This application presents methods and devices for continuously cleaning a colon by at least partially filling a segment of the colon with liquid and agitating the fluid to dislodge matter adhering to the colon walls. Methods for automatic maintenance of liquid levels in the colon during continuous cleaning are taught.

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.

An article is described including an article surface and a coating set comprising an optional tie coating or layer, a barrier coating or layer, and a pH protective layer. The respective coatings or layers can be applied by chemical vapor deposition of a polysiloxane or polysilazane precursor in the presence of oxygen. Examples of such an article are a thermoplastic syringe, vial, or blood collection tube with a coated interior portion containing a pharmaceutical preparation or other fluid with a pH of 4 to 8, alternatively 5 to 9. The barrier coating or layer prevents oxygen from penetrating into the thermoplastic syringe, vial, or blood collection tube. The tie coating or layer, if present, and the pH protective coating or layer protect the barrier layer from the contents of the syringe, vial, or blood collection tube.

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.

Systems and methods for cleaning body cavities are presented. Some embodiments reduce size of fecal matter pieces within an evacuation conduit. Some comprise devices and methods for purging an evacuation conduit. Some comprise reduced cross-sectional profiles of a cleaning device. Some protect intestinal tissue by preventing exposure to excessively high and low pressures.

A method for coordinating the operation of a surgical instrument and a surgical pump to control fluid pressure in an internal anatomy of a patient during a surgical procedure includes: receiving video data captured by an imaging device configured to image the internal anatomy of the patient; automatically determining a presence of a surgical instrument in the internal anatomy of the patient based on the received video data; and in response to determining that the surgical instrument is present in the internal anatomy of the patient, initiating a suction associated with the surgical instrument prior to activation of the surgical instrument.

Systems and methods for cleaning a colon or other portion of an intestine include optional use of sensors to detect conditions of blockage of flow of materials within an evacuation channel used to remove fecal material from the body; and devices and methods for purging such blockages from the evacuation channel.

Provided is a method of cleaning a body cavity using a device by coupling a distal end portion of a first cannula to the housing such that a lumen is in fluid communication with the first portion of the inner volume, the first cannula coupled to a vacuum source, then coupling a distal end portion of a second cannula to the housing such that a lumen is in fluid communication with the second portion of the inner volume, the second cannula being coupled to a fluid source, inserting a portion of the housing into a body cavity, conveying a fluid from the fluid source to the body cavity via the lumen of the second cannula, and withdrawing the fluid from the body cavity into the vacuum source concurrently with the conveying the fluid, via the lumen of at least the first cannula.

The invention relates to a device, a system and a method for carrying out a lavage-like, repetitive supply and draining of a flushing, cleaning or other therapeutically active substance, in particular in the context of an evacuation by irrigation of a patient's colon. The device has a bag unit or bag/hose unit which has a combined flushing and collecting function and also at least one flow-directing function which prevents flushing liquid which has already been drained into the bag from flowing back towards the patient. The invention also relates to the combination of the bag unit or bag/hose unit with a catheter unit which can be placed in position in a permanent and atraumatic manner, is positioned trans-anally, seals off the anal canal, preferably by means of a dumbbell-shaped balloon component, and can be left in the patient's rectum, preferably after lavage is complete.

A fluid management system for use with a fluid reservoir includes an inflow pump and an outflow pump. The inflow pump is connectable to a probe for delivering a distention fluid to a body cavity. The outflow pump removes the distention fluid through the same probe, thus establishing a re-circulating volume of distention fluid within the body cavity. The removed fluid is filtered and returned to a fluid reservoir for eventual recycling to the body cavity. A controller adjusts the flow rates of the inflow pump and the outflow pump to maintain a pre-selected fluid pressure or volume within the body cavity.