Abstract: Process of manufacturing a medical implant device comprising applying a peptide linker pre-coating to the medical implant device for subsequent coating of a therapeutic agent, wherein the peptide linker contains no therapeutic or other active agents. The method further comprises delivering the pre-coated device to a point of care and applying a therapeutic coating on the pre-coated medical implant device at the point of care.

Abstract: Process of manufacturing a medical implant device comprising applying a hydroxyapatite pre-coating to the medical implant device, delivering the pre-coated device to a point of care and applying a therapeutic coating on the pre-coated medical implant device at the point of care.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating medical devices at the point of care with a polymer and/or therapeutic agent comprising an environmentally controlled device coating chamber in which the device may be delivered by the manufacturer as the device packaging, or the device may be placed into the chamber at the point of care. The environmentally controlled chamber can provide a sterile enclosure in which the polymer and/or a therapeutic agent can be applied to an uncoated or previously coated device and converted to another form (such as a liquid to a film or gel) if desired, under controlled and reproducible conditions. The environmentally controlled chamber can accommodate and provide for coating the device by immersion, spray and other methods of covering the device surface with a liquid or powder. The chamber can provide for energy sources, both internally, such as heat produced by film heaters, and externally, such as UV light or microwave passing through the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of alopecia and in particular the problem of male-pattern baldness. By application of controlled ultrasound exposures to specific regions in the skin tissue, a physiological response will develop which causes cells in the hair follicle to increase in number, and/or new follicles to form or multiply in response to controlled damage to existing cells, leading to new hair follicles and/or increased shaft thickness in existing hair follicles resulting in more robust hair growth.

Abstract: Imaging and therapy for the treatment of venous disease are integrated into the same device, such that there is a common user interface and/or display, which may be passive or interactive between image and therapy parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating medical devices at the point of care with a polymer and/or therapeutic agent comprising an environmentally controlled device coating chamber in which the device may be delivered by the manufacturer as the device packaging, or the device may be placed into the chamber at the point of care. The environmentally controlled chamber can provide a sterile enclosure in which the polymer and/or a therapeutic agent can be applied to an uncoated or previously coated device and converted to another form (such as a liquid to a film or gel) if desired, under controlled and reproducible conditions. The environmentally controlled chamber can accommodate and provide for coating the device by immersion, spray and other methods of covering the device surface with a liquid or powder. The chamber can provide for energy sources, both internally, such as heat produced by film heaters, and externally, such as UV light or microwave passing through the enclosure.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating medical devices at the point of care with a polymer and/or therapeutic agent comprising an environmentally controlled device coating chamber in which the device may be delivered by the manufacturer as the device packaging, or the device may be placed into the chamber at the point of care. The environmentally controlled chamber can provide a sterile enclosure in which the polymer and/or a therapeutic agent can be applied to an uncoated or previously coated device and converted to another form (such as a liquid to a film or gel) if desired, under controlled and reproducible conditions. The environmentally controlled chamber can accommodate and provide for coating the device by immersion, spray and other methods of covering the device surface with a liquid or powder. The chamber can provide for energy sources, both internally, such as heat produced by film heaters, and externally, such as UV light or microwave passing through the enclosure.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating medical devices at the point of care with a polymer and/or therapeutic agent comprising an environmentally controlled device coating chamber in which the device may be delivered by the manufacturer as the device packaging, or the device may be placed into the chamber at the point of care. The environmentally controlled chamber can provide a sterile enclosure in which the polymer and/or a therapeutic agent can be applied to an uncoated or previously coated device and converted to another form (such as a liquid to a film or gel) if desired, under controlled and reproducible conditions. The environmentally controlled chamber can accommodate and provide for coating the device by immersion, spray and other methods of covering the device surface with a liquid or powder. The chamber can provide for energy sources, both internally, such as heat produced by film heaters, and externally, such as UV light or microwave passing through the enclosure.

Abstract: Noninvasive pain treatment of skeletal cancer metastases in cancer patients utilizing planar or focused ultrasound. The ultrasound energy preferably targets at the Periosteum or immediate soft-bone-tissue interface, where local sensory pain receptors are directly affected by the growing tumor, to generate heat to destroy local sensory pain receptors so as to interrupt or block the pain feedback pathway to the central nervous system.

Abstract: A drug delivery conformal film system according to the present invention is adapted to be compounded and applied, by medical personnel at the point of use, to a medical device such as a cardiovascular and urology stent, pacemaker, vascular graft, suture ring of mechanical heart valve, implantable infusion port, implantable drug delivery pump, orthopedic hardware and appliance, and, neurological stimulating device. The drug delivery conformal film consists of one of three in vivo biocompatible; biodegradable, bio-erodable or bioabsorbable embodiments: (1) cross-linked sodium alginate, (2) UV photo-active polymer, or, (3) hydrogels. An implantable medical device such as the stent or suture ring of a mechanical artificial heart valve is coated with an in vivo biocompatible; biodegradable or bioerodable or bioabsorbable solution comprising a polymer and containing a drug, the solution is cross-linked or cured to form a film on the device immediately prior to placement in the body.

Abstract: A drug delivery conformal film system according to the present invention is adapted to be compounded and applied, by medical personnel at the point of use, to a medical device such as a cardiovascular and urology stent, pacemaker, vascular graft, suture ring of mechanical heart valve, implantable infusion port, implantable drug delivery pump, orthopedic hardware and appliance, and, neurological stimulating device. The drug delivery conformal film consists of one of three in vivo biocompatible; biodegradable, bio-erodable or bioabsorbable embodiments: (1) cross-linked sodium alginate, (2) UV photo-active polymer, or, (3) hydrogels. An implantable medical device such as the stent or suture ring of a mechanical artificial heart valve is coated with an in vivo biocompatible; biodegradable or bioerodable or bioabsorbable solution comprising a polymer and containing a drug, the solution is cross-linked or cured to form a film on the device immediately prior to placement in the body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transesophageal scanhead is provided which enables a physician to easily and quickly change the orientation of the image plane during a scanning procedure. Means are provided on either the scanhead or the ultrasound system for selecting the imaging plane. As the imaging plane selector is actuated, an indication of the orientation of the selected plane appears concurrently on the monitor of the system along with a display of ultrasonic information of the selected plane. In a preferred embodiment the indication of the selected plane is displayed both graphically and numerically. A recording of the displayed information will thus capture both the ultrasonic information as well as the image plane orientation. A physician reviewing the recording will thereby know the exact orientation of the image being viewed, leading to a better informed and more precise diagnosis of medical conditions of the body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transesophageal scanhead is provided which enables a physician to easily and quickly change the orientation of the image plane during a scanning procedure without disrupting control of the scanhead. Means are provided on the external control unit of the scanhead for unambiguously selecting the orientation of the plane which is imaged by the transducers at the end of the probe of the scanhead. In one embodiment of the present invention, a rocker switch is provided on the underside of the control unit, and a lighted indicator is provided on top of the control unit. When the physician desires to change the image plane, the rocker switch is rolled forward to select the transducer elements of the probe which are configured for scanning in the desired image plane. As the rocker switch is moved, the lighted indicator on the top of the control unit provides a visual display pattern aligned either longitudinally or transversely with respect to the axis of the probe.

Abstract: Dual focus ultrasonic transducers are provided for a diagnostic imaging effective aspheric radiating surface. The transducers are formed of disc-shaped piezoelectric material. An annular groove separates the piezoelectric material into an inner disc region and an outer annular region for simultaneous activation or activation of the inner disc alone. The focus is changed by a reed switch connection to the two transducer regions, which permits proximity switch control of the transducer operation in a shielded environment for good noise performance.