Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system wherein a drug or other fluid to be delivered to a specific desired location within the body is stored in a reservoir that is directly displaced by a force to infuse the drug from the device into the patient. Several specific methods are used to displace the reservoir, including, generally, hydraulic displacement, mechanical screw-type displacement, and spring force displacement of the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A drug delivery system recirculate carrier fluid in closed-loop fashion, thereby requiring only a relatively small amount of carrier fluid for operation. A pump provides continuous flow of carrier fluid to a delivery interface in a recirculating path. A metering device, which may be either passive or active, dispenses drug from a reservoir into the carrier fluid in the recirculating path and maintains a constant concentration of drug at the delivery interface, which may comprise a semipermeable membrane. The recirculating path is preferably in the form of a dual-lumen catheter which provides a supply leg to a delivery interface and a return leg from the drug delivery interface to the pump. Drug concentration sensors may be provided to measure the concentration of drug in the recirculating path or in the human body and to actively adjust the metering device accordingly.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system wherein a drug or other fluid to be delivered to a specific desired location within the body is stored in a reservoir that is directly displaced by a force to infuse the drug from the device into the patient. Several specific methods are used to displace the reservoir, including, generally, hydraulic displacement, mechanical screw-type displacement, and spring force displacement of the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system wherein a drug or other fluid to be delivered to a specific desired location within the body is stored in a reservoir that is directly displaced by a force to infuse the drug from the device into the patient. Several specific methods are used to displace the reservoir, including, generally, hydraulic displacement, mechanical screw-type displacement, and spring force displacement of the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A permanently implantable guiding catheter for facilitating access to a body tissue site in a patient. The guiding catheter has a substantially hollow cylindrical configuration, and has a port assembly including a self-sealable septum disposed on its proximal end. The guiding catheter is made of a biocompatible material such that it may be implanted with its distal end situated at the desired body tissue site and with its proximal end and port assembly subcutaneously disposed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the guiding catheter has sufficient inner diameter to allow passage of a flexible elongate medical instrument, such as a drug infusion catheter or the like, therethrough. An introducer needle is used to percutaneously pierce the septum. Then, the medical instrument is inserted into the needle such that its distal end is guided by the guiding catheter to the desired body tissue site.

Abstract: An implantable drug infusion pump filling system includes a filling syringe, a pressure control valve, a filling tube, and an implantable drug infusion pump. The pressure of the drug or agent loaded into the pump is prevented from exceeding a selected maximum pressure by the pressure control valve. The pressure control valve comprises a valve body that has an inlet passage coupled to the filling syringe, an internal chamber, and a discharge passage coupled to the pump. The inlet passage, the internal chamber, and the discharge passage form a flow passage for the flow of the drug. A mandrel is slidably disposed in the valve body. The mandrel is coupled to a flexible membrane, which is, in turn, coupled to a biasing member. When the pressure of the drug or agent acting on the flexible membrane exceeds the spring constant of the biasing member, the mandrel moves to a closed position, shutting off the flow passage.

Abstract: An all-pneumatic medical ventilator of the volume-limited type is provided with a pneumatically driven drug nebulizer for injecting medication into the patient's breathing circuit in response to a cyclic pressure signal from the ventilator. The nebulizer is driven either directly or indirectly, according to the desired mode of use, from the pressurized oxygen source of the ventilator. In a preferred mode, a given portion of the tidal volume of gas is temporarily withdrawn from the breathing circuit during inhalation and subsequently forcibly returned by way of the nebulizer to the breathing circuit. This takes place during the same inhalation period so that nebulized medication is added to the patient's breathing circuit without changing either the predetermined oxygen concentration or tidal volume of the breathing gas.

Abstract: An all-pneumatic medical ventilator of the volume-limited type is provided with a pneumatically driven drug nebulizer for injecting medication into the patient's breathing circuit in response to a cyclic pressure signal from the ventilator. The nebulizer is driven either directly or indirectly, according to the desired mode of use, from the pressurized oxygen source of the ventilator. In a preferred mode, a given portion of the tidal volume of gas is temporarily withdrawn from the breathing circuit during inhalation and subsequently forcibly returned by way of the nebulizer to the breathing circuit. This takes place during the same inhalation period so that nebulized medication is added to the patient's breathing circuit without changing either the predetermined oxygen concentration or tidal volume of the breathing gas.