Abstract: The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of diseases or disorders, such as psychiatric or psychological disorders characterized at least in part by anxiety. The device includes a heart monitor configured to monitor at least a heart rate of a first individual, and is configured to regulate one or more properties of one or more biofeedback elements according to at least the heart rate of the first individual. The biofeedback elements may include one or more of a light element, a sound element, and a temperature element. The biofeedback elements are incorporated into an initial environment of the first individual to form a resultant environment, which may influence one or more biological processes of the first individual. The system may include a plurality of devices configured to regulate the one or more properties of the one or more biofeedback elements.

Abstract: A repositionable surface electrode of patient monitoring includes an active electrode layer having a top surface and a bottom surface and a leadwire connected to the active electrode layer. A first substrate has a top side, a bottom side, and a hole there through. The first substrate is positioned below the bottom surface of the active electrode layer such that the hole is aligned with the active electrode layer. An electrode gel channel is configured to conduct potentials from the patient's skin to the active electrode layer, the electrode gel channel extending through the hole in the first substrate. A silicone layer is on the bottom side of the first substrate, avoiding the hole and the electrode channel, which is configured to adhere the surface electrode to the patient's skin and to be removed from the patient's skin without becoming saturated with skin cells such that the electrode repositionable on the patient.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes removing an adhesive layer from a lower housing of a monitoring device; aligning the monitoring device with an opening of an adhesive applicator; coupling an uppermost adhesive layer that is positioned within the adhesive applicator with the lower housing; and removing the monitoring device from the opening of the adhesive applicator. A shape of the lower housing of the monitor corresponds to the shape of the opening of the adhesive applicator; and aligning the monitoring device with the opening of the adhesive applicator comprises matching the orientation of the lower housing to the orientation of the opening in the adhesive applicator. The method also includes the monitoring device selectively entering a battery preservation mode.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an insertion device that includes: a plunger coupled with a lock collar. The insertion device houses contents including: a striker including self-locking striker snap arm(s) where the striker is kept from firing by a striker spring captured between the plunger and the striker when the insertion device is in a cocked position; a sensor assembly; and a needle carrier that holds a piercing member, the needle carrier captured between the striker and a needle carrier spring where a self-releasing snap(s) keeps the needle carrier cocked, where the plunger prevents the self-releasing snap(s) from repositioning and releasing the needle carrier. The striker fires the needle carrier such that the self-locking striker snap arm(s) are positioned to allow the striker to snap down. The needle carrier is then retracted when the user releases the plunger and the piercing member is encapsulated within the insertion device.

Abstract: Intravascular devices are disclosed, comprising a core member and a radiopaque marker element formed of a single length of material wound in a coil, wherein a first pitch of a first portion of the coil differs from a second pitch of a second portion of the coil.

Abstract: A person support apparatus includes sensors for monitoring aspects of a person positioned thereon. The outputs from the sensors are used to distinguish between new and prior occupants of the support apparatus, automatically zero an integrated scale system, distinguish between objects and humans on the support apparatus, determine if a person is sleeping or awake, monitor and characterize movement levels of the person, record a log of likely events regarding a support surface of the apparatus, propose identifications of objects added to or removed from the support surface, record force outputs, and/or other purposes. A person's sleep state may also be obtained and forwarded to a remote location. The sleep state data may be used to mute and/or control alerts or indicators, and/or to predict when a person is going to wake up and likely exit the support apparatus.

Abstract: A cardiac activity measurement assembly for a sports equipment handle and the handle is disclosed, wherein the assembly includes an optical cardiac activity sensor configured to measure cardiac activity of a user, and an attachment element for floatingly attaching the optical cardiac activity sensor to a handle of sports equipment in order to reduce pressure on a measuring head of the sensor caused by a skin contact between the measuring head and at least one finger or a palm of the user when gripping the handle.

Abstract: A deep body thermometer includes an upper exterior body that is made of a foamed material of closed cells or semi-closed cells having waterproof properties and is formed in a substantially hat-like shape in side view, a lower exterior body that has a peripheral edge in close contact with the upper exterior body, a sticking member that has adhesiveness and one surface of which is stuck to an outer side surface of the lower exterior body, and a wiring substrate that is accommodated in a space defined by the upper exterior body and the lower exterior body. The upper exterior body includes stress relieving portions that extend in the direction intersecting with the direction in which stress generated by external force acts and are smoothly curved with respect to the direction in which the stress acts so as to relieve the stress.

Abstract: A monitoring device configured to be attached to a subject includes a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor configured to measure physiological information from the subject, and at least one processor configured to process signals from the PPG sensor to determine heart rate and RR-interval (RRi) for the subject, and to determine a heart rate pattern for the subject over a period of time. The at least one processor is configured to change a sampling frequency of the PPG sensor for determining RRi in response to the determined heart rate pattern. The at least one processor is configured to reduce the sampling frequency of the PPG sensor in response to determining a pattern of heart rate below a threshold.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes: a transmission/reception part that sequentially supplies a drive signal to each of a plurality of ultrasound transducers, and receives and processes a reception signal output from each of the plurality of ultrasound transducers; and a hardware processor that: converts sampling data of each of positions into pixel values, and generates a first ultrasound image; upscales the first ultrasound image in accordance with a predetermined sample number increase magnification, and thereafter applies resolution enhancement processing on the first ultrasound image and thereby generates a second ultrasound image; converts the second ultrasound image into a display image; and controls transmission/reception conditions of the transmission/reception part so that an image size of the second ultrasound image becomes close to an image size of the display image, on the basis of the image size of the display image and the sample number increase magnification.

Abstract: In a method and system, a medical imaging modality and the parameters to be deployed for the determined imaging modality are determined to produce an image of an examination object using the determined imaging modality and the determined parameters. Information from the preliminary examination(s) of the examination object can be automatically classified to generate classification results corresponding to interfering influence(s) resulting from the production of the image. The classification results can be analyzed to evaluate the classification results. The medical imaging modality and the parameter(s) is determined, based on the evaluated results, to minimize an influence of the interfering influences of the classification results in image(s) of the examination object generated using the determined medical imaging modality and the determined one or more parameters. The image(s) may then be generated using the determined medical imaging modality and the determined parameter(s).

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a system for periodically and simultaneously scanning for a plurality of vital signs of a user is disclosed. The system includes a personal portable wireless vital signs scanner having a pair of electrodes to form a circuit with a user's body; and a personal wireless multifunction device wirelessly in communication with the personal portable wireless vital signs scanner. Users may tag their vital signs scans with additional information. Vital signs data may be stored on non-volatile memory on the multifunction device and periodically uploaded to a vital signs storage server. The accumulated vital signs data is used to build the user's canonical curve. In another embodiment of the invention, multiple users may upload their vital signs to a group vital signs server. Group vital sign reference curves can made with the group data obtained. Group data may be compared with the user's personal vital sign data and health recommendations made accordingly to the user.

Abstract: A device to facilitate reading of a chest tube display, the device including a pole, a handle disposed at a first end of the pole, a connecting portion disposed at a second end of the pole, a base to connect to the pole via the connecting portion on a top surface of the base, and a camera holding portion disposed on the top surface of the base to hold a camera therein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, methods and devices useful in monitoring blood glucose. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods and apparatuses that provide for biofeedback training and sensory augmentation via novel alerts.

Abstract: Embodiments discussed herein facilitate system-independent quantitative perfusion measurements. One example embodiment is a method, comprising: accessing 4D (Four Dimensional) perfusion imaging data of a tissue, where the 4D perfusion imaging data comprises a plurality of 3D (Three Dimensional) stacks of perfusion imaging data over time; performing at least one of artifact reduction or post-processing on the 4D perfusion image data to generate processed 4D perfusion image data; computing one or more quantitative perfusion parameters for the tissue based at least in part on the processed 4D perfusion image data; and outputting a visual representation of the one or more quantitative perfusion parameters.

Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) system includes a rotatable gantry having an opening to receive an object to be scanned, an x-ray tube having an anode, the x-ray tube positioned on the rotatable gantry to generate x-rays from a first focal spot at a first z-location, and from a second focal spot at a second z-location, a pixelated detector positioned on the rotatable gantry to receive the x-rays from the first z-location and from the second z-location, and a computer. The computer is programmed to acquire a first dataset in a fan geometry at a first z-location, acquire a second dataset in the fan geometry at a second z-location, and reconstruct an image based on the first dataset and the second dataset, wherein the reconstruction is performed without combining the first dataset and the second dataset into one dataset with a single geometry from which the image reconstruction is performed.

Abstract: The present invention, in one form, is a method for deriving respiratory gated PET image reconstruction from raw PET data. In reconstructing the respiratory gated images in accordance with the present invention, respiratory motion information derived from individual voxel signal fluctuations, is used in combination to create usable respiratory phase information. Employing this method allows the respiratory gated PET images to be reconstructed from PET data with out the use of external hardware, and in a fully automated manner.

Abstract: Provided is an X-ray imaging apparatus equipped with an LED driver circuit capable of properly and safely lighting an LED lamp even when an LED driver circuit is connected to any one of a plurality of internal power supplies different in voltage in the case of using an LED lamp as a collimator lamp. The LED driver circuit is provided with a rectifier circuit, a smoothing circuit, an input voltage level detector, a power connection switching unit for switching a change-over switch, and a DC-DC converter circuit. The DC-DC converter circuit is composed of a current control type DC chopper circuit and configured to measure the current from the voltage of both ends of a resistor and perform ON/OFF control of a transistor on the basis of the current to thereby function as a step-up/down chopper circuit or step-down chopper circuit.

Abstract: A radiation scatter protection system designed to attach to an X-ray table to limit exposure to radiation for both medical staff and patient. The radiation scatter protection system includes an arm board adapted to be disposed around an arm of the patient; an arm board shielding including one large sheet of shielding extending downward from the X-ray table and a plurality of additional sheets of shielding, removably mounted to the arm board; a sand bag shield including a plurality of sheets of top shielding and a plurality of sheets of bottom shielding which connect to an elongated, cylindrical sandbag; a side curtain shield hanging from the X-ray table; and a throw shield.

Abstract: A digital X-ray detector is provided. The detector includes a detector array configured to generate image data based on incident X-ray radiation. The detector also includes a housing in which the detector array is disposed. The detector is configured to be inductively charged and the detector lacks any external electrical connector.

Abstract: A chassis has a structure in which a front structure and a rear structure are linked by an upper floor and a lower floor. The front structure is linked to a front wheel via a coupling member, a front wheel support member and a shaft. The front structure has a cylindrical support member. In addition, the rear structure is linked to a rear wheel via a shaft. A reinforcing member, which links the front structure and the rear structure in the central part of a space for accommodating a battery, is installed inside the space for accommodating the battery. The front end of the reinforcing member is linked to the cylindrical support member in the front structure. The upper surface of the reinforcing member is fixed to the upper floor and the lower surface of the reinforcing member is fixed to the lower floor.

Abstract: A detector assembly for a CT system includes a plurality of detector modules, each detector module including a grid of pixelated scintillators, a photodiode having pixelations that correspond with the pixelated scintillators, and an electronics package for processing acquired X-ray data, a support structure extending along a Z-direction of the CT system and having the plurality of detector modules positioned thereon, and a heat sink extending along the Z-direction and having the support structure mounted thereon, the heat sink including a passageway passing therethrough and along the Z-direction, such that cooling air may pass into the passageway at a first end of the heat sink and exit the passageway at a second end of the heat sink opposite the first end.

Abstract: An apparatus including an x-ray source and detector where the source is disposed behind the detector and the detector is configured with a hole through which an x-ray beam emitted by the source can be transmitted to target tissue is provided. During operation, the source emits an x-ray beam through the hole in the detector. The x-ray beam may then be incident on an area of a subject to be imaged and cause various reflections and/or absorptions. The detector can detect signals reflected by the subject and an x-ray image can be generated accordingly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computed tomography system, comprising: a table with a hole therein, wherein the table is configured to support a person lying face down thereon, with at least one of the person's breasts projecting through the hole; an X-ray source; an X-ray detector comprising a plurality of pixels; wherein the X-ray source is configured to rotate around the at least one of the person's breasts.

Abstract: The invention provides, in some aspects, a system for implementing a rule derived basis to display volumetric image sets. In various embodiments of the invention, the selection of the images to be displayed, the generation of the 3-D volumetric image from measured 2-D images including the rendering parameters and styles, the choice of viewing directions and 2-D projection images based on the viewing directions, the layout of the projection images, and the formation of a video can be determined using a rule derived basis. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user is presented with sequential images making up a video displayed based on their preferences without having to first manually adjust parameters. The present invention allows for novel ways of viewing such images to detect microcalcifications and obstructions when reviewing Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and other volumetric mammography images.

Abstract: A method for use in medical imaging of a patient including, with the patient immobilized with respect to an imaging reference frame, acquiring first digital imaging information including a first region of interest using a first imaging modality; processing the first digital imaging information to identify a feature for analysis; and using a second imaging modality to acquire targeted second imaging information for a second region of interest, the second region of interest corresponding to a subset of the first region of interest, wherein the second region of interest includes the feature for analysis.

Abstract: A method and system for determining an irradiation dose. The method for determining the irradiation dose includes determining a pixel having a biological feature in a region of interest in a radiotherapy simulated locating image by using a retrospective label; extracting a local radiomics feature based on the pixel having the biological feature, in which the local radiomics feature includes a grayscale histogram intensity, a tumor shape feature, a textural feature, a Laplacian of Gaussian filtering feature, and a wavelet feature; acquiring the local radiomics features to be measured; identifying a positive region having the local radiomics features to be measured based on the local radiomics features; performing three-dimensional reconstruction for the peripheral boundary of the positive region to determine a three-dimensional image.

Abstract: A radiation imaging system, including: a radiation imaging unit configured to perform radiation imaging and generate radiation image data based on detected radiation; and an image processing unit configured to perform first image processing on the radiation image data to generate a first image and capable of transmitting the first image to an information terminal, wherein the radiation imaging unit is configured to subject the radiation image data to second image processing to generate a second image and transmit the second image to the information terminal.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray assembly having one or more x-ray sources configured to be energized at multiple positions. A control program energizes the one or more x-ray sources in a programmed sequence and controls the timing of the sequence.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the inventive concept there is provided a system for monitoring incontinence comprising: a urine sensitive circuit arranged to present a changed electrical characteristic when exposed to urine; a measurement circuit arranged to perform a measurement on a urine bladder of a wearer to determine at least one parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder; and a processing circuit arranged to: determine whether the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, and in response to determining that the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, record data representing the at least one parameter determined by the measurement circuit.

Abstract: A grid of phased array transducers includes a piezoelectric layer and a plurality of ground contact traces. The piezoelectric layer includes a first side and a second side. The plurality of ground contact traces is disposed on the first side of the piezoelectric layer along an elevational direction, where each ground contact trace of the plurality of ground contact traces extends along an azimuthal direction. Further, each phased array transducer of the grid of phased array transducers is disposed between an adjacently disposed pair of ground contact traces of the plurality of ground contact traces. Moreover, each phased array transducer includes at least a portion of at least one ground contact trace of a corresponding pair of ground contact traces, and where each phased array transducer includes a plurality of transducer elements.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element that extends in a predetermined direction; a first electrode formed on a first surface of the piezoelectric element, in parallel with the direction, the first electrode including: a first portion for inputting an electrical signal to the piezoelectric element, and a first connection portion formed continuously with the first portion and intersecting the direction, wherein a first wiring is electrically connected to the first connection portion; and a second electrode disposed on a second surface, oppose to the first surface, of the piezoelectric element and spaced apart from the first electrode in the piezoelectric element, the second electrode including: a second portion for inputting an electric signal to the piezoelectric element, and a second connection portion formed continuously with the second portion, wherein a second wiring is electrically connected to the second connection portion and collectively arranged with the first wiring.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus capable of reducing examination time when a plurality of preborn children exist in a body of the same mother. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a measurer that measures a predetermined item for each of the plurality of preborn children in the body of the same mother; a display; and a hardware processor that causes the display to display measurement results respectively allocated to the plurality of preborn children, the hardware processor causing an operation key associated with an operation for changing the allocation of the measurement results to be displayed on a same screen as a screen on which the measurement results are displayed, the hardware processor changing the allocation of the measurement results respectively allocated to the plurality of preborn children among the plurality of preborn children in response to an operation of the operation key.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a therapeutic ultrasound system configured to adaptively transmit ultrasound pulses toward microbubbles in a treatment region to remove an occlusion. In some examples, the system may include a treatment pulse unit configured to transmit an ultrasound pulse to a treatment region of a subject, the treatment region including a plurality of microbubbles. An echo detection unit may be configured to receive one or more echoes responsive to the ultra sound pulse. In some examples, the system may also include a data processor configured to identify, using data associated with the echoes, at least one echo signature indicative of a dynamic state of the microbubbles in response to the ultrasound pulse. A controller may be configured to adjust one or more parameters of an additional ultrasound pulse transmitted to the treatment region via the treatment pulse unit based on the at least one echo signature.

Abstract: For shear wave imaging with ultrasound, the apparent pulse repetition frequency is increased by combining displacements from different lateral locations. Different combinations based on different shear wave velocities and corresponding time shifts and/or attenuations and corresponding scalings are tested to find a smooth displacement profile for the combination. Once the smooth displacement profile is found, the corresponding shear wave velocity is estimated or determined.

Abstract: System and method for shear wave elasticity imaging perform a) acquiring B-mode ultrasound images of a target region; b) selecting a region of interest; c) transmitting a shear wave excitation pulse; d) measuring displacements of tracking focal points or depth ranges at different depths positions along each of laterally staggered tracking lines within the selected region of interest; e) determining a curve representing displacement of tissue as a function of time at different spatial locations within the region of interest; f) determining for spatial locations candidate time(s) of arrival of the shear wave at the spatial location as a function of the curve; g) finding linear functional relation between the time of arrival and the spatial coordinate in the lateral direction using Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm; and h) determining the inverse of velocity of the shear wave in a spatial location as the angular coefficient of the linear function.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 includes an image acquisition unit 3 that generates an ultrasound image, an image recognition unit 9 that performs image recognition for the ultrasound image to calculate recognition scores, an index value calculation unit 10 that calculates index values of a plurality of parts on the basis of the recognition scores calculated for a predetermined number of ultrasound images, an order decision unit 11 that decides a determination order in which part determination is performed for the plurality of parts on the basis of the index values, and a part determination unit 12 that determines an imaging part of a subject on the basis of the recognition scores calculated according to the determination order.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 includes an image acquisition unit 3 that generates an ultrasound image, an image recognition unit 9 that performs image recognition for the ultrasound image to calculate recognition scores, an index value calculation unit 10 that calculates index values of a plurality of parts on the basis of the recognition scores calculated for a predetermined number of ultrasound images, a part narrowing-down unit 11 that narrows down target parts for which part determination is to be performed, from the plurality of parts on the basis of the index values, and a part determination unit 12 that determines an imaging part of the subject on the basis of the recognition scores calculated by the image recognition unit 9 for the target parts narrowed down by the part narrowing-down unit 11.

Abstract: A method and system for controlled thermal injury of human superficial tissue based on the ability to controllably create thermal lesions of variable shape, size, and depth via precise spatial and temporal control of acoustic energy deposition. The apparatus includes a control system and probes that facilitate treatment planning, control and delivery of energy, and monitoring of treatment conditions.

Abstract: An ultrasound system with a multimedia information distribution system comprising: a video processor generating a sequence of video frames of at least the ultrasound diagnostic images of a sequence of ultrasound diagnostic images; a media editor for combining the ultrasound video frames with further audio/video data to generate multimedia data; a multimedia encoder encoding the multimedia data in the form of a multimedia file; a media streaming module receiving the said multimedia file and generating a real-time stream of the sequence of multimedia data encoded in the said multimedia file; a web server allowing access to the real-time stream of the multimedia data upon request by a remote client to access the said multimedia file. A corresponding computer implemented method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Machine learning trains to tune settings. For training, the user interactions with the image parameters (i.e., settings) as part of ongoing examination of patients are used to establish the ground truth positive and negative examples of settings instead of relying on an expert review of collected samples. Patient information, location information, and/or user information may also be included in the training data so that the network is trained to provide settings for different situations based on the included information. During application, the patient is imaged. The initial or subsequent image is input with other information (e.g., patient, user, and/or location information) to the machine-trained network to output settings to be used for improved imaging in the situation.

Abstract: A female urine collection assembly for collecting a urine sample from a female includes a funnel that has a top end and a bottom end. The top end tapers between a narrow side and a wide side such that the top end has an ovoid shape. In this way the top end may conform to female genitalia thereby facilitating the top end to capture urine for a urine sample. A jar is provided and the funnel is fluidly coupled to the jar thereby facilitating the jar to receive the urine for the urine sample.

Abstract: A device for the aseptic collection of urine for subjects who do not have bladder 5 control, which comprises a housing made of water-soluble and absorbent material of flattened cylindrical shape provided with an adhesive zone on its outer surface, and a urine collecting container comprising a bag of flexible material, the base of which has an edge zone with 10 passage holes and a central zone, wherein said bag is made of flexible material and its edge zone is made of an elastic and semi-rigid material, which, in its initial position, is folded, overlaid on itself under tension, and said storage zone, in said initial position, is folded 15 over itself, said bag of flexible material being inserted into said housing of water-soluble and absorbent material.

Abstract: A method of treating a vessel in a subject comprises the steps of advancing a device distally across a treatment zone in a vessel, wherein the device comprises an elongated catheter having a lumen and a distal end, and a radially expansive treatment element disposed in the lumen and configured for axial movement relative to the catheter; deploying the radially expansive treatment element proud of the distal end of the catheter to radially expand and circumferentially impress against the vessel lumen at a distal end of the treatment zone; and withdrawing the deployed radially expansive treatment element proximally along the treatment zone with the treatment element circumferentially impressed against the vessel lumen to mechanically and circumferentially denude the treatment zone of the vessel. The radially expansive treatment element is then recaptured into the lumen of the catheter, before the device is withdrawn from the treated vessel.