A system and apparatus for the collection of serous or serosanguinous fluid from a percutaneous site after surgery. A pump unit with one or more pumps or powered sources provide continuous negative pressure suction to draw fluid from the percutaneous site and pumps the fluid into disposable reservoirs with one-way valves that are easy to handle while maintaining sterility and a seal to prevent the loss of vacuum. Air is continuously removed from the reservoirs. Measurement and analysis of the output is performed automatically. Additionally, through such a peristaltic pump device, controlled collection of measured surgical and/or bodily fluid from a subject patient may be undertaken allowing for more effective and closer analysis, as well.

Embodiments of a compact portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) device are described which generally include a housing that provides a magnetic shield; an axisymmetric permanent magnet assembly in the housing and having a bore, a plurality of magnetic elements that together provide a well confined axisymmetric magnetization for generating a near-homogenous magnetic dipole field B.sub.0 directed along a longitudinal axis and providing a sample cavity for receiving a sample, and high magnetic permeability soft steel poles to improve field uniformity: a shimming assembly with coils disposed at the longitudinal axis for spatially correcting the near homogenous magnetic field B.sub.0; and a spectrometer having a control unit for measuring a metabolite in the sample by applying magnetic stimulus pulses to the sample, measuring free induction delay signals generated by an ensemble of hydrogen protons within the sample; and suppressing a water signal by using a dephasing gradient with frequency selective suppression.

Systems and methods for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include at least one electrically stimulating electrode coupled to a pulse generator. Individuals with GERD are treated by implanting a stimulation device within and/or proximate the patient's lower esophageal sphincter, gastric fundus, or other nearby gastrointestinal structures and applying electrical stimulation to the patient's lower esophageal sphincter and/or fundus, in accordance with certain predefined protocols. Electrical stimulation provided by the disclosed systems results in an increase in the length of the high pressure zone of the LES and/or modulation of the receptive relaxation response of the fundus to decrease gastric pressure, creating a longer barrier to the reflux of gastric contents or increasing functional lower esophageal pressure respectively, thereby treating GERD.

Several embodiments and methods are described for draining a lymphatic system for therapeutic purposes. The lymphatic draining can be performed by removal of fluid from the lymphatic system via a needle, a catheter, an access port, a reservoir, a shunt, or a combination of these devices. The drainage devices can be configured for use during only a single procedure or for reoccurring procedures.

An apparatus comprises a diffuser, a connection tube section forming a tubular fluid passage, a first indicating element section that indicates a measurement related to a body fluid disposed between a distal end and the connection tube section, a second indicating element section that indicates that the first indicating element section is suitable for use, and a housing having a generally tubular body. The diffuser is at least partially disposed in the generally tubular body. A fluid chamber adapted to receive fluid is cooperatively defined by the housing and the diffuser. The first indicating element section is visibly disposed in a first section of the housing. The second indicating element section is disposed within the fluid chamber. A micro-needle collector to draw the fluid from a source to the distal end is attachable to the distal end.

A universal respiratory detector for detecting a respiratory gas. The universal respiratory detector may include a plurality of layers with a visual indicator to quickly and reversibly change color to detect a respiratory gas parameter such as carbon dioxide. The color change may be visible from both sides of the detector. In some examples, the respiratory detector may be a biocompatible and conformable sticker for mounting on a person's face or an oxygen delivery device.

An adjustable measurement device is described that may include a housing, a power supply, a processor, a communication device, an elastic coupling member, a physiological sensor, and/or a clamp. The housing may be configured to attach to a wearable band that is wearable by a subject. The housing may include a chamber within the housing. The power supply, the processor, the communication device, the elastic coupling member, and or the physiological sensor may be disposed within the chamber. The elastic coupling member may couple the physiological sensor to the housing. A force exerted by the elastic coupling member on the physiological sensor may be in a direction through an opening towards a body part of a subject. As the subject wears the wearable band and the housing is coupled to the wearable band, the physiological sensor may be adjacent to or contact the subject.

The application is directed to devices and methods where one or more magnetic or magnetizable implants provides therapeutic benefits to a patient. The implant may be useful for expanding the range of motion of joints or dynamically providing different responses to changing conditions in the body where the implant is placed. An electromagnet is placed on or in a bone on one side of a joint, and another electromagnet or magnetically active material is placed on or in a bone on the opposing side of the joint. The electromagnet may be continuously energized to relieve pressure in the joint space, or may be energized in response to forces applied to the joint.

Example embodiments of the present invention include various compositions that include a pH modifier composition and/or a buffering capacity modifier composition. In some examples, the pH modifier compositions include a dose of pH modifier to raise the pH in a patient's mouth from about 1 to about 2 pH levels. The compositions are then incorporated into various confections for oral ingestion or application that allow a patient to easily use the composition with the pH and/or buffering capacity modifiers. For example, compositions with the pH and/or buffering capacity modifiers can be incorporated within chewing gum, tablets, lozenges, breath strips, hard candy, oral sprays, and other confections. Another embodiment of the invention includes a testing device to test the pH and buffering capacity within a patient's mouth.

A diaper with urine detection functionalities is provided. The diaper includes a urine isolation layer, an absorbent core layer, and an outer layer. A urine detection device is disposed between the urine isolation layer and the absorbent core layer. The isolation layer has an open end that is embedded in a sleeve of the absorbent core layer. The urine detection device comprises a detection circuit and a test paper composite. The test paper composite includes: a trace element test paper, an antibiotic test paper, and a urine routine test paper. Each test paper is made up of a plurality of test strips for detecting different elements. Each test strip produces results according to a different color indicator scheme.