摘要:
A sheath for percutaneous insertion into an artery includes a manually insertable sealing tab having a flexible hinge molded onto the sheath near its proximal end. The tab includes a cylindrically shaped stopper that can be inserted into the sheath's proximal end to prevent blood loss when there is no catheter inserted into the sheath. The stopper design allows a guide wire to remain in place or be advanced or pulled out of the sheath when the stopper is in place to seal the sheath's proximal end.
摘要:
Intra-arterial stents are frequently used subsequent to balloon angioplasty to maintain arterial patency. The most frequent cause for failure to maintain patency is the rapid growth of the injured arterial tissue through the openings in the stent, which rapid growth is called "intimal hyperplasia." Since irradiation from a radioisotope source is capable of selectively inhibiting the growth of hyperproliferating cells as compared with normal cells, a radioisotope material which forms part of the stent can be used to decrease the rate of arterial reclosure. The radioisotope could be placed inside the stent, alloyed into the metal from which the stent is made, or preferably, it can be coated onto the stent's exterior surface. Beta emitting radioisotopes having a half-life between 1 and 100 days would be best suited as a stent coating because of their comparatively short range of action within human tissue, and because of their comparatively short half-life. An anti-thrombogenic coating placed on the outer surface of the radioisotope stent would further reduce arterial reclosure by decreasing stent thrombogenicity.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for achieving penile erection in a human male. The apparatus includes at least one distensible cylinder which is in communication with pressure reservoir means through a valve means. A fluid pressure generator acts upon a working fluid in the pressure reservoir means and when the valve means is opened, the distensible cylinder distends. The method concerns implantation and use of the apparatus.
摘要:
An implantable hydraulic urinary sphincter system is disclosed for maintaining continence in those patients unable to control or stop inadvertent urinary flow. The invented apparatus generally consists of an artificial urinary sphincter and a control means for obtaining continence while causing the artificial sphincter to apply minimal pressure to the urethra for all conditions of the bladder. The invented apparatus: (1) automatically causes sphincter fluid pressure to increase or decrease with sensed bladder and/or abdominal pressure, and (2) is manually actuated by a patient when he or she desires to urinate. The invented apparatus can be filled with fluid, or the fluid pressure can be reset, after implantation without necessitating a surgical procedure.
摘要:
The invention relates to a system and apparatus, particularly adapted for use with an automatic implantable defibrillator, for monitoring electrocardiagram (ECG) data signals to provide a continuously updated recording of the ECG data. The proposed recorder responds to the operating condition of the automatic implanted defibrillator device and places into storage, for subsequent readout by the patient's doctor, ECG data both immediately preceding the onset of a ventricular fibrillation episode and also during the subsequent defibrillation activity, when one or more high energy electrical impulses are applied to the patient's heart. Selected other data regarding operation of the implanted defibrillator and pertinent to the doctor's evaluation of the patient's condition as well as the efficacy of the defibrillator unit, are also recorded by the proposed apparatus for subsequent readout. In addition, the proposed recording apparatus operates to automatically alert the patient that ventricular fibrillation has been detected and that defibrillation is to be attempted, so that appropriate precautions may be taken. Moreover, following defibrillation, the patient is alerted in a distinctive manner that defibrillation has occurred and that a physician should be contacted, as soon as possible.
摘要:
An implanted tissue stimulator apparatus includes circuitry, powered by an implanted rechargeable battery, to produce electrical stimulation and apply it to selected body tissue. The condition of the rechargeable battery is monitored continuously and if the cell fails or its voltage drops below a preselected level, the stimulator reverts to a stand-by power source provided by a battery having an extremely long shelf-life. A back-up pulse generator is also provided and the control logic circuitry within the implanted stimulator monitors the operation of the pulse generator, in addition to the condition of the rechargeable battery, and if faulty operation of the pulse generator is detected the logic circuitry automatically switches to the back-up pulse generator in order to maintain adequate tissue stimulation.
摘要:
A blood coagulant assembly includes a blood coagulant device adapted to be insertable into a nostril of a patient to stop a nose bleed. The blood coagulant device is mounted within a blood coagulant device container which has a top container section and a lower container section secured to each other in a releasable manner. The blood coagulant device is mounted in a fixed position within the blood coagulant device container prior to its removal from the blood coagulant container. The blood coagulant device has a rigid handle configured with a handle lower section and a handle upper section contoured with a channel passing through both the lower and upper handle sections. A blood coagulant mechanism is secured to an outer surface of the handle upper section and a to a ledge section of the handle member which extends radially at a joint location of the handle's lower and upper sections.
摘要:
A nasal strip for opening nasal passageways having an external portion extending throughout the length of the nasal strip. The external portion of the nasal strip is formed from a flexible plastic material. The external portion has a central section and opposing end sections with the central section having the same width as each of the end sections. The central section has sufficient thickness to create a lifting torque of at least 0.1 inch-ounces onto the opposing end sections of the nasal strip. An adhesive coating covers each of the end sections and the central section does not have an adhesive coating.
摘要:
A thin-walled guide wire tube is fixedly and sealably attached to both a proximal section and a distal section of a balloon angioplasty catheter. A stent is co-axially mounted onto the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter. Because the guide wire tube forms an inner liner for the balloon angioplasty catheter, the fluid inflation lumen of the catheter is sealed so the inflation liquid that pressurizes the balloon will not leak as it would be if there were no “inner liner” and the balloon angioplasty catheter were attached to the guide wire itself. By not having a traditional inner shaft through which a conventional guide wire slides, the deflated balloon on which the stent is mounted can have a reduced diameter.
摘要:
A glycemic control system includes a physician processor, remote processor, and a portable telephone having a data input mechanism, a display, and an internal processor for bi-directional communication with the physician's processor and the remote processor. A patient inputs data to the internal processor responsive to input from the physician's processor and then transmits the information to the remote processor where an optimized number of units to be administered is sent back and displayed on the portable telephone.