An access sheath and method of assembling the access sheath. The access sheath includes a hub, a cartridge carried by the hub, the cartridge having a first valve, a second valve spaced from the first valve along a central axis, and a spacer disposed between the first valve and the second valve, wherein the first valve and the second valve each have at least two slits that extend along, and twist about, the central axis, and a shaft assembly having a shaft hub and a shaft that extends from the shaft hub in the distal direction. The access sheath provides a liquid-tight seal when receiving the introducer and other devices to prevent leakage and blood loss and to decrease device insertion forces.

The invention relates to a metallic, nanoporous canister used to encapsulate cellular and/or biotherapeutic agents. The device is biocompatible and functions to wholly isolate a therapeutically active agent and/or cells therein. Their implantation, and survival in vivo, permits the local or systemic diffusion of their encapsulated cellular and/or biomolecular and therapeutics factors with the potential to promote repair of damaged or degenerated tissues in mammalian hosts, primarily humans.

Neurosurgical apparatus has a guidance device having a guide tube and a neurosurgical instrument for insertion into the guide tube. The inner surface of the guide tube is arranged, for example profiled, to at least partially engage the outer surface of the neurosurgical instrument when inserted therein. The guide tube thus guides the neurosurgical instrument along a predefined path through the guide tube. At least one of the guidance device and the outer surface of the neurosurgical instrument are configured to provide a fluid return path for carrying any fluid displaced from within the guide tube during insertion of the neurosurgical instrument into the guide tube. A seal may also be provided for sealing the fluid return path.

A device, system, kit, and method for managing the passage of fluid through an opening in the body of a patient that includes a fluid-containment receptacle including a collapsible sidewall, the fluid-containment receptacle having a first receptacle opening and a second receptacle opening positioned at opposite ends of the sidewall, the fluid-containment receptacle. The device also including a first flange extending radially outward from the sidewall and positioned at or adjacent to the first receptacle opening and a second flange extending radially outward from the sidewall at or adjacent to the second receptacle opening. The device is configured to be applied to the opening in the body of the patient such that the first opening and the first flange contact the body of the patient and form a fluid barrier around the opening.

A device for reducing agent penetration at an insertion site is provided that has a porous inner sleeve fluidly connected to a conduit. A vacuum or hydrodynamic source is fluidly connected to the conduit. The device is stabilized by fibroblast in-growth and inhibits bacterial colonization. A device is also provided that has a conduit having a bore and an outer conduit surface. The outer conduit surface is optionally nanotextured to promote fibroblast adhesion and limit bacterial residency. A sleeve is provided in fluid communication with the bore of the conduit, and is formed from materials characterized by a pore matrix through which vacuum or hydrodynamic draw is achieved in a process to promote stabilization and reducing bacterial colonization by draw fluid from an area around the surrounding the site of the device. The sleeve optionally has a distal nanotextured surface.

A stabilizing connector includes a connector portion and a stabilization portion. The connector portion is configured to couple to an access device. The connector portion defines at least one lumen that is configured to be placed in fluid communication with a lumen of the access device. The stabilization portion is coupled to the connector portion. The stabilization portion is configured to be placed in contact with a surface of a patient's skin to stabilize at least one of the stabilizing connector or the access device.

A system and method of accurately measuring a pressure (Pp) within a human brain using totally-implanted or partially-external hardware. The system includes a first pressure transducer configured to measure a cerebrospinal fluid pressure (Pcsf) within a ventricle of a brain, a second pressure transducer configured to indirectly measure a second pressure (Pp) within a space of the brain, and an adjustable implanted valve controller configured to calculate the effective differential pressure (Pei=Pcsf−Pp) between the measured pressures Pcsf and the Pp and determine whether the effective differential pressure measurement represents a true secondary pressure.

A system for attachment of a device to a bone is provided. The system includes an internal axial rod with a proximal and distal end that is configured to be inserted and secured into a bone cavity’s distal end. The system can also include an internal-external transfer rod with a proximal and distal end mounted into the distal end of the axial rod and a central channel extending through the transfer rod from the proximal end to the distal end and a plurality of attachment rings for attaching at least one tissue or muscle group to the transfer rod. The system also includes a bio-compatible and bio-occlusive artificial membranes (BIOCAMS) lamina, wherein the lamina includes either a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) mesh, a biocompatible polymer, a carbon fiber polymer, an artificial tissue polymer, molded donor tissue, allogenic tissue, a collagen/hyaluronic acid-based tissue, or connective tissue biosynthetic substrate material suitable as webbing.

The invention relates to a metallic, nanoporous canister used to encapsulate cellular and/or biotherapeutic agents. The device is biocompatible and functions to wholly isolate a therapeutically active agent and/or cells therein. Their implantation, and survival in vivo, permits the local or systemic diffusion of their encapsulated cellular and/or biomolecular and therapeutics factors with the potential to promote repair of damaged or degenerated tissues in mammalian hosts, primarily humans.

An implantable access port including a port housing that defines a fill port cavity and includes a catheter fitting, a filter positioned within the port housing along a delivery flow pathway configured so that fluid injected into the fill port cavity passes through the filter prior to exiting through the catheter fitting, a one-way valve positioned within the port housing along an aspiration flow pathway configured to permit aspirated fluid to flow unfiltered from the catheter fitting to the fill port cavity and prevent injected fluid from flowing unfiltered from the fill port cavity to the catheter fitting, a port cover coupled to the port housing, and a pierceable septum positioned between the fill port cavity and the port cover configured to allow a needle to pierce through the pierceable septum to access the fill port cavity.