Abstract: Therapeutic apheresis treatments and diagnostic monitoring methods are described, specifically relating to the depletion and/or removal of a broad bandwidth of certain rheologically active elements from the blood of a patient followed by return of the blood so treated to the patient, and to methods or procedures of apheresis treatment, especially biophysiologic blood filtering treatments and computer medicated delivery methods configured to provide such apheresis treatments to patients with certain chronic, age-related, degenerative, atherogenic, thrombotic or inflammatory diseases; especially those associated with RAM accumulation-deposition causing disturbances of blood rheology or microcirculatory impairment.

Abstract: An indwelling urethral catheter system and method of its use involve a drainage shaft (16) mounted in a urinary tract (24) having an externally-operated, normally-closed, fluid valve (38) mounted therein near the meatus (22) of the urinary tract. A removable insertion conduit assembly (12), separate from the catheter drainage shaft, is for extending from outside the body, through the meatus of the urinary tract to plug into the proximal end of the catheter drainage shaft and impinge on the valve for holding it open to allow free drainage through the valve. Once the insertion conduit is removed from the urinary tract it no longer impinges on the valve for holding it open and the valve is thereafter normally closed unless opened by application of force from outside the body.

Abstract: An indwelling urethral catheter (10) includes a flexible catheter drainage shaft (18) defining a drainage canal with a valve (32) mounted therein. The catheter is mounted in a urethral canal by means of a bladder-located Foley-type balloon (22) and an inflatable balloon lead shaft (24) which extends along the catheter drainage shaft. The valve (32) is normally biased to a closed position, but is actuatable to an open position by external hand manipulation of a penis in which the catheter is implanted. The catheter (10) also includes a discardable sleeve (12) which is severably attached to the distal end of the catheter (10), on the proximal side of the balloon (22). After insertion into the urethra, the balloon (22), and its lead shaft (24) are inflated through a "basketball" type contraction valve (44).

Abstract: An indwelling urethral catheter (10) includes a flexible catheter drainage shaft (18) defining a drainage canal with a valve (32) mounted therein. The catheter is mounted in a urethral canal by means of a bladder-located Foley-type balloon (22) and an inflatable balloon lead shaft (24) which extends along the catheter drainage shaft. The valve (32) is normally biased to a closed position, but is actuatable to an open position by external hand manipulation of a penis in which the catheter is implanted. The catheter (10) also includes a discardable sleeve (12) which is severably attached to the distal end of the catheter (10), on the proximal side of the balloon (22). After insertion into the urethra, the balloon (22), and its lead shaft (24) are inflated through a "basketball" type contraction valve (44).