Abstract: A compact pulse oximetry system and method which separates the combined signal into its respective AC and DC components. By separating the signal into AC and DC components, a smaller order bit A/D converter may be used while still maintaining signal accuracy. Instead of using the combined signal to calculate the oxygen saturation content, the system microprocessor computes the Ratio of Ratios using the derivative of the separated AC component of the diffused signal to calculate the oxygen saturation of the measured fluid. To calculate the Ratio of Ratios, a ratio of the derivative value of the separated AC component is used. Instead of taking a single sample between the peak and valley of the signal, the oximeter system samples each value. To decrease the effect of system noise, a linear regression is performed over each sample.

Abstract: Light rays of a plurality of wavelengths which are modulated in intensity with a plurality of different frequencies are irradiated on a plurality of irradiation positions on the surface of a living body, and time-variable changes in living body transmitting light intensity levels corresponding to the respective wavelengths and the respective irradiation positions are measured at different positions on the surface Changes in concentration values of absorbers are determined from the living body transmitting light intensity levels and a measuring point is set on a perpendicular extending through an intermediate point between the incident point and each detection point to image a function of the living body.

Abstract: An intraurethral catheter includes an microwave antenna and a cooling lumen structure substantially surrounding the antenna. A cooling balloon partially surrounds the cooling lumens on one side of the catheter adjacent the microwave antenna. The cooling balloon improves wall contact between the catheter and a wall of the urethra to improve cooling of the urethra. The cooling balloon communicates with the cooling lumen structure to permit circulation of cooling fluid through the cooling balloon.

Abstract: A device for the external medical treatment with the aid of light, including a light emitting element which is intended to lie against or be held close to a wound or sore on the body of an individual, and a drive arrangement for driving the light emitting element, wherein the light emitting element includes light emitting diodes or like devices and is constructed to emit infrared light. The arrangement (8, 9, 19) is constructed to cause the light emitting element (1) to emit infrared light in a first stage for a first predetermined length of time and thereafter to emit visible light in a second stage for a second predetermined length of time. The drive arrangement (8, 9, 10) is also constructed to cause the light emitting element (1) to pulsate the emitted infrared light and the emitted visible light respectively in accordance with a predetermined series of pulse frequencies over the predetermined time periods.

Abstract: A high frequency heating power device for an implanted device comprises a switch circuit, an input/output circuit, a high-frequency signal generating circuit, and a check circuit. When a high frequency output circuit applies a high frequency measuring voltage between a guide wire and the body ground board, a voltage is detected which corresponds to the impedance of a circuit which is made up of lead wires, the guide wire, the patient's body, and the body grounding board. It is determined by a discriminating circuit whether or not the voltage thus detected is in a predetermined allowable voltage range. The operator is informed of the discrimination by means of a display circuit and a buzzer circuit, so that he can determine the position of the end of the guide wire with respect to the end of the catheter with ease.

Abstract: A plurality of embodiments for a flexible probe used to provide photodynamic therapy (PDT) and to effect other medical procedures at an internal treatment site inside a patient's body. Each of the embodiments of the flexible probe (100, 108, 130, 158, 182, 190, 220, 280, 370, 390, 440, 460, 520) includes a flexible substrate (102, 184, 196, 222, 250, 282, 412, 462, 482, 502, 522) on which are disposed conductive traces (414, 466, 468, 488, 490, 504, 506, 524, 526) electrically connected to leads through which electrical current and signals are conveyed. A plurality of light sources (104, 192, 256, 286, 418, 436, 470, 492, 508, 542) or other micro-electronic circuits are connected to the conductive traces and mounted on the flexible substrate. Each of the embodiments of the flexible probes is enclosed within a transparent, biocompatible polymer envelope (106, 110, 464, 522).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a remote center positioner used to support an instrument and provide a center of spherical rotation, remote from any bearings or mechanical supports, at a desired location of the instrument. The remote center positioner is particularly useful in laparoscopic surgery to constrain a surgical instrument to move around a fixed center of rotation remote from any bearings or mechanical supports and coincident with an entry incision in the abdominal wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a human or animal body, while selectively cooling weight-bearing areas of the body in order to prevent or reduce damage from ischemia includes a cooling layer that is partitioned into a plurality of zones, and a surface disposed over the cooling layer to support the body. Each zone of the cooling layer is disposed for cooling a respective portion of the surface. A mechanism is provided to selectively operate one or more zones of the plurality of the zones to cool a portion of the surface that receives pressure from a weight-bearing surface of the body being supported.

Abstract: A non-invasive system and procedure for deriving the blood gas content for a patient. The system measures the carbon dioxide concentration of the expiratory breath relative to volume. This data is then processed to derive arterial blood gas levels of carbon dioxide. If data sampling is in the time domain, the processing shifts the data from the time domain to the volume domain. The processing also iteratively assesses the significance of numerous variables. The resulting relationship provides a fast and accurate measure of blood gas content for both healthy and diseased lung patients.

Abstract: A method for measuring medical parameters of a patient by radiation of electromagnetic waves into a sample and for measurement and subsequent analysis of the electromagnetic waves which have passed through the sample, the following steps are carried out. First and second modulation signals are generated having equal frequencies and a first phase difference of substantially 90.degree.. Irradiating a first electromagnetic wave of a first wavelength into the sample, under control of the first modulation signal. Irradiating the sample with a second electromagnetic wave of a second wavelength, under control of the second modulation signal.

Abstract: In man, autonomic and cortical resonances of the nervous system can be excited by inducing subliminal heat pulses in the skin by means of a resistive heat patch, laser, heat lamp, or microwave radiation, or through a slow air jet that carries a small periodic fluctuation in temperature. Deeply subliminal skin temperature oscillations of frequency near 1/2 Hz induced in a subject by any of these means cause sleepiness, drowziness, relaxation, a tonic smile, ptosis of the eyelids, a tense feeling, sudden loose stool, or sexual excitement, depending on the precise pulse frequency used. For certain higher frequencies, the induced subliminal skin temperature oscillations cause fractured thought and a slowing of certain cortical processes. The method and apparatus can be used by the general public as an aid to relaxation, sleep, or arousal, and clinically for the control and perhaps treatment of tremors, seizures, and emotional disorders.

Abstract: A tampon or closure device for insertion into an external opening of an artificial or natural body canal of an animal or human being includes a resilient compressed plug-like body of a molded material, the body having a longitudinal direction and being expandable to a cross-sectional dimension ensuring closure of the body canal when inserted in the opening with the longitudinal direction extending longitudinally in the canal. The body is provided with a withdrawal handle element protruding from the body and connected with an anchor part encapsulated in the body and having a relatively large bearing face against the surrounding molded material of the body. The handle element and anchor part are made from a material with a knitted structure to provide a 3-dimensional bond to the molded material of the body where the anchor part is designed as a soft flexible element oriented in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An apparatus (2) is provided for producing electrical stimulation to at least one person (10a, 10b) in response to a varying output audio signal (4). The apparatus (2) includes a first circuit (13) which receives the varying output audio signal (4). A second circuit (20), coupled to the first circuit (13), generates a plurality of electrical pulses which vary in response to the varying output audio signal (4). A node (8a, 8b) is coupled to the second circuit (20). The node (8a, 8b) conducts the electrical pulses in order to provide a pleasing variable stimulus to the person (10a, 10b) when the person (10a, 10b) contacts the node (8a, 8b).

Abstract: An apparatus for use in operating upon a cornea of an eye comprises a light delivery optical system for delivering an ultraviolet laser beam emitted from a laser source onto the cornea, a diaphragm with an aperture, disposed in the light delivery optical system, for restricting an irradiation area of the laser beam, a device for shifting the laser beam with respect to an optical axis of the light delivery optical system, a device for rotating the laser beam about the optical axis of the light delivery optical system at each shifting position to ablate the cornea circularly, a device for inputting information necessary for determining the shape of the postoperation cornea, a device for determining ablation amount at each shifting position of the laser beam by the beam shifting device, based on the information input through the input device, and a device for controlling the laser source and action of the beam rotating device based on the ablation amount determined by the ablation amount determining device at ea

Abstract: A modular device with an injury pack holder (10) is shown for providing cooling and/or heating therapy to an injury, having a generally tubular shape and open first end (15) and an open second end (16). A plurality of module openings (55a, 55b and 55c) are cut through the injury pack holder (10) and covered with a retention mesh (60). A thermoelectric assembly (75) containing a Peltier device (85), fan (110), radiator (120), first plate (80) and second plate (88), transfers heat energy to a gel pack (95) which cools or heats an area, is installed in one of the module openings (55a, 55b, 55c). A battery pack (99) can be installed in another module opening (55a, 55b, 55c) or can be remotely located for operation of the thermoelectric assembly (75). The thermoelectric assembly (75) can be operated with other power supply devices such as a household adapter (160) or an auto adapter (170).

Abstract: A variety of improved antenna arrangements for ablation catheters and methods for constructing catheter with these antenna arrangements are described. In various apparatus aspects of the invention, the catheter includes an elongated flexible tubular member adapted to be inserted into a vessel in the body of a patient. A transmission line suitable for transmitting electromagnetic energy is received within the tubular member. An antenna is coupled to the transmission line for generating an electric field sufficiently strong to cause tissue ablation. In one embodiment, the antenna takes the form of an antenna coil that is oriented such that its longitudinal axis extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flexible tubular member. In another embodiment, a plurality of such laterally oriented antenna coils are provided at longitudinally spaced locations relative to the catheter axis. In other embodiments, the antenna coil is spirally wound.

Abstract: An infant incubator has a base for supporting a premature baby; a hood mounted on the base to provide an incubation chamber isolated from the atmosphere; a plurality of partition plates disposed along the inner surface of said hood to provide a plurality of air paths against said inner surface; a fan for circulating an air through said air paths; and a heater for heating said air, characterized by an air vessel for extending a distance between an inner surface of the hood and said partition plate to cause the circulating air to reduce its velocity. The air vessel is provided between a top plate of the hood and the upper partition plate.

Abstract: A device for retrograde hole opening through tissue has a member elongate on an axis with a cross section shaped to insert axially through external tissue. A distal and a proximal end on the member respectively enter the tissue during placement and remain outside the tissue for control. A tip at the distal end has a deployable tissue divider with one or more tissue parting elements and each has a splitter. The tissue parting elements are located within the cross sectional dimensions of the member in a storage position and are movable relative to the tip for placement in an exposed position relative to the tip when shifted from storage so that the splitter thereof splits tissue during retrograde extraction along the axis and contact with tissue. Linkage between the proximal end and the deployable tissue divider retains each of the tissue parting elements with its splitter exposed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically determining an individual's level of brain function is provided. EEG or MEG signals are collected amplified and digitized. The signals are then passed to a computer comprising a CPU, ROM and RAM, an input interface for collecting and filtering the scalp potential signals and an output interface for displaying the resulting information on a display device such as a printer or CRT. The computer determines the position of these signals in reference to the interpolated 3-D geometry of the subject's head. The dipolarity of a particular point is iteratively and empirically derived by comparing the values of these measured signals to a test signal and the error between the two is minimized. The procedure is repeated for the complete series of electrodes placed on the skull. The mean dipolarity of a subject is then determined for a given time frame.

Abstract: A pulse oximeter sensor having an emitter(s) and a detector, with a layer having a first portion over the emitter and a second portion of layer over the detector is provided. A barrier is included between the first and second portions of the overlying layer to substantially block radiation of the wavelengths emitted by the emitter(s). Preferably, the barrier reduces the radiation shunted to less than 10% of the radiation detected, and more preferably to less than 1% of the radiation detected.