Abstract: A wheelchair has an adjustable seat that can be raised and lowered between a normal wheelchair operating height and ground level for enabling a wheelchair-dependent person to gain access to the seat from ground level and independently raise himself or herself from the ground level to the normal operating height. The seat can be further raised above the normal operating height to a higher level for improved reaching capability. In one embodiment, an elongate shaft is connected to the seat for rotation about its longitudinal axis. A plurality of cables have first ends that are connected to a wheelchair supporting frame and second ends that are connected to the elongate shaft. Rotation of the shaft about its longitudinal axis in one direction causes the cables to wind around the shaft to thereby raise the seat. Rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction causes the cables to unwind from the shaft to thereby lower the seat.

Abstract: An airway for both sole esophageal obturator ventilation and for combined endotracheal and esophageal obturator ventilation of a patient. The airway has two lumens one of which has an open distal end and the other of which has a closed distal end. The airway further has an inflatable distal cuff and an inflatable pharyngeal cuff. Communicating with the lumen having the closed distal end is at least one air outlet located in the airway wall between the two inflatable cuffs. To determine the position and orientation of the airway within a patient, the airway is provided with an X-ray opaque stripe that preferably axially extends in the wall, but is interrupted by at least one air outlet between the inflatable cuffs. An X-ray opaque shaft may also be present between the inflatable cuffs and is preferably attached to the wall. The airway may also be provided with monitoring lumens and deflector means in communication with the lumen that has the open distal end.

Abstract: A laser resistant endotracheal tube having a laser resistant layer surrounding the tube for at least a portion of the tube length. The laser resistant layer has a plurality of surface irregularities that are spaced from one another in a plurality of directions and which reflectively scatter laser energy. The laser resistant layer can be applied as an adhesive backed tape which has adhesive on only a portion of the width so that when the tape is spirally wrapped around the tube, the adhesive substantially avoids contact with previously wrapped tape. The tube can be provided with an inflatable cuff that is protected from degradation by an adjacent protective collar and the collar and a portion of the laser resistant layer can be covered with a laser resistant collar. The laser resistant layer can be covered by a cut resistant textile. A laser resistant tape, material and article are also disclosed.