A vapor ablation handpiece for assisting a physician perform vapor ablation with a vapor ablation catheter includes a vapor generating element arranged in a coil shape. A mandrel seated in the body of the handpiece affixes the vapor generating element in the coiled arrangement. A voltage difference is supplied across the length of the vapor generating element when activated, causing the vapor generating element to heat liquid therein converting the liquid to vapor. The heated condensable vapor is delivered to a target tissue through the catheter.

An ultrasonic medicine application device that strongly promotes medicine absorption, having a housing, a control panel and a circuit board inside the housing, a medicine supply mechanism and an ultrasonic massage mechanism on a bottom surface of the housing. The ultrasonic massage mechanism has a base panel having massage projections, and also an electrical ultrasonic vibration element, which drives the projections make high frequency ultrasonic vibration. The medicine supply mechanism is positioned between the ultrasonic massage mechanism and the circuit board, and is configured to supply medicine towards the ultrasonic massage mechanism.

In various embodiments, a device is provided comprising a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being the same or greater than the first pressure. In various embodiments, a method comprising fabricating a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being at or greater than the first pressure, disposing the balloon on an elongate member having a lumen, placing the lumen in fluid communication with an interior volume of the balloon.

A renal replacement apparatus (100), having a hemofilter (108); an extracorporeal blood circuit (102) configured to communicate blood from a patient (104), through the hemofilter, and back to the patient; and a flow measuring device (150) configured to measure at least one blood flow property as the blood is leaving the hemofilter and before the blood returns to the patient at a flow measuring device location (152), wherein the flow measuring device comprises at least one of a viscometer and a rheometer. Alternately, or in addition, the renal replacement apparatus may include thermomodulator system (222) including at least one thermomodulator configured to selectively heat and cool the blood in the extracorporeal blood circuit. The renal replacement apparatus (100) may have a controller (160). The controller may use artificial intelligence. Other embodiments are described herein.

A peritoneal dialysis machine having a machine housing and having a heating receiver as well as having a plurality of solution bags is provided. The peritoneal dialysis machine furthermore has a hose set which is connected to the solution bags, wherein the plurality of solution bags are arranged in the heating pan and wherein the hose set does not have any heating bag into which the liquid draining from the solution bags runs.

Disclosed is an article for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The article includes a foam. The foam includes smokable material, such as tobacco. Also disclosed is a system, comprising an article and apparatus. The article includes a foam including smokable material. The apparatus is for heating the smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The apparatus includes a heating zone for receiving at least a portion of the article.

The present disclosure describes a novel therapeutic apheresis system and, more specifically, methods and an apparatus for performing therapeutic apheresis. The present disclosure provides highly efficient methods for therapeutic apheresis that modulate the immune system, thereby resulting in treatment of one or more underlying immunological disease processes. In some embodiments, the disclosed methods return at least a portion of blood from an extracorporeal circuit to a patient in pulsatile flow, where the portion of blood that is returned is augmented. In other embodiments, the disclosed methods and apparatus use the central arterial system to exchange volumes of plasma to immunomodulate disease processes.

A smoking substitute apparatus comprising an air passage, a reservoir formed from an air-permeable substrate and arranged to allow air to be drawn through the reservoir, the reservoir being loaded with a source of nicotine, and one or more one-way valves arranged along the air passage and configured to allow air to flow along the air passage in an upstream to downstream direction.

A breathing assistance apparatus and method of controlling a breathing assistance apparatus is disclosed. Particularly, the breathing assistance apparatus is controlled such that it has a drying cycle to enable drying of the tubing that supplies gases to a user and prevent the harbouring of pathogens within the tube. The drying cycle is preferably operated automatically by internal controllers in the apparatus. However, it may be manually activated by pressing a button on the apparatus. The drying cycle is preferably activated at the end of a user's treatment session.

An iontophoresis system includes a preloaded reservoir containing one or more doses of a therapeutic agent. As a result, the therapeutic agent does not have to be loaded into the reservoir prior to use. In such a system, the preloaded reservoir is generally disposable. Various components of the iontophoresis system can be combined with the reservoir in a disposable cartridge that is selectively connectable to other, reusable components of the iontophoresis system. In addition, the entire iontophoresis system can be formed from one or more disposable, one-time-use modules.