Abstract: A personal protection system including a support (100) worn around the head and a hood (400) worn over the head and the support. A ventilation unit (150) attached to the support draws air into the hood. Ultraviolet lights (360) direct light into the air stream drawn into the hood. The light renders microorganisms in the air stream innocuous.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. The helmet has a chin bar that extends forward of the face of the individual wearing the system. At least one manually actuated control for regulating one aspect of operation of the system is mounted to the chin bar. Sometimes the control is a button that is depressed to control the operation of a helmet mounted fan that draws air into the hood or toga. A microphone may also be mounted to the chin bar.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. The helmet has a chin bar that extends forward of the face of the individual wearing the system. At least one manually actuated control for regulating one aspect of operation of the system is mounted to the chin bar. Sometimes the control is a button that is depressed to control the operation of a helmet moutned fan that draws air into the hood or toga. A microphone may also be mounted to the chin bar.

Abstract: A cassette (2600) for use with a medical waste collection system (30). The cassette includes a housing (2602, 2612) shaped to be removably attached to a receptacle (1699) integral with the housing. A sleeve (2640) is attached to the cassette so as to be located forward of the housing. The sleeve is formed with a void space. A fitting (2664) for collection to a suction line is attached to the sleeve. A screen (2714) is removably fitted in the sleeve void space. The screen is fitted in the sleeve void space when it is desirable to catch tissue that may be entrained in the fluid stream from the suction line.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. The hood/toga has a transparent face shield that is flexible. A fastening assembly holds the face shield to the helmet so that, at the top of the face shield the shield has a relatively wide radius of curvature. Extending downwardly from the top of the face shield the radius of curvature of the shield becomes smaller. Providing the face shield with this geometry reduces the extent to which the person wearing the helmet and hood/toga of this invention is subjected to glare.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. The hood/toga has a transparent face shield that is flexible. A fastening assembly holds the face shield to the helmet so that, at the top of the face shield the shield has a relatively wide radius of curvature. Extending downwardly from the top of the face shield the radius of curvature of the shield becomes smaller. Providing the face shield with this geometry reduces the extent to which the person wearing the helmet and hood/toga of this invention is subjected to glare.

Abstract: A personal protection system with a hood and a helmet that is worn under the hood. Internal to the helmet is a fan that draws air into the hood. The fan has blades that are curved along their longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. Integral with the helmet is a ventilation fan. The helmet also includes a light assembly for illuminating the surgical field. The helmet includes a front nozzle from which air from the ventilation fan is discharged. The light assembly is mounted to the helmet and is located below the front nozzle. Air discharged from the front nozzle blows heat generated by the light assembly away from the light assembly. In some versions of the invention, the light assembly includes a control arm connected to the light assembly for pivoting the light assembly.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. Integral with the helmet is a ventilation fan. The helmet also includes a light assembly for illuminating the surgical field. The helmet includes a front nozzle from which air from the ventilation fan is discharged. The light assembly is mounted to the helmet and is located below the front nozzle. Air discharged from the front nozzle blows heat generated by the light assembly away from the light assembly. In some versions of the invention, the light assembly includes a control arm connected to the light assembly for pivoting the light assembly.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a head unit over which a hood or a toga suspended. Internal to the head unit is a ventilation fan, a light for illuminating the surgical field and communications system for communicating with others. The head unit includes a head band. The ventilation fan is adjustably mounted to the head band so it can be positioned at a location to minimize the strain imposed on the wearer.

Abstract: A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a head unit over which a hood or a toga suspended. Internal to the head unit is a ventilation fan, a light for illuminating the surgical field and communications system for communicating with others. The head unit includes a head band. The ventilation fan is adjustably mounted to the head band so it can be positioned at a location to minimize the strain imposed on the wearer.

Abstract: A personal protection system is mountable to a user for distributing air to the user includes a shell providing structure. A fan module is supported by the shell for generating a flow of air. Cushioning is provided between the fan module and the shell to reduce vibrations and noise. The fan module includes a fan with blades having an airfoil shape for added noise reduction. An air flow channel is in fluid communication with the fan module for routing the flow of air. A pair of nozzle tips are in fluid communication with the air flow channel and are rotatably adjustable to allow directional adjustment of the flow of air toward a neck of the user. The personal protection system also includes a face shield with multiple removable layers which are sterilized as a unit using gamma radiation.

Abstract: A catheter for delivering medication from a fluid source to an anatomical site of a patient is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated tube having an outer wall extending between an open proximal end and a closed distal end of the elongated tube and an inner wall coaxially disposed within the outer wall. The inner wall has an inner surface to define a lumen. A plurality of openings are defined in the walls to discharge the fluid from the lumen to the anatomical site. A plurality of ribs having different configurations are disposed on the inner surface to reinforce the catheter to provide kink resistance and to prevent the blockage of fluid flow within the lumen.