Abstract: A system for oral care of patients ventilated with an ETT tube 120 comprising: a deformable fluid blocking element 200 reversibly mountable around an ETT (for example, side-mountable thereon), the fluid blocking element having: a midsection channel 205 sized to fit snugly and reversibly around the ventilation tube 120 when the fluid blocking element is mounted thereto; and an outer surface configured, when the fluid blocking element is mounted, to fit snugly and reversibly into the back of the mouth of an adult human patient so as to span both lateral left-to-right tonsils and tongue-soft palate dimensions thereof, wherein the fluid blocking element 200 is reversibly inflatable to simultaneously press against the soft pallet and the tongue and/or the fluid blocking element 200 is collapsible and outwardly biased so that when placed in the back of the human mouth, the fluid blocking element expands so as to simultaneously press against the soft pallet and the tongue. Methods and kits are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A catheter body (210) defines a distal-most suction orifice (444) and an outer lateral wall (592), which defines a lateral opening (448) therethrough into a suction lumen (530). An inflatable-element outer wall (590) of an inflatable element (588) is mounted to the catheter body (210). An inner membrane (589) is positioned within the inflatable element (588) and is mounted to the catheter body (210) around the lateral opening (448) along a seal perimeter (583) around the lateral opening (448), so as to define a collapsible membrane portion (596) that (a) covers the lateral opening (448), and (b) together with the inflatable-element outer wall (590), defines an inflatable chamber (587) between the inflatable-element outer wall (590) and the collapsible membrane portion (596). The inner membrane (589) entirely surrounds the catheter body (210).

Abstract: A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) device is provided, which includes an inflatable annular cuff, a backplate attached to the cuff, and an airway tube. The cuff, when disposed in free space, is characterized by a pressure-volume curve that represents the pressure in the cuff when inflated to different volumes of the cuff that include a low-pressure volume corresponding to a low pressure of 10 cm H2O. The pressure-volume curve includes (a) a local maximum pressure at a medium volume of the cuff between 1.25 and 2.4 times the low-pressure volume, wherein the local maximum pressure is between 15 and 120 cm H2O, and (b) respective high-volume medium pressures corresponding to all high volumes of the cuff that are between 2.5 and 3 times the low-pressure volume. Each of the high-volume medium pressures is between 15 cm H2O and 99% of the local maximum pressure. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A kit comprising a base module, a plurality of rodded oral care devices, a hanger, a support element that hangs from the hanger, and a non-electronic multi-input multi-display counter is disclosed herein. The support element for supporting each rodded oral care device of the plurality of devices. Embodiments relate to fluid loading/unloading mechanism involving elements of the base module. The non-electronic multi-input multi-display counter may be used to track different types of oral care operations, e.g. at least some of which are performed using the base module and/or a rodded oral care device. Related methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A cuff pressure stabilizer includes a substantially rigid protective housing and a balloon disposed therein. The balloon has a base low pressure of 10 cm H2O when it contains a base low-pressure volume of air. When the balloon contains a first medium-pressure volume of air, the balloon has a first medium pressure of 25 cm H2O, and less than 10% of an outer surface of the balloon touches an inner surface of the housing. When the balloon contains a second medium-pressure volume of air, the balloon has a second medium pressure of 40 cm H2O, and at least 20% of the outer surface of the balloon touches a portion of the inner surface of the housing. The second medium-pressure volume of air equals the base low-pressure volume of air plus a second incremental quantity of air that is between 10 cc and 60 cc. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter insertable into a ventilation tube and an input module are provided, the input module coupled to the cleaning catheter and including (i) an inflation module, including an inflation chamber and a one-way air inlet valve; (ii) a flow regulator operable to assume first and second fluid-control states; and (iii) a mechanical user control element operable (a) to mechanically and non-electrically set the fluid-control states, (b) to assume first and second configurations, and (c) to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in an interior of an inflation chamber of the cleaning catheter during a transition of the mechanical user control element from the first configuration to the second configuration. The one-way air inlet valve is arranged to allow air to flow into the inflation chamber during a transition of the mechanical user control element from the second configuration to the first configuration.

Abstract: An oral care system for a defined oral care cleaning cycle comprising a base module 100, a head module 150 comprising a toothbrush-bristle brush 165 disposed on a bristle-retaining surface of the head module, and a tail module 151. A multi-input/multi-display counter 149 is disposed on a base-module main body 110 of the main body 100. The multi-input/multi-display counter 149 independently displays first and second count-states, and includes first and second independently-operable user inputs that are respectively associated with the first and second count-states such that: (a) in response to user engagement of the first user input, the first count state is incremented or decremented; and (b) in response to user engagement of the second user input, the second count state is incremented or decremented.

Abstract: A cuff pressure stabilizer (100, 200, 300, 500, 600, 800) is provided that includes an inflation lumen proximal port connector (134), which is shaped to form an airtight seal with an inflation lumen proximal port (15) of a catheter (10) additionally having an inflatable cuff (11) and an inflation lumen (13); a fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624); a liquid column container (118, 518, 618), which is (a) open to the atmosphere (99) at least one site along the liquid column container, (b) in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624), and (c) in communication with the inflation lumen proximal port connector (134) via the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624); and a liquid (121), which is contained (a) in the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624), (b) in the liquid column container (118, 518, 618), or (c) partially in the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624) and partially in the liquid column container (118, 518, 618), and which has a density of between 1.5 and 5 g/cm3 at 4 degrees Celsius at 1 atm.

Abstract: The invention introduces a system for focusing ultrasonic energy through intervening tissue into a target site within a target tissue region, includes a transducer emitter array, a transducer receiver array, a processor receiving echo signals from the receiver to determine correction factors for the transducer elements to compensate for refraction occurring due to intervening tissue. The correction factors may include phase correction factors, and the phases of excitation signals provided to the transducer elements may be adjusted based upon the phase correction factors to focus the ultrasonic energy to the tissue at the target site.

Abstract: A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) device includes an inflatable annular cuff, which, when disposed in free space, is characterized by a pressure-volume curve that represents the pressure in the cuff when inflated, from a deflated negative pressure, by different volumes of ambient-pressure air, which include a low-pressure volume that results in a low pressure of 10 cm H2O. The pressure-volume curve includes (a) a low-pressure-range average rate of change over a low-pressure volume interval between 1.0 and 1.2 times the low-pressure volume, (b) a medium-pressure-range average rate of change over a medium-pressure volume interval between 2.0 and 2.2 times the low-pressure volume, and (c) a medium pressure at a medium volume of the cuff equal to 2.0 times the low-pressure volume. The medium-pressure-range average rate of change is less than 0.5 times the low-pressure-range average rate of change, and the medium pressure is between 20 and 200 cm H2O.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter (200) includes fluid-delivery and suction lumens (520, 530). A flow regulator (700) defines suction and fluid ports (830, 827). A mechanical user control element (320) is configured to mechanically and non-electrically set activation states of the flow regulator (700), and transition between first and third configurations via a second configuration. When the control element (320) is in the first configuration, the flow regulator (700) blocks fluid communication (a) between the suction port (830) and the suction lumen (530) and (b) between the fluid port (827) and the fluid-delivery lumen (520). When the control element (320) is in the second configuration, the flow regulator effects fluid communication between the suction port (830) and the suction lumen (530), and blocks fluid communication between the fluid port (827) and the fluid-delivery lumen (520).

Abstract: A cuff pressure stabilizer includes two or more columnar units, which include respective input columns and respective output columns disposed at least partially alongside the respective input columns. The input column of an upstream-most columnar unit is shaped so as to define an upstream-most input port, which is coupleable in fluid communication with an inflation lumen proximal port of a catheter. The output column of a downstream-most columnar unit is shaped so as to define an atmosphere port that is open to the atmosphere. The columnar units include a measurement columnar unit, which includes a plurality of pressure indicia markings distributed along the measurement columnar unit for measuring a height difference between a surface level of the liquid in the measurement output column of the measurement columnar unit and a surface level of the liquid in the measurement input column of the measurement columnar unit.

Abstract: A kit comprising a base module, a plurality of rodded oral care devices, a hanger, a support element that hangs from the hanger, and a non-electronic multi-input multi-display counter is disclosed herein. The support element for supporting each rodded oral care device of the plurality of devices. Embodiments relate to fluid loading/unloading mechanism involving elements of the base module. The non-electronic multi-input multi-display counter may be used to track different types of oral care operations, e.g. at least some of which are performed using the base module and/or a rodded oral care device. Related methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An oral care system for a defined oral care cleaning cycle comprising a base module 100, a head module 150 comprising a toothbrush-bristle brush 165 disposed on a bristle-retaining surface of the head module, and a tail module 151. A multi-input/multi-display counter 149 is disposed on a base-module main body 110 of the main body 100. The multi-input/multi-display counter 149 independently displays first and second count-states, and includes first and second independently-operable user inputs that are respectively associated with the first and second count-states such that: (a) in response to user engagement of the first user input, the first count state is incremented or decremented; and (b) in response to user engagement of the second user input, the second count state is incremented or decremented.

Abstract: An oral care system comprising: a. an electrical motor b. a base assembly comprising: i. an elongated base-assembly main body defining an elongate axis; and/or ii. a battery or a battery compartment optionally including electrical contacts for a battery, the battery and/or the battery compartment being electrically wired to the electrical motor; and c. a head assembly is disclosed herein. Methods and kits are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter includes an inflatable element and an input module, which includes an inflation chamber coupled in fluid communication with the inflatable element. A flow regulator defines a suction port coupleable in fluid communication with a suction source. A mechanical suction-control button is configured to assume at least first and second spatial positions.

Abstract: An electrical toothbrush system, device, method and kit are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the system or device or kit include a suction lumen. In some embodiments, a display-control circuitry is provided, the circuitry configured to cause the display assembly to operate in the first or second display modes according to an elapsed-time-since-most-recent-operation, as measured by the timing circuitry.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter insertable into a ventilation tube and an input module are provided, the input module coupled to the cleaning catheter and including (i) an inflation module, including an inflation chamber and a one-way air inlet valve; (ii) a flow regulator, configured to assume first and second fluid-control states; and (iii) a mechanical user control element, which is configured (a) to mechanically and non-electrically set the fluid-control states, (b) to assume first and second configurations, and (c) to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in an interior of an inflation chamber of the cleaning catheter during a transition of the mechanical user control element from the first configuration to the second configuration. The one-way air inlet valve is arranged to allow air to flow into the inflation chamber during a transition of the mechanical user control element from the second configuration to the first configuration.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter includes tubular main body, shaped so as to define a distal-most suction orifice; and a suction lumen, a distal portion of which is in fluid communication with the distal-most suction orifice. An outer wall of the main body is shaped so as to define an opening extending through an outer wall into the suction lumen at an axial location proximal to the distal-most suction orifice. An inflatable element is mounted to the main body along the opening. A collapsible membrane is positioned along the opening within an interior of the inflatable element, so as to define an inflatable chamber between a wall of inflatable element and the collapsible membrane. The collapsible membrane is positioned to at least partially occlude the suction lumen upon at least partial inflation of the inflatable chamber. The collapsible membrane is slack when the inflatable chamber is not inflated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a brush-head assembly for a brush device, the brush head assembly comprising: a. an elongate body having proximal and distal ends and defining a elongate axis; and b. a brush disposed mounted onto the elongate body; c. a fluid-delivery lumen disposed within the elongate body along the elongate axis thereof; and d. a suction lumen having first and second portions, the first portion disposed within the elongate body along the elongate axis thereof, the second portion disposed at the proximal end of and in fluid communication with the first portion.