A diagnostic contrast composition includes a carrier fluid and a non-decaying gas-evolving fluid incorporated in the carrier fluid. The gas-evolving fluid has a vapor pressure sufficient to evolve the gas from a circulatory system within a lung of a patient. The gas-evolving fluid is a composition containing a sufficient quantity of atoms with an atomic number higher than 8 to provide an increased absorption sufficient to increase a Hounsfield Unit measurement in an image in a CT imaging system. The gas-evolving fluid is selected from the group consisting of xenon gas, krypton gas, sulfur hexafluoride, a perfluorocarbon, a brominated perfluorocarbon, and combinations thereof. The carrier fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, saline comprising one or more blood proteins, and saline comprising dissolved lipids.

This invention relates to the treatment of a patient's lung, for example, a lung exhibiting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in particular to methods and devices for affecting lung volume reduction, preferably for achieving acute or immediate lung volume reduction following treatment. The lung volume reduction is effected by delivering a condensable vapor at a temperature above body temperature to the desired regions of the patient's lung to damage tissue therein. Blood flow and air flow to the damaged tissue region is essentially terminated, rendering the target region non-functional. Alternative energy sources may be used to effect the thermal damage to the lung tissue.

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.

A simulated trachea for a tracheostomy simulator assembly includes a first conduit defining a trachea and a first aperture penetrating the sidewall of the trachea. The trachea is clear and surrounded by anatomically functional elements to provide efficient and thorough tracheostomy training for medical professionals.

Many pneumonia diseases and lung malfunctions can be quickly repaired using an improved lung lavage technique where the patient is rotated in specific 3D orientations to increase the efficiency of the lavage procedure. The process involves filling and emptying the lungs with fluid and rotating the patient makes this process natural and effective. Supplementary, a hydro-pneumatic system facilitates the operations with the patient sustained in various positions such as being immersed in water and having various control mechanisms such as variable pressures, temperatures, and performing assisted breathing. Additionally, immersed devices are implanted that shake-up of alveolar wall and other devices perform ultrasound imaging with a 0.1 mm resolution, a resolution in competition with stereoscopic X-ray. The bio-medical data acquisition system allows physicians to completely assess patient status in real time and guide the treatment to ensure optimum patient care, under quality assurance procedures.

An apparatus for capturing the electrical behavior of the human body during respiration and/or ventilation, the apparatus comprising ventilation elements, elements for capturing the impedance of the patient and at least one control unit. The impedance is captured using at least two electrically conductive electrodes, which capture the electrical behavior of the human body. The elements for capturing the impedance are configured to capture the change in the impedance of the human body over time during respiration and/or ventilation.

Devices, systems for localized delivery of a chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or targeted drug/biologic therapy to a target tissue area of an internal body organ of a patient. A catheter 10 forms a sealed treatment chamber in a natural lumen extending through the target tissue area. Air is purged from the chamber, which is then filled with a liquid drug solution for an adequate treatment session time, solution volume and drug concentration to saturate the target tissue area, thereby providing the treatment. The liquid drug solution may be circulated or recirculated through the chamber or maintained stationary therewithin. The drug may saturate the target tissue area and pass therethrough into the lymphatic system or interstitial space, which may serve as a reservoir of the drug for continued therapeutic treatment after withdrawal of the catheter. The chamber is evacuated at the end of the treatment session.

A valve to perform lung volume reduction procedures is described. The valve is formed of a braided structure that is adapted for endoscopic insertion in a bronchial passage of a patient's lung. The braided structure has a proximal end and a distal end and is covered with a non porous coating adapted to prevent flow of air into the. A constricted portion of the braided structure is used to prevent flow of air through a central lumen of the structure, and to define at least one funnel shaped portion. The funnel shaped portion blocks the flow of air towards the constriction, i.e. towards the core of the lung. At least one hole is formed in the braided structure to permit flow of mucus from the distal end to the proximal end, to be expelled out of the lungs.

An apparatus includes a catheter, and an electrode and methods of delivering molecules to eukaryotic cells using such an apparatus. The catheter defines a fluidic channel and has a distal opening. The electrode is within the fluidic channel and is spaced a distance from the distal opening of the catheter. The catheter is arranged to prevent direct contact between any electrode of the apparatus and tissue. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

The invention relates to providing novel functions to the coaxial breathing circuits which at present do not comprise water traps, by adding a closed system water trap designed to have an inkwell shape and a lung pressure measurement port to said circuits wherein the fluid collected in the bottle section can be discharged without having to open the bottle by means of a drainage luer port located at the base of the bottle and a needleless apparatus that has been inserted into the port, and an injector.