Abstract: Systems and methods that enable harvesting of cartilage from a subject (e.g., a patient) via a harvesting unit that mitigates or eliminates a requirement of dicing and/or separation/division of the cartilage by hand. The harvesting unit employs a power supply to accumulate and cut the cartilage. By employing the harvesting unit, an automatic accumulation and reduction of size for the cartilage is provided, while freeing a person from having to manually dice the cartilage.

Abstract: Systems and methods that enable harvesting of cartilage from a subject (e.g., a patient) via a harvesting unit that mitigates or eliminates a requirement of dicing and/or separation/division of the cartilage by hand. The harvesting unit employs a power supply to accumulate and cut the cartilage. By employing the harvesting unit, an automatic accumulation and reduction of size for the cartilage is provided, while freeing a person from having to manually dice the cartilage.

Abstract: A method for treating headaches caused by a blood vessel irritating an associated nerve. The method is performed using a doppler ultrasound device and a treatment device (e.g., electrocautery or radiofrequency ablation). The method includes receiving an estimated location of an origin of the headaches. The estimated location is investigated for a blood vessel using the doppler ultrasound device. When the investigation of the estimated location identifies a blood vessel, the estimated location is cauterized or radiofrequency ablated using the treatment device, such that pressure is reduced on a nerve associated with the identified blood vessel and such that the treatment device does not directly stimulate the nerve.

Abstract: A thermal therapy device (100) comprises a tissue-interacting device (400) which is designed to target one or more significant areas of the therapy-receiving person's body by concentrating the passage of the therapy-providing fluid in these areas. The thermal therapy device (400) can comprise a head pad, eye pads, a knee pad, an ankle/foot pad, an elbow pad, or a neck/shoulder pad.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods to improve the performance of heat exchangers used in thermoelectric cooling/heating devices, wherein improved heat conduction between heat exchanger and thermal exchange fluid is accomplished. Additionally, a method is disclosed to minimize the necessary delay used to protect the thermoelectric modules against thermal shock when switching from heat to cold, or vice versa. Thermal shock can damage thermoelectric modules when the direction of current passing through the modules is instantly switched.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that includes an upper resilient member for dilating the nasal valve and a lower resilient member for dilating the nostrils. The upper resilient member and lower resilient member may be attached to one another by a flexible substrate having a middle portion that is narrower in length than the upper or lower resilient members. The nasal dilator also may have adhesive tabs extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate on either side of the nose and towards the nostril entry, for temporary attachment to the side of the nasal vestibule to reduce nostril collapse. The nasal dilator also may include bendable or configurable hooks extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate and towards the nostril entrance for insertion into the nostril to reduce nostril collapse.

Abstract: An anatomically designed egg-shaped or elliptical-shaped nasopharyngeal airway for providing a comfortable and safe air passage through a nose to a nasopharynx includes a cannula having a proximal open end, a distal end, and a sidewall surrounding a lumen of the cannula. The nasopharyngeal airway has a port, which includes two or more openings separated by one or more bridges, in the sidewall, at a distal portion of the cannula. Upper and lower conduits may be located in channels of the sidewall of the cannula for delivery of oxygen and measurement of CO2 or other purposes.

Abstract: A nasopharyngeal airway for providing an air passage through a nose to a nasopharynx includes a cannula having a proximal open end, a distal closed end, and a sidewall surrounding a lumen of the cannula. The nasopharyngeal airway has an opening in the sidewall at a distal portion of the cannula for providing fluid communication between a distal portion of the lumen and the nasopharynx when the cannula is inserted into the nose and a conduit in the sidewall of the cannula, the conduit having an opening adjacent to the proximal open end of the cannula and a conduit opening in a distal portion of the cannula for providing fluid communication between the conduit and the distal portion of the lumen.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that includes an upper resilient member for dilating the nasal valve and a lower resilient member for dilating the nostrils. The upper resilient member and lower resilient member may be attached to one another by a flexible substrate having a middle portion that is narrower in length than the upper or lower resilient members. The nasal dilator also may have adhesive tabs extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate on either side of the nose and towards the nostril entry, for temporary attachment to the side of the nasal vestibule to reduce nostril collapse. The nasal dilator also may include bendable or configurable hooks extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate and towards the nostril entrance for insertion into the nostril to reduce nostril collapse.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that includes an upper resilient member for dilating the nasal valve and a lower resilient member for dilating the nostrils. The upper resilient member and lower resilient member may be attached to one another by a flexible substrate having a middle portion that is narrower in length than the upper or lower resilient members. The nasal dilator also may have adhesive tabs extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate on either side of the nose and towards the nostril entry, for temporary attachment to the side of the nasal vestibule to reduce nostril collapse. The nasal dilator also may include bendable or configurable hooks extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate and towards the nostril entrance for insertion into the nostril to reduce nostril collapse.

Abstract: A thermal therapy device (100) comprises a tissue-interacting device (400) which is designed to target one or more significant areas of the therapy-receiving person's body by concentrating the passage of the therapy-providing fluid in these areas. The thermal therapy device (400) can comprise a head pad, eye pads, a knee pad, an ankle/foot pad, an elbow pad, or a neck/shoulder pad.

Abstract: An eye-covering assembly (10) comprises a film layer (20) and a rim layer (30) having an inner surface (32) which adheres to the skin of the user's face. The inner and outer surfaces of the film/rim layers (20/30) are planar and parallel when the eye-covering assembly is in a pre-use relaxed state. The inner and outer surfaces of the film/rim layers (20/30) are curved and the rim layer (30) is compressed in certain regions, when the eye-covering assembly is in an in-use conforming state whereat it conforms to the contour of an eye-surrounding portion of a user's face.

Abstract: A nasal dilator that includes an upper resilient member for dilating the nasal valve and a lower resilient member for dilating the nostrils. The upper resilient member and lower resilient member may be attached to one another by a flexible substrate having a middle portion that is narrower in length than the upper or lower resilient members. The nasal dilator also may have adhesive tabs extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate on either side of the nose and towards the nostril entry, for temporary attachment to the side of the nasal vestibule to reduce nostril collapse. The nasal dilator also may include bendable or configurable hooks extending downwardly from the lower portion of the substrate and towards the nostril entrance for insertion into the nostril to reduce nostril collapse.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning device for cleaning a person. The device includes a head driven by a motor. A housing retains the motor and the head such that the head is moved with respect to the housing by operation of the motor. The device also includes a cleaning implement for cleaning the person, the cleaning implement secured to a resilient member and the resilient member removably secured to the head. In another configuration, a cleaning device for cleaning a person includes a cleaning implement for cleaning between toes of the person. A motor is operatively coupled to the cleaning implement to move the cleaning implement in a washing motion. A housing retains the motor and the cleaning implement, the washing motion moving the cleaning element with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A method of treating pain caused by a nerve being compressed by a muscle by inactivating the muscle causing the nerve compression is provided. A treatment for eliminating pain associated with nerve compression, the treatment including a muscle inactivator for inactivating the muscle and relieving the nerve compression is also provided. An algorithm for determining the location of pain causing nerve compression is provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of treating a wound, involving applying to the wound a room temperature vulcanizing silicone composition comprising a crosslinkable polymer, a crosslinking agent, and a catalyst; permitting the room temperature vulcanizing silicon composition to cure thereby forming a membrane having a thickness from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm; and removing the membrane from the wound after at least about 1 day.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of treating a wound, involving applying to the wound a room temperature vulcanizing silicone composition comprising a crosslinkable polymer, a crosslinking agent, and a catalyst; permitting the room temperature vulcanizing silicon composition to cure thereby forming a membrane having a thickness from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm; and removing the membrane from the wound after at least about 1 day.