Abstract: A medical system includes a catheter navigable through vasculature of patient to introduce a valve clip configured to join the edges of heart valve leaflets. The valve clip includes a deformable wire configured to engage valve leaflets, the wire extending from a first wire portion to a second wire portion. The catheter includes a handle having control members, an elongate body defining a lumen extending from the handle to a distal opening, and first and second delivery devices operatively coupled to a control member and extending through the lumen to the distal opening. Each delivery device is configured to releasably couple to a portion of the wire and moveable relative to the distal opening. The delivery devices are controllable at the handle to move the valve clip between an extended configuration and a contracted configuration to engage the valve leaflets.

Abstract: A method of preventing extravaation of contrast agent during a computed tomography injection. An automatic injector device facilitates ease of accomplishing the method. The method includes establishing the absence of extravaation using an absorbable injectate, such as saline, prior to injecting the contrast agent. The device includes a computerized injector head capable of switching between two injectates without physical human intervention. The device is controlled by a remote operating panel located in a control room that is protected from X-ray radiation. The device includes various software driven safety features that prevent the occurrence of unsafe conditions.

Abstract: The present invention presents various novel approaches to solving the problems inherent in measuring biological pressures in high pressure systems. Thus, to protect a pressure transducer exposed to fluid flows at higher pressures than its overpressure rating, a novel valve is used that closes a protected leg in which the transducer is located. The various exemplary embodiments of such valves each have a high pressure input, one or more low pressure inputs, and an output. In operation, when a high pressure fluid flow occurs at a high pressure input, such valves automatically close the low pressure inputs. Alternatively, a novel transducer system is presented, which automatically limits the effective pressure sensed by a transducer to a certain maximum.

Abstract: The present invention presents various novel approaches to solving the problems inherent in measuring biological pressures in high pressure systems. Thus, to protect a pressure transducer exposed to fluid flows at higher pressures than its overpressure rating, a novel valve is used that closes a protected leg in which the transducer is located. The various exemplary embodiments of such valves each have a high pressure input, one or more low pressure inputs, and an output. In operation, when a high pressure fluid flow occurs at a high pressure input, such valves automatically close the low pressure inputs. Alternatively, a novel transducer system is presented, which automatically limits the effective pressure sensed by a transducer to a certain maximum.

Abstract: A method of preventing extravasation of contrast agent during a computed tomography injection. An automatic injector device facilitates ease of accomplishing the method. The method includes establishing the absence of extravasation using an absorbable injectate, such as saline, prior to injecting the contrast agent. The device includes a computerized injector head capable of switching between two injectates without physical human intervention. The device is controlled by a remote operating panel located in a control room that is protected from X-ray radiation. The device includes various software driven safety features that prevent the occurrence of unsafe conditions.

Abstract: A method of preventing extravasation of contrast agent during a computed tomography injection. An automatic injector device facilitates ease of accomplishing the method. The method includes establishing the absence of extravasation using an absorbable injectate, such as saline, prior to injecting the contrast agent. The device includes a computerized injector head capable of switching between two injectates without physical human intervention. The device is controlled by a remote operating panel located in a control room that is protected from X-ray radiation. The device includes various software driven safety features that prevent the occurrence of unsafe conditions.

Abstract: A medical stopcock is provided that is constructed and arranged to withstand high pressures and gamma irradiation. The stopcock generally includes a housing and a valve member. The valve member is trapped within the housing so that, when subjected to relatively high pressures, the valve member is unlikely to become separated from the housing. A handle member is attached to the valve member and allows the valve member to be rotated from open to closed positions. In some preferred embodiments, the handle member locks the valve member within the housing, when attached. All of the components are constructed of gamma-stable materials so that the stopcock may be sterilized, in its package, using gamma irradiation.

Abstract: A medical stopcock is provided that is constructed and arranged to withstand high pressures and gamma irradiation. The stopcock generally includes a housing and a valve member. The valve member is trapped within the housing so that, when subjected to relatively high pressures, the valve member is unlikely to become separated from the housing. A handle member is attached to the valve member and allows the valve member to be rotated from open to closed positions. In some preferred embodiments, the handle member locks the valve member within the housing, when attached. All of the components are constructed of gamma-stable materials so that the stopcock may be sterilized, in its package, using gamma irradiation.

Abstract: A medical stopcock is provided that is constructed and arranged to withstand high pressures and gamma irradiation. The stopcock generally includes a housing and a valve member. The valve member is trapped within the housing so that, when subjected to relatively high pressures, the valve member is unlikely to become separated from the housing. A handle member is attached to the valve member and allows the valve member to be rotated from open to closed positions. In some preferred embodiments, the handle member locks the valve member within the housing, when attached. All of the components are constructed of gamma-stable materials so that the stopcock may be sterilized, in its package, using gamma irradiation.

Abstract: A valve has a contractible valve element formed of an inner laminae of PFA, an outer laminae of PTFE with the outer laminae having a boss to provide positive compression and positive distension of the valve element. The portion that constrict is welded to a PFA tubular end portion thus providing the advantages of a PTFE laminae with a boss and the PFA what it surfaces. The valve utilizes a valve mechanism which has a yoke which moves radially towards and away from the contractible valve element with linkages extending from yoke arms which connect to opposite sides of the contractible valve element. The valve element may thus be positively closed and positively opened. The hermetic seal between the outer PTFE laminae and the inner PFA laminae causes the inner laminae to extend outwardly when the outer laminae is positively distended thereby allowing the valve function where the fluid being controlled is under a negative pressure.

Abstract: A valve has a contractible valve element formed of an inner laminae of PFA, an outer laminae of PTFE with the outer laminae having a boss to provide positive compression and positive distension of the valve element. The portion that constrict is welded to a PFA tubular end portion thus providing the advantages of a PTFE laminae with a boss and the PFA what it surfaces. The valve utilizes a valve mechanism which has a yoke which moves radially towards and away from the contractible valve element with linkages extending from yoke arms which connect to opposite sides of the contractible valve element. The valve element may thus be positively closed and positively opened. The hermetic seal between the outer PTFE laminae and the inner PFA laminae causes the inner laminae to extend outwardly when the outer laminae is positively distended thereby allowing the valve function where the fluid being controlled is under a negative pressure.

Abstract: A puller for removing an object from a shaft including first and second collars movable relative to one another along an axis, at least two circumferentially spaced damping jaws pivotally supported at one end to the first collar and having means at the other end for grasping the object, at least two circumferentially spaced links, each of the links being pivotally supported at one end to the second collar and pivotally supported at the other end to an associated clamping jaw, and a drive structure for moving the collars together along the axis away from the shaft. A hydraulic cylinder drive axially adjusts the collars relative to one another to control movement of the clamping jaws. The clamping jaws may include bidirectional claws for selective use, with the collars and links being positionable to permit the axial spacing from the first collar to be selectively less than or greater than the axial spacing between the collars.

Abstract: A puller for removing an object from a shaft including first and second collars movable relative to one another along an axis, at least two circumferentially spaced clamping jaws pivotally supported at one end to the first collar and having means at the other end for grasping the object, at least two circumferentially spaced links, each of the links being pivotally supported at one end to the second collar and pivotally supported at the other end to an associated clamping jaw, and a drive structure for moving the collars together along the axis away from the shaft. A threaded rod is fixed to the second collar, and a nut receives the threaded rod and is secured against axial movement toward the shaft relative to the first collar. The nut may be turned to move the threaded rod and second collar axially relative to the first collar.