Abstract: An adjustable orthopedic shoe for a foot splint is disclosed. The shoe is split into a toe portion and a heel portion to which a toe plate and a heel plate are respectively attached. The toe plate is adjustable relative to the heel plate about a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, an oblique axis, or a combination of axes. After adjustment, the toe plate is locked in position relative to the heel plate by flanges depending from the plates. Preferably, the flanges are rounded and contact the ground and a pair of shoes are provided which are attached to an orthopedic foot splint. The foot splint maintains a desired angle between the feet of the user but otherwise allows virtually full freedom of movement of the feet.

Abstract: An orthopedic foot splint which is attached to the shoes of a user to correct for a toe-in or toe-out condition is disclosed. The foot splint includes a pair of shoe engaging plates and an elongate connecting mechanism. A swivel is provided between the shoe engaging plate and the end of the connecting mechanism so that the shoe of the user can rotate about a vertical axis. The swivel includes a stop which is adjustable to restrict the movement of the swivel so that the toe or heel of the shoe swivels either towards or away from the connecting mechanism from an initial position where the longitudinal axis of the shoe engaging plate is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting mechanism. A mechanism for locking the shoe engaging plate against swiveling movement is also provided. The connecting mechanism can include two bars, a central pivot, a central hinge, and lateral hinges. At least one bar is also laterally extendable according to the needs of the user.

Abstract: An orthopedic foot splint which is attached to the shoes of a user to correct for a toe-in or toe-out condition is disclosed. The foot splint includes a pair of shoe engaging plates and an elongate connecting mechanism. A swivel is provided between the shoe engaging plate and the end of the connecting mechanism so that the shoe of the user can rotate about a vertical axis. The swivel includes a stop which is adjustable to restrict the movement of the swivel so that the toe or heel of the shoe swivels either towards or away from the connecting mechanism from an initial position where the longitudinal axis of the shoe engaging plate is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting mechanism. A mechanism for locking the shoe engaging plate against swiveling movement is also provided. The connecting mechanism can include two bars, a central pivot, a central hinge, and lateral hinges. At least one bar is also laterally extendable according to the needs of the user.

Abstract: An orthopedic foot splint which is attached to the shoes of a user to correct for a toe-in or toe-out condition is disclosed. The foot splint includes a pair of shoe engaging plates and an elongate connecting mechanism. A swivel is provided between the shoe engaging plate and the end of the connecting mechanism so that the shoe of the user can rotate about a vertical axis. The swivel includes a stop which is adjustable to restrict the movement of the swivel so that the toe or heel of the shoe swivels either towards or away from the connecting mechanism from an initial position where the longitudinal axis of the shoe engaging plate is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting mechanism. A mechanism for locking the shoe engaging plate against swiveling movement is also provided. The connecting mechanism can include two bars, a central pivot, a central hinge, and lateral hinges. At least one bar is also laterally extendable according to the needs of the user.

Abstract: A surgical underwater drainage device for draining fluids from the body of a patient which is provided with an automatic negative pressure relief system is disclosed. The underwater drainage device includes a collection chamber, an underwater seal chamber and/or its equivalent, and a suction control chamber. In one embodiment a negative pressure relief valve is normally closed and provides a bypass around the liquid seal and/or its equivalent of the underwater seal chamber. When excess negativity occurs in the collection chamber and/or the thoracotomy tube, the relief valve opens automatically to slowly relieve the excess negativity. The relief valve also prevents flow to the collection chamber and/or the thoracotomy tube when the pressure in the collection chamber is equal to or greater than a predetermined minimum below the pressure on the opposite side of the seal of the underwater seal chamber or its equivalent.

Abstract: An adjustable orthopedic foot splint is disclosed which maintains a desired angle between the feet of the user and which otherwise allows virtually full freedom of movement of the feet except for an undesired movement of one foot in front of or too close to the other foot as the user walks. The orthopedic foot splint includes a linkage having two pairs of parallelogram links. These parallelogram links are pivotable in a horizontal plane relative to each other and relative to the plate which engages the shoe. Attached between opposed links of one pair of parallelogram links is a tether. The tether prevents the one pair of links from pivoting beyond a predetermined angle.

Abstract: A sensor and method are disclosed for measuring electrokinetic effects across a double layer formed at the boundary between a solid wall and an ionic liquid flowing through a channel. In one embodiment, a passive electrode is located in a cavity forming a tee section with the channel through an orifice of approximately the same size as the channel. A passive second electrode in electrical communication with one side of the double layer is placed on the other side of a porous plug which is located in a second cavity directly opposite the orifice and which is flush with the channel walls. The double layer being investigated is formed on the flush portion of the porous plug. Thus both electrodes are out of the flowing liquid. An electrokinetic potential, labeled the K-effect potential, was measured by the two electrodes.

Abstract: A method of determining the volume flow of a fluid through a conduit usable with a single crystal, whereby at least one of the fluid and the conduit have energy-scattering interfaces. The method in one embodiment includes transmitting a known, uniform sound field through the fluid which illuminates the entire cross-sectional area of the conduit, obtaining the Doppler signal from the received signal such that the sampling region is normal to the direction of propagation of the sound field; and obtaining the integral of the power over this surface. A known volume of fluid totally within the conduit is then sampled for the reference power return therefrom and this reference power return is divided into the first moment of the power to produce a signal proportional to the volume flow of the fluid through the conduit.

Abstract: A sensor and method are disclosed for measuring electrokinetic effects across a double layer formed at the boundary between a solid wall and an ionic liquid flowing through a channel. In one embodiment, a passive electrode is located in a cavity forming a tee section with the channel through an orifice of approximately the same size as the channel. A passive second electrode in electrical communication with one side of the double layer is placed on the other side of a porous plug which is located in a second cavity directly opposite the orifice and which is flush with the channel walls. The double layer being investigated is formed on the flush portion of the porous plug. Thus both electrodes are out of the flowing liquid. An electrokinetic potential, labeled the K-effect potential, was measured by the two electrodes.

Abstract: An intracorporeal, extracorporeal, cardiac assist, perfusion device or other pulsatile blood pumping system for circulating blood within living tissue under automatic control. Plural physiologic parameters of the tissue are monitored and utilized to control plural operating parameters of the pump during succeeding cycles of its operation so as to restore the monitored physiologic parameters to desired predetermined (but adjustable) values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for non-invasively detecting the location of a constriction in a vessel through which a conductive fluid is flowing by externally measuring the streaming potentials generated by the flowing fluid. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention detects the location of atherosclerotic lesions in human arteries through which the blood is being pumped in a pulsatile manner. The lesion creates a turbulent flow in the blood which in turn results in a significantly larger streaming potential being generated. The apparatus comprises two closely spaced apart, passive electrodes, which can be relatively movably mounted on a housing and a voltage detecting device, such as an oscilloscope, coupled to the electrodes.