Abstract: Disclosed is a vascular sheath for helping to prevent bleeding during procedures in which devices must be inserted into a blood vessel such as an artery or vein. The vascular sheath includes at least one manually compressible primary seal that has a lumen passing therethrough. A device inserted into the blood vessel first passes through the sheath, and thus through the lumen in the primary seal. By manually adjusting the compression of the primary seal the size of at least part of the lumen is made to substantially conform to the outer surface of the device. The primary seal can thus seal against large and small sized devices to prevent bleeding. It is preferred that a secondary seal also be used and one type of secondary seal is a flexible disk or flap with one or more slits through which the device passes.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a circular, coiled wire containment/dispenser system that is designed to simplify production methods and reduce production costs, and, because it is ergonomically designed, is easier to use with respect to the user. The circular body is preferably made of a single circle of semitransparent plastic, which contains one or more spiral grooves closed by a matching, clip-on lid. There are preferably lateral and medial ramps or bumps on both sides of the spirals. These ramps deflect the wires toward the center of the spiral. Thus a large percentage of the surface of the wires are not touching the walls of the containment system and touch only the apexes of the medial and lateral ramps or bumps. By this method, friction is greatly reduced allowing efficient wire extraction and loading.

Abstract: A device is delineated for removing body fluid from a wound site. The device may include a drain sealed within the wound site, a conduit connected to the drain and a fluid container connected to the other end of the conduit. The fluid container may include at least one inlet passage of larger diameter to reduce likelihood of clogging during body-fluid inflow. An additional inlet passage may be included. The fluid container may also include at least one outlet passage of larger diameter to improve draining efficiency.

Abstract: A device for gripping a guide wire includes a body portion having an opening therethrough, and has an open position and a closed position. When the device is in the open position the guide wire may be passed through the opening. When the device is in the closed position the guide wire is gripped at more than one location thereby allowing force or torque to be applied to the guide wire. A device according to the invention may optionally, or instead, include (a) a snout to act as a guide wire director, (b) a structure, such as an opening, configured to receive an end of a guide wire package, (c) a structure for securing a body member to the device, and/or (d) a mechanism for advancing or retracting a guide wire. If the device includes one of these optional features, it need not be designed to grip a guide wire at two or more locations.

Abstract: A new suction device is herein disclosed that includes a valve to regulate suction to the tip of a suction device. By an operator, such as a nurse or surgeon, manipulating one or two fingers, a valve can be turned or slid to either reduce the force of the suction or to stop all suction thus leading to a quieter and more peaceful operating room, or to open the suction in order to aspirate blood or fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed are surgical drains for use in surgical wounds. The drains are placed in the wound in the body and draw in unwanted bodily material. The drains can be of any shape, but preferably have a generally circular cross section or include a generally flat top surface, a generally flat bottom-surface and two sides connecting the top surface and bottom surface. The drain has an outer surface, two ends, a length and an interior lumen that may extend substantially along the length. At least one row of openings is formed in the outer surface along the longitudinal axis. The openings in a single row may comprise large cross-sectional openings alternating with small cross-sectional openings. If a plurality of rows are utilized, the small cross-sectional openings may not be included. It is preferred that the large cross-sectional openings in one row be offset, or staggered, from the large cross-sectional openings in a neighboring row.

Abstract: The invention provides an over-the-needle, percutaneously-placed hematoma drain designed to aid in preventing, detecting, and draining a concealed hemorrhage while the drain is in place. It is designed to provide an early warning that vascular hemostasis following vascular access device removal may not be adequate for patient discharge.

Abstract: A vein stripping device and method of use are disclosed. One embodiment of the vein stripping device comprises an endovascular component having a first endovascular end and a second endovascular end, a handle that attaches to one of the endovascular ends and a vein stripper that attaches to the endovascular end opposite the handle. The endovascular component is sized to fit inside the lumen of a to-be-removed vein. The vein stripper preferably includes an internal cavity for collecting at least a portion of the to-be-removed vein and preventing at least a portion of the to-be-removed vein from slipping over the vein stripper. In use, a vein is accessed in two locations and the endovascular component is positioned in the vein lumen. The handle is attached to one endovascular end and the vein stripper to the second endovascular end. A user then pulls the handle and pulls the vein stripper along the length of the accessed vein thus removing the vein.

Abstract: A vein valve, preferably for the common femoral vein, is described. The valve may be of a monocusp or bicuspid construction. The valve is constructed from the patient's own vein wall tissue, in which case it is necessary to repair the opening made in the vein wall with a precisely shaped, minimally thrombogenic vein wall patch, which may be, and is preferably, synthetic. The synthetic patch may be both heparin and antibiotic bonded and thus confer special advantages.

Abstract: A percutaneous harvesting device for the harvesting of tubular body members from a body is disclosed. The percutaneous harvesting device includes an endovascular guide for sufficiently straightening the tubular vessel to be removed and a perivascular cutting tool that is inserted over the endovascular guide. The cutting tool is advanced along the length of the tubular body member to be removed and it cuts body tissue (wherein the tubular body member is positioned inside the body tissue) as it is advanced. The body tissue is thus dissected from the body and can then be extracted percutaneously and rapidly from the body by pulling the endovascular guide, and the tubular body member and surrounding body tissue, from the body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vascular sheath for helping to prevent bleeding during procedures in which devices must be inserted into a blood vessel such as an artery or vein. The vascular sheath includes at least one manually compressible primary seal that has a lumen passing therethrough. A device inserted into the blood vessel first passes through the sheath, and thus through the lumen in the primary seal. By manually adjusting the compression of the primary seal the size of at least part of the lumen is made to substantially conform to the outer surface of the device. The primary seal can thus seal against large and small sized devices to prevent bleeding. It is preferred that a secondary seal also be used and one type of secondary seal is a flexible disk or flap with one or more slits through which the device passes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a race guide wire containment and dispensing system comprising an outer housing and an inner housing.

Abstract: A surgical device and method for using it to strip blood vessels, such as varicose veins, or other tubular structures from the body utilizing an endovenous cable that is passed through the vein section to be removed. Once the endovenous cable reaches the end of the section of blood vessel to be stripped, a head is attached to the endovenous cable. The head may have at its leading edge, rounded, streamlined shoulders, a leading edge and a central cavity to retain the end of the vein. On the trailing end of the stripper head are one or more structures capable of receiving and retaining a surgical drain. As the vein is tripped the drain is automatically pulled into the body. The drain will lie in the leg precisely where the vein had been, and the limit the common complication of retained post surgical bleeding.

Abstract: A mechanical device for implantation into a patient's body is designed or modified to be electrically charged to prevent coagulation on the device, thereby extending the life of the device and alleviating the need for the patient to utilize anticoagulant therapy. The device may be a heart valve and is electrically charged by being connected to a power source. The power source is preferably a battery pack implanted in the body and is connected to the device by connector wires. The charge applied to the device may be negative or positive, as long as it helps to repel platelets and/or red blood cells from the device in order to help prevent coagulation on one or more surfaces of the device.

Abstract: The invention is a medical guide wire containment and dispensing device. The device is of unitary construction and defines a single, generally annular opening that receives the guide wire. Preferably, the device includes a mount for retaining a guide-wire torque device.

Abstract: Disclosed are surgical drains for use in surgical wounds. The drains are placed in the wound in the body and draw in unwanted bodily material. The drains can be of any shape, but preferably have a generally circular cross section or include a generally flat top surface, a generally flat bottom-surface and two sides connecting the top surface and bottom surface. The drain has an outer surface, two ends, a length and an interior lumen that may extend substantially along the length. At least one row of openings is formed in the outer surface along the longitudinal axis. The openings in a single row may comprise large cross-sectional openings alternating with small cross-sectional openings. If a plurality of rows are utilized, the small cross-sectional openings may not be included. It is preferred that the large cross-sectional openings in one row be offset, or staggered, from the large cross-sectional openings in a neighboring row.

Abstract: A Hall effect sensor and capacitor assembly includes leadless chip type capacitors employed as EMI shielding/ESD protection and bypass capacitors. In a first embodiment, a molded carrier structure provides a housing for mounting a Hall cell element as well as one or more EMI shielding or bypass capacitors. The carrier housing facilitates interconnection of the Hall cell and the chip capacitor. Additionally, this structure simplifies the manufacturing process for connection of the smaller leadless chip capacitor components. In an alternate embodiment, an insulated, molded encapsulation is applied and surrounds the chip capacitors and the connections to the Hall effect sensor leads.