The present invention includes the provision and use of a novel method and apparatus for anchoring a catheter line to the tissue of a patient (e.g., the internal fascia of a patient) for pain pump drug delivery. In one preferred form of the invention, the invention includes the provision and use of a catheter line fixation device including a housing and a collet assembly. The catheter line fixation device is intended to be adjustably secured to a catheter line, and the catheter line fixation device is intended to be secured to the tissue of a patient (e.g., the internal fascia of a patient), so as to secure the catheter line to the tissue of the patient.

A severed nerve may be surgically rejoined and severed axons fused via sequential administrations of solutions. The solutions may include a priming solution comprising methylene blue in a Ca.sup.2+-free saline solution, a fusion solution comprising about 50% (w/w) PEG, and a sealing solution comprising Ca.sup.2+-containing saline. The PEG fusion solution may be applied in a nerve treatment device configured to isolate the injured segment of the nerve. The device may include a containment chamber for creating a fluid containment field around the anastomosis. The device may have slits, slots, and/or apertures in opposing endwalls of the device designed to receive the nerve. The device may have an open bath configuration or may include separable lower and upper bodies to create a closed bath configuration. The device may include one or more fluid ports in fluid communication with the containment chamber for introducing and/or removing fluid.

This invention relates to an ingestible drug delivery device configured for wireless communication with other ingestible drug delivery devices.

Embodiments provide swallowable devices, preparations and methods for delivering viable cells (VC) into the GI tract including GI wall tissue or other tissue site. Particular embodiments provide a swallowable device such as a capsule for delivering VC into an intestinal wall or other site. The VC can be contained within a tissue-penetrating shell disposed in the capsule that protects the VC as they pass through the GI tract until they are inserted into GI tract tissue or other location. The shell desirably has shape, size and material consistency to be contained in a swallowable capsule, delivered from the capsule into solid tissue by the application of force on the shell and biodegrade within the solid tissue to release the VC into the tissue. Within the shell or other structure the VC can be maintained in a viability-sustaining gel that preserves the viability of the VC for selected time periods.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices and establishing fluid communication between body lumens. In particular, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods for establishing a controlled flow or access passage between body lumens.

A microfluidic flow restrictor that uses micron-sized beads to impede flow is described. The flow rate can be adjusted by adding or removing the beads using injection needles through self-sealing ports, one injection needle injecting or aspirating beads and another injection needle pushing or pulling fluid from outside of a bead trap within the flow restrictor. In alternative embodiments, the beads or other filler material can be trapped in a manifold bead trap such that they block a subset of fluid channels of the flow restrictor, allowing fluid to flow freely through the rest of the fluid channels. The flow restrictor can be integrated with a contact lens or implantable medical device for use in dispensing liquid therapeutic agents at flow rates of microliters per minute or moving body fluids at a controlled rate from one part of the body to another.

A cochlear hearing aid system for providing electrical stimulation to auditory nerve fibers of a cochlea of a recipient of the cochlear hearing aid system is disclosed. The cochlear hearing aid system comprises a microphone configured to receive an acoustical signal and provide an audio signal based on the acoustical signal; a signal processor unit configured to receive the audio signal and process the audio signal; an electrode lead including a plurality of electrodes configured to stimulate the auditory nerve fibers based on the processed audio signal, wherein the electrode lead comprises: an electrode carrier maintaining the electrode contacts and wires, wherein the electrode carrier is made of silicone and is loaded by dexamethasone; a first layer (or sub-layers) of gelatin which is coated and chemically cross-linked selectively on a silicone outer surface of the electrode lead, wherein dexamethasone sodium phosphate is embedded in the first layer (or sub-layers); and a second layer of gelatin which is coated and physically cross-linked onto the first layer.

The present disclosure provides a gastroretentive drug delivery device having an expandable structure. The drug delivery device includes: a capsule body having a space formed therein; an arm mounted at one end of the capsule body, the arm comprising a first hinge part, a second hinge part, a third hinge part and an elastic support part which enable unfolding and folding, wherein the first hinge part engages the elastic support part, the second hinge part engages a wing of the arm and is connected rotatably to the first hinge part, the third hinge part is positioned at one end of the wing and is connected rotatably to the second hinge part, a sustained-release supporter is positioned to face the third hinge part, an immediate-release formulation is positioned to face the elastic support part, and a sustained-release formulation is positioned between the sustained-release supporter and the immediate-release formulation; an elastic body acting to move the elastic support part in a direction toward the one end of the capsule body within the capsule body; and a capsule cap configured to engage the other end of the capsule body.

A layered drug delivery device which includes a polymeric tissue interface layer and a polymeric backing layer. The polymeric tissue interface layer includes at least one ther-apeutic agent.

The present invention relates to ultrasonically detectable intrauterine systems and to a method for enhancing ultrasound detection of these systems. An intrauterine system having an inert metal coating on at least part of the body of the intrauterine system or at least one inert metal clip, pin, ring or sleeve fixedly positioned on the body of the intrauterine system is described.