A connector of the present invention includes a housing and a valve, wherein the housing has a flow path and a pipe connecting port, and the valve is formed of an elastic material and is adapted to block the pipe connecting port. The valve has a substantially columnar deformable portion. The deformable portion has a top surface exposed from the pipe connecting port, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and a slit that reaches extends from the top surface to the bottom surface. When the top surface is pressed by the pipe, the deformable portion of the valve will be displaced toward the flow path while elastically deforming, so that inner surfaces that define the slit will face the flow path, and the top surface will form an opening that communicates with the flow path.

A drug mixing system including at least one receptacle port adaptor adapted to be inserted into a port of a fluid receptacle, at least one syringe adaptor adapted to be attached to a syringe and to the at least one receptacle port adaptor and at least one vial adaptor adapted for connection to a vial containing a drug and adapted for connection to the at least one syringe adaptor, the system being characterized in that at least one of the receptacle port adaptor, the at least one syringe adaptor and the at least one vial adaptor being vented to the atmosphere in a manner which prevents release to the atmosphere of possibly harmful contents of the vial in a liquid, solid or gaseous form.

A method includes providing an inflatable implant formed of a flexible polymer material suitable for residence in the body. The implant includes a slit valve provided in its wall. The slit valve includes an elastomeric valve body with an open internal chamber being in fluid communication with a proximal opening of the valve, a concave section at its distal end, and a normally closed slit in a solid portion of the valve body connecting the concave section and the distal end of the valve body. An inflation tube having an injection tip with a distal end and an insertion stop is provided. The injection tip is inserted into the internal chamber of the slit valve until the insertion stop positively engages the proximal opening. Then, the implant with the inflation tube is delivered to a body cavity. Once delivered, fluid is introduced through the inflation tube and into the implant.

The invention relates to an implantable access device for accessing the vascular system of a human or animal body, particularly subcutaneously implantable access port, comprising: at least one inlet opening, at least one outlet opening and at least one passageway between the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening, further comprising at least one valve assembly in the at least one passageway, which in a first, unactuated operating condition prevents a fluid flow through the at least one passageway and in a second, actuated operating condition permits a fluid flow through the at least one passageway, which is characterized in that the at least one valve assembly in the first, unactuated operating condition is longitudinally elongated and radially compressed in such a way to prevent a fluid flow through the at least one passageway and that the at least one valve assembly in the second, actuated operating condition is longitudinally compressed and radially elongated in such a way to permit a fluid flow through the at least one passageway.

The invention relates to a connection system having a first connection part which defines a first passage and to a second connection part to be connected to the first connection part which defines a second passage which is orientated with the first passage in the connected state of the connection parts, wherein the first connection part has a blunt cone section through which the first passage extends and the second connection part has a reception section having a frustoconical reception space for receiving the blunt cone section into which the second passage opens.

A valve including an antimicrobial agent can be used with needleless access connectors. The valve can have an insert that includes an antimicrobial coating thereon and/or the valve can have physical features, such as a series of tunnels or groves or a patterned surface, containing an antimicrobial formulation and/or the valve can be made of a material that includes an antimicrobial agent.

A needleless access connector having an access port and a sustained release antimicrobial coating only on a top surface of the access port is disclosed. The top surface of the access port can be defined by a top surface of a proximal end of a housing and a top surface of a head portion of a compressible valve disposed within an internal cavity of the housing. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the sustained release antimicrobial coating is on: (i) the top surface the proximal end of the housing, or (ii) the top surface of the head portion of the compressible valve, or (iii) the sustained release antimicrobial coating is only on both the top surface the proximal end of the housing and the top surface of the head portion of the compressible valve.

Described is a low voltage, pulsed electrical stimulation device for controlling expression of, for example, follistatin, a muscle formation promotion protein, by tissues. Epicardial stimulation is especially useful for heart treatment. Follistatin controlled release is also useful for treating other ailments, such as erectile dysfunction, aortic aneurysm, and failing heart valves.

A connector of the present invention includes a housing and a valve, wherein the housing has a flow path and a pipe connecting port, and the valve is formed of an elastic material and is adapted to block the pipe connecting port. The valve has a substantially columnar deformable portion. The deformable portion has a top surface exposed from the pipe connecting port, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and a slit that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface. When the top surface is pressed by the pipe, the deformable portion of the valve will be displaced toward the flow path while elastically deforming, so that inner surfaces that define the slit will face the flow path, and the top surface will form an opening that communicates with the flow path.

A method includes providing an inflatable implant formed of a flexible polymer material suitable for residence in the body. The implant includes a slit valve provided in its wall. The slit valve includes an elastomeric valve body with an open internal chamber being in fluid communication with a proximal opening of the valve, a concave section at its distal end, and a normally closed slit in a solid portion of the valve body connecting the concave section and the distal end of the valve body. An inflation tube having an injection tip with a distal end and an insertion stop is provided. The injection tip is inserted into the internal chamber of the slit valve until the insertion stop positively engages the proximal opening. Then, the implant with the inflation tube is delivered to a body cavity. Once delivered, fluid is introduced through the inflation tube and into the implant.