An inhalation spacer movable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The spacer is made from paperboard having a bending stiffness of at least 2.5 mNm.

Disclosed are a microneedle patch and a method for fabricating the microneedle patch. The microneedle patch includes a base layer including a mesh structure or auxetic materials having a negative Poisson's ratio, and a microneedle array disposed on the base layer. The method includes forming a base layer including a mesh structure or auxetic materials having a negative Poisson's ratio, and forming a microneedle array on the base layer.

A laryngeal mask airway device (20, 320) is provided including an inflatable balloon (30, 330), which is (a) shaped so as to define at least an inflatable annular cuff (32, 332) and a proximal inflatable pharyngeal portion (34, 334), and (b) insertable through an anterior opening of a patients oral cavity. The inflatable balloon (30, 330) is configured such that when an inflatable chamber (56) thereof is filled with air at a pressure of 10 cm H2O and unconstrained, a volume of the air in a proximal one-third (60) of the inflatable chamber (56) equals at least 200% of a volume of the air in a distal one-third (62) of the inflatable chamber (56). Other embodiments are also described.

The invention discloses a sterile syringe (100) comprising a barrel (1) having internal surfaces (2), a plunger (3) movable within the barrel, a non-sliding seal (7) between the barrel and the plunger defining a sealed volume (8) and at least one filter (9) allowing only filtered gases to enter the sealed volume such that the syringe maintains its sterility even after several uses. The filters could be positioned on different locations on the syringe like on the non-sliding seal, the barrel, the barrel flange or the plunger handle.

Sleep performance systems and methods of using the same are disclosed. The sleep performance systems can improve the quality of sleep by making one or more recommendations to the subject for increasing a sleep quality score. The sleep performance systems can have one or more electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes configured to measure a subject's brain activity during sleep. The sleep performance systems can have a processor configured to quantify the quality of the subject's slow-wave sleep by determining one or more sleep performance scores associated with the measured brain activity. The sleep performance systems can recommend and/or activate sleep improvement programs based on various threshold scores.

A patient interface a positioning and stabilising structure, which includes a gas delivery tube with a tube wall that has an interior passage for flow of pressurized air. A portion of the tube wall includes a patient contacting portion and a non-patient contacting portion. The patient contacting portion includes a layer of textile material or foam material configured to lie against the patient's head. At least a section of the non-patient contacting portion includes of a transparent and/or translucent material. The layer of textile material or foam material is bonded to the transparent and/or translucent material so that the tube wall is formed as a one piece construction. A plane extends generally transverse to longitudinal axis contains both (1) the textile material or foam material and (2) the transparent and/or translucent material, so that the patient may view the interior passage along a transverse axis extending through the plane.

A respiratory interface assembly includes a patient interface, such as a nasal mask, and a headgear arrangement. The headgear arrangement can have one or more semi-rigid straps, which can be a composite construction of an outer fabric and a plastic core. The outer fabric can be knitted. The headgear arrangement can include a composite rear portion having an upper strap and lower strap, which are configured to be adjustable relative to one another.

A micro-negative pressure foam dressing and a manufacturing method thereof is disclosed, the dressing comprises a exothermic agent layer, an isolation component covering on the exothermic agent layer, an elastic memory piece disposed under the exothermic agent layer, a liquid absorbing negative pressure pad disposed under the elastic memory piece, a contact layer disposed under the liquid absorbing negative pressure pad, a sealing film disposed between the liquid absorbing negative pressure pad and the contact layer, and a bottom release film disposed under the contact layer; and in this invention, heat generated by a exothermic agent layer causes an elastic memory piece to expand downward to compress a foam layer, and after the heat dissipates completely, a micro-negative pressure is generated since a sealed environment is formed by a sealing film, a contact layer and a wound surface without a need for the VSD negative pressure technology.

An apparatus and methods for tissue restoration are provided. The apparatus may include a catheter shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal tip, the catheter shaft defining lumens including an inflation lumen and a light fiber lumen, a coated balloon positioned on a translucent distal segment of the catheter shaft proximal to the distal tip in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the coated distal balloon comprising a translucent material and a coated material on an outer surface of the coated balloon, and a light fiber positioned in the catheter shaft in the light fiber lumen and extending through the translucent distal segment.

A positioning and stabilising structure for a full-face mask of a patient interface comprises a superior strap portion, an inferior strap portion, and two anterior strap portions. Each anterior strap portion having a generally triangular surface with a first width and a second width that is less than the first width and disposed more anterior while in use. The superior strap portion and the inferior strap portion are each connected to or formed integrally with each anterior strap portion at a respective corner of the generally triangular surface. Each anterior strap portion is connected or connectable to a connection portion that engages the plenum chamber. The connection portion is releasably engageable from the plenum chamber. The superior strap portion and the inferior strap portion are joined to the anterior strap portions anterior to the patient's ears, when in use.