The invention relates to a ventilator which comprises a pneumatic system for conveying ventilation gas in a flow direction (d) to a patient or from a patient, and further comprises at least one light source which is directed, in emission direction (r), at the ventilation gas and/or at a display area and/or at the pneumatic system.

According to one implementation an apparatus for bacterially disinfecting a surface is provided. The apparatus includes a flexible body that contains therein at least one radially emitting optical fibers that is configured to emit bacterial disinfecting light. The radially emitting fibers having an axial and/or radial freedom of movement within a channel in which it is housed inside the flexible body such that when the flexible body changes shape the axial and/or radial freedom of movement reduces the amount of tensile stress applied along the length of the radially as compared to an amount of tensile stress that would otherwise be applied to the radially emitting fiber in an absence of the axial and/or radial freedom of movement of the radially emitting fiber inside the channel.

A device that is inserted through the abdominal wall and into the digestive tract of a human is disclosed. The device may be placed through a method such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). The device includes a gastrostomy style structure that provides fluid communication with the external environment of the patient with the internal contents of the stomach. The device is produced with a series of slotted collection channels that preferentially, when connected to a source of negative relative pressure, directs a significant volume of the high calorie fluidic components of the chyme out of the digestive tract, preventing exposure to the absorptive tissues of the digestive tract when simple sugars and carbohydrates are consumed.

According to one implementation an apparatus for bacterially disinfecting a surface is provided. The apparatus includes a flexible body that contains therein at least one radially emitting optical fibers that is configured to emit bacterial disinfecting light. The radially emitting fibers having an axial and/or radial freedom of movement within a channel in which it is housed inside the flexible body such that when the flexible body changes shape the axial and/or radial freedom of movement reduces the amount of tensile stress applied along the length of the radially as compared to an amount of tensile stress that would otherwise be applied to the radially emitting fiber in an absence of the axial and/or radial freedom of movement of the radially emitting fiber inside the channel.

A device for disinfecting a portion of a medical implement includes two disinfecting chambers, wherein each disinfecting chamber includes a wall forming a medial and bottom openings, which are in communication with each other, wherein one disinfecting chamber is opposed to the other. Each disinfecting chamber houses a disinfecting member that is exposed through the medial opening to come into communication with a medical implement when the disinfecting chambers are closed. The device further includes a resilient member connected to the two disinfecting chambers, which biases the disinfecting chambers together to a closed position and permits displacement of the disinfecting chambers to an open position, such that the medial opening of one disinfecting chamber communicates with the medial opening of the other disinfecting chamber and the bottom opening of one chamber communicates with the bottom opening of the other chamber when in the closed position.

Apparatus for delivering therapeutic agents to the central nervous system of a subject is described. The apparatus includes at least one intracranial catheter and a percutaneous access device. The percutaneous access device includes a body having at least one extracorporeal surface and at least one subcutaneous surface, the body defining at least one port for connection to an implanted intracranial catheter. The port is accessible from the extracorporeal surface of the device, but is provided with a seal such as a rubber bung between the lumen of the port and the extracorporeal surface. The percutaneous access device may have more than two ports and/or a flange. A method of implanting the percutaneous access device is also described.

A catheter port adapted to be selectively secured to a patient's scalp about a site at which a catheter is to be selectively inserted into, and removed from of the patient's head. The port includes a cushion adapted to be secured to the patient's scalp at its bottom surface about the site and at its top surface to a member, an inner tube having one portion mounted on the member and having another portion that is adapted to extend into the patient's head about the site for guiding movement of a catheter relative to the site and for reducing exposure of the catheter from the patient's scalp, an outer tube having a proximal end mounted on one of the member and inner tube, an intermediate portion extending away from the one of the member and the inner tube in a distal end and a septum mounted on the outer tube.

A barrier system is provided for use in reducing infections associated with post-operative surgical incision and/or a percutaneous medical device, such as a catheter, that is disposed within the surgical incision. Such a barrier system may include: a barrier device having a skin-contacting surface and a catheter-receiving surface; and an adhesive composition configured for adhering to skin, the barrier device, and/or the catheter so as to form a barrier at or adjacent to an incision in the skin where the catheter is percutaneously inserted through the skin. A tensioning anchor and associated system of two or more tensioning anchors is provided for post-operative wound closure. A method for applying and removing the barrier device and tensioning anchors is also provided.

Adapters for utilizing a syringe or pen injector with a subcutaneous injection port to deliver a therapeutic substance through the injection port and methods of using the adapters are provided. A syringe adapter has a body having a first end and a second end. The first end of the body is configured to receive and engage the end of a syringe so that the cannula of the syringe is held at a fixed position with the respect to the adapter. The second end of the adapter configured to mate with a mating portion of the injection port. When the second end of the adapter engages the mating portion of the injection port, the adapter assures that the cannula of the syringe is properly aligned with the subcutaneous injection port and aasures that the cannula penetrates the injection port to the proper depth. Adapters for use with pen style delivery systems are also disclosed. Additionally, an adapter to facilitate loading a syringe with a therapeutic substance from a vial is disclosed.

An obturator can include antimicrobial features which assist in sterilizing or maintaining the sterility of fluid contained within a vascular access device while the device is not being used for infusion or other access to the patient's vasculature. These antimicrobial features include antimicrobial coatings applied to various surfaces of an obturator and antimicrobial components bonded or otherwise secured to an obturator. Various combinations of antimicrobial coatings and/or components can be used on an obturator as necessary to provide a desired amount of antimicrobial agents within a particular enclosed volume of a vascular access device.