Abstract: A Vanarthos trauma urethral catheter includes a central portion located between proximal and distal ends of the catheter so that, when the catheter is in an operative position, the central portion extends within a patient's urethra. A plurality of openings extend through the surface of the central portion of the catheter to provide fluid communication between a first fluid channel formed within the catheter and the urethra. The catheter also includes a distal inlet which, when the catheter is in an operative position, is located within the bladder and provides fluid communication between the bladder and a second fluid channel formed within the catheter. The first fluid channel extends from the central portion of the catheter to a first proximal inlet formed in the proximal portion of the catheter and the second fluid channel extends from the distal inlet to a proximal outlet.

Abstract: The invention provides a catheter capable of delivering drugs or other fluids to a desired remote location in a bodily passageway, such as a small, tortuous artery. The catheter of the invention includes inner and outer tubular layers, and a continuous helical wire coil disposed between the tubular layers along substantially the entire length of the catheter. To enhance trackability and pushability, the wire coil is constructed to provide regions of differing flexibility to the catheter. The wire coil in a first portion of the catheter has a first coil pitch and the wire coil in a second section of the catheter has a second coil pitch which is larger than the first coil pitch to provide the second section of the catheter with greater flexibility than the first section.

Abstract: A kink-resistant steerable catheter assembly suitable for microwave ablation includes a handle, a catheter and a steering control. The catheter has (a) a flexible, torque-transmitting and axially incompressible proximal or body portion terminating in a proximal end attached to the handle, and (b) a flexible and axially compressible distal or tip portion terminating in a distal end. A coaxial cable is disposed in and extends through a large aperture in the catheter proximal portion, and a coaxial cable extension is generally centrally disposed in, substantially fills, and snugly extends through a large lumen in the catheter distal portion to reduce kinking. The control is disposed in and actuatable from the handle, for placing tension on one of a pair of steering wires while relaxing tension on the other of the pair of steering wires, thereby to bend the distal end of the coaxial cable extension toward the tensed one of the steering wires.

Abstract: Nasal applicators are an important aid for introducing powdery, pharmacologically active medicaments into the nasopharyngeal space of a patient. The present nasal applicator is based on a manually actuated compressed air source connected to an inflow channel (8) for generating a compressed air jet, a storage container (3) for the medicament and a metering device for making available a portioned-off quantity of the medicament which is caught by the compressed air jet and transported through an outflow channel (9) into the nose. The metering device consists of a metering drum (5) in which the storage container (3) for the medicament is formed by the interior of the metering drum (5). In addition, the inflow channel (8) is connected to one end of a metering channel (7) and the outflow channel (9) to the other end of the metering channel (7).

Abstract: A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub. A latch which cooperates with the latch actuator is movable between one position which maintains the needle hub adjacent to the distal end of the barrel and a second position allowing the spring to urge the needle hub to the proximal end of the barrel. A mechanism may be provided to cushion the needle hub as it contacts the proximal end of the barrel by the force of the spring.

Abstract: A catheter body includes a main lumen and an auxiliary lumen. The main lumen has an outlet opening located at a distal end of the body and an inlet opening at a proximal end. The auxiliary lumen has an outlet opening located behind and spaced from the distal end a distance of 5-10 cm and an inlet lateral opening located toward the proximal end. An adapter for providing inlet ports communicating with the inlet openings of the main lumen and auxiliary lumen is provided on the catheter body. The adapter includes three members detachably connected to one another. The forward and middle members have threaded portions which engage one another and the middle and rearward members also have threaded portions which engage with one another. Annular seals are provided between the forward and middle members and the middle and rearward members. The adapter can be readily attached to the catheter body and an external device for dosing a liquid medicine can be attached to the adapter.

Abstract: The present invention is a dry powder inhaler that is operable to deliver a dry powder medication to the lungs of a patient without the use of a propellant. The inhaler device is a tubular shell with an opening at either end of the shell and an air passageway therethrough, a medication storage chamber, an axially moved air inlet closure member covering the air inlet opening(s), and a slidable medication dosing tray attached to the closure member. In use, the air inlet closure member is pulled in a direction away from the user while the patient inhales, causing the simultaneous introduction and flow of air through the air passageway, and dispersement of a dosage of the medication into the air passageway. The patient then inhales the air/medication mix which passes into the lungs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus used during cardiac surgery for reducing release of embolized air and particulate matter into general body circulatory system are disclosed. The method uses a catheter apparatus having an inflation lumen, an occlusive balloon, a suction lumen and a perfusion lumen. The catheter is inserted or navigated to into an aortic root and positioned so a suction opening communicates upstream of the aortic root and a perfusion opening communicates downstream of the suction opening. The patient's heart is stopped and the occlusive balloon is inflated to occlude the aorta. Cardiac surgery is performed and when the patient's heart is restarted the blood pumped by the heart during its first few contractions is suctioned through the suction opening. This initial blood pumped by the heart often contains embolized air and particulate matter which can cause a stroke or subtle cognitive changes if allowed to enter the general circulatory system.

Abstract: A displacement-activated medical check valve is provided for selectively opening and closing medicinal fluid communication. The check valve includes a flexible elastomeric member that has a proximal end and a distal end and has a sealed perforation defined at least partially through the flexible elastomeric member. A housing receives the flexible elastomeric member so that it can be displaced along the length thereof. A contact member is provided for engaging the distal end of the elastomeric member when at least a portion of the elastomeric member is displaced against the contact member. The elastomeric member and the sealed perforation are sized and configured such that the perforation is shortened and thereby compressed open when the elastomeric member is compressed against the contact member. When a compressive force is removed the elastomeric member rebounds to close the perforation.

Abstract: A vascular dilatation device for enlarging a flow passage in an obstruction in a vessel carrying flowing blood. A flexible cylindrical dilatation member having first and second ends is placed in the flow passage in the obstruction. An intermediate portion lies between the first and second ends. The flexible cylindrical dilatation member also has an interior flow passage with a diameter and a longitudinally extending central axis extending therethrough. The diameter of the flow passage is variable with movement of the first and second ends relative to each other along the longitudinally extending central axis from a contracted to an expanded condition. A control mechanism causes relative axial movement between the first and second ends towards each other from an extended position to a contracted position. The control mechanism includes an inner flexible elongate tubular member between the first and second ends of the flexible cylindrical dilatation member.

Abstract: A powered rotatable surgical tissue working tool for chucking in a powered rotating surgical handpiece includes a tubular elongate outer member having a distal tip portion angled off the central axis of the proximal portion of such tubular outer member, by reason of a angled portion therebetween. A rotatable elongate inner member extends coaxially and rotatably within the tubular outer member and has a rotatably drivable proximal portion, a distal tip portion for tissue working interaction with the distal tip portion of the outer member, and a flexibly bendable portion therebetween rotatably housed within the angled portion of the outer member. A suction passage communicates between the distal tip portions thereof and the handpiece for permitting suction withdrawal of flowable materials from a surgical site axially through such suction passage and to a suction source.

Abstract: An electronic syringe for use in administering anesthetic and the like injections or for aspirating fluids. The electronic syringe is particularly well suited in dental applications where a precise level of hand control is required. The syringe housing is a compact, pen-style arrangement that may be gripped between the middle and index fingers of the practitioner's hand which allowing for thumb-free operation. Motorized, optionally cordless, operation with speed control and data collection is also provided such that an injection can be preformed on a patient in a steady, painless, non-intimidating manner. When connected to a processing device, the data collection feature is capable of updating a patient database with the mount of anesthetic and the like injected for record keeping purposes.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of atrial arrhythmia by use of ablation and/or mapping procedures comprising ablating discrete ablation tracks within the left and right atrium of the heart by use of precurved left and right atrium guiding introducers, including preferably a guiding introducer system for use in the left atrium comprising an inner and an outer guiding introducer. Also disclosed are shapes for the guiding introducers and the guiding introducer system to be used for the ablation and/or mapping of the discrete tracks within the left and right atrium.

Abstract: A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub. A latch which cooperates with the latch actuator is movable between one position which maintains the needle hub adjacent to the distal end of the barrel and a second position allowing the spring to urge the needle hub to the proximal end of the barrel. A mechanism may be provided to cushion the needle hub as it contacts the proximal end of the barrel by the force of the spring.

Abstract: An aspirator assembly enabled to remove fluids from a patient comprises an elongated hollow interior barrel, a plunger reciprocally movable within the barrel along the length thereof and extending outwardly from a rear end of the barrel. The plunger includes an elongated stem having a grip at an outer end thereof and a plunger head secured to an inner end of the stem. The plunger head is slidably engagable with an interior surface of the barrel. The improvement is found in a locking device which is selectively positionable into and out of a locked position. The locking device is formed in part on both the barrel and the stem and is adapted for removably locking the plunger head in a plurality of spaced apart locations within and along the length of the barrel. Additionally, the stem may be rotated so as to disengage the locking device and provide an aspirator with unobstructed reciprocation.

Abstract: A syringe device for use with two components to be combined prior to discharge, comprising a syringe body without the proximal end, a syringe plunger rod threadedly engageable into a plunger and a lined seal for engagement with a needle hub. The syringe body has at the distal end a radially inwardly directed internal sealing ring dividing the body to define a distal chamber and a proximal chamber. Also provided is an internal bypass stopper sized to fit the syringe body and engage the sealing ring to sealingly separate the distal chamber and the proximal chamber. The stopper has a plurality of projections circumferentially spaced thereon for engagement with the syringe body on at least one side of the sealing ring. The projections define by-pass channels therebetween to permit flow of liquid from the proximal chamber to the distal chamber upon movement of the stopper toward the distal end.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimally invasive tissue removal contemplates a system including a tissue cutting tool having a motor driven cutting blade reciprocating within a percutaneously introducable cannula. In accordance with one method of the invention, the frequency of reciprocation of the cutting blade is tuned to a characteristic frequency of the target tissue to be excised, which frequency is a function of certain properties of the target tissue and the surrounding tissue. Cutting at the characteristic frequency of the target tissue not only enhances the speed and efficiency of the tissue excision, but also minimizes the risk of cutting surrounding tissue. Another aspect of the system includes feedback control of both aspiration and irrigation circuits of the system. With the feedback control, coupled with user settable inputs, the surgeon can control the system to "tease" tissue into the cutting opening to provide more manageable bite sizes of the excised tissue.

Abstract: The liquid removal system of the present invention is designed to permit efficient liquid removal as needed through the use of an interface device. The interface device is provided with a membrane which has and is capable of maintaining a vacuum on one side so that when liquid contacts the opposite side of the membrane the liquid passes through the membrane and is removed from the interface device by a maintained vacuum to a receptacle for disposal. When used as a female external catheter system, the present invention is designed to remove urine from incontinent female hospital and nursing home patients and even patients under home care.

Abstract: A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub. A latch which cooperates with the latch actuator is movable between one position which maintains the needle hub adjacent to the distal end of the barrel and a second position allowing the spring to urge the needle hub to the proximal end of the barrel. A mechanism may be provided to cushion the needle hub as it contacts the proximal end of the barrel by the force of the spring.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a catheter having a tubular body with a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A predetermined length of the distal end of the body has varying bending stiffness in both the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the tubular body. The catheter further includes a pull wire extending through the lumen. The pull wire has a proximal end and a distal end. the distal end of the pull wire is attached to the distal end of the tubular body. Preferably the catheter has at least two strips of material extending longitudinally along the body. The strips of material are offset from each other in both the circumferential and longitudinal directions. These strips of material have a greater bending stiffness than the tubular body so that the distal end of the body has varying bending stiffness in both the circumferential and longitudinal directions.