Abstract: A urine-absorbent bag having front and rear sections for covering of the user's penis and an opening for insertion of the user's penis into the bag, the bag being composed of a liquid-permeable inner sheet, a liquid-impermeable outer sheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed therebetween, the core being formed with grooves in predetermined directions to thereby deform the bag following a shape of the user's penis and allow an absorbing capacity of the core to be fully utilized.

Abstract: A packing device for use in endoscopic operative procedures is formed of an elongate strip of absorbent, preferably expandable material having a rigid, dry state of a size to permit passage through a narrow endoscopic portal to an internal operative site and having a soft wet state when body fluids are absorbed thereby such that the packing device exposes and isolates tissue to be treated and protects adjacent tissue at the operative site while, in the dry state, is sufficiently rigid to manipulate tissue. A method of packing an internal operative site during an endoscopically performed procedures includes inserting a rigid strip of absorbent, preferably expandable, material through a narrow endoscopic portal and positioning the strip of material at the operative site such that at least a portion of the strip of material absorbs body fluids to become soft and pliable.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a sanitary article comprising a main body having a liquid-impermeable back sheet, a liquid-permeable front sheet and an absorbent material and leg holes having at the opposed edge portions of the main body, further comprising fixation means forming a flexible ring which are fitted closely over the entire circumference of the proximal portion of each of the wearer's legs.

Abstract: A urine-absorbent bag has a front section and a rear section adapted to cover a user's penis, defining an opening for insertion of the penis into the bag and a bottom opposed to the opening. The front section has a cut extending from an edge of the opening towards the bag bottom to divide the front section into first and second portions. Fastening members fasten the first and second portions when the portions overlap each other. The rear section has a leakage blocking dam including an elasticized sheet having a base end extending along and bonded to the edge of the opening transversely of the bag and a free end adapted to be raised radially of the opening from the base end.

Abstract: This invention relates to a non-contact coating method for producing a continuous coating and articles constructed therefrom. This invention further relates to a method for producing a textile material with a moisture-impermeable barrier layer and to a method for producing a moisture-absorbing article of hygiene which has such a barrier layer. This invention particularly relates to a textile material and hygienic disposable articles comprising a body fluid impermeable barrier layer produced from said coating method. Preferably, the thermoplastic composition used in the method for producing the barrier layer exhibits certain rheological characteristics.

Abstract: An external catheter comprises a sheath essentially formed as a shaft and a constricted drainage tube part integrated therewith for connection with a hose connector which is connected to a draining hose. In order to facilitate the mounting of the drainage tube part on the hose connector, an end portion of the drainage tube part at the orifice thereof is divided into at least two sections.

Abstract: Methods of artificially lining a vessel, especially an artery, of a medical patient to address the existence of a flow-inhibiting atheroma and to significantly alleviate the probability of restenosis, and the resulting products.

Abstract: The present invention provides modular intraluminal tubular prostheses, particularly stents and stent-grafts, for the treatment of disease conditions, particularly aneurysms. Modular sections of the prostheses, or "prosthetic modules," may be selectively combined to form a composite prosthesis having characteristics which are tailored to the specific requirements of the patient. Each prosthetic module preferably includes one or more standard interface ends for engaging another module, the module/module interface typically comprising ends which overlap and/or lock within a predetermined axial range. Advantageously, the axial length, cross-section, perimeter, resilient expansive force, axial flexibility, liner permeability, liner extensibility, radial conformability, liner/tubal wall sealing and anchoring, and other prosthetic characteristics may be varied along the axis of the composite prosthesis, and also along the axis of each prosthetic module.

Abstract: A generally cylindrical membrane-type fiber bundle blood oxygenator concentrically surrounds a generally cylindrical blood heat exchanger including a fiber bundle made of thousands of polymer material micro-conduits. A heat transfer fluid such as water is introduced into the upper end of the heat exchanger and flows downwardly around the outside surfaces of the micro-conduits to an outlet. Upper and lower seals of urethane potting compound separate the heat transfer fluid from the open ends of the micro-conduits through which blood flows. A transition manifold at the upper end of the heat exchanger directs out flowing blood radially outwardly to the upper end of the oxygenator fiber bundle. The blood flows downwardly around the outside surfaces of the fibers of the oxygenator fiber bundle to a blood outlet manifold that collects the oxygenated blood.

Abstract: A natural tissue heart valve includes a tubular wall having an outflow section and valve leaflets which allow flow into the outflow section. A heart valve of this type is subjected to a fixative fluid to provide a first differential fluid pressure across the tubular wall of the outflow section and a second differential fluid pressure across the valve leaflets. The first differential fluid pressure acts outwardly on the tubular wall, and the differential pressures are unequal.

Abstract: A backsheet of a disposable diaper comprises a plastic film covering an entire outer side of the diaper and a pair of nonwoven fabrics laminated to an outer surface of the plastic film over front and rear waist region but longitudinally spaced apart from each other over a crotch region.

Abstract: Composite non-woven material through which liquid can pass at a high speed and having an excellent resistance to rewetting and fluffing. The material comprises at least one first layer (2) of combed-type fibres and a second layer (3) of combed-type fibres, the fibres of the of the first layer having a denier greater than that of the fibres of the second layer, the layers being joined to one another by needling. Appplication to absorbent sanitary articles.

Abstract: A shorts type disposable diaper comprising an absorbent body which comprises a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent member interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, the absorbent body having a front waist body portion located on the stomach side of a diaper wearer when the diaper is worn and a rear waist body portion located on the back side of the wearer, the front and rear waist body portions being joined and sealed together at opposing lateral side edges thereof to form a waist opening portion and a pair of leg opening portions, characterized in that the topsheet and/or the backsheet have a mechanical strength of about 1,500 gf/50 mm or more in the longitudinal direction of the diaper.

Abstract: A mixing device for mixing first and second materials, including a container (2) for receiving the first material and having an inlet port (10) and an outlet port (12), a flexible tube (14) having one end connected to the inlet port (10), a cap (16) secured to the opposite end of the flexible tube (14) for attachment to a second container (4) receiving the second material, and a clamp carried by the flexible tube (14) and normally pinching the flexible tube closed, but being manually openable to permit, when the cap (16) has been attached to the second container (4), the addition of the second material in the first container to the first material in the second container and mixing of the two materials together in the first container (2).

Abstract: Vaginal epithelium drying is substantially reduced or prevented by reducing the capillary suction pressure of a tampon in early use. This is accomplished by modifying the capillary suction pressure of the surface of the tampon by using hydrophobic components in the tampon, such as hydrophobic fibers and/or hydrophobic cover material. Other means of obtaining a lower capillary suction pressure include increasing the denier of the fibers in the tampon's absorbent core and/or decreasing the density of the tampon.

Abstract: In absorbent products, such as sanitary napkins, discreet areas of dry fibrous materials such as fluid-repellent materials are precisely placed in various planes within the product so as to provide barriers to bodily fluid leakage from the product. In a preferred embodiment, hydrophobic fibers are placed around the periphery of a central absorbent area of an absorbent product to discourage and/or prevent side or end leakage from the product.

Abstract: An ostomy coupling includes two rings which can be interengaged concentrically. The inner ring (1a) has a peripheral flange (2) at one end for attachment to an abdominal pad (3a) and a radially outwardly directed peripheral bead (6) at its other end; while the outer ring (1b) has a radially outwardly directed flange (7) for attachment to an ostomy pouch (8a), and a lip (11) which engages behind the peripheral bead (6) on the inner ring in order to secure the two rings of the coupling together. The flange (7) on the outer coupling ring includes a stiffening member (10) which is disposed so as to restrain the outer coupling ring from expanding away from the inner coupling ring when the two parts of the coupling are interengaged in use.

Abstract: An aortic valve sizing obturator apparatus for employment in determining the correct size of an aortic annulus. The apparatus includes a cylindrical obturator body with a flange member formed thereabout. At least the under surface of the flange member is of a non-planar, multi-curvate configuration to thereby be complimentary in shape to the annulus of an aortic valve when seated in the annulus during size determination. Within the cylindrical obturator body can be disposed a handle connector to which a handle can be attached during placement of the obturator apparatus within an annulus. The present invention also includes methodology for determining the size of an aortic valve annulus by employing a plurality of differently-sized aortic valve sizing obturators defined above and individually seating them sequentially within the aortic annulus until an obturator that reflects annulus size is located.

Abstract: A diaper having an absorbent barrier on the inside surface of the front of the diaper. The barrier is preferably in the form of a ridge or laterally elongated inverted pocket which extends from the inner surface of the absorbent inside portion. The barrier is positioned so that when the diaper is worn, it is either above the male's penis or is positioned to accommodate or accept at least a portion of the penis. The barrier is specially adapted to block inadvertent urinary discharge. In one embodiment, the barrier is an insert for a conventional diaper, the insert being secured to the inside of the diaper with tape or any other adhesive. In another embodiment, the barrier is integral with the interior of the diaper.

Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article having an absorbent core. The absorbent core includes a primary absorbent member and a secondary absorbent member. The primary absorbent member has a fluid distribution rate, expressed as the ratio of a stain area in the primary absorbent member to a stain area in the secondary absorbent member, along a X-Y direction greater than about 1.8 times faster than the secondary absorbent member. The fluid distribution rate is expressed as a ratio of a stain area in the primary absorbent member to a stain area in the secondary absorbent member five minutes after a given volume of test fluid insults the absorbent core. The secondary absorbent member has a substantial portion thereof composed of a non-absorbent polymeric composition. The secondary absorbent member is superposed over a portion of the primary absorbent member.