Abstract:
A self-priming pulsatile surgical irrigation device is disclosed. The irrigation device comprises a housing, a variable volume pumping chamber liquid pump contained within the housing, and a self-priming valve system operatively associated with the liquid pump. The self-priming valve system, which facilitates the priming of the device, includes a valve housing, a liquid inlet to admit liquid into the valve housing and a liquid outlet to emit liquid from the housing. The housing is configured to define a flow path that directs liquid from the liquid inlet into the pumping chamber. The flow path ensures that the pumping chamber is maintained full during operation of the pump.
Abstract:
The invention pertains to an angioplasty catheter for expanding and/or opening up morbidly constricted or obstructed blood vessels, comprising at least one rotor (3) that is rotatively mounted in a cylindrical housing (4) at the distal end of the catheter, is connected to a rotational actuator (2) and is guided in the axial and/or radial direction along a preset path of motion (5), where as a result of the guided motion, the turning rotor (3) mechanically generates endogenous sound waves, especially sound waves in the ultrasound range, and induces a corresponding motion of the housing (4).
Abstract:
A ligating band dispenser has a plurality of elastic ligating bands at least one of which is supported on each of a series of partially nested cylinders. Inner and intermediate cylinders comprise axially sliding cylinders for dispensing the ligating bands. An outer cylinder, which may be attached to the distal end of an elongated introducer, surrounds at least the proximal portion of the intermediate cylinder and is adapted to receive the sliding cylinders slide into its distal end. A trip wire is connected to the inner cylinder and extends proximally therefrom through the elongated introducer. The trip wire is adapted to cause an axially sliding motion of the sliding cylinders during an application of force to the trip wire. A restraining means is associated with each sliding cylinder to restrain sliding motion thereof during the application of force to the trip wire. Finally, a releasing means is provided to release the restraining means associated with one of the sliding cylinders upon the application of the pulling force. The released sliding cylinder slides in response to the applied pulling force while a distal end of one of the intermediate and outer cylinders pushes the ligating band therefrom. According to this construction, at least two ligating bands may be independently dispensed onto tissue at one or more designated sites thereby accomplishing ligation thereof.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a non-resorbable prosthetic mesh and its method of manufacture. This mesh (1, 4) is curved. The application is primarily in surgery.
Abstract:
A small diameter steerable guidewire (34) adapted for use in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has three segments, each adapted to reside in a separate region of the arterial and coronary anatomy during angioplasty. The proximal segment (44) is adapted to reside proximally of the aortic arch (44a) and has high torsional rigidity for enhanced pushability and rotational transmission. An intermediate segment (46) is adapted to reside in the region (46a) of the aortic arch and is more flexible than the proximal section while maintaining a high degree of rotation transmission. The distal segment (48) is more flexible than the intermediate segment and is dimensioned to reside from a region (48a) proximally of the primary curve of the guidewire to and into the coronary arteries.
Abstract:
A proximal cardiovascular fitting including an elongated body with proximal and distal ends having a central passage formed therein, the central passage extending two openings at the distal and proximal ends, the opening at distal end being attachable to a proximal portion of a catheter or other tube-like device, the proximal end having a housing, the housing having a passive gasket fitted therein distally of the proximal opening, the passive gasket having apertures provided therein to receive and seal a variety of thicknesses of rod-like instruments which may be passed therethrough, whereby the fitting will maintain hemostasis in the presence as well as in the absence of such rod-like instruments passed through the passive gasket.
Abstract:
An active, as opposed to a passive, sphincteric system (1) to be implanted within or near the periurethral tissues (52) of an incontinent patient. The system includes a genitourinary prosthesis comprising an inflatable (and deflatable) balloon (1) (rather than a cuff) which is percutaneously infused with and inflated by a supply of hydraulic fluid or suspended particulate matter to increase both the localized tissue density proximal to the urethra (53) and the passive occlusive pressure applied to the urethra for returning the patient to continence. The system includes an accumulator or reservoir (20) and a check valve (16) located between the accumulator and the balloon to control the flow of fluid or suspended particles therebetween and the corresponding inflation or deflation of the balloon. Positioning and inflating instrumentation (e.g. 4, 50, 54) is also disclosed by which to implant the sphincteric system according to a ralatively simple insertion process.
Abstract:
A method, and an apparatus for use in practicing the method, are provided by which a highly concentrated medication or chemotherapeutic agent can be applied locally under sufficient pressure to cause the medication or agent to penetrate into localized tissue or a body lumen. The total volume of medication or agent is quite small, well below levels that might cause an adverse reaction in other parts of the body. The catheter includes a thin wall flexible balloon having two collars and a central region between the collars, when the central regions defines a plurality of regularly spaced minute perforations through which medication may weep at a controlled, low flow rate. The flow rate is controlled by the minute perforations and the diameter of the central region is less than the diameter of the collars. In practicing the method of the invention, the balloon is selected such that the inflated diameter of the collars will correspond to or be slightly greater than the diameter of lumen into which the balloon is placed, and the central region will be slightly less than that lumen diameter, thereby defining a distinct, annular medication reservoir between the balloon and body lumen. The depth of the reservoir reduces the risk of medicine jetting against the vessel lumen if excess pressure is applied. Inflation of the balloon with a medication will cause the medication to weep from the central region of the balloon, consequently filling the reservoir and bathing the lumen walls. After a predetermined time, a sufficient amount of medication will be absorbed by the lumen walls and the balloon will be deflated so that the catheter may be withdrawn from the lumen. The quantity of medication that ultimately flows into the vessel lumen is sufficiently small so as to not cause any other systemic damage to the patient.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus are provided for releasably storing the additional exchange length of a medical guidewire within a housing, in a compacted configuration until it is needed by the physician to perform a catheter exchange. This guidewire has a distal portion which is similar to a traditional guidewire in length and construction and is used throughout the catheterization procedure much like a conventioanl guidewire. A proximal portion of the guidewire provides added length to effect a catheter exchange in the manner of a conventional exchange wire but may be tightly compacted and stored out of the way within a storage receptacle until the moment that the added length is needed for an exchange. The storage receptacle enables the physician to utilize the distal portion of the guidewire wire much like a conventional guidewire, then release the proximal portion quickly to effect a catheter exchange. The readily available additional length of wire offers the physician all the advantages of a traditional exchange wire while avoiding the handling problems associated with an uncontained exchange length that is unneeded during much of the procedure. The guidewire wire containment system of the present invention simplifies catheterization procedures by enabling the physician to maintain wire position during an exchange while keeping the exchange length of wire conveniently contained until it is needed to complete the procedure.