Abstract: A disposable medical drape adapted for use in laser surgery is configured to form an enclosure, acting as an emission barrier, between the medical laser and the patient tissue to be removed so as to contain, within the enclosure, materials present in the laser plume. The drape includes a floor having an opening therein which defines the target area of patient tissue. The floor includes moisture-absorbent material which is premoistened to protect the patient from errant laser shots. The underside of the floor includes an adhesive material for fixing the floor of the drape directly to the skin of the patient. The drape includes flexible transparent walls which extend from the floor of the drape to the medical laser, the walls including stiffening rings to define an obstruction-free corridor for the laser beam. The walls of the drape are gathered around the barrel of the medical laser so as to prevent emissions at that juncture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interosseous bone fixation. Portions of bone on opposite sides of a fracture are compressed toward each other by inserting the opposite ends of a bone staple into each bone portion and crimping the central portion of the staple. A bone staple having a central web portion adapted to be crimped into substantially an inverted V shape is also disclosed. Various devices for crimping a bone staple are also disclosed.

Abstract: A bifurcating stent for insertion into a bifurcating vessel such as a blood vessel. The stent can be expanded from an insertion configuration to an implanted configuration by the application of radially outward forces against a series of interconnected wire loops that make up the stent. The preferred and disclosed method of stent implantation is accomplished with the use of a balloon catheter that expands the stent into contact with inner walls of the vessel. The balloon is then deflated and withdrawn from the vessel, leaving the stent implanted within the vessel.

Abstract: A prophylactic device has a planar portion that is configured to cover the perineum of the user to prevent the exchange of bodily fluids between the user and a partner. The planar portion includes a pair of spaced integrally formed, adjustably positionable thigh bands located in spaced parallelism on either side of the planar portion. A leg opening is formed between each of the thigh bands and the planar portion to accommodate the legs of a user. The bands elastically shape to the user to prevent slippage of the planar portion from an overlying conformed relationship with the perineum of a user. The planar portion includes a pouch of generally circular cross-section throughout its length for insertion into a bodily orifice. A method for manufacturing the aforesaid prophylactic device includes the steps of providing a form with a base and a shaft of circular cross-section with its root connected to the base by sloping surfaces.

Abstract: Shock absorbing body protective pads for use by athletes in contact sports and comprising a pair of heat sealable woven scrim-reinforced plastic film members sealed together to form a plurality of cooperating and interconnected chamber elements therebetween. Each chamber element contains a foam pad constrainably retained within the chamber, and with the interior volume of at least two of the chamber elements being interconnected. A plurality of rigid tubular exhaust ports are arranged to communicate between the chambers and the ambient, with the exhaust ports being disposed along the lateral edges of certain of the chambers, and with these exhaust ports being arranged in oppositely disposed relationship, one to another, so as to insure continued communication with the ambient.

Abstract: A device for maintaining a body organ during surgery includes a flexible enclosure having at least one opening large enough to permit the body organ to pass through and including means for limiting closure of the opening such that injury to the body organ is minimized.

Abstract: A modular broach handle for use with a broach having a tapered configuration beginning at a wider upper end tapering to a smaller lower end. An elongated handle body portion has a longitudinal axis, with one end portion of the handle body defining a connection end portion for attaching a broach thereto at the wide upper end portion of the broach. A slot extends a distance along the handle terminating at one end thereof adjacent a connection end poriton of the handle body. A socket communicating with the slot is formed at the connection end portion of the handle body, the socket having an open end portion receptive of an attachment post on the wide end portion of the broach. A spring loaded slider bar is disposed within the slot for sliding movement therein and with respect to the handle between engaged and disengaged positions, and includes an end portion that extends into the socket when in the engaged position to form a connection with the post.

Abstract: A medical filter and catheter for positioning and using the filter, which filter is particularly intended to be implanted in a blood vessel such as the inferior vena cava through the endovenous route via a catheter. The filter has a filtering section which opens out inthe vessel when it is in position in the patient and which has no hooks for engaging the vessel wall. The filter has a holding section which holds the filter section in position in the vessel and which facilitates transition from a temporary use of the filter to definitive use.

Abstract: An athletic supporter having a pouch adapted to receive and retain a protector cup through an aperture at a peripheral edge, and having a member overlapping the aperture for retaining the protector cup therein when the athletic supporter is worn.

Abstract: A device and method for intravaginal, barrier-type prevention of conception and infection by sexually-transmitted diseases based upon a barrier-type device including a flexible cervical dome having a continuous fornical rim defining an opening into the dome and a continuous, annular, vaginal brim which circumscribes and is attached to the cervical dome at the fornical rim. The vaginal brim is reverse-folded from the fornical rim, and has a dimension which continuously increases with circumferential symmetry from an anterior vaginal extension of the brim to a posterior vaginal extension of the brim which is diametrically opposite the anterior vaginal extension. The fornical rim is characterized in having a lip which extends inwardly from the opening toward the centerline of the dome. The brim has a curvature in a direction away from the dome.

Abstract: A device for promoting the healing of bones has a pair of elongated carriers which support screws to be anchored in bone structure. The screws are movable longitudinally of the carriers by means of spindles. The carriers are joined to one another by a connector consisting of a rigid rod having a ball at either end. The balls are received in part-spherical sockets formed in the respective carriers and can be fixed relative to the carriers via screws.

Abstract: A contraceptive device wherein a condom having a rolled portion is positioned between a pair of sheets which are secured together around the edges thereof to form a package for the condom, the condom being provided with a pair of strips positioned on opposite sides of the condom and each having one end helically rolled into the rolled portion of the condom and the other end thereof extending toward and secured to the sheets at the edges thereof. The strips, which are pulled to unroll the condom, and the condom are provided with sufficient give that the package can be torn into two parts and the condom pulled out of the package without premature unrolling. A tear guide extends across the package at a position on the package coordinated with slack in the strips.

Abstract: The removal of prosthetic cement from the medullary canal of a patient's long bone such as the femur during replacement of a joint prosthesis.

Abstract: A protective cover for covering a plaster cast, or the like on a patient, includes an elongated waterproof, flexible, polymer bag having an opening in one end thereof. The open end of the polymer bag has an elastic edge therearound to hold the elongated, waterproof, flexible, polymer bag over a cast on a patient's limb. A small piece of hook and loop material is attached to the flexible bag. An elongated, substantially flat sealing band is made of an elastic, resilient, waterproof foamed polymer material and has hook and loop material attached thereto with the hook material positioned at predetermined positions on one side of the flat sealing band and the other side of the sealing band being covered with a loop.

Abstract: A tube device for forming a fistula is constructed in such a way that the tube device is composed of a metallic guide wire, a small diameter tube to which the guide wire can be inserted in its center, a medium diameter tube covering the outer periphery of the small diameter tube, a medium-large diameter tube covering the outer periphery of the small diameter tube and having an outer diameter larger than the medium diameter tube, a large diameter tube covering the outer periphery of the small diameter tube and having an outer diameter larger than the medium-large diameter tube, a large diameter drainage tube covering the outer periphery of the small diameter tube and having an outer diameter equal to that of the large diameter tube, and an extra large diameter tube covering the outer periphery of the large diameter drainage tube.

Abstract: A method for providing cyclic mobilization of the lumbar spine of a person includes providing a fluid-inflatable bag, positioning the bag behind and adjacent the lumbar region of the person, and alternately directing fluid to flow into and out of the bag to inflate and to deflate the bag to vary forces applied to the spine of the person thereby moving the spine through a range of degrees of lordosis. Also, apparatus for providing support and spinal movement to the lower back of a person includes a fluid-inflatable bag adapted to be positioned behind and adjacent the lumbar region of the person, a source of fluid under pressure, a conduit adapted to conduct the fluid between the source and the bag, and a regulator adapted for controlling the flow of the fluid in the conduit; the flow of fluid alternately causes inflation and deflation of the bag, and the inflation and deflation of the bag applies greater and lesser forces to move the spine of the person through a range of degrees of lordosis.

Abstract: A unitary coital protective garment, comprising a groin covering panel formed of a flexible, resilient, liquid-impenterable material, and a penile sheath integrally formed with the groin covering panel, having a closed distal end, and formed of flexible, resilient, liquid-impenetrable material, integrally leak-tightly joined at its proximal end to the groin covering panel to enable penis insertion into the penile sheath, with the panel being circumferentially continuous around the proximal end of the sheath at its integral junction with the panel. Wrap-around, athletic supporter, apron, and panty-types of construction of the garment may be variously employed. The garment of the invention provides enhanced protection to the wearer and coital partner, and may be advantageous in reducing the risk of transmission of venereal and/or immunosuppressive diseases.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a therapeutic thermal cuff device for therapeutic heating or cooling treatment of the body members of humans or animals. The device comprises an envelope having interior and exterior panels defining one or more pouches adapted to receive therein packets of a heat of fusion composition. The exterior panel of the envelope comprises a thermally insulative polymer foam layer and that portion of the exterior panel overlying the pouches is quilted in a manner designed to improve the flexibility of the envelope in the direction of wrap of the cuff around the body member. The heat of fusion composition is contained in a heat sealed thermoplastic film container which is also quilted in a manner such as to segment the packet into a number of heat of fusion composition-containing chambers which are articulatingly affixed to one another so as to assure flexibility of the packet in the direction of the wrap of the cuff around the affected body member.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for coring, ingesting and removing an obstruction material from within a patient's vessel having a flexible guide-wire defining voids for containing obstruction material and defining a diametrical envelope, a flexible rotary-catheter slidable and rotatable over the diametrical envelope having a rotary coring means at its distal end, a continuous passage defined around the flexible guide-wire by the flexible rotary-catheter for ingesting the cored obstruction material, and coupling means at the proximal end of the flexible rotary-catheter for coupling to rotating means.

Abstract: An instrument for positioning of intra-marrow pin orifices and to guide a bit for a drilling of a bone cortical, in which an elongated member having a width and thickness suitable to resist a surgeon's pushing and a grip at one end thereof and a substantially narrowed portion at the other end for reducing as much as possible the size of an incision to be made thereby in a patient's tissues, and having a projection positioned between the ends closer to the other end and orthogonal thereto is provided with a gauge thereon, and a slidable alignment body having slidably connected with the projection for slidably connecting the prismatic body with the projection, and the slidable alignment body is fixedly coupled by a screw with the elongated member at a position thereon closer to the other end and locking the slidable alignment body to the elongated member at selected positions on the projection and the alignment body is slidably movable to different previously selected positions on the projection; and the alignm