This invention relates to an ingestible drug delivery device configured for wireless communication with other ingestible drug delivery devices.

A method includes inserting into a patient body a medical suction tool, which includes a hollow first tube for removing material away from a Eustachian tube of a patient, and a hollow second tube disposed around the first tube. The medical suction tool is navigated to the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube is sealed by coupling an outer surface of the second tube to an inner surface of the Eustachian tube. While the Eustachian tube is sealed by the second tube, the material is removed away from the Eustachian tube via the first tube.

A microfluidic flow restrictor that uses micron-sized beads to impede flow is described. The flow rate can be adjusted by adding or removing the beads using injection needles through self-sealing ports, one injection needle injecting or aspirating beads and another injection needle pushing or pulling fluid from outside of a bead trap within the flow restrictor. In alternative embodiments, the beads or other filler material can be trapped in a manifold bead trap such that they block a subset of fluid channels of the flow restrictor, allowing fluid to flow freely through the rest of the fluid channels. The flow restrictor can be integrated with a contact lens or implantable medical device for use in dispensing liquid therapeutic agents at flow rates of microliters per minute or moving body fluids at a controlled rate from one part of the body to another.

Methods of modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel are described. An example method comprises advancing a cannula out of the distal end of a catheter disposed within the lumen of a body vessel of an animal and toward a target site on the wall of the body vessel; passing contrast dye through the cannula toward the target site; simultaneously continuing the advancing and passing until the distal end of the cannula punctures the inner layer of the wall of the body vessel at the target site; and passing a bulking agent through the cannula and into a space between connective tissue layers surrounding the vessel wall at the target site. Medical devices, medical device assemblies, and kits are also described.

Exemplary embodiments described herein relate to a closed loop artificial pancreas system. The artificial pancreas system seeks to automatically and continuously control the blood glucose level of a user by emulating the endocrine functionality of a healthy pancreas. The artificial pancreas system uses a closed loop control system with a cost function. The penalty function helps to bound the infusion rate of insulin to attempt to avoid hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. However, unlike conventional systems that use a generic or baseline parameter for a user's insulin needs in a cost function, the exemplary embodiments may use a customized parameter in the cost function that reflects the individualized insulin needs of the user. The use of the customized parameter causes the cost function to result in insulin dosages over time better suited to the individualized insulin needs of the user. This helps to better avoid hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

A method for evaluating the effectiveness of a skin treatment on a skin feature includes correcting the color of a first image before the skin treatment, correcting the color of a second image after the skin treatment, determining the sizes of the skin feature in the first and second images, and comparing the corrected colors and sizes of the skin feature in the first and second images. In some embodiments, the first and second images include the skin feature and an indicator adjacent to the skin feature, where the indicator has a standard color and a known size.

A method for evaluating the effectiveness of a skin treatment on a skin feature includes correcting the color of a first image before the skin treatment, correcting the color of a second image after the skin treatment, determining the sizes of the skin feature in the first and second images, and comparing the corrected colors and sizes of the skin feature in the first and second images. In some embodiments, the first and second images include the skin feature and an indicator adjacent to the skin feature, where the indicator has a standard color and a known size.

A flexible implantable contraceptive disc device is disclosed which can be inserted inside the female body, such as inside the uterus, is disclosed. The disc device can be bent and inserted into a laparoscopy tube, which allows it to be delivered to an appropriate location inside a female subject. The disc device has three layers, a central core silicon reservoir containing an active ingredient, such as a contraceptive progesterone, which is sandwiched and encased by upper and lower porous silicon casings. The casings are porous to the contraceptive, allowing controlled release over a prolonged period of time. The lower casing has a series of micro-hooks around a circumference, allowing the disc device to be attached to a desired tissue by rotating the disc device such that the hooks engage with the desired tissue. Such a device is easier to insert, and to remove, than a rod-like rigid plastic T-shape IUDs which are considerably larger, also and more expensive to manufacture.

Apparatus for delivering a therapeutic agent to a uterine cavity including an elongated member having a fluid channel for passage of the therapeutic agent into the uterine cavity, a dispensing member extending distally of the elongated member and having at least one perforation for passage of the therapeutic agent into the uterine cavity into contact with the endometrium. An infusion line is in communication with the fluid channel for passage of a fluid into the uterine cavity to assess leakage to determine integrity of the uterine cavity prior to passage of the therapeutic agent into the uterine cavity.

An intravascular catheter for nerve activity ablation and/or sensing includes one or more needles advanced through supported guide tubes (needle guiding elements) which expand to contact the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the needles to be advanced though the vessel wall into the extra-luminal tissue including the media, adventitia and periadvential space. The catheter also includes structures which provide radial and lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes open uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall. Electrodes at the distal ends of the guide tubes allow sensing of nerve activity before and after attempted renal denervation. In a combination embodiment ablative energy or fluid is delivered to ablate nerves outside of the media.