An extracorporeal blood treatment device and a method for automatic priming of an extracorporeal blood treatment device. The device includes an extracorporeal circuit, a dialyser, a dialysis liquid circuit and a control unit. The control unit is designed to control the priming such that a liquid is delivered from the dialysis liquid circuit via a membrane of the dialyser to the extracorporeal circuit, and to actuate valves and/or pumps in the dialysis liquid circuit such that pressure builds up in the dialyser on the dialysis liquid side. The control unit actuates a flow machine in the extracorporeal circuit to perform a push cycle, in which the flow machine pushes air into the extracorporeal circuit, and a pull cycle, in which the flow machine draws air out from the extracorporeal circuit, to assist a transfer of the liquid through the membrane of the dialyser during the priming process.

A device for performing a tracheotomy on a patient without the assistance of a medical professional. The device may include one or more mechanical arms that cause a blade to create an incision, cause a dilating tool to dilate the incision, and cause a tracheotomy tube to be inserted into the incision. The device may further include a scanner and/or a hollow needle connected to an air pressure sensor that may be used to detect whether the device is aligned with the patient's airway.

The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. In one set of embodiments, a hemodialysis system may include a blood flow path and a dialysate flow path, where the dialysate flow path includes one or more of a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. Preparation of dialysate by the preparation circuit, in some instances, may be decoupled from patient dialysis. In some cases, the circuits are defined, at least partially, within one or more cassettes, optionally interconnected with conduits, pumps, or the like. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the hemodialysis system. In some cases, a gas supply may be provided in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path and/or the dialyzer that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate to pass through the dialyzer and urge blood in the blood flow path back to the patient. Such a system may be useful, for example, in certain emergency situations (e.g., a power failure) where it is desirable to return as much blood to the patient as possible. The hemodialysis system may also include, in another aspect of the invention, one or more fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, or the like, which can be actuated using a control fluid, such as air. In some cases, the control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using an external pump or other device, which may be detachable in certain instances. In one embodiment, one or more of the fluid handling devices may be generally rigid (e.g., having a spheroid shape), optionally with a diaphragm contained within the device, dividing it into first and second compartments.

An air purification apparatus for nasal application is provided for purifying and/or reducing undesirable materials from air intended to enter a nasal cavity. The air purification apparatus for nasal application may include an air purification apparatus, housing component, power component, fan component, filtration component, germicidal irradiation component, aroma component, olfactory substance delivery component, nose plug component, monitoring component, and case. The case may reversibly enclose the apparatus and provide electrical power delivery.

This disclosure relates to a system and method to improve the uniformity of the heat transfer coefficient of containers filled with biological materials during the freezing and thawing process, in particular a system that is easily transported and incremented to other conventional freeze-thaw methods and equipment. The system includes a portable air blast system configured to receive a container filled with biological materials and to be placed in a cooling or heating chamber, for homogeneous and reproducible freezing and thawing of biological materials. This disclosure also relates to a method of freezing and thawing biological solution inside a container by using the portable air blast system according to any of the previous claims 1-12, comprising: obtaining a container filled with biological solution; placing the container into the vent enclosure and on the stand of the air blast system; placing the air blast system with the container into a heating or cooling chamber; activating the air blast system by activating the fan in the air blast system.

A patient support apparatus comprises a support structure, an articulation system, and a headboard assembly. The support structure comprises a head end, a foot end, a base, and a patient support deck to support a patient between the head end and the foot end. The patient support deck comprises a first section and a second section capable of articulating relative to the first section. The articulation system articulates the second section relative to the first section. The headboard assembly is coupled to the second section to be arranged adjacent to a head of the patient lying on the patient support deck. At least a portion of the headboard assembly articulates with the second section when the second section articulates relative to the first section. The headboard assembly comprises one or more environment controls operable to alter an environment of the patient on the patient support deck.

A transdermal delivery system: a delivery device; a band configured to connect the delivery device to a body part of a user, the delivery device comprising: a delivery chamber that is configured to receive a substance and a heating chamber configured to heat the substance in the delivery chamber so that the substance is liquified, vaporized, or both and exits the delivery chamber into contact with the body part of the user so that the substance is transdermally absorbed.

An example aerosol delivery device includes a mouthpiece having an airflow outlet, and an airflow passage extending between an airflow inlet and the airflow outlet. The example aerosol delivery device further includes a housing configured to receive a cartridge that includes an aerosolizable substance and a vapor element configured to heat the aerosolizable substance, and an internal power source configured to provide electrical power. The example aerosol delivery device further includes a controller coupled to the internal power source to receive a portion of the electrical power and configured to, when the cartridge is installed at the housing, cause the vapor element of the cartridge to heat the aerosolizable substance to release an aerosol into the airflow passage during an inhalation through the airflow outlet, and a connector configured to receive power from an external source to recharge the internal power source.

A method of treating disorders in a human or animal subject may include heating a material containing a compound to a first temperature to form a heated volume of the material. The method may additionally include heating the heated volume to a higher second temperature to form a dose of vapor including the compound. The method may also include administering the dose of vapor to the subject to treat disorders such as pain. The method may further include pre-heating the material to a preliminary temperature prior to the heating to the first temperature. The heating and pre-heating may be performed with a capsule including two covering layers, each including an electrically conductive material, configured to hold the material therebetween and to generate heat by resistive heating.

A steam therapy assembly includes a housing that has an intake and an exhaust to pass air through the intake and the exhaust. A water tank is removably attachable to the housing and the water tank has a fluid port to pass water therethrough for filling the water tank with water. An oil cartridge contains oil and the oil cartridge is removably insertable into the housing. A vaporizing unit is integrated into the housing and the vaporizing unit is in fluid communication between the intake and the exhaust to urge air into the intake and outwardly through the exhaust when the vaporizing unit is turned on. The vaporizing unit vaporizes the water in the water tank into a steam. Additionally, the vaporizing unit vaporizes the oil in the oil cartridge thereby mixing the vaporized oil with the vaporized water.