Abstract: A self retracting hypodermic syringe resembles and is used like a standard syringe except that it is automatically disabled at the instant that the injection is completed. During the injection, the plunger is pressed into the syringe body. When the plunger reaches the front of the syringe an actuating element attaches to the needle assembly and unlocks it from the syringe body. At the same time a spring is unlatched driving the injection needle into the body of the syringe. In order to actuate the spring the plunger must be driven beyond a detent provided for tactile identification of the limit of travel for the purpose of filling the syringe. After use, the needle cannot be retrieved and the syringe is not reusable. The fast withdrawal of the needle from the patient results in much less pain.

Abstract: A sliding stopper for a syringe, consisting of a rubber elastic body having the part to be contacted with a liquid medicament and the part sliding on the inner wall of a barrel fully laminated with a film of tetrafluoroethylene resin, ethylenetetrafluoroethylene resin or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene resin, and having an excellent liquid tightness and gas tightness. The ratio of the length (Y) of the surface of the outer circumferential part of the sliding stopper contacting the inner wall of the barrel to the length (L) of the sliding part of the sliding stopper, i.e. Y/L is in the range of 0.80 to 1.00, and the ratio of the length (L) of the sliding part to the outer diameter (D) of the sliding stopper, i.e. L/D is in the range of 0.25 to 1.00.

Abstract: A disposable laminated medical sponge contains a thin sheet, having a top side and a bottom side, that is impermeable to infectious agents as well as nonwettable by water and a layer of absorbent material having an area that is smaller than that of the impermeable sheet, and one surface of which is secured to at least one side of the impermeable sheet. The peripheral edges of the absorbent layer are spaced inwardly from the peripheral edges of the impermeable sheet, providing a surrounding rim that consists of impermeable sheet alone. Any liquid on the layer of absorbent material cannot travel through and over the peripheral edges of the impermeable sheet to reach the opposite side of the impermeable sheet. Consequently, any infectious agents such as viruses that might be present in the body fluids cannot be transmitted from the absorbent material to the opposite side of the medical sponge that is being held by a health-care worker.

Abstract: A device for the continuous administration of a diffusible agent having a relatively rapid rate of diffusion and a diffusible agent having a relatively show rate of diffusion comprises:a wall, formed at least in part by a porous membrane, which surrounds and defines a reservoir, the reservoir comprising:(a) a compartment which comprises the agent having the relatively slow rate of diffusion, wherein said compartment is in direct contact with the porous membrane part of the wall and(b) at least one compartment which comprises the agent having the relatively rapid rate of diffusion, wherein said compartment is not in direct contact with the porous membrane part of the wall and is separated from the compartment comprising the agent having the relatively slow rate of diffusion by a porous partition, such that when said device is exposed to said fluid medium, said agents will diffuse through the porous membrane part of said wall at a substantially steady rate for a prolonged period of time.

Abstract: Provides antithrombotic agents which can be bonded to plastic to provide thromboresistant materials and a method for performing the bonding process. Further provides thromboresistant materials for medical devices used in contact with blood or blood products such as artificial hearts, heart lung machines, kidney dialysis machines, dialysis exchangers, pacemakers, vascular graft tubing, microporous membrane blood oxygenators, intra-aortic balloons, ultra-filtration membranes, blood bags, soft or hard tissue prostheses, cathaters, sutures, artificial organs, and the like.

Abstract: A device for inserting into the vagina of a patient for delivery of a medicament in the vagina. The walls of the tubular member comprising the device are comprised of water-swellable materials having a higher porosity at one end than the other, the relatively low porosity end being positioned distally in the vagina to the relatively high porosity end. The medicament is contained within a reservoir in the tubular member and delivered to the vagina through the pores in the walls of the tubular member at different rates depending upon the porosity. Also provided is a method of delivering a medicament to the vagina of a patient.

Abstract: An adapter for connecting a cannula to a syringe barrel or a liposuction handle includes a tapered recess that precisely matches a tapered nose of a syringe barrel and a cylindrical recess that precisely matches the cylindrical outside end surface of the syringe barrel. A bore through a nose of the adapter receives the cannula and is in open communication with the tapered recess and the cylindrical recess.

Abstract: An inner elongated tubular member, a plurality of arms which extend through openings in the elongated tubular member and a concentric outer sleeve moveable relative to the inner tubular member for urging each of the arms into engagement with the hub of a needle attached to one end of a cartridge to lock the cartridge and its needle relative to the tubular member and form a hypodermic needle.

Abstract: A tampon applicator which is biodegradable and water-dispersible is provided. The applicator is formed by injection molding a modified poly(vinyl alcohol) which is self-plasticizing. In certain preferred embodiments, the modified poly(vinyl alcohol has the following structure: ##STR1## in which R is hydrogen or methyl, n is a number from 1-1,000, x is 50-99.9 mole percent, y is 0-50 mole percent, and z is 0.001-50 mole percent. Tampon applicators made from this material have been found to be rapidly dispersible in water, to support heavy fungal growth, and to have a commercially acceptable outer surface, i.e., a surface which is not sticky, slippery, or slimy prior to contact of the applicator with water.

Abstract: A dispensing system is disclosed comprising a wall surrounding a lumen. The lumen comprises (1) a thermo responsive composition comprising a beneficial agent, (2) means for occupying space in the lumen for pushing the thermo responsive composition from the dispensing system, and (3) means for enhancing the amount of the beneficial agent dispensed from the system positioned between the thermo responsive composition and the means for occupying space.

Abstract: The immunogenicity of transfused or transplanted, allogeneic tissue is reduced by either directly exposing the tissue to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation prior to administering the tissue to the recipient or by inducing a state of tolerance in the recipient to non-UV or UV-irradiated allogeneic tissue by prior exposure to UV-irradiated allogeneic tissue.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of determining the behavior of drugs in living bodies, particularly those which contain a variety of active ingredients, like biological, natural drug and crude-drug preparations. It comprises administering a drug being tested to an animal, taking a blood sample from that animal, deproteinizing the plasma separated from the blood, intravenously administering the deproteinized plasma thus prepared to a different test animal, and examining the effect of drug exhibited in that test animal. The amount of active ingredients absorbed into the blood can be estimated by this indirect method even with special drugs including a variety of unknown and trace components.

Abstract: A wound dressing having a porous layer with a good affinity to tissue of organisms comprising (a) a first layer to be placed on the wound surface having pores of 20 to 500 .mu.m in diameter, and 1 to 10 mm thick, and (b) a second layer remote from the wound surface having pores not more than 20 .mu.m in diameter, and 0.5 to 5 .mu.m thick. The first layer can be provided with an antimicrobial of not more than 50% by weight, and the second layer can contain an antimicrobial of 10 to 80% by weight.

Abstract: An electrochemical drug release article containing an electrically conducting self-doped carbazole polymer of the formula: ##STR1## wherein A is a bifunctional molecule capable of bonding to a positively charged molecule at one end and is capable of bonding to a flexible spacer group Z at another end, Z is a flexible spacer group capable of bonding to an anionic group A at one end and is capable of bonding either to a nitrogen or aromatic electron withdrawing or electron donating group at another end, E is a bifunctional molecule capable of bonding to nitrogen at one end and is capable of bonding to a flexible spacer group Z at another end, X is a positively charged counterion, and n is at least 2.

Abstract: Perfluorocarbon hydrides, either alone or in combination with other perfluorocarbon compounds, may be introduced into a non-vascular animal space as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or conventional x-ray procedures. In the image generated by these systems, the fluorocarbon introduced into the space is contrasted with the remaining body tissues or spaces to distinguish the fluorocarbon-occupied space from other tissues and spaces.Perfluoroctyl hydride vaporizes at body temperature, and its gas phase, which also provides in effective contrast to tissues, is disclosed in imaging areas of comparatively large void volume while using a lower fluorocarbon dose then than required for fluid fluorocarbon.Perfluorocarbon hydrides offer less radiodensity to x-ray imaging and less hydrogen density to MRI imaging, and are disclosed as diluents for perfluorocarbon bromides in applications where concentrated brominated compounds are found to cause imaging artifacts.

Abstract: Syringe for medical use of the disposable type provided with a hollow cap (40; 60; 60') that can be superimposed to the needle to protect it after carrying out the injection; the internal surface of the cap, close to its opening, and the external surface of the collar (44) for needle connection to the syringe have a substantially complementary shape. Close to the opening of the cap cavity, members 48, 61) are provided that firmly engage the collar (44) of the needle when it is forced into the cap cavity.Preferably, the cap comprises a support base (70, 71) to keep it in an upright position with the opening of cavity upwards when said cap is removed from the needle (46) and is laid on a support plane.

Abstract: In a disposable absorbent garment, an absorbent structure includes liquid absorbing material comprising an upper layer comprising preferably softwood fibers and having a density from about 0.03 to about 0.14 g/cc, a lower layer comprising preferably hardwood fibers, formed substantially separately from and underlying at least a portion of the upper layer, the second layer having top and bottom surfaces, a density from about 0.14 to about 0.3 g/cc, a total void volume greater than about 80%, an average pore size distribution generally less than the average pore size distribution of the upper layer. There is an overlap in the pore size distributions of the upper and lower layers such that the smallest pores in the upper layer are smaller than the largest pores in the lower layer and front and rear fluid storage pouches, preferably spaced from one another at the front one-third and rear one-third of the absorbent structure, respectively, each pouch comprise superabsorbent material disposed in a hydrophilic web.

Abstract: A homograft implant is made from prepackaged, processed homograft material. The homograft material is taken in its purchased dehydrated form and cut into strips of varying shapes and sized. The strips are then adhesively secured together in a laminar manner by a tissue adhesive to form the desired shape and density of the implant. Once the implant has been made, it may then be surgically implanted in a desired location, immediately beneath the patient's dermis so as to alter the exterior appearance of the patient at the implant site. Since the implant is formed of dehydrated homograft material, endogenous tissue readily attaches to the implant after a short period of time, so that the implant becomes integral with the body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a two compartment syringe having at least two by-passes which selectively allow an easy flow from one compartment to the other compartment.The liquid (injection fluid) is in the "needle" compartment and the solid medicament is in the "plunger" compartment. Associated with the plunger compartment is an aperture or other means for allowing the escape of fluids from that compartment during a lyophilization process.

Abstract: A formulation chamber is disclosed comprising a wall surrounding a lumen containing a device for delivering a beneficial agent. The chamber has an inlet for admitting a fluid into the chamber and an outlet for letting an agent formulation leave the chamber. The chamber is adapted for use in an intravenous delivery system for delivering an agent formulation to a patient.