Abstract: The disclosed passive facemask embodiments having a single exchange port covered by a filter are from a family of transparent facemasks that do not obstruct visibility of a person's mouth when worn. One problem with a typical, widely used, facemask is the difficulty in understanding a person speaking when they are wearing the typical facemask. Not only does the listener have to contend with the muffled speech of a person talking through a facemask, communication is made worse by covering up, or otherwise hiding the wearer's mouth and face with opaque filter material. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein present a clear/see-through filtration mask embodiment that does not visibly obstruct a person's mouth by providing a filtration system along or near the periphery of the facemask.

Abstract: A spacer for a knee replacement prosthesis. The spacer may include a lower surface, which has a locking component adapted to interlock with a tibial tray, an upper surface, the upper surface having a pair of condyle support platforms; and a frame positioned therebetween for anchoring the upper and lower surfaces thereto, the frame having a hollowed center defined by internal cavities. In some exemplary embodiments, the spacer may further include a fluid delivery system for localized antibiotic treatment to the surrounding joint. The delivery system may include a reservoir disposed within the internal cavity, a septum operatively connected to the reservoir, and fluid delivery element for dispensing a liquid medicament from the reservoir to the surrounding infection. The fluid delivery system may interact with external components to refill, communicate with, and control the system.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments describing finger calipers with a pair of lever arms pivotally attached to a hand plate via a pivot point at their respective proximal ends. Each of the lever arms extend along the length of a finger and attach to the end of the respective finger via a finger cuff or some other attachment means. Accordingly, the lever arms can open and close, or otherwise splay apart, in a scissor like manner when the fingers that they are attached to open and close or otherwise splay apart. A ratchet system comprised by one of the lever arms and the hand plate allow for one-way motion of the ratcheted lever arm. The other lever arm freely pivots across the hand plate. When a medical examiner is using the finger calipers, they can reliably measure a dilated cervix by reading a corresponding dilation measurement indicium associated with the ratcheted lever arm.

Abstract: A lockable container for securing items or objects, the container including a first element, which may include a cylindrical member and a retainer for capturing two or more rotatable rings on the cylindrical member, and a second element, which is mateable with the first element, cooperating with the rings to close an open end of the cylindrical member of the first element.

Abstract: The disclosed anti-contagion facemask embodiments are a family of transparent facemasks that do not obstruct visibility of a person's mouth when worn. One problem with a typical, widely used, facemask is the difficulty in understanding a person speaking when they are wearing the typical facemask. Not only does the listener have to contend with the muffled speech of a person talking through a facemask, communication is made worse by covering up, or otherwise hiding the wearer's mouth and face with opaque filter material. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein present a clear/see-through filtration mask embodiment that does not visibly obstruct a person's mouth by providing a filtration system along or near the periphery of the facemask.

Abstract: The disclosed anti-contagion facemask embodiments are a family of transparent facemasks that do not obstruct visibility of a person's mouth when worn. One problem with a typical, widely used, facemask is the difficulty in understanding a person speaking when they are wearing the typical facemask. Not only does the listener have to contend with the muffled speech of a person talking through a facemask, communication is made worse by covering up, or otherwise hiding the wearer's mouth and face with opaque filter material. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein present a clear/see-through filtration mask embodiment that does not visibly obstruct a person's mouth by providing a filtration system along or near the periphery of the facemask.

Abstract: The disclosed anti-contagion facemask embodiments are a family of transparent facemasks that do not obstruct visibility of a person's mouth when worn. One problem with a typical, widely used, facemask is the difficulty in understanding a person speaking when they are wearing the typical facemask. Not only does the listener have to contend with the muffled speech of a person talking through a facemask, communication is made worse by covering up, or otherwise hiding the wearer's mouth and face with opaque filter material. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein present a clear/see-through filtration mask embodiment that does not visibly obstruct a person's mouth by providing a filtration system along or near the periphery of the facemask.

Abstract: A bipolar forceps includes a mechanical forceps including first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from a distal end thereof and a handle disposed at a proximal end thereof for effecting movement of the jaw members relative to one another about a pivot. A disposable housing is configured to releasably couple to at least one of the shafts and an electrode assembly is associated with the disposable housing. The electrode assembly includes electrodes releasably coupleable to the jaw members. At least one of the electrodes includes a knife channel configured to receive a knife blade therethrough to cut tissue grasped between the jaw members. A switch is configured to initiate delivery of electrosurgical energy from the source of electrosurgical energy to the electrodes. An actuation mechanism is configured to selectively advance the knife blade through the knife channel to cut tissue.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a reusable component and a disposable component selectively separable from and engagable with the reusable component. The disposable component includes an end effector and a mechanical actuator operable to induce mechanical movement of the end effector. The reusable component is configured for providing electrosurgical energy to the disposable component when engaged with the disposable component. A physical mating feature is configured to maintain engagement between the reusable and disposable components when the reusable and disposable components are engaged, and an electrical mating feature is configured to transmit electrical energy between the disposable and reusable components when the disposable and reusable components are engaged. All mechanical motion resulting from operation of the mechanical actuator may be contained within the disposable component.

Abstract: A bipolar forceps includes a mechanical forceps including first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from a distal end thereof and a handle disposed at a proximal end thereof for effecting movement of the jaw members relative to one another about a pivot. A disposable housing is configured to releasably couple to at least one of the shafts and an electrode assembly has electrodes releasably coupleable to the jaw members and adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy to allow selective conduction of electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal. An electrically conductive cutting element is disposed on at least one of the electrodes and is adapted to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy to allow selective conduction of electrosurgical energy through tissue held between the electrodes to effect a tissue cut.

Abstract: A method of assembling an electrosurgical instrument includes coupling first and second shafts to each other about a pivot. Each of the shafts has an interior side facing the other shaft and an exterior side opposite the interior side. The method also includes disposing a knife blade at least partially through a passageway defined through the pivot from the exterior side of the first shaft and coupling a knife actuation mechanism to the first shaft from the exterior side of the first shaft. The knife actuation mechanism is configured to move the knife blade through the passageway.

Abstract: An implantable externally driven fluid delivery system for localized delivery of medical agents and drugs, such as antibiotics, may be provided herein. The fluid delivery system includes a housing that incorporates a filling septum connected to a flexible internal reservoir. The reservoir is connected to a miniature diaphragm pump with coupled magnetic components. The entire fluid delivery system is implantable into a body cavity or surgically formed location that provides for local medical agent delivery. The reservoir is filled via percutaneous injection through the skin into the septum. Fluid delivery is achieved through proximity of the external controller that generates an oscillating or reversing magnetic field suitable to actuate the pump's diaphragm resulting in controlled fluid flow. Once local drug delivery treatment is complete, the controller can be discarded.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a reusable component and a disposable component selectively separable from and engagable with the reusable component. The disposable component includes an end effector and a mechanical actuator operable to induce mechanical movement of the end effector. The reusable component is configured for providing electrosurgical energy to the disposable component when engaged with the disposable component. A physical mating feature is configured to maintain engagement between the reusable and disposable components when the reusable and disposable components are engaged, and an electrical mating feature is configured to transmit electrical energy between the disposable and reusable components when the disposable and reusable components are engaged. All mechanical motion resulting from operation of the mechanical actuator may be contained within the disposable component.

Abstract: An endotracheal tube apparatus with improved deployment and long-term comfort to a patient generally includes a cap mechanism that can direct enriched oxygen towards the patient's lungs while the endotracheal tube apparatus is being inserted in a patient's trachea. Once the endotracheal tube is fully inserted in the trachea, the cap mechanism can be made to redirect the enriched oxygen to inflate an inflatable cuff integrated with the endotracheal tube thereby blocking off the vocal cord region in the patient and stabilizing the endotracheal tube in the trachea. When the cuff is inflated, the cap mechanism can be made to ventilate the patient.

Abstract: A lockable container for securing items or objects, the container including a first element, which may include a cylindrical member and a retainer for capturing two or more rotatable rings on the cylindrical member, and a second element, which is mateable with the first element, cooperating with the rings to close an open end of the cylindrical member of the first element.

Abstract: A surgical forceps includes a first shaft member including a proximal portion having a handle at a proximal end thereof and a distal portion having a jaw member at a distal end thereof. The proximal and distal portions are pivotable between an aligned position and an angled position. A second shaft member includes a jaw member at a distal end thereof and a handle at a proximal end thereof. The shaft members are pivotable relative to one another between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for moving the jaw members relative to one another between an open position and a closed position to grasp tissue therebetween. The proximal portion of the first shaft member is pivoted relative to the distal portion of the first shaft member from the aligned position to the angled position upon movement of the first and second shaft members towards the spaced-apart position.

Abstract: A forceps is provided and includes a housing having a shaft. An end effector assembly operatively connects to a distal end of the shaft and includes a pair of first and second jaw members. One or both of the first and second jaw members is movable relative to the other jaw member from a clamping position to an open position. A resilient member operably couples to at least one of the first and second jaw members. The resilient member is configured to bias the first and second jaw members in the clamping position and provide a closure force on tissue disposed therebetween.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments describing nonrebreather facemasks for efficiently and comfortably delivering oxygen to patients. One embodiment describes a cup-shaped pliable facemask that is suited to cover and seal a patient's nose, mouth, and cheeks within the cup-shaped facemask. Certain other embodiments describe an inlet tube outwardly extending from the facemask at an angle in line with the pathway of a patient's nostrils to better provide oxygen directly into a patient's nose. Other embodiments envision varying facemask's stiffness for improved comfort and sealing against the patient's face. While other embodiments envision a reduction in dead space of a facemask when worn by a patient to improve oxygen efficiency used by the patient.

Abstract: An integrated chest evacuation tube that is specifically configured to function as a closed tube when inserted and retained inside of a chest cavity to provide enhanced benefits over the state of the art. The integrated chest evacuation tube generally includes a fluid impermeable membrane fixedly attached to a single flexible hollow tube. The fluid impermeable membrane is interposed between an inlet port and an outlet port or optionally at said outlet port of a chest tube. The membrane is configured to seal the tube's passageway from any transfer of the fluid. The impermeable membrane is adapted to be ruptured by a force other than pressure from said fluid.