Abstract: A syringe assembly for use with an infusion pump having a drive piston. The syringe assembly comprises a substantially hollow syringe housing and a plunger axially movable within the syringe housing to dispense a fluid therefrom. The plunger has a body with a portion thereof configured to engage a radially elastic member associated with the drive piston such that the plunger is releasably axially secured relative to the drive piston.

Abstract: A medical apparatus and method of use for implanting a percutaneous catheter in a patient's body which catheter can be easily positioned, repositioned, and replaced. The apparatus includes an elongate sleeve comprising a wall surrounding an interior elongate passageway. The passageway extends from a sleeve proximal end to a sleeve distal end. The sleeve is intended to be percutaneously implanted through an incision in the patient's skin so that the sleeve distal end resides subcutaneously. The sleeve outer peripheral surface carries a layer of porous material intended to be placed just under the patient's outer skin layer in contact with the dermis to promote tissue ingrowth for anchoring the sleeve and forming an infection resistant barrier. The sleeve passageway is dimensioned to snugly accommodate the outer surface of catheter while permitting the catheter to slide relative to the sleeve.

Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis system includes: (i) an enclosure; (ii) a stepper motor housed by the enclosure; (iii) a pump head in operable communication with the stepper motor; and (iv) a disposable unit including at least one flexible membrane attached to a rigid piece, the enclosure configured to receive the disposable unit such that the stepper motor can move the pump head towards and away from the flexible membrane to cause, (a) the flexible membrane to move outwardly with respect to the rigid piece as the pump head is moved away from the disposable unit, and (b) the flexible membrane to move inwardly with respect to the rigid piece as the pump head is moved away from the disposable unit.

Abstract: A transparent illuminated infusion cannula is provided for illuminating an area during eye surgery. An optical fiber may be spaced a certain distance away from the cannula such that fluid flow around the distal end of the fiber and into the transparent cannula may occur with a much higher flow rate than what had previously been possible. The fiber cannula airspace may be optimized so that the cross-sectional area of the fluid conduit remains substantially constant in order to achieve a best compromise between high light transmittance and high fluid flow rate.

Abstract: An intravenous catheter introducing device includes a barrel, a tubular grip member disposed to hold a needle seat in a position of use so as to permit a tip end of a needle cannula to extend forwardly of the barrel, a tubular plunger which is movable along a passage of the barrel, and a tubular receptacle which is retained in an accommodation compartment of the tubular plunger and which has socket and air-permeable ends and a flashback chamber. When the plunger is pressed forwardly to permit engagement of the socket end with a rear plug portion of the needle seat and to release the grip member from the barrel, a rearward movement of the needle seat by virtue of a biasing force of a biasing member will force the receptacle to move rearwardly so as to retract the needle cannula into the passage.

Abstract: A drug delivery device drive that includes a single shape memory alloy wire actuator to advance a lead screw via a ratcheting mechanism and method thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a shape memory alloy wire is operably connected to one of a pair of ratchet wheels and configured to drive incrementally the rotation of the connected ratchet wheel via a contraction, which in turn drives the rotation of the other ratchet wheel about a rotational axis which moves a lead screw and advances a plunger to dispense a liquid drug from a drug container. A drug delivery device using the shape memory alloy wire actuator in combination with the ratcheting mechanism to incrementally rotate a shaft, a lead screw or a sleeve provides for a more compact an less complicated design.

Abstract: A milk pump for pumping milk from a woman's breast comprises a breast hood for receiving tightly a woman's breast. Furthermore, there is a milk collecting arrangement for receiving milk pumped from said woman's breast. This milk collecting arrangement includes a support and a downwards directed opening in the support for providing a suction communication to the breast hood. Moreover, the milk collecting arrangement comprises a manual pumping unit above the said opening. The manual pumping unit includes a wall forming and surrounding a displacement space which comprise a front wall and a peripheral wall extending in longitudinal direction. A suction device is displaceable inside the displacement space to provide suction through the opening, wherein the displacement is provoked by an actuation device. Furthermore, there is a latching arrangement for releasably connecting at least part of the wall of the displacement space to the support for an easy exchange.

Abstract: Apparatus intended for the injection of pulsed steam into a human or animal vessel comprising an injection unit sending pulses of cold water into a handpiece, a handpiece temporarily attached to an injection unit within which there is a metal tube, of external diameter between 200 ?m and 1,000 ?m and internal diameter between 100 ?m and 500 ?m, the metal tube having its distal end coiled to form a spiral, the tube being sheathed with a material of resistivity such that only the spiral heats to a temperature transforming water from the liquid phase into the vapor phase, a means of distributing the steam into the vessel intended to be connected in a reversible manner to the distal end of the handpiece.

Abstract: Needle-free injection devices and drug delivery systems are disclosed. The needle-free injection devices may include a drug delivery system, a power source, an activation system, and a disabling element. The drug delivery system may include a needle-free syringe and a drug storage system. The needle-free syringe may include a plunger slidably disposed within an injection chamber. The injection chamber may include an injection orifice, and the plunger may be configured to expel a volume of fluid from the injection chamber through the injection orifice. The drug storage system may include a storage chamber and an outlet. The drug storage system may be frangibly connected to the needle-free syringe with the outlet proximate to and fluidly connected with the injection orifice. The drug storage system may be configured to inject a fluid from the storage chamber through the outlet, through the injection orifice, and into the injection chamber.

Abstract: An extravascular system for accessing the vasculature of a patient may include a catheter adapter, a needle, and/or a needle tip shield assembly. The needle tip shield assembly may have a needle cap, and the needle cap may have a needle shield and at least one low friction surface. The needle may be disposed within the catheter assembly and the needle tip shield assembly. The low friction surface may reside between the needle shield and the needle. The at least one low friction surface may reside on the needle, on the V-clip, and/or on a structure located between the needle and the V-clip.

Abstract: Self-injection system allows a user to inject a drug from a cartridge carrying unique identification information, into any one of a plurality of injection sites. Tissue at each injection site is associated with at least one injection parameter, such as flow-rate, that is different for each site. A scanner reads the identification information of the cartridge and cooperates with a central processing unit to determine the validity of the drug in order to permit an injection procedure to commence. The central processing unit has a memory for storing the different injection parameters and controls a drive unit for driving fluid from the cartridge and through a needle into the selected tissue, at the injection parameter that is associated with the user selected tissue for the injection.

Abstract: The subcutaneously implantable vascular access port has two parts including a body and a wing. The body supports a chamber covered by a septum, with a septum held in place over the chamber by a collar. The chamber is coupleable to a vascular structure, such as through tubing extending from the body, for delivery of medical preparations. The body is preferably elongate in form. The wing is configured to be adjustable in width. In one embodiment the wing rotates relative to the body and has an elongate form similar to that of the body. When the wing is rotated it extends laterally from the body and enhances a stability of the body. In another embodiment, the wing is provided as a deformable wing which can expand laterally out of side openings of a cavern in the body into which the deformable wing is inserted.

Abstract: A medical liquid injection system capable of automatically preventing a piston drive mechanism from being driven when a cylinder holding mechanism does not hold a medical liquid syringe properly. When a cylinder member (210) is being held, in a specific direction of rotation about the axis of the mechanism, by a cylinder holding mechanism (120), an RFID chip (230) and an RFID reader (131) become communicable, making the piston drive mechanism operable. On the other hand, when the cylinder member (210) has been rotated by a specified angle from a specific direction, the RFID chip (230) and the RFID reader (131) become incommunicable, not making the piston drive mechanism operable. As a consequence, the piston drive mechanism is not driven when the cylinder holding mechanism (120) is not holding the medical liquid syringe properly.

Abstract: A system for distending body tissue cavities of subjects by continuous flow irrigation during endoscopic procedures, the system including: a fluid source reservoir containing a non viscous physiologic fluid meant for cavity distension; a fluid supply conduit tube connecting the fluid source reservoir to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an outlet port of the said inflow pump being connectable to an inflow port of an endoscope instrument through an inflow tube for pumping the fluid at a controlled flow rate into the cavity, the flow rate of the said inflow pump being termed as the inflow rate; an inflow pressure transducer being located anywhere in the inflow tube between the outlet port of the inflow pump and the inflow port of the endoscope; an outflow port of the endoscope being connectable to a waste fluid collecting container via a waste fluid carrying tube, and characterized in that an active inflow pressure pulsation dampening means is connected to the inflow tube f

Abstract: A cannula support serves in supporting a cannula relative to a non-contact lens assembly and a positioning mechanism for positioning the non-contact lens assembly. The cannula support includes a cannula holder and a gripper disposed relative to the cannula holder. The cannula holder is provided for receiving at least a portion of the cannula. The gripper is adapted to cooperatively engage a portion of one of the non-contact lens assembly and the positioning mechanism.

Abstract: A safety syringe includes a barrel which has a hollow passage inside and is coupled with a barrel cover. A push rod has a distal end coupled with a rubber ring to form a close contact with the hollow passage in a slidable manner. A driving module has an inner detent member, a piston seat and a piston rubber ring held in the barrel cover. The push rod is movable forwards to push the inner detent member and the piston rubber ring of the driving module forwards to make a cut surface at one end of the push rod to hit one end of a first stem of the needle mount to be broken and separated so that continuous moving forward of the push rod causes instant release of air pressure inside to retract the needle mount in a holding chamber of the push rod to safely hold a needle after injection.

Abstract: A safety hypodermic syringe formed of a barrel, a plunger, a locating block, a rubber stopper, a needle holder and a needle is disclosed. The plunger has a barbed front tip, which is forced into engagement with a hooked portion of the locating block when the plunger is pushed to the front end of the barrel so that the needle holder with the needle can be carried by the locating block to the inside of the barrel upon a backward movement of the plunger after the service of the syringe and biased with the locating block inside the barrel by means of the effect of a front pin of the rubber stopper.