Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed in which an intravascular device allows blood to flow into a plurality of apertures longitudinally located in a portion of the needle.

Abstract: An anti-infective medical article has chlorhexidine bulk distributed throughout a polyurethane base layer and may have a coating layer on the base layer. The coating layer may be chlorhexidine permeated into the surface or it may be an antibiotic, antithrombogenic agent or a polymeric surface layer laminated onto the base layer. The invention includes a method for preparing the article wherein a homogeneous melt of polymer and chlorhexidine is prepared by twin screw compounding and the melt is extruded to give a medical article having bulk distributed chlorhexidine.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a needle assembly of the kind having a needle, an elongate blunting device, a shifting member, and a flash chamber. The needle is of the kind that has a needle proximal end, a sharp needle distal end and a needle canula extending therethrough. The elongate blunting device is at least partially located within the needle canula. The elongate blunting device is of the kind that has a blunting device proximal end, a blunting device distal end, and a blunting device blood flow passage therethrough through which blood can flow from the blunting device distal end to the blunting device proximal end.

Abstract: A medical implant, tubing and method to provide enhanced X-ray detection intensity in catheters, stents, vascular grafts or other tubular implants. In one aspect the medical implant includes a visually transparent radiopaque polymer and a filler material having a radiopaque component.

Abstract: A bottle having a sterility seal and a method for producing same are disclosed. The bottle, which can be configured to retain a medicament in powder or tablet form, features a protective cap configured to engage a transfer assembly associated with the bottle. The cap includes one or more raised ridges on an interior surface engageable with a portion of the transfer assembly. A band or layer configuration of a sealing material such as silicone is applied to the transfer assembly prior to insertion of the cap thereover. As the cap comes into surface contact with the sealing material, the ridges cause the material to "roll up" into a toroidal O-ring configuration, thereby forming a seal between the cap and the bottle adapted to the dimensional variations of those components.

Abstract: An anti-infective medical article has chlorhexidine bulk distributed throughout a polyurethane base layer and may have a coating layer on the base layer. The coating layer may be chlorhexidine permeated into the surface or it may be an antibiotic, antithrombogenic agent or a polymeric surface layer laminated onto the base layer. The invention includes a method for preparing the article wherein a homogeneous melt of polymer and chlorhexidine is prepared by twin screw compounding and the melt is extruded to give a medical article having bulk distributed chlorhexidine.

Abstract: A bottle having a sterility seal and a method for producing same are disclosed. The bottle, which can be configured to retain a medicament in powder or tablet form, features a protective cap configured to engage a transfer assembly associated with the bottle. The cap includes one or more raised ridges on an interior surface engageable with a portion of the transfer assembly. A band or layer configuration of a sealing material such as silicone is applied to the transfer assembly prior to insertion of the cap thereover. As the cap comes into surface contact with the sealing material, the ridges cause the material to "roll up" into a toroidal O-ring configuration, thereby forming a seal between the cap and the bottle adapted to the dimensional variations of those components.

Abstract: A device for automatically injecting a material into the body is disclosed. The device includes a drive assembly and a syringe assembly which is mounted to the drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a drive rod, a driver releasably coupled to the drive rod, and a constant force spring which urges the drive rod towards the syringe assembly. The spring first urges the coupled drive rod and driver along the axis of the device, causing the skin to be penetrated by the needle of the syringe assembly. The drive rod is then decoupled from the driver. The spring continues to urge the drive rod in the axial direction, whereby the drive rod engages a piston in the syringe assembly and causes the displacement of the material therein.

Abstract: An anti-infective medical article has chlorhexidine bulk distributed throughout a polyurethane base layer and may have a coating layer on the base layer. The coating layer may be chlorhexidine permeated into the surface or it may be an antibiotic, antithrombogenic agent or a polymeric surface layer laminated onto the base layer. The invention includes a method for preparing the article wherein a homogeneous melt of polymer and chlorhexidine is prepared by twin screw compounding and the melt is extruded to give a medical article having bulk distributed chlorhexidine.

Abstract: A non-yellowing, impact resistant high hard segment polyurethane made from a non-aromatic diisocyanate, a diol chain extender and an aminodiol chain extender may also contain up to five percent by weight of a macroglycol. A catalyst free method to prepare the polyurethane is a feature of the invention.

Abstract: A shaped medical article of a polymeric substrate is extrusion coated with a composition which includes a bioactive agent dispersed in a matrix polymer. Preferred bioactive agents are temperature sensitive agents which undergo thermal decomposition at a temperature above the processing temperature of the matrix polymer. Preferred matrix polymers have a melting point of about 100.degree. C. or lower.

Abstract: A method to render a medical article antithrombogenic and/or anti-infective includes coextruding a base polymer with a hydrophilic laminating polymer having dispersed therein a quarternary salt complexing agent and steeping the extruded article in an aqueous solution of an antithrombogenic and/or anti-infective reagent whereby the reagent is absorbed along with water by the hydrophilic polymer and reacts with the complexing agent.

Abstract: Melt processable polyurethaneureas are prepared from a diisocyanate, a polyglycol, a diol chain extender and an amine terminated polyether. Water may be included as a reactant, and the polymer may contain an additive such as a radiopaque material and a coating of an antithrombogenic agent or an antimicrobial agent. The invention includes a one-pot bulk polymerization method for preparation of the polymers.

Abstract: An anti-infective medical article has chlorhexidine bulk distributed throughout a polyurethane base layer and may have a coating layer on the base layer. The coating layer may be chlorhexidine permeated into the surface or it may be an antibiotic, antithrombogenic agent or a polymeric surface layer laminated onto the base layer. The invention includes a method for preparing the article wherein a homogeneous melt of polymer and chlorhexidine is prepared by twin screw compounding and the melt is extruded to give a medical article having bulk distributed chlorhexidine.

Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a tubing portion and a needle portion, at least one of which is a thermoplastic liquid crystalline polymer. The tubing and needle may be integral or unitary. The invention includes a method to make the assembly in which a melt of the liquid crystalline polymer is shear thinned by passing through an orifice such as an extrusion die to make tubing. The shear thinned melt may be directed into a mold having a point to make a liquid crystalline needle.

Abstract: A catheter of a thermoplastic elastomeric hydrophilic polyurethane is coated on at least the outside surface with a hydrophobic polymer and expands to a larger lumen size in about 3 to 15 minutes when contacted with an aqueous liquid. The hydrophilic polyurethane may be synthesized by one-shot bulk polymerization, and may be melt extruded into a base tubing and dip coated with the hydrophobic polymer, or the hydrophilic polyurethane and hydrophobic polymer may be coextruded. The catheter may have multiple lumens and may include an antithrombogenic agent, antiinfective agent and radiopaque agent.

Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a tubing portion and a needle portion, at least one of which is a thermoplastic liquid crystalline polymer. The tubing and needle may be integral or unitary. The invention includes a method to make the assembly in which a melt of the liquid crystalline polymer is shear thinned by passing through an orifice such as an extrusion die to make tubing. The shear thinned melt may be directed into a mold having a point to make a liquid crystalline needle.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polyurethaneurea having free amino groups is the reaction product of a diisocyanate, a fluorinated polyol, a non-fluorinated polyol and a polyamine. The invention includes a shaped polymeric support structure having the thermoplastic polyurethaneurea coated thereon and a medical article comprising the coated support and heparin covalently bonded to the free amino groups of the coated support. In another aspect of the invention, a method for preparing the heparinized medical article is provided.

Abstract: An obturator is provided which allows for placing and withdrawing of a single catheter obturator over an extended period of time so as to allow spaced intervals of use, and non-use of a catheter while in place in the patient's skin, while at the same time doing away with cumbersome, costly and time consuming administration and maintenance of saline and heparin locks. The device feeds the obturator in place for occluding the catheter lumen, when no fluids are being administered to the patient, and then may be retracted to a position allowing fluid feed through a supply tube connection to the catheter. The device includes a coating on the obturator rod which swells in contact with aqueous fluids to seal completely the catheter lumen which coating includes heparin to prevent clotting. Moreover, the entire internal functioning arrangement remains sterile during the entire period of use, thus avoiding infection.

Abstract: A melt extruded catheter of thermoplastic elastomeric hydrophilic polyurethane synthesized from a diisocyanate, polyethyleneoxide glycol of high molecular weight and a chain extender expands to a larger lumen size when contacted with an aqueous liquid. The catheter may include an antithrombogenic agent, antiinfective agent and radiopaque agent. The hydrophilic polyurethane may be synthesized by one-shot bulk polymerization, and may be melt extruded into the catheter tubing, and may encapsulate a stripe of a stiffening polyurethane.