Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the alleviation of movement disorders via the implantation of static devices which focally release neuroinhibitory compounds to preselected brain areas. Pathological conditions to be treated by these methods include parkinsonian movement disorders, Huntington's chorea, and epileptiform seizure activity. In the treatment of parkinsonism, target areas implantation include the subthalamic nucleus, the globus pallidus internus, and the substantia nigra pars reticulata. In the treatment of epilepsy, implants may be placed in an epileptogenic focus area of neural over-activity. The devices may be polymeric implants that release neuroinhibitory compounds such as GABA, GABA agonists, GABA potentiators, action potential blockers and voltage dependent calcium channel blockers, and glutamate antagonists. Alternatively, the devices may contain living cells which secrete neuroinhibitory compounds.

Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a refresh assembly configured to be activated while the diaper is worn, so as to provide an additional period of comfort until the diaper can be changed. The refresh assembly comprises an extendible panel having a length stored in a non-extended condition interior to a first diaper section. A pull line with line guide arrangement can be activated to extend the extendible panel between the interior of the diaper and the wearer. The extendible panel may include both a liquid impervious barrier, to isolate a wearer from a soiled portion of the diaper, and an absorbent layer to absorb moisture, thereby providing additional comfort to the wearer until the diaper can be changed.

Abstract: An angiographic injector includes a syringe which is connected to a fluid reservoir through a valve which permits radiographic contrast material to be drawn from the reservoir into the syringe during a fill operation. The valve permits air to be expelled from the syringe through the valve during a purge operation, but blocks flow of contrast material from the syringe back to the fluid reservoir. During an injection, the valve blocks flow of contrast material back to the fluid reservoir while the contrast fluid is being delivered under pressure from the syringe to a patient.

Abstract: A catheter having a proximal portion and a distal portion terminating in a distal tip, is provided with a spring assembly contained within its distal tip portion for providing a bias against side to side deflection of said distal tip. The assembly preferably includes a central wire having a first diameter, which central wire extends from the proximal portion of the catheter to the distal portion, and a plurality of wires secured to the central wire adjacent the distal end thereof. Each of the wires is stranded together, preferably twisted helically, around the central wire and preferably has a second diameter substantially smaller than the first diameter. Alternatively, the stranded wires can be attached along and parallel to the larger diameter wire, and the latter wire is of a substantially greater length than the stranded wires.

Abstract: A remotely programmable infusion system. The remotely programmable infusion system comprises a memory for storing a programmable protocol and a remote communication port for sending a voice signal to a remote touch-tone transceiver and for receiving a remote programming signal from the remote touch-tone transceiver. The remotely programmable infusion system also comprises a voice storage unit for storing the voice signal. The remotely programmable infusion system further comprises a processor, coupled to the remote communication port, to the voice storage unit, and to the memory, for accessing the voice signal from the voice storage unit and the programmable protocol from the memory, and for processing the programmable protocol in response to receiving the remote programming signal.

Abstract: The catheter flexible tip assembly is mounted to the distal end of a catheter body having high torque and kink resistant characteristics. The tip assembly comprises a distal end portion including a soft tubular body having a wire coil embedded therein and a transitional tip portion connected between the proximal end of the distal end portion and the distal end of the catheter body. Preferably a high stress resistant connection is provided between a distal end of the transitional tip portion and a proximal end of the distal end portion.

Abstract: An adhesive composition, and the surgical dressing of which it is a part, in which the composition takes the form of a water-absorbing and water-swellable hydrocolloid material distributed throughout the interstices of a three-dimensional, open-mesh, randomly-oriented network of flexible, water-insoluble, polymeric filaments, such filaments being surface coated by a tacky, water-insoluble adhesive material that has an adherence affinity for the filaments and that secures such coated filaments together at their points or zones of contact. When hydrated, the hydrocolloid material swells and become a gelatinous continuous phase, with the network of filaments expanding to retain the hydrated hydrocolloid material within the dressing. Despite the phase change, the water-insoluble adhesive material is also retained within the dressing because of its strong adherence to the filaments of the network.

Abstract: A method of producing a therapeutic effect upon a living organism endowed with a lymphatic system, comprising the steps of with drawing from said organism a biological fluid, wherein lymphocytes prevail as the cellular constituents, and introducing into said biological fluid a photo-active chemical agent soluble therein. The chemical agent has a specific affinity for the receptor sites in or on the fluid constituents, and is capable of being activated by ultraviolet radiation, and, when activated by said ultraviolet radiation, of forming photo-adducts with receptor sites of the fluid constituents, thereby ensuring chemical linkage between said photo-active chemical agent and said receptor sites. The method further includes irradiating the biological fluid, with the photo-active chemical agent introduced thereinto, by ultraviolet light, and introducing said biological fluid after said irradiation back into said lymphatic system. Irradiation may be effected endolymphatically.

Abstract: A steerable catheter includes a handle and a catheter tube, the distal region of which may be selectively curved by the operator. A fluid transport tube extends the entire length of the catheter to enable a user to supply or extract fluids from a patient through the catheter. Within the distal tip portion of the catheter tube, two support members are affixed to opposite sides of the fluid transport tube. The distal end of the tip portion of the catheter tube is attached to at least one and preferably two pull cables. When a pull cable is tightened, the catheter's tip portion assumes a curve defined by the orientation in which the support members are affixed to the fluid transport tube. The two support members allow the tip portion of the catheter tube to assume a curvature only in a direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the two support members.

Abstract: An automatic injector for the separate storage of a solid and a solvent for this solid. The injector comprises a discharge mechanism, a cartridge assembly and a front cover which is connected to a front portion of the cartridge assembly and provided at its front with a pierceable central area. The cartridge assembly comprises a hollow barrel, a pierceable stopper connected to the front portion of the barrel and constituting a compartment in front of said stopper for accommodating the solid, a piston slidably accommodated in the backward portion of the barrel and constituting a compartment for liquid in the barrel, an injection needle longitudinally extending in the liquid compartment, and means for centering the distal end of the needle in order to position the needle tip towards the pierceable stopper. The front cover is capable of rotational movement relative to the outer sleeve to allow the liquid in the barrel to reach the solid compartment through the needle.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for introducing a catheter into a surgically implanted port. The apparatus has a housing attached to a stylet, with the stylet being received in a catheter. Also provided in the apparatus is a casing with a protective cap that slidably fits within the housing. Also disclosed is a method of catheterizing a surgically implanted port by means of inserting a styler encased in a catheter and retracting the stylet.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrically determining and recording the dose of an agent delivered with a syringe consisting of a barrel for holding the agent and a plunger for expelling the agent. The syringe has a conducting path with an input terminal and an output terminal, and at least one electrically resistive element, whose resistance changes depending on the position of the plunger inside the barrel. The apparatus produces a voltage difference across the terminals and causes an electric current to flow through the conducting path. An electric response measuring device, preferably an ammeter, measures the electric current delivered from the syringe's output terminal and calculates the dose therefrom. The result is recorded by a digital memory unit.

Abstract: An apparatus essentially consisting of an aspiration conduit, a pump, and a pressure transducer and logic console which senses vacuum level fluctuations in the aspiration conduit. The aspiration conduit is connected to a surgical cavity. The pump creates a vacuum in the pre-pump aspiration conduit and transports the fluid and/or tissue material from the surgical cavity, through the aspiration conduit and into a collection container. The logic console responds to a predetermined rate of decrease in vacuum in the pre-pump aspiration conduit and causes an electric signal to be sent to 1) the pump, which upon receiving such signal, reverses its action and/or: 2) an electromechanical valve located along the aspiration conduit, which upon receiving such signal acts to occlude the aspiration conduit and terminate the removal of tissue or fluid from the surgical site. The reversal of rotation prevents the occurrence of a fluid surge which would result in the collapse of the surgical cavity.

Abstract: An infusion pump system includes a removable in vivo glucose sensor for monitoring glucose concentration level in a patient, and for signaling an infusion pump to deliver a selected medication such as insulin to a patient. The glucose sensor comprises a sensor cable for placement through a catheter to position a distal sensor tip at a selected in vivo sensor site. A proximal end of the sensor cable seats within a connector fitting mounted on the catheter at a convenient and accessible subcutaneous position. The connector fitting couples the sensor cable to an implanted control unit which signals the infusion pump to deliver the patient medication. In a preferred system, the infusion pump is also implanted and receives control signals via a direct or telemetric connection. The sensor cable is easily accessed at the connector fitting for periodic sensor removal and replacement, without requiring removal or replacement of other system components.

Abstract: A system is provided that is useful for a hypodermic jet injection of medication without piercing the skin with a needle. The system includes a spring actuated needleless hypodermic injector device for injecting medication through the skin. The injector device includes an ampule assembly having a chamber for holding liquid medication and an injector for receiving and mounting the ampule assembly. A plunger assembly, movable within the ampule chamber is used for drawing liquid medication into the ampule chamber and for ejecting liquid medication out from a chamber. The injector includes a spring actuated piston which provides a force to move the ampule assembly plunger and thereby force liquid medication to leave the chamber at such velocity that it can be hypodermically injected at an injection site. The system also includes a coupler for use on a medication vial for transferring medication to the ampule assembly.

Abstract: A trackable intravascular catheter having a distal section having a laminated tubular structure with the outer lamina of the tubular structure having a Shore hardness of about 30 to about 80 D and an inner lamina which is diametrically more rigid than the outer lamina. The catheter construction is particularly suitable for over-the-wire coronary angioplasty catheters.

Abstract: A cardiovascular catheter comprises an elongated catheter body having a flexible plastic wall reinforced with at least two concentrically spaced-apart braided stainless steel meshes. The catheter exhibits high resistance to buckling and torsional stiffness to allow precise rotational control of the catheter tip.

Abstract: A catheter needle tip protector which assures that the needle is secured against accidental punctures after it is withdrawn from a patient's body. A catheter comprises a catheter hub, and a needle tip protector positioned within the catheter hub. A catheter needle defines a needle tip, with the needle being secured to a needle housing by first and second unequal biasing wires which extend between the needle housing and the needle tip protector. When the needle is withdrawn from the catheter hub, the first and second biasing wires extend the needle tip protector relative to the needle to an oblique position caused by the unequal biasing in which the needle tip is positioned within the needle tip protector. The first and second unequal biasing wires can comprise first and second coiled wires, which can have different biasing strengths to bias the needle tip protector to the oblique position, or can have different lengths to bias the needle tip protector to the oblique position.

Abstract: A dose setting knob adapter for use on a medication delivery pen to convert the small, discrete dose setting control knob into an enlarged T-shaped handle that is easily rotated during dosage setting by a patient with reduced physical skills. The dose setting knob adapter attaches to the clip of the medication delivery pen for storage and mounts with the cap onto the dose setting knob over the proximal end of the medication delivery pen to permit a user to easily manipulate the dose setting knob during dosage setting. The enlarged handle is useful during drug injection since it provides a larger surface for the user to hold during injection. In addition, since the adapter mounts on the clip of the pen's cap during storage, the portable and discrete usage design approach is not compromised.

Abstract: A surgical dissector and method for facilitating fiberoptic viewing when developing a minimally invasive accessway to a surgical objective in the interior of the body. The dissector or guide is used to dissect tissues along an anatomic plane under direct fiberoptic vision. A balloon is provided to further dissect and retract tissue along the dissected accessway to provide an adequate depth of field for fiberoptic viewing through transparent walls of the balloon. The dissection allows a surgeon safely to make additional incisions into the region of the fiberoptic viewing space and to perform surgical procedures under fiberoptic vision by manipulating an accessory instrument on the exterior surface of the inflated balloon that is disposed within the dissected space.