Abstract: A single use syringe assembly is provided as well as a locking element for such an assembly. The single use syringe assembly includes a barrel, a plunger rod assembly and a locking element positioned within the barrel. The locking element includes one or more barbs for engaging the inside surface of the barrel. The barbs prevent the locking element from moving proximally within the barrel, but allow its distal movement therein with the plunger rod assembly. A spring member may be provided for urging the barbs towards the inside surface of the barrel. The barbs are preferably positioned on the edge portions of opposing legs that form part of the locking element.

Abstract: Described is an accurate, easy to use and inexpensive device and method for substantially immediate detection and indication of malfunction in an intravenous delivery system. The two piece device includes a disposable conduit body interconnected with the tubing of an intravenous delivery system and a reusable clamp apparatus that is deployed around the conduit body. The conduit body is highly sensitive to pressure changes inside the tubing. The clamp apparatus contains a sensing mechanism that discerns the responses of the conduit body to the change in line pressure from below to above atmospheric pressure. Also located in the clamp apparatus is an indication system that indicates if that change in pressure has occurred.

Abstract: The invention concerns a needleless syringe (1) comprising a trigger, a gas generator (2) prolonged by a gas expansion chamber (3), a system for retaining particles and an ejection tube (4). The invention is characterised in that the particles are housed outside the ejection tube conduit (4) and the gases cause the particles to reach inside said tube (4) by displacing a plunger (13), prior to speeding them up by wave shock inside the tube (4).

Abstract: A flushing device for toilets includes a source for applying a fluid pressure to a blockage area and provides a seal in the blocked conduit to prevent backflow so that full pressure is applied to the blockage. The device includes a resilient, deformable and expandable element secured at the end of a tubular member which is inserted into a toilet conduit leading to the drain line. The tubular member has a coupling at its end opposite to the end carrying the expandable element to which a hose is connected in order to alternately supply pressurized water to the element or to the conduit. The expandable element is carried on a linear portion of the tubular member adjacent to the discharge orifice thereof and is expanded into a sealing condition with the conduit entrance leading into the drain line.

Abstract: An osteosynthesis screw (1) used especially for application by a translaminar vertebral screw, comprises a shaft (3) at least partially provided with a thread (2) and a head (4) formed at one of its ends and having a notch (5) for a tool. Said shaft (3) has a section (A) with a thread (2) on the end section oriented towards the head (4). The remaining section (B) of the shaft (3) up to the free end is produced without a thread. The head (4) has a diameter (D1) corresponding at least approximately to the outer diameter (DA) of the thread (2) and is provided with the inner notch (5) for a tool. The section (A) of the shaft (3) with the thread (2) has a configuration of uniform thickness, e.g. a trilobular configuration. Thus, the invention provides an osteosynthesis screw (1) exhibiting a short section (A) with a thread (2) and a long section (B) without a thread, said screw having a pull-out head (4) which is secured both axially and rotationally.

Abstract: A low profile adaptor for use with a medical catheter. In one embodiment, the adaptor comprises a lower connector portion, an upper connector portion and a valve. The lower connector portion comprises a tubular portion and an annular portion, the annular portion radially surrounding the tubular portion along an intermediate length thereof. A helical thread is formed on the inside surface of the tubular portion. A circular lip projects upwardly a short distance from the top surface of the annular portion. The upper connector portion comprises a tubular section adapted for insertion into the tubular portion of the lower connector portion. An external helical thread is formed on the tubular section of the upper connector portion for mating engagement with the thread on the interior of the tubular portion of the lower connector portion. The upper connector portion also includes an annular base.

Abstract: A balloon catheter comprises an inner tube, a medical balloon and an inflation lumen. The medical balloon is disposed about the inner tube and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen. A collapsible portion of the inner tube is constructed to collapse inward upon delivery of an inflation fluid to the medical balloon to secure the inner tube to the guidewire.

Abstract: Phacoemulsification apparatus includes a phacoemulsification handpiece having a needle and an electrical system for ultrasonically vibrating said needle along with a power source for providing pulsed electrical power to the handpiece electrical system. Irrigation fluid is provided to the handpiece needle and aspirating fluid is removed from the handpiece needle. A determination of a voltage current phase relationship of the provided electrical power is made and in response thereto a control system varies a power level duty cycle provided to the handpiece electrical system from the power source and/or modify the aspiration flow rate. In addition, a separate input enables manual control of pulse amplitude. The control system provides a pulsed electrical power of less than 20 millisecond pulse duration.

Abstract: A device for dispensing a measured dose of liquid from an attached container which container has an elongate casing defining a dispensing cylinder, one end of the casing being adapted for mounting on the container. A plurality of dose indications are provided on the external surface of the casing so that a dose may be pre-selected by moving a dose setting collar along the casing. The collar has a stop engageable with a selected one of a multiplicity of recesses on the casing to secure the collar at the required position. A plunger having a piston co-operating with a cylinder defined by the casing is movable to lift the piston from said one end of the casing until the piston abuts the dose setting collar so charging the dispenser. Depression of the plunger to move the piston back to said one end dispenses the selected dose from an outlet port.

Abstract: Multipurpose fluid applicators, particularly suitable for surgical purposes, are disclosed. The applicators are specifically designed for dispensing various combinations of sterile pressurized gas, suction, irrigation and sealant agents, including a mixed liquid sealant agent. Preferred embodiments employ a dual-acting valve selectively to control the flow of gas or suction which valve is capable of simultaneously varying flow from a source and the venting of that flow to atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for intermittently providing oral medications to a patient being fed through a feeding tube, the apparatus having a dosage vessel, which preferably can be capped or sealed, and a secure fluid path to a tubing connector for connecting to the indwelling feeding tube.

Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling the delivery of cleaning fluid to a washer system of a vehicle is provided. The valve assembly includes a valve seat having a fluid input port through which fluid can enter the valve assembly, a resilient valve member extending across the valve seat and having a central zone and at least one hole through the valve member formed peripherally of the central zone, valve biasing means for biasing the central zone against the valve seat to close the valve and thereby seal the fluid inlet port and fixing means for fixing the peripheral edge of the valve member to the valve seat. The central zone of the valve member may be displaced away from the valve seat under the action of fluid pressure in the inlet port to open the valve and allow the cleaning fluid to exit the valve assembly via the at least one hole.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for eliminating dislodged thrombus (78) in a blood vessel (12) comprises a catheter (72) having a plurality of infusion ports (90) and a filter (76) attached to the catheter for trapping the dislodged thrombus carried by blood flow in the blood vessel. The infusion ports (90) are disposed within the filter (76) and are operable to deliver a thrombolytic fluid to dissolve the dislodged thrombus (78) trapped in the filter (76).

Abstract: A device for incising a stenosis in the aortic valve of a patient includes an elongated balloon catheter, with at least one straight blade mounted on the balloon. Specifically, the blade is coplanar with the axis of the catheter, and the proximal end of the blade is located adjacent the proximal end of the balloon. In operation, the balloon/blade combination is advanced into the vasculature and positioned distal to the stenosis to be incised. The balloon is then inflated. With this inflation, the blade is inclined relative to the axis of the catheter with an increasing distance between the blade and the axis in a distal direction. The device is then retracted, proximally, to incise the stenosis.

Abstract: A method and expandable device for thermally affecting tissue in which there is a fluid conduit. An expandable element includes a wall defining an inner volume. The wall has a tissue contact region which is non-coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit. The tissue contact region is operable to have a first contact surface area and a second contact surface area in which the second contact surface area is larger than the first contact surface area. A port is formed through the wall and is in fluid communication with the fluid conduit.

Abstract: A cylindrical needle guard for attaching and protecting a medical winged needle assembly to which a tube is connected, comprising at least two or more projecting portions on the top sidewall from the front portion to the rear portion, a slit at the bottom of the rear portion along a longitudinal direction of the needle guard, and a groove to fix the tube on the top sidewall of the rear portion; or comprising a pair of stoppers on both sides of the body and locking portions at thick portions and at the bottom of the stoppers for locking the wings of the winged needle assembly. This winged needle assembly to which the tube is connected is safely and securely retracted and locked in the needle guard.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter having a shaft, at least a portion of which includes a braid reinforcement with a plurality of axial members disposed between the helical members that form the braid. The axial members provide a number of advantages including: maintaining one-to-one correspondence in axial manipulation; maintaining uniform flexibility in several planes of flexure; reducing the likelihood of causing a curling effect; increasing the strength of connections between shaft segments; uniformly increasing stiffness of the catheter; and increasing the burst strength of the catheter. By positioning the axial members between the helical members, the axial members do not create a protrusion and do not become fixed to any adjacent polymer layer. Thus, the benefits of axial members are retained, without creating the undesirable effects of friction caused by an axial protrusion and without creating the undesirable effects of limited flexure caused by an adjacent polymer layer becoming fixed to the axial member.

Abstract: A pump apparatus has an electric motor having an impeller fixed to a rotating axis thereof driven based on signals from an injection control unit to rotate in a normal direction and, then, switched to rotate in a reverse direction so that, when the motor is rotated in the normal direction, the washer liquid is sucked from a second intake conduit and discharged via a first discharge port from a first injection nozzle and, when the motor is rotated in the reverse direction, the washer liquid is sucked from a first intake conduit and discharged via a second discharge port from a second injection nozzle. Since the washer liquid is not injected at the same time from the first and second injection nozzles, an injection amount per unit time of the washer liquid is relatively small, which makes the pump apparatus more compact.

Abstract: A needleless access system adapted to be mounted on a vial comprising a generally elongated tubular housing having an interior dividing wall, flexible hooks projecting upwardly from the dividing wall which are diametrically opposed, a pair of confronting splines projecting upwardly from the interior dividing wall, a hub insert having a piercing tip normally supported in an armed position by hook elements, a series of outwardly projecting teeth which engage and are guided in the splines during axial displacement of the hub insert relative to the splined housing, and said hub insert having means for mounting a syringe assembly whereby the hub insert maybe activated axially guided by the splines so that the piercing tip engages the stopper in a vial aligned therewith.

Abstract: A splittable sheath assembly including a sheath, a T-shaped fitting and an attachment mechanism. The sheath is adapted for use in the trans-cutaneous insertion of medical instrumentation through a lumen defined by the sheath and has a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end including an initial bifurcated portion defining two tabs. The T-shaped fitting has a central opening aligned with the lumen of the sheath, a handle on either side of the central opening, and a zone of weakness unitarily joining the two handles so that the T-shaped fitting is adapted to be split into two separate portions, each portion having only one of the handles. The attachment mechanism attaches each of the tabs of the proximal end of the sheath to one of the handles. Each attachment mechanism includes a projection portion engaging one of the tabs and a locking element received on the projection to inhibit removal of the tab from the projection.