An apparatus and to a method for treating layers using a plasma zone sealed from the outer atmospheric pressure are provided. The apparatus and method include a plasma reactor including a substrate carrier in form of a container receiving means, and a closing element that is joined with the substrate carrier by means of a lifting device.

A quartz glass container is shown and described herein. The quartz glass container exhibits a low concentration of surface defects on an inner surface of the container. In aspects hereof, the container may have a surface defect density of 50 or fewer surface defects per square centimeter within a 1 cm band centered 1 cm from the base of the container.

A drug delivery device is provided herein, the device including a reservoir for containing a medicament. The medicament includes a suspension of solids in a liquid carrier. The device also includes a needle having a distal end for injection into a patient, a proximal end in communication with the reservoir, and a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends. A path is defined from the reservoir to the distal end of the needle through the lumen, the path having an inner diameter that decreases in a proximal to distal direction along at least a portion thereof. Advantageously, with the subject invention, a flow path may be defined which provides a more gradual transition in diameter from the reservoir to a distal tip of the needle. In this manner, changes in velocity of the suspension may be less abrupt than in the prior art, thus better maintaining solid particles in the suspension.

A syringe system includes a syringe and a filtration device connected to the syringe for sterilizing and introducing fluid into the syringe. The syringe includes a syringe barrel having a proximal end defining a barrel opening, a distal end defining a delivery opening, a bore extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a stopper disposed in the bore of the syringe barrel. The filtration device has an inlet and an outlet coupled in fluid communication with the delivery opening at the distal end of the syringe barrel. The filtration device includes a stem and a filter membrane disposed in line with the stem. The filter membrane optionally has a plurality of pores each with a nominal pore size in a range of approximately 0.1 μm to approximately 0.5 μm such that a pharmaceutical fluid can be introduced as a sterilized pharmaceutical fluid into the bore of the syringe barrel by passing through the filtration device.

A medication delivery apparatus for use with a medication container includes a housing, a fluid conduit at least partially extending within the housing and configured to deliver medication within the medication container to a patient, a medication port extending from the housing and configured to be coupled to a fluid outlet of the medication container, the medication port being fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit, and at least one sensor disposed within the housing to generate information characterizing administration of the medication for processing by a remote data collection system. The housing can have a size and shape that enables it to be supported by a first hand of a user while the user administers the medication from the medication container via the medication port using a second hand of the user. Related apparatus, systems, and techniques are also described.

A medication delivery apparatus for use with a medication container includes a housing, a fluid conduit at least partially extending within the housing and configured to deliver medication within the medication container to a patient, a medication port extending from the housing and configured to be coupled to a fluid outlet of the medication container, the medication port being fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit, and at least one sensor disposed within the housing to generate information characterizing administration of the medication for processing by a remote data collection system. The housing can have a size and shape that enables it to be supported by a first hand of a user while the user administers the medication from the medication container via the medication port using a second hand of the user. Related apparatus, systems, and techniques are also described.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to devices, systems and methods for measuring a volume or number of doses remaining in a drug delivery device that is used for delivering a dose to a patient. In some embodiments, a dose measurement system for measuring the liquid volume in a container includes a light guide disposed and configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation toward the container. The dose measurement system also includes a light guide disposed and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the light guide. A plurality of sensors are located in the apparatus that are optically coupleable to the light guide and are disposed and configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least a portion of the light guide. The apparatus also includes a processing unit configured to receive data representing the portion of the detected electromagnetic radiation from each of the plurality of sensors. The processing unit is further operable to convert the received data into a signature representative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the plurality of sensors.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to devices, systems and methods for measuring a volume or number of doses remaining in a drug delivery device that is used for delivering a dose to a patient. In some embodiments, a dose measurement system for measuring the liquid volume in a container includes a light guide disposed and configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation toward the container. The dose measurement system also includes a light guide disposed and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the light guide. A plurality of sensors are located in the apparatus that are optically coupleable to the light guide and are disposed and configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least a portion of the light guide. The apparatus also includes a processing unit configured to receive data representing the portion of the detected electromagnetic radiation from each of the plurality of sensors. The processing unit is further operable to convert the received data into a signature representative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the plurality of sensors.

A medical fluid suspension generating apparatus for performing medical procedures includes a Venturi-agitating tip assembly composed of a multi-channel arrangement at a proximal first end thereof and a tip at a distal second end thereof. The apparatus also includes a compressed medical fluid unit fluidly connected to the multi-channel arrangement at a proximal first end of the Venturi-agitating tip assembly and a medical solution fluidly connected to the multi-channel arrangement at a proximal first end of the Venturi-agitating tip assembly. Pressurized sclerosant or other chemical medical solution, from the compressed medical fluid unit, and the medical solution of sclerosant or other chemical medical solution are combined within the Venturi-agitating tip assembly in a manner generating an enriched medical suspension that is ultimately dispensed from the suspension delivery apparatus to spray or wash the inner wall of a lumen.

A device configured to administer a medication can comprise a lower housing that includes a housing latch. The device can further comprise a needle guard that is movable relative to the lower housing along a first direction from a first position to a second position so as to expose a needle, and an upper housing supported relative to the lower housing. The upper housing can be configured to move with respect to the lower housing along a second direction from a pre-use position to a dispensed position. The housing latch can releasably interfere with the upper housing when the upper housing is in the pre-use position so as to prevent the upper housing from moving toward the dispensed position, and the movement of the needle guard toward the second position, causes the interference to be removed, thereby allowing the upper housing to move toward the second position.