Abstract: An ionomeric modified poly-ether-ester plastic material combined with a small amount of silica is used as a substitute for the conventional uses of polyvinylchloride in such applications as tubing for medical applications, for bags and other medical containers, for tubing in food processing and as sheets and films for bacterial and virus exclusion. The ionomeric modified poly-ether-ester has various advantages which make it particularly suitable for such uses. The silica may be in the form of colloidal silica dioxide or silica oil.

Abstract: A medical infusion pump system includes a clamshell housing, a plate, and a pump. The clamshell housing includes a first shell and a second shell hingedly connected together allowing the housing to be in an open position or in a closed position. The housing defines one open end and an interior space. A plate releasably engages the housing at the open end when the housing is in the closed position. The plate defines an opening communicating with the interior space and includes attachment structure. The pump is removably attachable to the attachment structure of the plate and includes a retaining portion. When the pump is attached to the plate, the retaining portion retains the housing in the closed position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drug delivery device wherein a dose to be apportioned from a cartridge is set by changing the relative position of co-operating dose setting elements (3, 5) and is injected by pressing a button (5) until this button abuts a stop (6). By operation of count up (7) or count down (8) buttons the dose is set and read into an electronic circuit (9) comprising a microprocessor and the dose setting movement of the dose setting elements relative to each other is performed by a motor (11) controlled by the circuit in accordance with the read in dose. The set dose is shown on a display (10). The motor (11) is further controlled to perform certain movements of the piston rod (3) so as retraction of this rod when a cartridge (1) is going to be changed an advancing of the piston rod to abutment with the piston (2) after the cartridge has been changed and further to advance this piston to expel air from the cartridge.

Abstract: A duel system for flushing and vacuuming the sinuses comprising a main plate (1) having two voids (42 and 43) with collars (44 and 45) extending below. The voids hold two containers (25 and 26) with lids (9 and 10). Wing clips (2) attached to the main plate (1) holds adjuster plate (5) in recess (32) having mortise (33) within. Adjuster plate (5) accepts suction tube (39) and saline tube (40), with nose plugs (7E and 7F) on their ends. Wing clips (2) when rotated, allows adjuster plate (5) to be picked up and rotated, reversing tubes (39 and 40) and nose plugs (7E and 7F). Tubes (38, 39, 40 and 41) are secured in slots (27, 28, 29 and 30). Air compressor (24) creates pressure in pressure container (26) through pressure tube (41). The pressure pushes saline through saline tube (40) that passes up through lid (10), mortise (33), hole (6) in adjuster plate (5), and has nose plug (7F) on the end. Saline passes through nose plug (7F), up one nostril through the sinuses and down the other nostril.

Abstract: A medication delivery device, such as a pen-type injector, jet injector, medication pump, inhaler, spray or the like has a microprocessor coupled to the device that records the date, the time, and the amount of each medication administration. The microprocessor may also be coupled to a display to indicate the amount of medication to be administered. The medication delivery device can also be coupled with a blood characteristic monitor to analyze characteristics of the blood. This provides a single, all-in-one device that performs a variety of functions, and requires only a minimum of space. The medication delivery device may also use a disposable needle that substantially eliminates or reduces bleeding from an opening in the skin at the injection site.

Abstract: A needle point barrier includes a resiliently deflectable spring arm, a link arm and a barrier arm. The proximal end of the spring arm is secured near the proximal end of the needle. The link arm has one end hingedly connected to the spring arm and an opposed end hingedly connected to a proximal position on the barrier arm. Distal portions of the barrier arm slidably engage the needle. The needle point barrier can be collapsed into a Z-shaped configuration near the proximal end of the needle. The barrier arm can be urged distally by force applied to the proximal end of the barrier arm. Initial movement of the barrier arm will deflect the spring arm away from the needle. After sufficient manual movement of the barrier arm, the resiliency of the spring arm will urge the barrier arm distally into shielding relationship with the distal end of the needle.

Abstract: An improved medication delivery pen is provided for injecting fluids such as insulin within body tissue. The medication delivery pen includes a mechanism that prevents the removal of a cartridge unless an injector button on the medication pen is in a predefined position, a bayonet attachment and an improved clutch assembly in a dose setting mechanism that provides improved control over the torque necessary to rotate a units counter ring in the medication delivery pen using a dose setting knob.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety blood collecting device adapted to prevent accidental puncturing of attending medical personnel by an infected blood collecting needle. The blood collecting device has a forward conical portion which is provided with a vein aligning groove to allow convenient positioning of the needle guard in relation to the vein of the patient for precise injection of the needle. One or more resilient depressible locking tabs are carried by the needle guard and extend through corresponding aligned openings formed in the casing to lock the needle guard in an extended position covering the needle. When the locking tabs are depressed and an inward pressure is exerted on the forward end of the needle guard, the needle guard can be moved against the tension of a coil spring inside the casing and uncover the blood collecting needle to allow withdrawing of the blood from the patient.

Abstract: An attachment is described whereby a cannula or needle can be connected to a syringe or vacuum-creating machine in a quick and reliable manner. The cannula attachment comprises a plug which rigidly connects to the cannula at a tip using welding or other mounting methods, such that the plug can communicate fluid into and out of the cannula. The plug includes external threads about a middle portion, and a frustro-conical nose is formed at the opposite end. The nose is sized to fit snugly into the port of the syringe or vacuum-creating device at some intermediate distance between the tip and the end of the nose. With the nose tightly in the syringe port, a channel is formed through the plug from the cannula to the syringe barrel. The attachment is held in place by a locking sleeve which receives the syringe's port and the plug within opposite ends of a longitudinal bore such that the nose projects loosely into the syringe port.

Abstract: Treating a patient by collecting a bodily sample from deep within the body of a patient and collecting the sample outside the body to facilitate treatment of the patient. A sampling probe is provided in the form of an elongate catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located within the body. The distal portion includes a polymer on its outer surface capable of receiving a substantial amount of bodily sample. The catheter is positioned within the body and the sample is taken by exposing the polymer by placing it in proximity within a desired location so that the bodily sample is received by the polymer. The catheter is removed from the patient and the sample is collected outside the body.

Abstract: The present invention provides an injection system and a pump system for use therein for pressurizing a liquid medium for injection into a patient. In general, the pump system comprises a pressurizing unit having at least one chamber. Each chamber has disposed therein a pressurizing mechanism to pressurize liquid medium within the chamber. Preferably, the pressurizing mechanism positively displaces the liquid medium through generally linear motion of the pressurizing mechanism within the chamber. Through reciprocating linear motion of the pressurizing mechanism (for example, a piston), the liquid medium is alternatively drawn into the chamber from a source of liquid medium (for example, a container) and forced out of the chamber under a desired pressure. Each chamber comprises an inlet port and an outlet port.

Abstract: A venting catheter, system and method are provided for withdrawing blood and other fluids from a patient's heart to facilitate decompressing the heart during cardioplegic arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass, without the need for a thoracotomy and without puncturing the aorta, pulmonary artery, or heart itself. The venting catheter is configured to be introduced into a peripheral vein and intralumninally advanced through the right side of the heart and into the pulmonary artery. The venting catheter includes a lumen configured to withdraw blood at a rate of at least about 50 ml/min at a pressure of no less than about -350 mmHg. A flow-directing means is provided to facilitate guiding the catheter into the pulmonary artery by being carried by blood flow through the heart. The cardiac venting system may include, in addition to the cardiac venting catheter, a cardiopulmonary bypass system to maintain circulation of oxygenated blood, and means for arresting the patient's heart.

Abstract: A shielded needle assembly including an elongate needle with a proximal end, a distal end and a passageway therethrough. The assembly has a needle hub with a proximal end, a distal end and an outside surface. The proximal end of the needle is fitted and held in an axial opening through the needle hub at the distal end of the needle hub, with the distal end of the needle projecting distally axially. The proximal end of the needle hub is configured for releasable mounting the needle hub on a fluid handling device. The assembly of the invention has a shield with an open proximal end, a distal end, a sidewall having an elongate opening extending from the proximal end to the open end. The shield is operative between an open position, where the needle is exposed for use by passage through the elongate opening, a closed position, where the shield substantially obstructs access to the needle, and a latched position, where the shield is substantially prevented from inadvertent movement to the open position.

Abstract: A guiding catheter for use in coronary angioplasty and other cardiovascular interventions which incorporates a plurality of segment of selected flexural modulus in the shaft of the device. The segments which have a different flexibility than the sections immediately proximal and distal to them, creating zones in the catheter shaft which are either more or less flexible than other zones of the shaft. The flexibility and length of the shaft in a given zone is then matched to its clinical function and role. A mid-shaft zone is significantly softer than a proximal shaft or distal secondary curve to better traverse the aortic arch shape without storing too much energy. A secondary zone section is designed to have maximum stiffness to provide optimum backup support and stability.

Abstract: A novel surgical cannula system is disclosed. The system generally comprises a guide rod, a cannula housing, an obturator and a dam assembly. A novel method for deploying the surgical cannula is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for injecting radiographic dye during angiography. A deformable holding chamber is interposed between a contrast dye bottle and a syringe manifold. A one-way valve and an integral disconnect/flow-stop are connected between the bottle and the holding chamber. A vent is provided in the holding chamber, which can include a second one-way valve. Squeezing and releasing the deformable chamber fills the chamber from the bottle. The holding chamber contains a floating baffle which acts as a shut off valve by plugging the chamber outlet if the chamber becomes empty. The syringe is used to withdraw dye from the holding chamber. If dye remains in the bottle after performance of the procedure, the disconnect/flow-stop fitting can be disconnected, and the dye can be saved.

Abstract: A transintimal recanalization device comprising a guide tube (2) having a bend (C) in its length, a flexible needle (1) having a bevelled end (A) and a bend (C') in its length and located in said tube (2), wherein said needle (1) is movable from a covered position wherein said bevelled end (A) is within the tube (2) to an uncovered position in which said bevelled end (A) is exposed, and wherein said bends (C, C') match thereby orientating the bevelled end with respect to the tube (2). The device finds particular application in breaking through a vessel intima into a targeted distal vessel lumen in order to allow the passage of a guidewire.

Abstract: An endoscopic infusion needle device includes a catheter within which an injection tube having a distal injection needle is slideably disposed. A proximal actuating handle is coupled to the proximal ends of the catheter and the injection tube, and a distal stopping structure is provided on distal portions of the catheter and the injection tube. In one embodiment, the stopping structures include a rigid elongate skeletal structure occupying a portion of the annular space between the tube and the catheter, and an annular band on the tube which resides within the skeletal structure. The skeletal structure fits tightly within the cannula, allows irrigation fluid to pass through the annular space between the tube and the catheter to exit the distal end of the catheter, prevents the annular band from escaping through the proximal end or the distal end of the skeletal structure, and maintains the tube in substantial axial alignment with the catheter.

Abstract: Catheters for delivering drugs or other agents within a lumen, such as an artery or vein, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a catheter comprises an outer shaft with a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. An inner shaft is slidably received within the outer shaft. A distal portion of the shaft comprises a plurality of grooved delivery members having a non-deployed position wherein the delivery members lie within and are compressed by the outer shaft, and a deployed position wherein the delivery members extend beyond the outer shaft. In the deployed position, the delivery members flare outward at an angle, beyond the diameter of the outer shaft to bear against a site of interest, which can be a thrombus or a vessel wall, for example. Drugs or other agents can be conveyed to the delivery members through a space between the inner and outer shafts.

Abstract: A catheter assembly which permits simultaneous dilatation and incision of tissue whereby trauma and damage to the tissue due to uncontrolled tearing is reduced or eliminated comprising an elongated tubular body having a distal end that carries a dilatation balloon and cutting element carried on the exterior of the balloon and that moves radially in concert with the exterior of the bladder as the bladder is inflated and deflated. A radiofrequency current is directed through the cutting element to incise proximate tissue. Pressure can be applied to the tissue prior to cutting to facilitate separation and subsequent to cutting to inhibit bleeding.