A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining status of a canister of a topical negative pressure (TNP) system. The method includes the steps of monitoring pressure provided by a pump element of the TNP system, determining at least one characteristic associated with the monitored pressure and determining status of at least one parameter associated with a canister of the TNP system responsive to the determined characteristics.

Fecal management methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices, systems, etc.) are described herein. The fecal management apparatuses may apply one or more fecal removal cycles of suction and irrigation (and in some examples air) to actively remove fecal material. The apparatus may control the timing of delivery of the fecal removal cycles as well as the parameters of the applied suction, irrigation and/or air within and between fecal removal cycles.

A method of analyzing fluid collected from a wound site, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pump unit comprising: one or more pumps, one or more fluid collectors, and one or more drainage structures each in communication with an exit site of the wound site to draw the fluid through the one or more drainage structures into the pump unit and create a negative pressure at the exit site to remove and transport the fluid from the exit site and into the one or more fluid collectors, wherein the pump unit is configured to create a negative pressure, wherein the fluid removal from the exit site is provided at a controlled and measured rate; b) collecting the fluid within the one or more fluid collectors; c) removing the one or more fluid collectors; e) capping the one or more fluid collectors with a cap; and d) analyzing the collected fluid of step “b” once the fluid connectors are removed in step “c”.

A monitoring device may include a housing, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a fluid pathway extending through the proximal end and distal end. The distal end may include a connector configured to couple to a catheter assembly. The monitoring device may include one or more sensors disposed within the fluid pathway. The sensors may facilitate identification of an occlusion within the catheter assembly.

A negative pressure wound therapy device includes a piezoelectric pump, a state detector configured to detect a state of the pump, and a control circuit configured to transmit a first control signal for a first period having a first RMS voltage greater than or equal to a threshold voltage at which driving the pump for a second period greater than the first period can cause the pump to emit sound at a magnitude greater than a sound threshold; receive a first indication of the state; determine if the pump is in a leak condition; transmit, responsive to the pump not being in the leak condition, a second control signal having a second RMS voltage less than the first RMS voltage; and transmit, responsive to the pump being in the leak condition, a third control signal having a third RMS voltage greater than the second RMS voltage.

A phacoemulsification system includes a hollow needle, an aspiration line, and a protection valve inserted in the aspiration line. The needle is configured to emulsify a lens of an eye. The aspiration line is for evacuating material from the eye. The protection valve includes a chamber, a piston and a seal. The chamber has an inlet for receiving the material arriving from the needle, and an outlet for flowing the material along the aspiration line. The piston is configured to move in the chamber between a first position that enables material flow between the inlet and the outlet, and a second position that blocks the material flow. The seal is coupled with the inlet and is configured, when the piston is in the second position, to compress between the piston and the inlet in response to a pressure pulse that propagates in the aspiration line, thereby hermetically sealing the inlet.

A pressure-controlling device (10) includes a pump (21), a connection pipe (30), a first valve (41), and a second valve (42). The pump (21) has an inlet port (211) and an outlet port (212). The connection pipe (30) has a first end in communication with the outlet port (212), and a second end in communication with the inlet port (211) and that has a first space (31) that contains the first end, a second space (32) that contains the second end, and a third space (33) that is located between the first space (31) and the second space (32).

A fluid pump system having a first fluid pump for pumping fluid from a source to a surgical site and a second fluid pump for removing fluid from the surgical site at a first predetermined rate, wherein said fluid pump system intermittently operates in conjunction with a surgical tool which, when operational, removes fluid from the surgical site at a second predetermined rate greater than said first predetermined rate, the improvement including a sensor for sensing a predetermined parameter of the surgical tool and providing an output signal indicating that the surgical tool is operating; and an actuating means responsive to said output signal to actuate said second fluid pump to remove fluid from the surgical site at second predetermined rate.

Systems, and methods relate to a medical device receiving a treatment parameter operating point within a first operating region defined by a first set of operating points for which automatic incremental adjustment of a parameter in the current operation is permitted. In an illustrative example, incremental adjustment may use artificial intelligence based on patient feedback and sensor measurement of outcomes. Some exemplary devices may receive a request to alter the current treatment parameter operating point to a second treatment parameter operating point outside the first operating region and in a second operating region in a known safe operation zone, bounded by a known unsafe zone unavailable to the user. In the second operating region, some examples may restrict the step size of incremental adjustments requested by the user. Data may be collected for cloud-based analysis, for example, to facilitate discovery of more effective treatment protocols.

An apparatus for treating a tissue site includes a dressing, an oxygen source, a valve, and a negative-pressure source. The dressing is configured to be sealed around the tissue site. The oxygen source is fluidly coupled to the dressing and configured to provide a low flow of oxygen. A first port of the valve is fluidly coupled to the dressing and the valve moves between a closed position preventing flow through the valve and an open position permitting flow through the valve. The negative-pressure source is fluidly coupled to a second port of the valve and provides negative pressure to the second port of the valve at a non-therapeutic level. The valve separates the negative-pressure source from the dressing and selectively opens when a positive pressure is applied on an upstream side of the valve.