Abstract: The foregoing application describes a system and method of performing a minimally invasive surgical operation. More specifically, the invention involves the use of disposable cannula and slender dilators of variable lengths, which incorporate a source of illumination to carry light to a surgical site and video capabilities for capturing and displaying images from a CMOS or CCD camera device. According to one embodiment, fiber optics run semi-circumferentially or along walls of the cannula/dilator and terminate at about a centimeter from the distal end of the cannula/dilator, thereby preventing illumination from “bottoming out” at the floor of the incision. According to one alternate embodiment, the light fibers may be fashioned in an annulus around one or more camera chips to provide illumination and video of the surgical site.

Abstract: An enteral dispenser and associated method of use is provided for enterally dispensing liquid medications. The enteral dispenser includes a barrel having a number of dosing gradations arranged upon its outer surface. The barrel receives a liquid medication that has been selected from a predefined group of liquid medications having a range of colors. A plunger is moveably disposed within the barrel, and a piston is coupled to a distal end of the plunger. The piston has a peripheral portion for selective alignment with respect to a desired one of the dosing gradations and is a color that is optically differentiable from each of the colors represented within the range of colors of the predefined group of liquid medications, such that an user may differentiate between the color of the a peripheral portion of the piston and the color of any selected liquid medication.

Abstract: The foregoing application describes a system and method of performing a minimally invasive surgical operation. More specifically, the invention involves the use of disposable cannula and slender dilators of variable lengths, which incorporate a source of illumination to carry light to a surgical site and video capabilities for capturing and displaying images from a CMOS or CCD camera device. According to one embodiment, fiber optics run semi-circumferentially or along walls of the cannula/dilator and terminate at about a centimeter from the distal end of the cannula/dilator, thereby preventing illumination from “bottoming out” at the floor of the incision. According to one alternate embodiment, the light fibers may be fashioned in an annulus around one or more camera chips to provide illumination and video of the surgical site.

Abstract: A method of transferring data between a first system and a second system while ensuring the integrity. Metadata is associated with each data record and is used to ensure the integrity of the transfer.