Abstract: A sealing valve assembly is provided for medical products. The valve assembly includes a valve member mountable within a passageway of a medical product body element, the valve member defining a peripheral portion spaced from a central axis and including two walls extending from the peripheral portion toward the central axis. The walls include ends that contact each other to preclude flow through the passageway. The valve member may be formed of a material having a durometer of less than about 20 Shore A. The valve member may also have a higher durometer material with other wall configurations, or may have a wall member having a varying durometer.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a balloon disposed upon an elongate shaft near a relatively rigid distal insertion tip, a fluid lumen for fluid communication with a body cavity and an inflation lumen for fluid communication with the balloon. The balloon holds the catheter tip within a body cavity such as the stomach for long-term enteral feeding. The balloon is configured such that upon inflation, the balloon distends distally to cover the distal tip thus insulating it from sensitive anatomy.

Abstract: A sealing valve assembly is provided for medical products. The valve assembly includes a valve member mountable within a passageway of a medical product body element, the valve member defining a peripheral portion spaced from a central axis and including two walls extending from the peripheral portion toward the central axis. The walls include ends that contact each other to preclude flow through the passageway. The valve member may be formed of a material having a durometer of less than about 20 Shore. The value member may also have a higher durometer material with other wall configurations, or may have a wall member having a varying durometer.

Abstract: A sealing valve assembly is provided for medical products. The valve assembly includes a valve member mountable within a passageway of a medical product body element, the valve member defining a peripheral portion spaced from a central axis and including two walls extending from the peripheral portion toward the central axis, the walls including ends that contact each other to preclude flow through the passageway toward the second end. The valve member further includes at least one stiffening member extending from at least one of the walls to urge the valve member toward the closed position when disposed in the medical product.

Abstract: A sealing valve assembly is provided for medical products. The valve assembly includes a valve member mountable within a passageway of a medical product body element, the valve member defining a peripheral portion spaced from a central axis and including two walls extending from the peripheral portion toward the central axis, the walls including ends that contact each other to preclude flow through the passageway toward the second end. The valve member further includes at least one stiffening member extending from at least one of the walls to urge the valve member toward the closed position when disposed in the medical product.

Abstract: A sealing valve assembly is provided for medical products. The valve assembly includes a valve member mountable within a passageway of a medical product body element, the valve member defining a peripheral portion spaced from a central axis and including two walls extending from the peripheral portion toward the central axis. The walls include ends that contact each other to preclude flow through the passageway. The valve member may be formed of a material having a durometer of less than about 20 Shore. The value member may also have a higher durometer material with other wall configurations, or may have a wall member having a varying durometer.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a balloon disposed upon an elongate shaft near a relatively rigid distal insertion tip, a fluid lumen for fluid communication with a body cavity and an inflation lumen for fluid communication with the balloon. The balloon holds the catheter tip within a body cavity such as the stomach for long-term enteral feeding. The balloon is configured such that upon inflation, the balloon distends distally to cover the distal tip thus insulating it from sensitive anatomy.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a balloon disposed upon an elongate shaft near a relatively rigid distal insertion tip, a fluid lumen for fluid communication with a body cavity and an inflation lumen for fluid communication with the balloon. The balloon holds the catheter tip within a body cavity such as the stomach for long-term enteral feeding. The balloon is configured such that upon inflation, the balloon distends distally to cover the distal tip thus insulating it from sensitive anatomy.

Abstract: A balloon catheter with improved balloon orientation includes a head, a catheter segment extending from the head, and a balloon disposed on the catheter segment opposite the head. Preferably, the balloon is attached to the exterior of the catheter segment at a proximal location and to the interior of the catheter segment at a distal location to thereby form a balloon which extends distally from the distal end of the catheter segment when inflated. The improved orientation of the balloon helps to prevent contact between the distal end of the catheter segment and anatomical structures of the user, thereby reducing irritation.

Abstract: A balloon catheter having a balloon disposed upon an elongate shaft near a relatively rigid distal insertion tip, a fluid lumen for fluid communication with a body cavity and an inflation lumen for fluid communication with the balloon. The balloon holds the catheter tip within a body cavity such as the stomach for long-term enteral feeding. The balloon is configured such that upon inflation, the balloon distends distally to cover the distal tip thus insulating it from sensitive anatomy.

Abstract: An endoscope including an elongated endoscope body sized and adapted for insertion into a passage, such as a passage of the body of a patient. Optical components are carried by the endoscope body to enable viewing of the passage distally of the distal end of the endoscope body within a field of view of the endoscope. An elongated, resilient member is mounted on and carried by the endoscope body such that the endoscope body and the resilient member are a unitary assembly which can be inserted as a unit into the passage. The resilient member extends beyond the distal end of the endoscope body and is capable of contacting material within or forming the passage and relatively displacing the distal end of the endoscope body and such material within the field of view of the endoscope to enhance viewing of the passage with the endoscope.

Abstract: An optical fiber carries a light beam through a cardiovascular catheter and projects the beam into the patient's bloodstream. Two other fibers, spaced in a very carefully controlled configuration from the first, receive light scattered by corpuscles (and blood-vessel walls) and transmit this reflected light back through the catheter to respective detectors outside the patient's body. If preferred, two input fibers and a single output fiber--or other techniques for providing differential geometry--may be used instead. Electronic instrumentation finds the ratio of the two light fluxes, thus cancelling out unknown variables such as input light intensity and optical--connector attenuation. The known differential geometry between the two light paths permits calibration of the ratio measurement in terms of corpuscular concentration--i.e., hematocrit. Light at only one wavelength suffices for the measurement. Advanced forms of the invention correct for proximity of blood-vessel walls.

Abstract: The catheter tip fits into a cavity in the boot and is held gently (in the longitudinal direction) by a detent formed within the cavity. A calibration substance faces the tip in a mechanically and optically standardized calibration relationship, to reflect light from within the catheter back into the catheter. The calibration substance is held in constant, precise contact with the tip--but passively, not by springs or other longitudinally forcible devices but by close fit between the tip and the precision-molded internal surfaces of the cavity. In the lateral direction the boot may tightly grip the tip, at a point where the optic fibers are protected against such force. To provide a reflection standard for calibration, the calibration substance is of standardized character and quality: it is preferably a homogeneous suspension of reflecting particles in translucent or transparent polymer.

Abstract: Cardiac output, blood oxygen saturation, and oxygen consumption are measured using only two lumens of a catheter that has no interlumen crossover. Therefore this construction avoids costly techniques for modifying the catheter, as well as leakage risk at crossover points. Cardiac output is measured by thermodilution, and venous blood oxygen by optical scattering measurements through optic fibers; oxygen consumption is then claculable from the cardiac output and venous oxygen saturation--and independently measured arterial saturation. Cold-bolus injection uses on lumen. The thermal-sensor leads (electrical or otherwise) and optic fibers share the other lumen, through which they are drawn together: this method of installation effects yet a further economy by saving an expensive labor step, and tends to prevent the leads and fibers from damaging one another.