Abstract: A catheter gard unit is disclosed herein which includes a flexible tapered introduction guide. The distal end of the tapered introduction guide, in a sheath procedure, is placed over a guide wire and into a sheath, both of which have been pre-placed within a patient's body. In a sheathless procedure, the distal end of the tapered introduction guide is placed adjacent the skin of the patient and over the pre-placed guide wire. The gard unit comprises a body with a passageway therethrough for the passage of the catheter tube. A resilient slidable seal is mounted upon the tapered introduction guide of the gard unit. The slidable seal is adapted to slid over and seal the connection between the introduction guide, through which the catheter is placed, and a hemostasis valve of the sheath, after insertion of the sheath into the patient's body and thereby form a liquid seal between the introduction guide and the sheath.

Abstract: An over-the-needle catheter for insertion into an anatomical passage through the use of an introducer. The catheter comprises an elongate, flexible catheter body defining proximal and distal ends, and a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. Partially inserted into and protruding from the distal end of the catheter body is a rigid, tubular sleeve which defines an abutment shoulder within the lumen of the catheter body. Disposed on and encapsulating the exposed portion of the sleeve is a distal tip member defining a central opening which communicates with the lumen via the sleeve. The abutment shoulder is adapted to abut a portion of the introducer in a manner which inhibits proximal movement of the tip member relative to the introducer to prevent the tip member from being pushed proximally over the introducer and collapsing the catheter body during the insertion of the catheter into the anatomical passage.

Abstract: An auto-injector for a medicament prefilled syringe, having a head at one end and fitted with a needle at the other end, the auto-injector incorporating a first device D1 which makes automatic the needle penetration into the user's body and controls a second device D2 which performs the medicament injection. The first device includes: a cylindrical body (1) formed for receiving a syringe (4) and provided at its upper end with a collar forming a seat suitable to bear the head of the syringe, and a sliding tubular element or slider (5) concentric to the body and adapted to slide on a cylindrical surface of the body. One of the body (1) and slider (5) is formed with a bevelled projection and the other of the body (1) and slider (5) is formed with a shoulder (11). A resilient ring (9) is arranged in such a way that ring (9) prevents the reciprocal movement of body (1) and slider (5) thus maintaining the latter in such a position to cover the entire needle (10) of the syringe.

Abstract: An infusion pump for infusing solutions from IV bags through tubing to patients. The pump comprises a housing having a compartment which receives an IV bag in a solution-dispensing position. The bag is placed over a bladder within the compartment, and the bladder is expanded by a pressurized fluid to apply a pushing force against the bag which collapses to infuse solution through the tubing. A pump in the housing pumps a fluid such as air into the bladder under influence of a control circuit. A pressure sensor indirectly senses pressure of fluid in the bladder through a pressure of pad which contacts the bladder wall. A control circuit generates a pressure signal responsive to movement of the pressure pad for operating a valve which directs fluid between the pump and bladder. A dispensing spike is provided for interconnecting a dispensing port of the bag in fluid communication with the tubing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maximizing the total amount of blood processed during an apheresis procedure by optimizing the concentration of anticoagulant in a donor/patient and the associated extracorporeal tubing set is provided. A simplified model of an anticoagulant accumulation in a donor/patient's body is used to calculate an optimal anticoagulant infusion rate profile to the donor/patient during a blood processing procedure. A maximum acceptable anticoagulant concentration in the donor/patient acts as an upper limit on the rate at which anticoagulant may be infused to the donor/patient using the optimized infusion rate profile. A minimum acceptable anticoagulant level acts as a lower limit in optimally controlling the anticoagulant concentration in the extracorporeal tubing set.

Abstract: A winged IV catheter assembly includes a central tube having a proximal end and a distal end secured to a catheter. The outer circumference of the central tube has at least one annular bead. The assembly also includes a winged inserter having a longitudinally extending body and a pair of flexible wings connected to the body. The body includes a central passageway. The passageway includes at least one annular groove for receiving the annular bead on the central tube. The central tube and catheter can be rotatably positioned within the passageway of the winged inserter. The central tube and catheter then can be rotated with respect to the winged inserter as needed by a health care worker to facilitate insertion of the catheter into a patient.

Abstract: A body having a syringe receptacle for receiving and retaining a syringe having a plunger, a housing containing a drive assembly for moving the plunger of the syringe between a depressed position and an extended position, a grip containing a control assembly for controlling the operation of the drive assembly in programmable modes of operation.

Abstract: A medical tubing support which includes a harness strap, capable of being attached around the body of the patient, a detachable pad capable of being selectively attached to the harness strap, and at least one adjustable strap pivotally attached to the detachable pad which secures ventilation circuit tubing on the detachable pad. The first end of the adjustable strap is attached to a rivet located in the center of the detachable pad. The rivet enables the adjustable strap to pivot anywhere in 360 degrees. During use, the second end of the adjustable strap is wrapped over an object to hold the object on the detachable pad. Velcro (TM) hook and loop surfaces disposed between the detachable pad and the adjustable strap enables the adjustable strap to be selectively fixed in position on the detachable pad. Velcro (TM) hook and loop surfaces provided between the detachable pad and the topside of the harness allows the detachable pad to be selectively placed on the topside of the harness.

Abstract: A needle and stylus system. The system has a hollow tubular needle formed of a rigid material. The needle has an elongated linear intermediate section constituting the majority of the length of the needle and with a curved distal section terminating in an oval opening. A bore is formed through the intermediate and distal sections of an essentially common diameter and the oval opening at the distal end is located in a plane essentially parallel with the axis of the intermediate section and spaced from the exterior surface of the intermediate section. The needle also has a proximal end formed as a radially exterior enlargement with an enlarged cylindrical bore. A tubular stylet has an elongated linear intermediate section and a curved distal section with an oval planar face positionable at the opening at the distal end of the needle when the stylet is inserted within the needle.

Abstract: A medication infusion device such as a programmable infusion pump includes data input regarding a selected patient parameter such as a current blood glucose reading. The infusion device includes a controller responsive to this data input to develop a medication delivery protocol which can be implemented automatically, recommended via a display for subsequent approval or rejection upon manipulation of control switches, or otherwise overridden in favor of a different medication delivery protocol.

Abstract: A device useful in the injection of an anesthetic into the peribulbar region of the eye. The device includes a needle assembly functionally integrated with a flange shaped to provide pressure to the desired region. The device in combination with a syringe and needle allows the injection of anesthetic under pressure and directed toward the peribulbar region of the eye, adequately distributing the anesthetic throughout the peribulbar space more efficiently.

Abstract: An infusion pump for providing a pressurized liquid flow from a collapsible, deformable reservoir bag includes a magnetically actuated pressurizing member that applies a pressure to the bag in response to the force of magnetic attraction applied by a magnet. In several embodiments, a bag is seated on a platen of magnetizable metal, and a magnet with a compressing surface is mounted for movement toward and away from the platen. As the magnet is moved toward the platen by the force of magnetic attraction, the bag is pressurized between the magnet and the platen. The magnet may be spring biased either toward or away from the platen to alter the relationship between the decreasing volume of the bag and the pressure applied to it, by compensating in a known manner for the change in the magnitude of the magnetic force with the distance between the magnet and the platen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a balloon expandable universal access sheath which can be used in surgical procedures such as abdominal aortic grafting. The device allows for great surgical flexibility, ease of insertion and, in addition, the ability to collect and recirculate blood.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved stylet for a enteric or nasoenteric feeding tubes. In broadest terms, the present invention comprises: a stylet for a feeding tube, the stylet having: (a) a stylet hub having a bore therethrough and adapted to be attached to one end of the feeding tube, the bore having an inner surface; (b) a longitudinally extending reinforcement member adapted to extend through the feeding tube, the reinforcement member having a proximal end; and (c) a hollow member having an outer surface and having an aperture, the hollow member disposed in the bore so as to hold the inlet end of the reinforcement member between the outer surface and the inner surface through an interference fit.

Abstract: A safety syringe assembly includes a hypodermic syringe having a syringe barrel with opposed proximal and distal ends. A needle cannula is mounted to the distal end of the barrel. A collar mounted around the syringe barrel includes at least one radially inwardly directed recess. A safety shield is positioned over the syringe barrel for telescoping movement from a proximal position where the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the syringe safety shield protectively surrounds the needle cannula. The safety shield is rotatable with respect to the barrel when the safety shield is in its proximal position. The safety shield includes an inside surface having at least one inwardly directed projection sized and positioned to pass through the recess in the collar when the safety shield is rotated with respect to the barrel to align the projection and the recess. When alignment is achieved the safety shield can be moved form the proximal position to the distal position.

Abstract: A syringe pump particularly adapted for delivery of small volumes at a high pressure in an accurate and reproducible manner. The syringe pump includes a frame, a motor attached to the frame, and a lead screw drivably connected to the motor. A cover seal is mounted to the front end of the lead screw, the cover seal having grooves formed therein to facilitate mounting and demounting of the cover seal. The pump further includes a cylindrical barrel within which the cover seal reciprocates, the barrel being made of a ceramic material, wherein the barrel is fixedly attached to the frame at the front end and floatably mounted to the frame at the back end. A barrel head is mounted to the front end of the barrel for closing off that end of the barrel, the barrel head including an outlet port for allowing fluid to enter and exit the barrel. In addition, the present invention includes a multi-syringe gradient syringe pump, a liquid chromatography system, a cover seal, and a mixer for mixing multiple flow streams.

Abstract: A luer-type adapter has a dual instead of a single set of engaging screw threads. A proximal and a distal screw thread on the hub engage proximal and distal screw threads on the collar of the connector to provide at least twice the engaging or sealing force between the tapered surfaces of the stem and hub which are forced together by rotating the collar relative to the hub to engage the two sets of threads. The diameters of the engaging distal screw threads have to be sufficiently great so that the proximal screw thread on the hub can pass under the distal screw thread on the collar in order to effect proximal as well as distal engagement. An O-ring mounted on an untapered distal segment of the stem engages an untapered inner hub surface to provide additional sealing force which is particularly useful where gas is being provided through the adapter.

Abstract: A control syringe is provided for fine needle aspiration of biopsy tissue. An aperture through the barrel of the syringe is located at a rearward position of the barrel. A low pressure created in the barrel by withdrawing the plunger is broken by withdrawing the plunger past the aperture. Thereafter, the plunger may be pushed forward of the aperture so that collected tissue may be discharged by moving the plunger forward. A detent attached to the plunger holds the plunger in its rearward position until released. The detent comprises a plastic member with an outwardly biased shoulder for engaging the rearward end of the barrel. Such a detent is released by pressing it towards the plunger.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a needle guard assembly including a needle, a body and a handle. The body defines a chamber for receiving the needle. The handle moves the needle from the exterior of the body into the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for accurately infusing medicinal agents into an ambulatory patient at specific rates over extended periods of time. The apparatus is of a compact, low profile, laminate construction and includes an elastic distendable membrane, which, in cooperation with a thin planar base defines a fluid chamber having a fluid outlet. Disposed within the fluid chamber is a thin fluid permeable member which precisely controls the rate of fluid flow through the fluid outlet. The apparatus also includes a highly novel fluid flow indicator that provides a readily discernible visual indication of fluid flow through the apparatus.