Self-puncturing liquid drug cartridges and an associated inhaler are used to deliver one or more separate doses of an aerosolized liquid drug. A cartridge includes a needle assembly coupled to a drug container. The needle assembly includes a hollow needle and is reconfigurable from a first configuration to a second configuration upon insertion of the cartridge into the inhaler. In the first configuration, the hollow needle does not extend into the container. In the second configuration, the hollow needle extends into the container. The inhaler includes an aerosol generator that includes a vibratable membrane that aerosolizes liquid drug ejected from the cartridge for inhalation by a patient.

An operational unit for locating and neutralizing pathogen cells in blood includes a cassette which has a plurality of thin holding chambers that are filled with blood drawn from a patient. A light source illuminates the holding chambers and passes light to an underlying sensor array such that the cells in the blood selectively block the light to produce shadow images of the cells. A processor performs pattern recognition to locate the pathogen cells by use of an image library. After the pathogen cells are located, a source of ultraviolet light is activated and UV light is passed through selectively controlled shutters to illuminate only the limited areas that have the identified pathogen cells. Sufficient ultraviolet light energy is applied to destroy the identified cells. A pump refills the cassette holding chambers, returns the neutralized-pathogen blood to the patient, and the process is repeated.

An operational unit for locating and neutralizing pathogen cells in blood. A cassette has a plurality of thin holding chambers that are filled with blood drawn from a patient. A light source illuminates each of the holding chambers and passes light to an underlying sensor array such that the cells in the blood produce shadow images of the cells in the sensor array. A processor performs pattern recognition to identify and locate the pathogen cells by use of an image library. After the pathogen cells are located, the pump is operated to move the identified cells to a processing zone. When each identified cell reaches the processing zone, electric energy is applied to destroy the identified pathogen cells. A pump refills the cassette holding chambers, returns the neutralized-pathogen blood to the patient, and the process is repeated for a treatment time period.

An operational unit for locating and neutralizing pathogen cells in blood includes a cassette which has a plurality of thin holding chambers that are filled with blood drawn from a patient. A light source illuminates the holding chambers and passes light to an underlying sensor array such that the cells in the blood selectively block the light to produce shadow images of the cells. A processor performs pattern recognition to locate the pathogen cells by use of an image library. After the pathogen cells are located, a source of ultraviolet light is activated and UV light is passed through selectively controlled shutters to illuminate only the limited areas that have the identified pathogen cells. Sufficient ultraviolet light energy is applied to destroy the identified cells. A pump refills the cassette holding chambers, returns the neutralized-pathogen blood to the patient, and the process is repeated.

A drug delivery system for injecting a medicament includes a housing defining a cavity, a container received within the cavity and configured to receive a medicament, the container comprising a stopper configured to move within the container and a closure, a drive assembly received within the cavity and configured to drive the stopper within the container, a needle actuator assembly received within the cavity and comprising a needle configured to be placed in fluid communication with the container, the needle moveable from a first position and a second position spaced from the first position, and a sterilizer received within the cavity and configured to sterilize at least one of the container, the drive assembly, and the needle actuator assembly upon activation of the drug delivery system.

An incentive spirometer medical device having a mouth piece protected by an enclosure when not in use and being able to be operated by one hand to open to access the mouth piece.

An improved method for separating whole blood into components and collecting a desired blood component. The method allows a desired blood component to be subjected to centrifugal forces within a separator for prolonged periods of time, yielding a cleaner cut and higher yield of the desired blood component. Whole blood is drawn from a source and pumped into a separator, the undesired blood components are removed from the separator at rates so as to build up the desired blood component in the separator. The desired blood component is only removed after a predetermined amount of the desired blood component has built up in the separator. It is preferred that the desired blood component be buffy coat and that the method be used to perform photopheresis treatments. In another aspect, the invention is a method of performing a full photopheresis treatment to treat diseases in a reduced time, preferably less than about 70 minutes, and more preferably less than about 45 minutes.

A system for collecting MNCs to be treated with irradiation comprises a fluid circuit comprising a product container for receiving a MNC product. The system comprises a separator to work in association with the fluid circuit, the separator comprising a chamber for separation into RBCs, plasma, and an interface carrying MNCs between the RBCs and the plasma. A microprocessor-based controller is in communication with the separator, wherein the controller receives input of a target hematocrit for the MNC product. The controller also receives input for a total volume of whole blood and a number of cycles, and directs the interface and a portion of the RBCs into the product container for a resulting product volume comprising a volume of MNCs and a volume of RBCs. The controller automatically adjusts a RBC volume so that a ratio of RBCs within the MNC product to MNC product equals the target hematocrit.

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a device for providing light to the surface of a subject, comprising an array of a plurality of light emitting modules, wherein the plurality comprises four light emitting modules, each module of the plurality is flexibly connected to another module of the plurality, and two of the modules of the plurality comprise a polygonal perimeter having 4, 5, or 6 major sides, a light source, and a longest apex-to-apex dimension for a module of 5-50 millimeters, and, optionally, a non-adherent member configured to be adjacent to the subject.

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a device for providing light to the surface of a subject, comprising an array of a plurality of light emitting modules, wherein the plurality comprises four light emitting modules, each module of the plurality is flexibly connected to another module of the plurality, and two of the modules of the plurality comprise a polygonal perimeter having 4, 5, or 6 major sides, a light source, and a longest apex-to-apex dimension for a module of 5-50 millimeters, and, optionally, a non-adherent member configured to be adjacent to the subject.