Abstract: A sample site for obtaining a whole blood sample includes flow directors in the ports. The flow directors may include ramp surfaces. Blood flowing into the sample site is diverted by the flow directors to mix with and flush out all of the saline otherwise present in the sample site to allow for a whole blood sample to be taken.

Abstract: A low profile catheter for increasing lumen size of a blood vessel includes a catheter shaft which carries an inflatable balloon at its distal end. A guide wire is positioned in the catheter shaft to extend beyond the balloon, and the guide wire defines a keyed portion having a cross-sectional shape which is other than round. A keyed coupling number is carried by the catheter shaft and coupled to the keyed portion of the guide wire to transmit torque from the catheter shaft to the guide wire while permitting relative axial movement between the catheter shaft and the guide wire. Alternately, wound coil springs are mounted to the catheter shaft by a spyder. The coil springs seize the guide wire in response to rotation, but allow longitudinal movement of the guide wire in the absence of rotation.

Abstract: An extendable guidewire assembly comprising: a guidewire having a tapered proximal end; an extension wire having a tapered distal end; and a polymeric tubular sleeve that is fixedly attached about the tapered distal end of the extension wire such that the tapered distal end of the extension wire extends partly through the sleeve lumen, said lumen having a diameter that is smaller than the untapered diameter of the guidewire and wherein said lumen expands radially when the sleeve is under axial compression and contracts radially when the sleeve is under axial tension.

Abstract: A medical capsule device for releasing a substance at a defined location in the gastrointestinal tract. The device has a capsule body defining one or more apertures in the circumferential wall thereof and a sleeve valve rotatably positioned therein having one or more corresponding apertures in the circumferential wall thereof. The sleeve valve comprises a coil and electrically connected heatable resistor which are operatively associated with an actuator member formed of a shape memory alloy responsive to heat and which will move from a non-heated first shape to a heated second shape. Actuator stop means are provided in the capsule body for being engaged by the actuator member during movement from the non-heated first shape to the heated second shape so that the actuator member movement will serve to rotate the sleeve valve to an open position.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining fluid pressure and inflation diameter in the balloon of a dilation catheter includes a pressure sensing transducer in fluid communication with the interior of the catheter balloon. The transducer provides a balloon pressure signal which is processed by a microcomputer to determine a balloon diameter or circumference as a function of the balloon pressure. The microcomputer produces a signal representing the balloon diameter or circumference. A digital display responds to the pressure signal and diameter signal to display both balloon pressure and diameter in order to provide an added degree of safety and control to a vascular physician conducting balloon angioplasty or similar procedures.

Abstract: A suction catheter provided with three conduits to provide th functions of suctioning, lavaging and oxygenating. The suction conduit is connected to a suction control member. The second conduit for the irrigating fluid is connected to a source of said fluid. The third conduit is connected to a source of gas under pressure. The gas conduit terminates within the irrigation conduit to form a common chamber at the distal end of the irrigation conduit from which fluid is propelled out by the pressurized gas. The gas may preferably contain oxygen.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument having elongate inner and outer tubular members with distal ends cooperating to cut bodily tissue and aspirate the cut bodily tissue through the inner tubular member includes a ceramic coating formed on the inner tubular member to extend from the distal end to the proximal end thereof such that the ceramic coating forms an elongate bearing surface extending along the length of the surgical cutting instrument to prevent cocking or skewing of the inner tubular member relative to the outer tubular member, to increase the surface hardness of the inner tubular member, to reduce the coefficient of friction of the inner tubular member and to prevent galling and possible seizure of the inner tubular member by distributing or dispersing heat along the surgical cutting instrument while reducing the clearance between the outer diameter of the inner tubular member and the inner diameter of the outer tubular member.

Abstract: An apparatus for manually securing a bone graft from a donor site and delivering the bone graft to an acceptor site includes a hollow cylindrical cutter and a solid inner cylindrical plunger. The cutter has a cutting end and a grasping end, with the cutting end being tapered to a sharp edge for cutting the bone graft from the donor site. The plunger is engageable with the hollow cutter to push the retained bore graft from the cutter into the acceptor site. Equidistantly spaced markings on the cutter and plunger can be used to gauge the depth of the bone graft.

Abstract: A trocar for placement in the lumen of a cannula to facilitate inserting the cannula through the wall of a body cavity, the trocar comprising an obturator with a point for piercing the wall of the body cavity, and a protective sleeve mounted concentrically around the obturator. The obturator retracts proximally relative to the protective sleeve after the trocar point has penetrated through the wall of the body cavity. The protective sleeve is mounted for axial movement relative to the obturator, retracting proximally in response to drag from the wall of the body cavity as the trocar is advanced through the wall, and advancing distally after the cannula has penetrated through the wall, reducing the drag on the sleeve. The distal advancement of the sleeve triggers the retraction of the obturator.

Abstract: The drenching gun of the present invention comprises a cylinder having an outlet opening in one end. A plunger is mounted within the cylinder and is adapted to reciprocate therein. A nozzle is attached to the outlet end of the cylinder and includes a one-way valve which is fitted within a tube in the outlet end of the chamber. The valve is integral with the nozzle. All of the forces between the cylinder and the nozzle are borne by metal parts, and a pair of pins are provided on the nozzle for cooperating with axial slots in the cylinder to hold the nozzle against rotational movement with respect to the cylinder.

Abstract: The invention provides an expansible cannula (particularly useful as a trocar) comprising essentially a conical tube made of metal foil with its proximal end located in a holder, and an expander tube which can be pushed through the stem from the proximal end, to cause the stem to expand from its conical free condition to a distended cylindrical condition. The stem itself comprises a caudex which has only radial motion on expansion of the stem, and a leaf, which in addition to uncoiling on expansion of the stem is also permitted a degree of forward motion, so that the front end of the stem becomes circular in the opened condition.

Abstract: The nasal packing device includes a splint portion, an airway member secured to the splint portion and a flexible expandable membrane secured to the airway member. An inflation chamber is thus defined between the flexible expandable membrane and the airway member. Under this arrangement, expansion of the membrane is in a direction away from the airway member enabling the membrane to provide a substantially uniform pressure against the splint portion and against any portions of the nose which the membrane comes into contact with. A uniform compressive force provided by the expandable membrane is thus attainable within the nasal passageway to arrest intranasal bleeding, while the splint supports the septum and the airway member allows nasal breathing.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter comprises an elongated flexible jacket having opposed proximal and distal ends and a central passageway extending between the ends. A working head is located at the distal end, including a canalizing tip and a bearing for rotatably supporting the tip on the working head to remove occlusions from the lumen of a vessel. A drive cable extends through the central passageway and has a driving portion operatively located adjacent the distal end and a driven portion for releasably engaging the working head located opposite the driving portion. A power-driven motor is coupled to the driven end for rotating the cable. The jacket segments are disconnected and the canalizing tip removed with the drive cable from the catheter and replaced with a guide wire which is inserted through the central passageway.

Abstract: A catheter device is described with a safety needle guard that covers and protects the needle after use of the device. The device includes a semi-tubular needle housing containing a flash chamber with a hollow needle extending from the distal end of the flash chamber. A tubular needle guard concentrically fits and slides within the needle housing. The needle guard has a longitudinal slot through which the mounting base of the flash chamber passes as the guard slides within the housing. The top of the semi-tubular housing is open so that a user may access the top of the tubular needle guard with a finger to urge the needle guard to an extended position from the distal end of the housing and in a surrounding position about the needle. The proximal end or hose of the needle guard detaches for the needle housing and has a luer fitting for an infusion set. The catheter hub contains a lever capable of occluding the catheter to inhibit fluid flow.

Abstract: This invention relates to a disposable syringe for once-only use. The syringe includes a hollow cylinder which carries a needle at one end and houses a plunger connected to one end of a shaft, the other end of which is provided with a manually operable shaped head. the diameter of this head is a maximum in proximity to that portion adjacent to the shaft and reduces gradually towards the free end of the head. The shaft length is such that when the plunger has been pushed to the bottom of the cylinder, the maximum diameter portion of the head is housed within the cavity of the cylinder so that the shaft head can no longer be gripped by the fingers in order to move the shaft backwards and reuse the syringe.

Abstract: A catheter device is described with a safety needle guard that covers and protects the needle after use of the device. The device includes a semi-tubular needle housing containing a flash chamber with a hollow needle extending from the distal end of the flash chamber. A tubular needle guard concentrically fits and slides within the needle housing. The needle guard has a longitudinal slot through which the mounting base of the flash chamber passes as the guard slides within the housing. The top of the semi-tubular housing is open so that a user may access the top of the tubular needle guard with a finger to urge the needle guard to an extended position from the distal end of the housing and in a surrounding position about the needle. The proximal end or hose of the needle guard detaches for the needle housing and has a luer fitting for an infusion set. The catheter hub contains a lever capable of occluding the catheter to inhibit fluid flow.

Abstract: A dilator is disclosed for use in opening the lumen of a tubular organ utilizing a expansion member made of a material having a negative Poisson ratio such as polytetrafluorethylene. The negative Poisson ratio of the expansion member enables the member, when stretched, to expand radially outwardly rather than thinning in a radial direction to perform useful work in opening the lumen in a tubular organ such as in performing coronary angioplasty.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for guiding a physician in the placement of a probe in the body. The method of placement of a catheter or probe in the body through a multi-directional walled path departing from a straight line involving inserting an insulated catheter or probe with a distal uninsulated tip which is electronically connected in a circuit to an electronic catheter guidance system apparatus located outside the patients body which has a power source and a calibrated monitor. The catheter is advanced by a physician into an initial opening in said multi-directional path in a patient's body moving the tip of said catheter or probe forward along said path until the calibrated monitor displays that an obstruction has been met indicating a change in path direction.