Abstract: A guide wire (1) for use with a catheter comprises a core wire (3) terminating in a distal portion (18) of flat ribbon-like construction having respective opposite major surfaces (29,30). A spring (24) is brazed to a distal end (27) of the distal portion (18) and to the core wire (3) at a tapering portion (14). A reinforcing member (38) extends axially along the distal portion (18) from a proximal end (26) of the distal portion (18) to a location (40) for reinforcing the distal portion (18) for in turn increasing its torsional rigidity in order to minimise axial twisting of the distal portion (18).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for monitoring a patient to produce a signal representing a blood oxygen concentration. The signal may be analyzed to determine the presence of one or more sleep apnea events, and an integral of the signal may be calculated if the signal is outside of a set range or threshold. A practitioner may choose to be informed of the presence of sleep apnea events if the blood oxygen concentration is less then a preset limit, if an upper limit has been reached for an integral representing the severity of the oxygen deprivation over time, or anytime sleep apnea events may be present in the signal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring the autonomous nervous system of a sedated patient. The method comprises steps of providing a skin conductance signal measured at an area of the patient's skin through a measurement interval, calculating a characteristic of said skin conductance signal, establishing a first output signal indicating the state of pain or discomfort in the patient, and a second output signal indicating the state of awakening in the patient, based on said characteristic of said skin conductance signal. The calculating of the signal characteristic comprises calculating a value representative of a statistical dispersion, e.g., the standard deviation, of the values of the skin conductance signal through the measurement interval.

Abstract: The invention comprises method and apparatus for fluid delivery between a sample probe and a sample. The fluid delivery system includes: a fluid reservoir, a delivery channel, a manifold or plenum, a channel or moat, a groove, and/or a dendritic pathway to deliver a thin and distributed layer of a fluid to a sample probe head and/or to a sample site. The fluid delivery system reduces sampling errors due to mechanical tissue distortion, specular reflectance, probe placement, and/or mechanically induced sample site stress/strain associated with optical sampling of the sample.

Abstract: The guide wire is a guide wire includes a distal portion and a main body portion. This guide wire is provided with a first curve portion; a second curve portion included on the distal side of aforesaid first curve portion and curved to the opposite direction with respect to aforesaid first curve portion; a third curve portion included on the distal side of aforesaid second curve portion and curved to the opposite direction with respect to aforesaid second curve portion, wherein a line contacting with both aforesaid first curve portion and aforesaid third curve portion has an obtuse angle with respect to an axis line of aforesaid main body portion.

Abstract: A double temperature sensor is provided for determining the body temperature. The sensor includes at least a first temperature sensor element for measuring a near-surface temperature of the ambient air and a second temperature sensor element for measuring a temperature of the skin surface. The first and the second temperature sensor elements are arranged in a sensor block. A holding element surrounds the sensor block at least partially. An adhesive element fixes the holding element on the skin surface. A spring element acts on the sensor block and provides a spring force directed in the direction of the skin surface.

Abstract: A system for remotely controlling the positioning within the body of a patient of an elongated medical device optionally having a control handle, comprises a robotic system and a remote controller configured to control the robotic device. The robotic system comprises a handle controller; a sled member coupled to the handle controller, the sled member being configured to position the medical device within the body of the patient; and a sled base configured to advance the sled member towards the body of a patient, the sled bed being coupled to a sterile barrier effective to maintain sterility inside the sled base. A medical device introducer is effective to guide the elongated medical device into a patient's body.

Abstract: A method of determining patient follow-up subsequent to an orthopaedic procedure includes determining the number of cycles of use of an orthopaedic joint of the patient. If a predetermined threshold is exceeded, communication with an orthopaedic care provider is initiated. A patient monitoring system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A biopsy apparatus includes a cannula, a cutting sheath, a pressure generating device and a valve. The cannula has a lumen, a proximal portion, a closed distal end, and an orifice located on a circumferential surface of the cannula. The orifice is configured to receive a tissue sample into the lumen of the cannula. The cutting sheath is coaxially disposed with the cannula. The cutting sheath is configured to be movable relative to the cannula to selectively cover the orifice. The pressure generating device is coupled to the proximal portion of the cannula. A valve is interposed between the cannula and the pressure generating device. The valve is configured to control a flow of a fluid between the lumen of the cannula and the pressure generating device.

Abstract: A method for extracting a tissue sample includes altering the pressure inside the lumen of a cannula to facilitate extraction of a tissue sample from the cannula. One aspect of the invention includes a biopsy apparatus comprising a valve for controlling the pressure inside the lumen of the cannula. In one variation, the pressure/vacuum generating device is connected to a cannula with a closed distal end and an orifice located on a circumferential surface of said cannula. A cutting sheath is slidably disposed over said cannula. The valve may be provided between the pressure/vacuum generating device and the cannula to control the pressure within the lumen of the cannula.

Abstract: A puncture needle cartridge 20 detachably mounted on a puncturing device body to form a puncturing device is provided with a needle body 21 having a puncturing portion 212a, and also with a casing 22 for housing the needle body 21 and having openings 223, 224 that are respectively formed in front of and behind the needle body 21. The needle body 21 is mounted so as to be movable between a retracted position, wherein the tip 212c of the puncturing portion is retraced in the casing 22, and an extended position, wherein the tip 212c of the puncturing portion is projected outward from the casing 22 by receiving a pressing force from the puncturing device body. The needle body 21 has a biasing means for biasing the needle body 21 from an extended position towards a retracted position. The puncture needle cartridge can be mass-produced at low cost, and enables a user to perform puncturing safely and easily.

Abstract: There is provided a body movement detecting apparatus including: a body movement data acquiring unit configured to detect a body movement of a user and acquire body movement data relating to the body movement; a memory unit configured to memorize the body movement data corresponding to the type of an activity of the user as registered body movement data; a body movement determining unit configured to compare the body movement data acquired by the body movement data acquiring unit with the registered body movement data and determine the type of the activity of the user; and a computing unit configured to be able to calculate consumed energy by the body movement corresponding to the type of the activity determined by the body movement determining unit.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided to remove biopsy specimens from a bone and/or associated bone marrow using a powered drive and an intraosseous (IO) needle set. The powered driver may rotate the IO needle set at an optimum speed to obtain a biopsy sample of bone and/or bone marrow. Apparatus and methods may also be provided for aspiration of bone marrow and/or stem cell transplant procedures. The apparatus may include a powered driver, a coupler assembly, a containment bag or sterile sleeve and various IO needles and IO needle sets with associated hubs and/or hub assemblies. Each IO needle set may include a cannula or catheter and an associated trocar stylet with respective tips operable to penetrate a bone and/or bone marrow with minimum trauma to a patient. Each hub assembly may be used to releasably dispose a respective stylet within an associated generally hollow cannula. Some coupler assemblies and/or hub assemblies may also be used with manual drivers.

Abstract: The invention includes both a method for acquiring the position of a patient's anterior pelvic plane, and a patient positioner or holder (apparatus) for securing a patient and acquiring the position of the patient's anterior pelvic plane. The method and apparatus facilitate definition of the anterior pelvic plane (APP) in the context of computer assisted hip surgery.

Abstract: A tissue cutting device that is especially suited for neurosurgical applications is disclosed and described. The device includes a handpiece and an outer cannula in which a reciprocating inner cannula is disposed. The inner cannula includes a hinge between a body section and a cutting section that allows the cutting section to pivot when the inner cannula reciprocates within the outer cannula. A tissue collector is also provided and is in fluid communication with the lumen of the inner cannula. The inner cannula and the outer cannula define an annular space between the inner cannula and the outer cannula, and a seal is provided at the proximal end of the annular space. The seal is preferably a thixotropic, semi-solid material such as a high vacuum, halogenated polymeric grease. The device may also include an inner cannula stop position control for selectively controlling the position of the inner cannula when it is at rest.

Abstract: A device for measuring concentration of a constituent in blood includes: an irradiation unit for irradiating light toward a living body, the light having a wavelength disposed in a light absorption band of the constituent in the blood; a light receiving unit for receiving light, which is reflected in the living body or transmitted through the living body; and a concentration measurement unit for measuring the concentration of the constituent in the blood based on variation of light intensity of light received by the light receiving unit, the variation attributed to a pulse wave of the living body.

Abstract: A supply of lancets for a multi-use lancing device are carried by a tape and sequentially brought from a storage position to an activating position by advancing the tape around a bend. The lancets are non-circular in cross-section along their longitudinal lengths, and in their activating position they extend from the tape such that their sharp tips are available for lancing tissue. The carrying tape can be arranged in reel-to-reel format in a housing having a lancing opening. The lancets can be integral with the tape and activated to move the lancet through the lancing opening by moving the tape along its tape path or by translating a dedicated service loop of the tape. The lancets can also be independent from the tape and activated through the lancing opening by a separate lancing actuator. A test media can be included on the carrying tape and the housing can contain a sensor to yield an integrated lancing and testing device.

Abstract: A housing has upper, lower, and central sections having a common axis and forming an interior chamber. An opening in the intermediate section has upper, lower, and sides edges. A flap has one edge coupled with the opening and covers the opening. A support is slidable between extended and retracted orientations. The support has central, upper, and lower extents. A cylindrical bore extends through the support. The support has legs, including a short leg, extending downwardly and outwardly and adapted to be radially contracted with the short leg within the opening restrained from downward movement. The flap is adapted to be depressed to move the short leg from contact with the opening and spring the legs outwardly to move the support from the extended orientation to the retracted orientation. Upper and lower needles extend from the upper and lower extents of the support for movement therewith.

Abstract: Optical coherence tomography (herein “OCT”) based analyte monitoring systems are disclosed. In one aspect, techniques are disclosed that can identify fluid flow in vivo (e.g., blood flow), which can act as a metric for gauging the extent of blood perfusion in tissue. For instance, if OCT is to be used to estimate the level of an analyte (e.g., glucose) in tissue, a measure of the extent of blood flow can potentially indicate the presence of an analyte correlating region, which would be suitable for analyte level estimation with OCT. Another aspect is related to systems and methods for scanning multiple regions. An optical beam is moved across the surface of the tissue in two distinct manners. The first can be a coarse scan, moving the beam to provide distinct scanning positions on the skin. The second can be a fine scan where the beam is applied for more detailed analysis.

Abstract: A core biopsy device comprises a cutting cannula provided at a distal end with a helical excising blade. The cutting cannula can be rotated within a tissue mass so that the helical excising blade can excise a biopsy sample from the surrounding tissue.