retained in position by a belt retaining ring which surrounds the catheter tube and presses against the belt receptacle to retain the catheter tube and support straps in the desired position.

Abstract: An improved surgical retractor device comprises a preferably generally flat, ring-shaped retractor frame with an open central working portion, a plurality of preferably generally flat surgical retractors with depending surgical opening-retracting ends, and connector means comprising spaced studs and mating holes on the frame and retractors to releasably secure the retractors in place without danger of pivoting of the retractors in use. Each retractor can be put in place and locked on the frame with one hand, so that its depending end extends into the open central portion of the frame for effective use. Each retractor can also be adjusted in position relative to the frame with one hand while the frame is in use. The device is simple, inexpensive, foolproof, durable and very easily used and sterilized. It contains no moving parts and cannot be easily damaged.

Abstract: A catamenial device such as a tampon which comprises a segment of a rapidly re-expandable hydrophilic polymeric foam held in compression to less than 50 percent of its original dry volume and a constraining means holding said segment in compression which is adapted to provide lubrication for insertion of said segment into an animal's body cavity and to thereafter rapidly disintegrate, wherein said constraining means comprises a coating material comprising a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. Said coating material may be provided by the application of a solution to the surface of said foam segment, or by full impregnation. In a further embodiment, said coating material may be introduced into said foam in particulate form to serve as a novel release agent in a segment which is subsequently constrained within a gelatin capsule.

Abstract: A drainage tubing for wounds, or body cavities, is described. The tubing is placed and retained in the wound site in an improved manner by means of an inflatable balloon positioned in the intact, healthy tissue adjacent the patient's skin, or in the body cavity adjacent a wall thereof. The drainage tubing may also have a second, collapsible bulb portion for aseptic back-flushing of the placement site while the tubing lumen is sealed from the exterior. The specific construction enables a technician to insert the tubing when used in a wound site either from within or without the placement site using an awl to penetrate the exterior tissue adjacent the site.

Abstract: A wound drainage container for withdrawing and collecting body fluids from a patient is equipped with a valved fluid inlet port and with a fluid outlet port having a one-way valve for emptying the container and for preventing the entry of contaminants into the container. A gate movable between a first position and a second position is provided for actuating the inlet valve. When the gate is in the first position it opens the inlet valve and covers the outlet valve which is located adjacent the inlet valve, and when the gate is in the second position it closes the inlet valve and uncovers the outlet valve so that fluid in the container may be emptied therefrom without the danger of the fluid being flushed back into the patient's wound.

Abstract: An aspirating device for a patient ventilation apparatus comprising a catheter cartridge, including an elongated catheter tube housed in an enclosing, protective housing, and a vacuum coupling mechanism is disclosed. A wheel, affixed to the proximal (vacuum) end of the catheter tube is housed in the vacuum coupling mechanism in a manner which allows access to the wheel. The protective housing includes a flexible envelope and sealing coupling elements. The flexible envelope allows the distal (patient) end of the catheter tube to be inserted into and withdrawn from the trachea of a patient. The wheel allows the catheter tube to be rotated during withdrawal. A port formed in the distal end element allows the outer surface of the catheter tube to be irrigated by a suitable cleansing solution during withdrawal of the catheter tube from the trachea. Further, a medication port, located in the vacuum coupling mechanism, in combination with a valve, allows medication to be inserted into the catheter tube.

Abstract: A hypodermic syringe including an ampul and a hypodermic needle in which the ampul has been made by the technique of plastic blow-molding and the syringe uses one of several embodiments of seals to maintain sterility of the medicament. One embodiment uses a cap assembly for the ampul. Another embodiment uses a cover assembly over the ampul and needle. Another embodiment uses a membrane in the interior of the neck of the ampul. Other embodiments include specially designed closures for the ampul of this invention.

Abstract: A self-sustaining rigid body drainage collector including two or more sections each equipped with means for interlocking with another section when snapped together to provide a fluid tight joint; one of said sections having fittings for connection to the patient and to a vacuum line. The collector may be disposed of, empty or full, in an asceptic manner or emptied and reused on the same patient.

Abstract: In a vaginal speculum comprising two members each having a main limb, the main limbs can be inserted into a vagina whilst lying while and moved to pivot and move apart to maintain the vagina open for examination or treatment. One of the members has cheeks from which extend pins which engage slots in walls of a yoke of the other member; and each cheek has a toothed strip, a tooth on the adjacent wall of the yoke co-operating therewith to lock the speculum open. The yoke is resilient so that by deformation thereof the teeth can be caused to disengage the strips to allow closure of the speculum.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a vaginal speculum for keeping the vagina open during medical examination.Various types of vaginal mirrors or vagina specula are known which are used for medical examination of women.

Abstract: A wound evacuator is disclosed which is adapted for use with an external negative pressure source to provide continuous fluid evacuation and which includes its own negative pressure source to provide limited time duration evacuation. The evacuator includes a substantially rigid container and an air inflatable member within the container, the container and inflatable member having a combined configuration which avoids unnatural deformation of the inflatable member by the container in at least one direction of expansion of the inflatable member. Means are provided for inflating the inflatable member and controlling the deflation thereof and for controlling the sequence of sealing of the inlet and outlet ports by the inflatable member.

Abstract: A safety valve which may be used in a pipette or in medical or biological equipment such as collection bottles, employs a carrier which is inserted in a flow line and contains a material which swells in the presence of an unwanted fluid to block the line and provide protection against contamination.

Abstract: The system includes pumps for supplying negative and positive air pressure (with respect to atmospheric air) air to the negative and positive lumens, respectively, of a multilumen tube. The lumens are separated from each other by a partition wall within the tube. The negative air pressure lumen has a plurality of apertures distributed along the outer wall of the end portion of the tube and the positive air pressure lumen has an aperture in the partition wall adjacent each of the aforesaid apertures. The negative air pressure is steadily applied, while the positive air pressure is supplied in periodic pulses. The rate at which air passes into the positive air pressure lumen is visually indicated by bubbling the air through a transparent walled vessel and the rate at which air passes out through the negative air pressure lumen is indicated by bubbling the air through another transparent walled vessel. The positive air pressure is limited by an air relief valve to a safe value.

Abstract: Equipment for medical or surgical uses is provided for purposes, for example, of withdrawing or draining body liquids from cavities tending to accumulate such liquids, for instance as a result of wounds, surgical procedures or of pathological conditions in the body. The equipment comprises a vacuum chamber adapted to receive a disposable collection bag, having a suction line with a catheter for receiving the body liquids, together with control systems for regulating the vacuum in the vacuum chamber and thus the suction in the collection bag.

Abstract: An endoscope having a cleaning device including an injection nozzle and a suction port is provided with drain ports at the marginal portion of its end face. The end of the endoscope is provided with a removable hood. The drain ports are formed between the hood and the end of the endoscope and communicated with the suction conduit in the endoscope body. The drain ports may be formed either on the periphery of the end part of the endoscope or on the internal face of the hood.