An apparatus for cleansing wounds in which irrigant fluid from a reservoir connected to a conformable wound dressing and wound exudate from the dressing are recirculated by a device for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means for fluid cleansing and back to the dressing. The cleansing means (which may be a single-phase, e.g. microfiltration, system or a two-phase, e.g. dialytic system) removes materials deleterious to wound healing, and the cleansed fluid, still containing materials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing, is returned to the wound bed. The dressing and a method of treatment using the apparatus.

Methods of image analysis of large intestine contents for diagnosis and treatment are provided. Methods include introducing water controllably into a patient's large intestine, draining, by gravity and using a transparent drainage pipe, the introduced water with contents of the patient's large intestine, capturing images of the drained contents, optically through the transparent drainage pipe, and analyzing the captured images to extract diagnostic parameters therefrom. In addition, samples of the drained contents may be stored to form a stool bank and microbiome characteristics may be derived to suggest corresponding microbiota transplants.

The present invention includes a method and devices for treating osteonecrosis in, e.g., children, adolescents, and adults comprising: identifying a subject in need of treatment for osteonecrosis; drilling two or more holes into a bone in need of treatment for osteonecrosis; inserting two or more needles or cannulas into the holes in the bone; washing an interior of the bone with a washing fluid introduced through one or more of the needles or cannulas inserted into the bone; and after washing the interior of the bone introducing one or more bone growth promoting materials or cells into the bone.

A system and method to irrigate a user's auditory canal. A fluid can be dispensed from a reservoir through a fluid path and out through openings of a delivery element into the auditory canal. A pump may be used to facilitate the process of dispensing the fluid. The fluid can be delivered to the user's auditory canal for a predetermined period of time. Such a time period may be user selectable. The discharge from the irrigation is removed from the user's auditory canal via a discharge port located on the delivery element. The discharge exits the delivery element and proceeds to a discharge reservoir via a discharge path. A vacuum may be used to generate a negative pressure to facilitate the removal of the discharge from the auditory canal.

A fluid management system for use in a tissue resection procedure includes a controller. An inflow pump is operated by the controller and configured to provide fluid inflow through a flow path to a site in patient's body. An outflow pump is operated by the controller and configured to provide fluid outflow through a flow path from the site in patient's body. A motor driven resecting device may be provided for resecting tissue at the site. The controller is configured to actuate an inflow pump and an outflow pump in response to various signals and various algorithms are provided to provide malfunction warnings and assure safe operation.

A hysteroscopic fluid management system includes a saline source with an electrolyte concentration, at least one pressure mechanism for circulating saline to and from a targeted site and through a filter having filter characteristics back to the source, and a controller. The controller provides a saline inflow in a first flow path to the site and a saline outflow in a second flow path from the site through the filter and back to the source at a controlled flow rate. A diagnostic or therapeutic procedure is performed at the site in the presence of the saline. The filter characteristics and the controlled flow rate are selected to (1) cause substantially no change in the electrolyte concentration in the saline, (2) to prevent hemolysis of greater than 5% of filtered red blood cells exposed to the saline, and/or (3) to minimize effect on prothrombin time of plasma exposed to the filter.

A valve system comprises a first valve plunger configured for insertion into a first valve plunger channel. The first valve plunger has a first latch member disposed at a distal end. A first sealing member and a first valve are opening disposed proximally from the first latch member. The valve system also comprises a second valve plunger configured for insertion into a second valve plunger channel. The second valve plunger includes a second valve opening that is longer than the first valve opening. The valve system also includes a valve body having the first and second valve plunger channels. The first and second valve plunger channels are configured to receive the first and second valve plungers, respectively.

A nasal irrigation diagnostic assembly comprising an irrigation device including a fluid collection portion structured to retain a biological sample, in the form of waste solution from the nasal cavity resulting from irrigation. A detection member disposed on said irrigation device is exposed to the biological sample and is structured to determine the existence of at least one analyte within the biological sample of the waste solution. The detection member comprises a plurality of detection zones individually structured to analyze the biological sample upon engagement therewith, wherein said plurality of zones include at least a reaction zone and a detection zone, which respectively include reagents cooperatively and collectively formulated to detect the existence of the at least one analyte within biological sample of the waste solution. A control zone may also be included to indicate the intended operability of at least the detection member.

In various aspects, the wound therapy apparatus disclosed herein includes a wound interface that defines an enclosed space over a wound bed that is fluid tight when secured to a skin surface around the wound bed. The wound therapy apparatus includes a control group that cooperates with the wound interface to regulate input of input fluid comprising a gas having an O.sub.2 concentration greater than atmospheric air into the enclosed space and to regulate the withdrawal of output fluid from the enclosed space in order to vary an actual pressure p.sub.a within the enclosed space generally between a minimum pressure p.sub.min and a maximum pressure p.sub.max, the minimum pressure p.sub.min being less than ambient pressure p.sub.amb, in various aspects. The input of the gas having an O.sub.2 concentration greater than atmospheric air is sequential with withdrawal of the gas having an O.sub.2 concentration greater than atmospheric air, in various aspects. Related methods of use of the wound therapy apparatus are disclosed herein. This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the methods of use and related apparatus disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

In various aspects, the wound therapy apparatus disclosed herein includes a wound interface that defines an enclosed space over a wound bed that is fluid tight when secured to a skin surface around the wound bed. The wound therapy apparatus includes a control group that cooperates with the wound interface to regulate input of input fluid comprising a gas having an O.sub.2 concentration greater than atmospheric air into the enclosed space and to regulate the withdrawal of output fluid from the enclosed space in order to vary an actual pressure p.sub.a within the enclosed space generally between a minimum pressure p.sub.min and a maximum pressure p.sub.max. Related methods of use of the wound therapy apparatus are disclosed herein.