Devices and methods for allowing for improved assisted ventilation of a patient. The methods and devices provide a number of benefits over conventional approaches for assisted ventilation. For example, the methods and devices described herein permit blind insertion of a device that can allow ventilation regardless of whether the device is positioned within a trachea or an esophagus. In addition, the methods and device allow for timed delivery of ventilations based on a condition of a thoracic cavity to increase the amount and efficiency of blood flow during a resuscitation procedure.

Provided are an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and a method of controlling an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that can more reliably confirm the presence or absence the esophageal intubation regardless of the skill of the user. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus (1) includes an ultrasound probe (15) used for observing a trachea and an esophagus of a subject, an image acquisition unit (8) that transmits an ultrasound beam toward the subject from the ultrasound probe (15) to acquire an ultrasound image, an observation target detecting unit (9) that detects the trachea and the esophagus included in the ultrasound image by performing image analysis with respect to the ultrasound image, an operation guiding unit (11) that guides a user to operate the ultrasound probe (15) such that the ultrasound probe (15) is positioned at a position suitable for observation of the observation target detecting unit (9), and an esophagus state determination unit (10) that determines whether a tracheal tube is inserted into the detected esophagus.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating, preventing, or reducing the recurrence of a stricture and/or cancer, or for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), in a non-vascular body lumen and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the balloon catheter includes a length-control mechanism which stretches and elongates the balloon when it is in a deflated state, giving the balloon a smaller cross-sectional deflated profile for tracking through the body lumen and for removal after treatment.

A tracheal tube inserted through the trachea and bronchi of a subject, comprising: a tube body having a through hole on an outer circumferential surface thereof, a bronchial cuff provided on an outer circumferential surface of the tube body and pressing an inner circumferential surface of the bronchus; wherein the bronchial cuff is spaced apart in the axial direction of the tube body and forms a plurality of ventilation spaces; wherein the ventilation spaces are in communication with each other; wherein the through hole communicate with the ventilation space.

Liquid ventilator and methods integrating the concept of total liquid ventilation (TLV) using liquid volumes below functional residual capacity (FRC) of mammal's lungs are disclosed. Beyond the automatization of the whole process, the technology has been up-scaled to confirm that TLV at residual volumes below FRC can provide a safe procedure while enabling the full potential of TLV in a mammal such as humans or adult-sized animals. Such tidal liquid ventilation strongly differs from the previously known TLV approach, opening promising perspectives for a safer clinical translation. Also disclosed are apparatus and method for safe and fast induction of hypothermia during liquid ventilation of a mammal.

Described here are systems and methods for delivering an active agent to target tissues of the ear, nose, or throat using a drug delivery platform having the therapeutic drug embedded as part of the drug delivery platform. The drug delivery platform is implanted into a target tissue, and the active agent elutes out of the body of the drug delivery platform for a target period of time, delivering a therapeutic dose of the drug for that period of time. The duration of therapy for an implant into a sinus tissue can be from 3 to 12 months, or longer, thereby providing relief for the full duration of an allergy season. Moreover, the duration of therapy can provide relief to individuals with chronic paranasal sinus condition symptoms for a period of time longer than presently available therapies, thus allowing for only semi-annual or annual applications of the therapy.

A wearable support device includes a first base, a second base, a plurality of belts and a fixed frame. The first base is formed with a first through hole. The second base is formed with a second through hole. The belts penetrate the first and the second through holes. The fixed frame includes a side wall, a support portion, a first and a second protruding portions; the support portion and the protruding portions are disposed on the side wall and positioned on the first base, the protruding portions are located above the support portion, a support space is formed among the support portion and the protruding portions, a through groove is formed between the support portion and the protruding portions respectively, and a third through groove is formed between the two protruding portions, and all of the through grooves are in communication with the support space respectively.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating strictures in body lumens and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent.

The invention is a laryngeal mask, comprising a head part (14) and an inlet tube (16) connected to the head part (14), and a passage (15) is formed between a laryngeal opening (11) of the head part (14) and an inlet opening (21) of the inlet tube (16), the laryngeal opening (11) is adapted for fitting onto a trachea, and the inlet opening (21) of the inlet tube (16) is opposite the connection of the inlet tube (16) with the head part (14), and an annular cushion (20) connected to an outer part of the head part (14) around the laryngeal opening (11). The laryngeal mask further comprises a covering element (10) encompassing the annular cushion (20), folding it back to the head part (14) and covering the laryngeal opening (11), the covering element (10) is connected to the outer part of the head part (14) at a part being towards the inlet tube (16) from the connection of the annular cushion (20), and a releasable connection is formed circumferentially in the covering element (10) or at the connection of the head part (14) and the covering element (10), and a puller element (12) being connected to an inner side of the covering element (10) being towards the laryngeal opening (11), being arranged in the passage (15) and being pullable from the inlet tube (16) through the inlet opening (21), and being adapted for removing at least one part of the covering element (10) through the inlet opening (21) of the inlet tube (16) by releasing the releasable connection.

An embodiment of a system for treating sleep apnea includes a collar, pump, motor, sensor, memory, and controller, which is configured to store, in the memory, information related to sleep-apnea events or sleep-apnea treatment, experienced by the subject. For example, the controller can obtain, and store in the memory, information related to sleep-apnea events, and the controller, or another computing system, can correlate this information with the subject's lifestyle choices, and can recommend lifestyle changes to improve the subject's sleep apnea. Furthermore, the controller can obtain and store, in the memory, information related to usage and settings of the sleep-apnea system, and the controller, or another computing system, can correlate this information with the subject's wellbeing, and can recommend changes in the usage or the settings of the sleep-apnea system that can improve the subject's wellbeing.