Abstract: A ferrule for a laparoscopic surgical instrument is enclosed. The ferrule is an integral plastic piece which shields a peripheral uncovered portion of a metal tube of the surgical instrument which is intermediate a shrink wrap covered portion of the metal tube and an actuator housing which closely surrounds an extended portion of the metal tube. The ferrule has first and second end portions and a middle portion, with a cylindrical bore in the first end which closely contacts the shrink wrap covered portion of the metal tube, a first outwardly flaring frusto-conical bore in the middle portion and adjacent the cylindrical bore which surroundingly covers the uncovered portion of the metal tube, and a second outwardly flaring frusto-conical bore in the second end adjacent the first outwardly flaring bore.

Abstract: Hook scissors end effectors are provided for a laparoscopic instrument. The hook scissors end effectors generally comprise first and second blades, with at least one of the blades pivotally engaging the laparoscopic instrument. Each blade comprises an elongate straight blade member with an integral transverse hook element at the distal end of the blade member. The hook elements each extend towards the other blade member and each hook element is offset from its blade member so that a narrow recess is provided between opposing first and second hook members upon closing of the first and second blade members. The elongate straight blade members provide a straight scissors cutting action therebetween so that the contiguously adjacent portions of the blade members gradually come together in a continuous bearing contact to effect a cutting action.

Abstract: Disposable laparoscopic surgical instruments for insertion through trocar tubes are disclosed. The instruments broadly include: a hollow aluminum tube; an aluminum clevis which is formed separately from the aluminum tube with the distal end of the hollow aluminum tube crimped around the proximal end of the clevis, and with the clevis including a pivot pin; at least one end effector element having a pivot hole through which the pivot pin of the clevis is pivotally engaged, and another through-hole; an aluminum push rod extending at least partially through the hollow aluminum tube and mechanically coupled to the end effector element; and a plastic actuator engaging the proximal end of the push rod and for imparting reciprocal motion to the push rod relative to the aluminum tube, where the reciprocal motion is translated at the clevis into pivotal motion of the end effector element.

Abstract: A therapeutical apparatus includes a measuring apparatus including a probe which generates an X-ray or ultrasonic wave in order to detect the location of a target to be treated such as calculi situated within the kidney, liver, biliary ducts. A therapeutical energy generator generates a shock wave of sufficient energy for purpose of therapy externally of the physical body and focusses it upon the target. Structure is provided for causing a displacement of the generator and the measuring apparatus around the surface of a patient. Structure is provided to activate the generator.

Abstract: Releasable ratchet mechanism for medical instruments such as endoscopic instruments are disclosed. The ratchet mechanism includes: a leaf spring with a locking barb which is located on a handle of the medical instrument; a ratchet on a lever arm of the medical instrument which lever arm is pivotally engaged to the handle; and a latch on the handle of the medical instrument. The latch on the handle engages and resiliently deforms the leaf spring to cause engagement of the locking barb in a groove of the ratchet when the latch is in a first position. When in a second position, the latch releases the locking barb from the ratchet groove. Preferably, the locking barb has an extending edge surface on an axis which is substantially parallel to the pivoting axis of the handle and lever arm, and the teeth of the ratchet have extending edge surfaces on axes substantially parallel to the extending edge surface of the locking barb.

Abstract: Medical instruments are provided having end effectors and end effector actuator apparatus which are rotatable relative to the end effectors. The instruments generally include a tube which is typically coupled to the end effectors via a clevis around which the end effectors pivot, a push rod extending through the tube and coupled to the end effectors, an actuator apparatus engaging the tube and the push rod and imparting reciprocal axial motion to the push rod relative to the tube, and end effectors. The actuator apparatus includes a sleeve, spring, handle, and lever arm. The sleeve is movable along the longitudinal axis of the tube against a biasing force of the spring, but is restrained from rotating about the tube. The sleeve has a locking element on its proximal end. The handle surrounds and rotatably engages the proximal end of the tube and has a locking element on its distal end which mates with the locking element of the sleeve and disengages therewith when the sleeve is advanced along the tube.

Abstract: Disposable laparoscopic surgical instruments for insertion through trocar tubes are disclosed. The instruments broadly include: a hollow aluminum tube; an aluminum clevis which is formed separately from the aluminum tube with the distal end of the hollow aluminum tube crimped around the proximal end of the clevis, and with the clevis including an axially off-set pivot pin; at least one end effector element having a pivot hole through which the off-set pivot pin of the clevis is pivotally engaged, and another through-hole; an aluminum push rod extending at least partially through the hollow aluminum tube and mechanically coupled to the end effector element; and apparatus for imparting reciprocal motion to the push rod relative to the aluminum tube, whereby the reciprocal motion is translated at an offset pivot of the clevis into a high torque pivotal motion of the end effector element.

Abstract: End effectors for an endoscopic surgical instrument are provided and comprise a pair of identical elongate longitudinally extending arms having tooth-like terminal projections which closely mesh in a closed position. A preferred embodiment of the end effectors are hermaphroditic claw extractors which grasp and pierce tissue without endangering nearby tissue.

Abstract: A stoma creator is provided comprising a flexible tube having a first opening, a tapered dilator portion, having a second opening, the diameter of the first opening being greater than the diameter of the second opening, and a connecting portion. The stoma creator has a tapered dilator having a side wall which gently tapers from approximately 5 French to 14 French.

Abstract: An incentive spirometer that indicates the volume of air drawn therethrough is disclosed. The spirometer comprises a housing with a turbine rotatably mounted therein. The turbine is provided with a take-off shaft with which is operably associated a signal device responsive to the rotation of the shaft. Air drawn through the spirometer by a patient rotates the turbine and the signal device indicates the volume of air that has passed through the spirometer.

Abstract: A Maryland dissectors for insertion through a 5 mm trocar tube is disclosed and generally includes a hollow extended aluminum tube, a clevis, a pivot pin, a push rod, Maryland dissector end effector blades, and an actuator for causing reciprocal motion of the push rod. The clevis fixedly engages a first end of the aluminum tube, with the clevis having a hollow bore communicating with the aluminum tube and a pair of parallel, spaced apart, opposed arms extending away from the aluminum tube. The pivot pin extends transversely between the arms of the clevis and engages the clevis arms. The Maryland dissector end effector blades extend away from the aluminum tube and curve away from the longitudinal axis of the aluminum tube. The pivot pin extends through through-holes in the blades which are sized to permit pivotal movement of the blades around the pivot pin and to permit limited angular displacement of the blades relative to the pivot pin.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave curing device according to the present invention, can set the optimum ultrasonic wave focusing condition for curing, by using at least one of an ultrasonic wave oscillator, a conical reflector having a conical reflecting surface to reflect an ultrasonic wave, which comes from the ultrasonic wave oscillator, and a reflecting case having a concave, reflecting surface to focus to a position to be cured, an ultrasonic wave which is reflected, again, by the reflecting surface, after it is reflected by conical reflecting surfaces that are arranged around the periphery of the conical reflector.

Abstract: An ultrasonic percussion device uses an ultrasonic generator attached to one end of a wire by a linking assembly which includes a radially elastically deformable sleeve (7) receiving the end of the wire and provided with a conical flared section (7B); a hole (8) provided in a member (9) integral with the generator and into which the sleeve is able to be introduced, the conical section (7B) of the sleeve (7) coming into contact with a complementary conical wall (8B) provided in the hole, and a clamping element (10) able to cooperate by screwing with the member (9) and to act against the sleeve (7); the device is particularly useful for destroying atheromata in clogged arteries.

Abstract: An electronic blood pressure meter, comprising: a cuff adapted to be placed on a subject person; a pressurizing pump for pressurizing air inside the cuff; a vent valve for removing air from the cuff; a pressure sensor for detecting air pressure in the cuff; cardiovascular information detector for detecting cardiovascular information on the subject person from the pressure sensor and computing a parameter from the cardiovascular information; a membership function storage unit storing a plurality of membership functions using a relative pressure of the air pressure in the cuff to a blood pressure value as its input variable; a membership function selecting unit for selecting one of the membership functions corresponding to the parameter from the membership functions stored in the membership function storage unit; and a control unit for controlling operation of the electronic blood pressure meter according to the membership functions.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of use of a specimen support comprising a specimen board with an absorbent square attached thereto, radio-opaque indicia attached to the specimen board, a compression sheet hingedly attached to the specimen board and means for attaching the board and sheet together at a location remote from the hinge. The method includes use of the apparatus for diagnostic studies including radiologically localizing internal structure of a specimen carried by the board and for pathological study of the specimen and reporting of the results of such diagnostic studies.

Abstract: A fundus examining device is provided in which laser light from a laser light source is deflected for scanning in two dimensions over an eye fundus of an eye being examined and light reflected from the eye fundus is photoelectrically detected with a photodetector to obtain fundus information. The fundus examining device includes an optical system for observing an anterior portion of the eye which is illuminated by illuminating light to determine how the pupil of the eye is dilated. To this end, an objective mirror is provided which reflects light of the wavelength of the laser beam but is transparent to the illuminating light. The objective mirror reflects the deflected laser beam to illuminate the fundus of the eye, while guiding light from the illuminated anterior portion of the eye to the observing optical system.

Abstract: A separately formed clevis of a disposable laparoscopic surgical instrument is provided. The clevis fixedly engages a hollow aluminum tube of the disposable laparoscopic surgical instrument and pivotally engages an end effector of the disposable laparoscopic surgical instrument. The clevis includes: a hollow first portion having a knurled outer surface having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the aluminum tube, for fitting closely within the aluminum tube and for fixedly engaging the aluminum tube when the aluminum tube is crimped thereover; a second portion having a base section with a bore corresponding to the inner diameter of the hollow first portion, and a pair of parallel, spaced apart, opposed arm members integrally joined to the base portion at respective first ends of the opposed arm members and extending away from the hollow first portion; and a pivot rod which engages the opposed arms in a substantially transverse manner.

Abstract: An electroacoustic device includes a sound generator as well as a system for producing synthetic human speech, connected to a modulation stage for superimposing the output signals thereof. The superimposed output signals are applied via an amplifier stage to one of a headphone system or loudspeaker system.

Abstract: An arrangement for the comminution of concrements of various kinds in the body of living being, uses an underwater or submerged arc gap with spark discharge, and an electrical energizing circuitry for that arc gap, a plurality of electrode assemblies from which one is selected to be used in the equipment is connected to the energizing circuit; the electrode assemblies are basically similarly configured and each has an ohmic resistor which is connected directly in series with one of the electrodes, the resistance value for the resistors in the electrode assemblies of the plurality are different, and in each instance much lower than the resistance of the unignited gap, but of comparable magnitude with the resistance of a fully developed plasma channel in the gap following ignition by the energizing circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a pulse wave produced from a subject in synchronous relationship with heartbeats of the subject, including a probe device for sensing a heartbeat synchronous pulse wave transmitted thereto and generating a signal representative of the sensed pulse wave, a sampling device for periodically determining a magnitude of the signal, a determining device for determining a lower peak and a following upper peak of the heartbeat synchronous pulse wave based on variation of the magnitudes determined by the sampling means, a calculating device for calculating a value by subtracting, from each of the magnitudes determined by the sampling means, a magnitude of the signal determined by the sampling means prior by a predetermined number of periods to the each of the magnitudes, and a judging means for judging whether or not the following upper peak is a proper upper peak of a pulse of the heartbeat synchronous pulse wave, based on the values calculated by the calculating means with respect to a port