Abstract: An extracardiac pumping system and method for using it supplement the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart. A battery powered pump may be implanted subcutaneously and attached to an inflow conduit fluidly coupled to a patient's femoral artery via a subcutaneous anastomosis connection. The pump draws blood from the inflow conduit and discharges it through an outflow conduit fluidly coupled to a second peripheral artery via another subcutaneous anastomosis connection. The battery may be charged extracorporeally and the pump may be operated in either a continuous or pulsatile fashion in synchronization with the patient's heart. The conduits can be housed in a multi-lumen catheter and a reservoir may be provided which fluidly communicates with the inflow conduits. An additional feature may keep blood traveling extracorporeally within the system at or near body temperature.

Abstract: Surgical methods and related medical devices for treating glaucoma are disclosed. The method comprises trabecular bypass surgery, which involve bypassing diseased trabecular meshwork with the use of a seton implant. The seton implant is used to prevent a healing process known as filling in, which has a tendency to close surgically created openings in the trabecular meshwork. The surgical method and novel implant are addressed to the trabecular meshwork, which is a major site of resistance to outflow in glaucoma. In addition to bypassing the diseased trabecular meshwork at the level of the trabecular meshwork, existing outflow pathways are also used or restored. The seton implant is positioned through the trabecular meshwork so that an inlet end of the seton implant is exposed to the anterior chamber of the eye and an outlet end is positioned into fluid collection channels at about an exterior surface of the trabecular meshwork or up to the level of aqueous veins.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and a method for monitoring a patient's Formation number (Fn) and comparing the measured Fn to the baseline data of healthy persons population or to the patient's past history data to assess the degree of ventricular and/or valvular dysfunction, wherein the valvular dysfunction may comprise dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, or the like.

Abstract: A pump formed from an asymmetric tube, which is pinched to form asymmetric forces, that pump fluid.

Abstract: A pump which is bladeless, and uses a substantially cylindrical outer cylinder to rotate inside a ridged inner chamber.

Abstract: An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and method of using same. One embodiment of the extracardiac system comprises a pump implanted subcutaneously at or about the patient's femoral artery in a minimally-invasive procedure, wherein the pump is powered by a battery, and means for charging the battery extracorporeally, whereby the pump draws blood through an inflow conduit fluidly coupled to the patient's femoral artery via a subcutaneous anastomosis connection, and discharges blood through an outflow conduit fluidly coupled to a second peripheral artery via a subcutaneous anastomosis connection. The pump may be operated continuously or in a pulsatile fashion, synchronous with the patient's heart, thereby potentially reducing the afterload of the heart.

Abstract: A trabecular pump is implantable in the eye to reduce intraocular pressure. The pump drains aqueous humor from the anterior chamber into outflow pathways, such as Schlemm's canal. A feedback system includes an intraocular pump and a pressure sensor in communication with the pump, for regulating intraocular pressure.

Abstract: A hydro-elastic pumping system formed from an elastic tube element having attached end members with different hydroimpedance properties, wherein the elastic element is pinched with certain frequency and duty cycle to form asymmetric forces that pump fluid

Abstract: A glaucoma treatment device for directing the flow of aqueous humor and bypassing trabecular meshwork is disclosed. The device comprises an inlet section, an outlet section, a middle section, and at least one lumen for transmitting aqueous humor within the glaucoma device. The lumen extends through at least one of the sections, and the outlet section is substantially perpendicular to the middle section, and fits within a conduit of aqueous humor outflow in the eye.

Abstract: A diffractive optic sheer stress sensor operates by forming diverging fringes over a linear area of measurement. A diode laser focuses light onto a diffractive lens which focuses the light to respective slits. The slits form diverging fringes, and scattered light from the fringes is collected by a window and focused by another diffractive lens to a receiver.

Abstract: Surgical methods and related medical devices for treating glaucoma are disclosed. The method comprises trabecular bypass surgery, which involves bypassing diseased trabecular meshwork with the use of a stent implant. The stent implant is inserted into an opening created in the trabecular meshwork by a piercing member that is slidably advanceable through the lumen of the stent implant for supporting the implant insertion. The stent implant is positioned through the trabecular meshwork so that an inlet end of the stent implant is exposed to the anterior chamber of the eye and an outlet end is positioned into fluid collection channels at about an exterior surface of the trabecular meshwork or up to the level of aqueous veins.

Abstract: An implant for treating glaucoma in an eye is described, the implant including an inflow portion sized and shaped to fit in the anterior chamber of the eye; an outflow portion sized and shaped fit in at least one of Schlemm's canal, an aqueous collector channel, and an episcleral vein; and a lumen that permits fluid communication from the inflow portion to the outflow portion of the implant, the lumen being configured such that, for a first flow F(i-o) through the lumen in a direction from an inflow end of the implant to an outflow end of the implant, at a first pressure difference P(i-o) between a higher pressure at the inflow end and a lower pressure at the outflow end, said first flow F(i-o) is greater than a second flow F(o-i) through the lumen in a direction from the outflow end to the inflow end, at a second pressure difference P(o-i) between a higher pressure at the outflow end and a lower pressure at the inflow end, where the magnitude of P(o-i) is equal to P(i-o).

Abstract: A pump formed from an asymmetric tube, which is pinched to form asymmetric forces, that pump fluid.

Abstract: A trabecular shunt and methods for treating glaucoma are disclosed. The method comprises placing a trabecular shunt through diseased trabecular meshwork, between the anterior chamber and Schlemm's canal. The trabecular shunt includes a hollow, elongated tubular element having an inlet section and an outlet section. The outlet section includes two bifurcatable elements adapted to be positioned and stabilized inside Schlemm's canal.

Abstract: An intravascular miniature stent pump comprising an intravascular stent for implantation at an implant site within a blood vessel and a miniature pump mounted on the stent, wherein the pump allows an adequate blood flow to prevent clotting within a lumen of the stent, and wherein the blood flow is equal to or greater than a blood flow at the implant site before implantation.

Abstract: A miniaturized laser Doppler velocimeter is formed in a housing that is preferably 3 mm in diameter or less. A laser couples light to a first diffractive optical element that is formed on the fiber end. The light is coupled to a lens that also includes a diffractive optical element. The same lens is also used to collect receive light, and receives includes another diffractive optical element to collect that received light.

Abstract: Hydrophilic polymer actuators for an implantable device and methods of forming such actuators are provided, wherein the hydrophilic polymer actuators are actuated by the hydration and dehydration of a hydrophilic polymer material.

Abstract: A bladeless pump is made with rotating parts that are substantially flexible, allowing them to be assembled into desired shapes. The rotating part preferably has no blades thereon, and rotates to produce a fluid flow inside a chamber. The fluid flow in the chamber causes flow along the chamber axis, which itself may be bent.

Abstract: An optical particle detection system produces an optical beam which is scattered by particles in a probe volume area. The particles may scatter the beam to the detector. The optical beam is a hollow shaped beam which may be circular/doughnut shaped, or made be of any other hollow shape. The particle passes across the beam, and those particles which pass through the center of the beam are detected as being desired particles to detect. This system may be used to detect particle concentration, and size. In addition, by producing an asymmetric beam, particle direction can also be detected.

Abstract: A glaucoma treatment device for directing the flow of aqueous humor and reducing intraocular pressure for angle closure glaucoma is disclosed. The glaucoma device comprises an aqueous transporting element for transporting aqueous humor to bypass dysfunctional anatomical iris closure and restoring existing outflow pathways of the anatomical iris closure. The aqueous transporting element has an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the inlet end is positioned inside an anterior chamber of an eye beyond an edge of the dysfunctional anatomic iris closure and the outlet end is positioned in proximity of trabecular meshwork of the eye. The device also serves to stent the space between the iris and an inner surface of a cornea of the eye.