Described is a method and device for dilating a tubular anatomical structure. The device and method can be useful for extracting a blood clot in an artery of a mammal by concentrically irradiating an inner wall of the occluded artery using an ultraviolet (UV) laser beam delivered by an optical fiber having an external or inverted conical tip. Dilation results from photophysical production and release of nitric oxide from the cells lining the arterial wall when UV laser light is projected as a ring beam onto the inner arterial wall. This “minimal contact persistent dilation system” prepares the artery for safer mechanical extraction by thrombectomy, owing to decrease in friction and dissolution of chemical bonding.

In an example, a ventilator includes a first container and a second container in fluidic communication with each other via a liquid. The second container includes a second container space surrounded by the second container and a second liquid surface. A hydrostatic pressure in the second container space results from a pressure differential defined by a difference between the first liquid surface elevation in the first container and the second liquid surface elevation. The second container space increases in size with an increase in the breathing gas supplied from a gas supply line to the second container space. An inhalation line is configured to open to permit a flow of the breathing gas from an inhalation inlet in the second container space to an inhalation outlet outside of the liquid and outside of the second container and coupled to a patient, causing the second container space to decrease in size.

A bandage is formed of a film layer, an adhesive applied to the film layer, and an absorbent layer connected to the film layer. The absorbent layer comprises a compressed fabric soaked in a fluid. A permeable membrane is disposed over the absorbent layer and creates an electrical charge when fluid from the absorbent layer passes through the membrane. The electricity generated by the osmosis flows to a plurality of light emitting diodes that are connected to the membrane through a battery. The LEDs emit UV light to disinfect a wound when a bandage is applied to the wound.

A moisture management system for a medical device. A water trap has an inlet, outlet, first reservoir, and drain, the inlet receiving gas from a supply connection and the outlet returning the gas to a patient connection. The water trap removes moisture from the gas flowing from the inlet to the outlet, where the moisture removed is held in the first reservoir. The system further includes an evaporation chamber having an inlet, an exhaust, and a second reservoir. The inlet is fluidly coupled to the drain of the water trap to receive the moisture from the first reservoir. The moisture is subsequently held in the second reservoir. The evaporation chamber is configured such that the moisture evaporates from the second reservoir and exits as vapor via the exhaust. An evaporator increases a rate at which the moisture in the second reservoir evaporates via the exhaust.

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.

The present invention is directed to a system and method for photoeradication of microorganisms from a target. The method includes the step of obtaining test data for a plurality of experiments each of which comprises irradiating test microorganisms with a plurality of light pulses having a wavelength that ranges from 380 nm to 500 nm. The light pulses have a plurality of pulse parameters (peak irradiance, pulse duration, and off time between adjacent light pulses) and are provided at a radiant exposure that ranges from 0.5 J/cm.sup.2 to 60 J/cm.sup.2 during each of a plurality of irradiation sessions. The test data comprises a survival rate for the test microorganisms after irradiation with the light pulses. The method also includes the step of analyzing the test data to identify the pulse parameters for the light pulses and the radiant exposure for each of the irradiation sessions that result in a desired survival rate for the test microorganisms. The method further includes the step of irradiating the microorganisms of the target with light pulses having the identified pulse parameters at the identified radiant exposure for each of the irradiation sessions so as to photoeradicate all or a portion of the microorganisms.

In an example, a ventilator includes an outer container containing liquid, an inverted container submerged in the liquid to provide inverted container space between a closed top and an inner container liquid level; gas supply line to supply breathing gas to the inverted container space; and inhalation line having an inlet in the inverted container space to provide breathing gas to patient. The inverted container moves upward from a first elevation when the inverted container space reaches a hydrostatic delivery pressure and volume of the inverted container space increases. The inverted container stops moving upward and the gas supply line stops supplying when the inverted container reaches a second elevation above the first. Based on a breath demand signal or preset timing, the inhalation line opens to permit flow of breathing gas to the patient at the hydrostatic delivery pressure, lowering the inverted container due to lost buoyancy resulting in sinkage.

An anti-shadowing virus irradiation and deactivation device comprised of air chambers having multiple ultraviolet “C” light sources, with a selectable recirculation path to harness ozone gas produced, and a system to neutralize said ozone gas upon exit.

A patient airway dome including an adjustable frame having a hinge such that the hinge allows the frame to adjust between an erected position to create an airway dome and a collapsed position that allows the frame to lay flat, a dome covering located over the retractable frame, a suction port which is connected to a conventional device in order to provide negative pressure to patient airway dome, and an arm access assembly operatively connected to the dome covering, wherein the arm access assembly includes an opening in the dome covering and a closure assembly located adjacent to the opening.

A light irradiation device includes: a flow channel through which blood or a blood component flows; and an LED lamp which irradiates the blood or the blood component flowing through the flow channel with light so as to inactivate a virus included in the blood or the blood component, in which a multilayer structure in which a plurality of the flow channels is arranged in parallel is formed.