The improvement device provides an oral suction system for use with endo-tracheal tubes. The device provides alternative anti-infective components and a removable and/or disposable external sleeve, both for mitigation or elimination of risks for viral and/or bacterial contamination of the patient and healthcare professional.

A balloon catheter system for infusion of micelles at high pressure. The system includes a catheter with a drug eluting balloon with a perforated wall with numerous pores, a reservoir of nanoparticles in an aqueous solution disposed within the balloon or in fluid communication with the balloon. The particles may comprise drug loaded micelles, where the micelles are provided in the size range of 40 to 250 nm generally (0.040 μm to 0.250 μm), and the pores of the balloon wall are configured to allow passage of the micelles with a minimum of disruption, The pores are conical, with the diameter of the pore at the inside of the balloon wall smaller than the diameter of the pores at the outside of the balloon wall.

This invention pertains to systems and components useful for infusing medications such as insulin. Typically, the components are used to deliver insulin to a diabetic patient at a site of infusion over a period of time greater than 4 days. The system components typically comprise a cannula adapted for subcutaneous insertion into a diabetic patient. The system further comprises a fluid conduit adapted to deliver the insulin solution from a medication reservoir to the site of infusion and a depot in operable contact with the fluid conduit. The depot comprises selected materials including a site-loss mitigating agent (such as heparin) which inhibits inflammation at the site of infusion, and encapsulation of the cannula at the site of infusion. The site-loss mitigating agent is not premixed with the insulin, and instead is adapted to contact the insulin solution in the depot as the insulin solution flows from the medication reservoir to the site of infusion.

Nitric oxide-releasing materials, methods of making nitric oxide-releasing materials, and uses of nitric oxide-releasing materials are provided. The nitric oxide-releasing materials include a mesoporous silica core and an outer surface having a plurality of nitric oxide donors. In an exemplary aspects, the nitric oxide-releasing material includes a mesoporous diatomaceous earth core, and an outer surface having a plurality of S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine groups covalently attached thereto. Uses of the nitric oxide-releasing materials can include coatings for medical devices such as catheters, grafts, and stents; wound gauzes; acne medications; and antiseptic mouthwashes; among others.

An apparatus according to certain embodiments generally includes an elongated tubular member having a proximal end and an opposite distal end, and an inflatable balloon surrounding the distal end. The elongated tubular member comprises an outer tube, a non-collapsible inner tube positioned within the outer tube, and a compressible material positioned between the outer tube and the inner tube.

Hydration mediums, assemblies containing hydration mediums and methods of making the same are disclosed. The hydration mediums are intended for hydrating or wetting a medical device such as a catheter and comprise a hydration foam. Furthermore, methods and products involving hydrophilic substances are disclosed e.g. involving mucilage, deep eutectic liquids, antifreeze substances or cryoprotectants, oil or a hydration medium together with water, surfactant, polyol and stabilizer.

Disclosed herein is a method of producing high purity pentagalloyl glucose (PGG), analogues or derivatives thereof, at least 99.9% pure, by washing with dimethyl ether. PGG may be provided in a kit, including a hydrolyzer for dissolving the PGG and a saline solution. Also disclosed herein is a device for delivery of a therapeutic solution to a blood vessel. The device may be a catheter having an upstream balloon and a downstream balloon. The upstream balloon may be expanded to anchor the catheter and occlude antegrade blood flow. The downstream balloon may be expanded to occlude retrograde blood flow, creating a sealed volume within the blood vessel. The downstream balloon may have pores configured to deliver a therapeutic inflation solution into the sealed volume or a portion thereof. The downstream balloon may be expanded by the expansion of a balloon disposed inside the downstream balloon.

Provided are a flexible tube for an endoscope, the flexible tube having good elasticity, being capable of sufficiently maintaining adhesiveness between a flexible-tube base and a polymer cover layer covering the flexible-tube base even when a bending operation is repeated, and being less likely to undergo a decrease in elasticity even when the flexible tube is repeatedly heated, an endoscopic medical device including the flexible tube for an endoscope, and methods for producing the flexible tube and the endoscopic medical device.

The flexible tube for an endoscope has a flexible-tube base containing metal as a constituent material, a porous layer on the flexible-tube base, a primer layer on the porous layer, and a polymer cover layer on the primer layer. The polymer cover layer includes at least one compound of a polyamide, a polyester, a polyurethane, or a polyolefin on a side in contact with the primer layer.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods for making resorbable ear tubes including the steps of providing a silk fibroin solution, and forming a silk ear tube from the silk fibroin solution, wherein the silk ear tube is less than 2 mm in length and has an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the silk ear tube is resorbable. In some embodiments, the present invention also provides methods for treating otitis media including the step of introducing a silk ear tube into the ear canal of a subject, wherein the silk ear tube is less than 2 mm in length and has an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the silk ear tube is resorbed by the subject.

The present disclosure is directed toward composite materials comprising high aspect ratio habits of drug crystals which can be partially or fully extending into a substrate, and additionally, can be projecting from a substrate at an angle of about 20° to about 90°. The present disclosure is directed toward medical devices, such as medical balloons, comprising said composite and methods of using and making the same. The described composite can be used for the local treatment of vascular disease. The present disclosure is also directed toward paclitaxel crystals with a hollow acicular habit.