A patch-sized fluid delivery device may include a reusable portion and a disposable portion. The disposable portion may include components that come into contact with the fluid, while the reusable portion may include only components that do not come into contact with the fluid. Redundant systems, such as redundant controllers, power sources, motor actuators, and alarms, may be provided. Alternatively or additionally, certain components can be multi-functional, such a microphones and loudspeakers that may be used for both acoustic volume sensing and for other functions and a coil that may be used as both an inductive coupler for a battery recharger and an antenna for a wireless transceiver. Various types of network interfaces may be provided in order to allow for remote control and monitoring of the device.

The invention relates to a device for the dynamically adapting sealing of an organ or a body cavity, e.g. the windpipe (trachea) of an intubated and ventilated patient, wherein the sealing balloon element is produced via particularly rapid shifting of filling medium from an extracorporeal reservoir or an extracorporeal source to the sealing balloon, and wherein, in the dynamic sealing of the trachea according to the example case, a balloon-type foil body preferably formed with residual material in the diameter, i.e. exceeding the tracheal diameter, is in contact with the inner wall of the trachea in a sealing manner and with a pressure that is as constant as possible, wherein fluctuations in the balloon volume, caused by fluctuations in the intrathoracic pressure relating to the mechanics of breathing, are compensated as quickly as possible by supplying volume from an extracorporeal reservoir or an extracorporeal source, and the tracheal secretion sealing of the balloon is thereby kept continuous. This is both made possible by a sufficiently high-volume supply of the balloon filling medium to the cuff, and also prevents steps, gaps or ridges in the supply system, whereby volume flow directed towards the balloon can be minimised, which is crucial for a rapid-as-possible stabilising of the filling volume in the balloon, in particular with small pressure differences between 15 and 30 mbar that are driving the volume flow.

A cartridge for a panel of an ophthalmic surgical system for treating an eye is configured for insertion in a cartridge accommodation region of the panel and has at least one fluid pump for conveying a treatment fluid, the fluid pump has a pump chamber and a drive chamber separated from the pump chamber with a partition element that is at least regionally deflectable, wherein a drive fluid is feedable to the drive chamber and the treatment fluid is feedable to the pump chamber. The partition element has at least one plate element made of an at least electrically conductive or at least ferromagnetic material, said plate element also being deflected in the case of a deflection of at least one region of the partition element. Further, a panel and an ophthalmic surgical system are provided.

The present invention relates to the use of radiopharmaceuticals having a radioactive half-life of less than 21 minutes, such as oxygen-15 labeled water (H.sub.2.sup.15O) in blood flow imaging using PET (Positron emission tomography) scanning technology. The invention also relates to the use of a system for preparing and injecting boluses of such radiopharmaceuticals.

A ventilator (100), for mechanical ventilation of a patient (102), includes a sensor unit that measures a course profile (114) of gas flow-dependent measured values (115) in a ventilation circuit (105) of the ventilator and outputs a corresponding sensor signal (116). A plurality of ventilation parameters (122) of a provided ventilation mode, stored in a memory unit (120), indicate an inspiration time (124) of the ventilation currently provided and a subsequent expiration time (126) for a corresponding breathing cycle. A processing unit (130) is configured to receive the sensor signal, to determine at least one current end-expiratory gas flow (132) based on the course profile and to adjust a ratio (136), between the inspiration time and the expiration time, for the current ventilation mode depending on a comparison between the determined current end expiratory gas flow and a lower threshold value (134) and/or an upper threshold value (135).

A system and accompanying assembly, of integrated or modular construction, for inflating and monitoring pressure within a retaining cuff including a housing having a pressure chamber connected in fluid communication with a fluid pressure source and a fluid communicating connection with the retaining cuff. Associated control circuitry includes a pressure sensor disposable in fluid communication with the pressure chamber and the retaining cuff, via the fluid communicating connection and structured to concurrently determine and monitor pressure within the pressure chamber and the retaining cuff. The control circuitry is cooperatively structured with the pressure sensor and other operative components to establish dynamic multilevel sampling capabilities, calibration parameters stored within the control circuitry prior to use and limited or single use capabilities of the assembly.

A clotting agent delivery system comprises a frame, a passageway extending along the frame, a discharge opening connected to the passageway, a clotting agent reservoir fluidly connected to the passageway to hold a clotting agent substance, a valve in the passageway to control flow of the substance through the passageway, and an actuator to allow propellent to flow into the passageway, wherein the valve and clotting agent reservoir cooperate to provide clotting agent substance to the discharge opening at constant pressure using the propellant. A method for delivering a clotting agent comprises inserting a delivery catheter into an anatomic area, coupling a clotting agent delivery system to the delivery catheter, the clotting agent delivery system having a reservoir of a clotting agent, operating a valve to release propellant for propelling the clotting agent, and conveying the propellant and the clotting agent to the delivery catheter at a constant pressure.

A method of dispensing fluid includes three processes. A first one of these processes includes pumping fluid into a resilient variable-volume dispensing chamber. The dispensing chamber is in series with a normally present finite fluid impedance and an output. The impedance is sufficient so as to cause expansion of the dispensing chamber as it receives pumped fluid even while some fluid flows through the output. Another one of these processes includes repeatedly measuring a parameter related to volume of the dispensing chamber over time. A third one of these processes includes controlling the pumping of fluid based on repeated measurements of the parameter to produce a desired fluid flow through the output. A corresponding system for dispensing fluid implements these processes.

A system for modulating delivery of a fluid medium includes an injector for injecting the fluid medium during an injection cycle, a delivery catheter including a conduit for delivering the fluid medium, a manifold disposed in a fluid medium flow path between the injector and the delivery catheter, and a pulsatile generator. The pulsatile generator is configured to apply a pulsatile force to the fluid medium defined by a plurality of duty cycles during the injection cycle, each of the duty cycles including a first pressure level and a second pressure level that is lower than the first pressure level.

This disclosure relates to dialysis systems and methods. In some implementations, a dialysis system includes a dialysis machine with a fluid line and a drain line, a blood line set configured to be connected to the dialysis machine, and a drain apparatus coupled to the dialysis machine. The drain apparatus includes a chamber configured to receive an end of a patient line of the blood line set, an inlet line, an outlet line, and a valve. The inlet line has a first end configured to be coupled to the chamber and a second end configured to be coupled to the fluid line of the dialysis machine. The outlet line has a first end configured to be coupled to the chamber and a second end configured to be coupled to the drain line of the dialysis machine. The valve is configured to control flow of fluid through the outlet line.