Abstract: A ventilating and aspirating apparatus for delivering respiratory gases to the trachea and the congested lungs and breathing passageways of a patient includes a flexible catheter tube extendable into and withdrawable from the patient's trachea. The catheter is housed within a pliable sheath extending from a manifold that is attachable to an endotracheal tube. The sheath has a slit defined by backing members formed along elongate opposed edges. A releasable, air tight "ziplock" seal is effected at the slit by a bead on one backing member and a groove to sealingly receive the bead on the other backing member. A "ziplock" actuator is structured as a slider member which travels along the bead and groove, and includes converging ends to hold the bead in the groove and a conduit member extending centrally through the slider member to interconnect an end of the catheter tube inside the sheath through a vacuum valve carried by the slider member outside the sheath to a vacuum source.

Abstract: A ventilating and aspirating apparatus for delivering respiratory gases to the trachea of a patient and aspirating congested lungs and breathing passageways includes a flexible catheter tube extendable into and withdrawable from the patient's trachea, a resilient pliable sheath lending a structural rigidity to the apparatus and receiving the catheter tube when withdrawn from the patient, a valve structure attached to the catheter tube which is slidable along the length of the sheath, a manifold structure and swivel mounting means to allow coaxial swivel motion of the components, and a collapsible/extendable sealing envelope structure arranged to cover components on the proximal side of the manifold.

Abstract: A novel fluid flow regulating device for varying the rate of flow of fluids for infusion to a patient at extremely low but constant flow rates. The regulator device is interposed at a point on a supply tube between a fluid reservoir and a patient. An input port directs fluid to a fluid metering groove of variable cross-sectional area on a metering plate which is formed as a part of the output port. The metering plate is rotated axially, relative to the input port, allowing fluid to enter the fluid metering groove at any point and flow toward the output port through a fluid metering groove which increases in depth or cross-sectional area at an essentially constant rate. Depending on the point at which the fluid enters the fluid metering groove flow path, the flow rate selected can be any rate from full off to full flow.

Abstract: The invention comprises a handpiece for use in a surgical procedure which involves directing a surgical agent to a target area of a person's body which procedure produces an unwanted smoke plume. The handpiece includes both a probe for directing a surgical agent, such as a CO.sub.2 laser beam, and a smoke eliminator for removing with suction the smoke created by the surgical procedure. The probe has no functional components for creating the laser beam, and is thus economical enough to be disposable after one use. The smoke eliminator includes a nozzle and/or an offset suction port so configured as to create a votrex flow in the smoke in the target area upstream in the fluid flow pathway of smoke through the hand piece from the distal tip of the hand piece.

Abstract: A catheter affixing and anchoring device including a unitary thermoplastic elastomer pad through which a catheter clasping tunnel is bored to lead a catheter to and through a directional channel. The channel affixes the catheter in a preferred configuration preparatory to anchoring of the device and the catheter assembly to the body of a medical patient by means of a simple procedure and in a manner which allows for easy and repeated cleaning of the insertion site with limited disturbance to the catheter assembly or underlying body tissues. This invention is particularly well suited to use in connection with parenteral infusion, drainage of bodily fluid accumulations and administration of medicaments in liquid form directly to various parts of the body. This invention may also advantageously be used in other applications requiring the infusion of fluids, such as, for example, hyperalimentation.

Abstract: An applicator for dispensing metered amounts of medicaments in stick formulations is comprised of a hollow tube and a piston mounted to slidingly move within the tube. A finger operable base is rotatably mounted at one end of the tube and is mechanically linked by a screw member to the piston to urge the piston towards the other end of the tube. A depressible thumb piece is associated with the rotatable base. An extension or post is associated with the thumb piece to extend inward of the tube and to register with a race formed inside the tube. The race has a series of detents with which the extension may register upon rotation of the base. Registration between the extension and the detents signals certain increments of rotation or prevents further rotation of the base. The thumb piece is depressed inward to bring the extension out of registration with the detents.