Frantz Medical Development, Ltd.

Eltech Systems Corporation

Biospecific Technologies, Inc.

Mark R Honard

Mark G Frantz

Thomas J Pavsek

Lawrence M Sears

Ying Shen

Jean M Hinden

Henri B Beer

Jeries I Bishara

Robert D Jarrett

Joseph K Walker, Jr

Charlie P Chesnes

Patrick Manzie

Mark A Holmes

Richard E Nemer

Mark G Frantz Medical Development Ltd Frantz

A tube in a pumped fluid system can become obstructed by a clog. The clog is automatically cleared in response to an obstruction signal by modifying the pumping cycle which is normally used to pump the fluid. In particular, the pumping cycle is stopped after a compression stroke to apply sustained high pressure in the clogged tube, using the same fluid and the same pump, to expel the clog from the tube. The obstruction signal is derived by measuring pressure during a portion of the pumping cycle when elevated pressure due to viscosity effects have subsided. Therefore, if the pressure remains elevated, a determination of an obstructed state can reliably be made which may be caused by a clog.

Detecting obstructions in enteral/parenteral feeding tubes and automatic removal of clogs therefrom

A medical pumping system has a supply tube (2), an outlet tube (6), a readily sterilizable, disposable cassette (3) connected to the tubes and engaged with the pump, and means (22,24) such as a motor-driven piston, for intermittently applying pressure to the cassette. The pumping system features a display and switch means (9, 10) on a front panel thereof, a pressure sensor (28), an optical fluid presence sensor (19), and a microprocessor (20) metering the volume of fluid pumped through said cassette (3), monitoring output signals from said sensors (18, 28), controlling the motor-driven piston in accordance with settings entered via said switch means (9,10), and directing output data to said display means (8). The microprocessor has a stored program for performing SET RATE, RUN, HOLD, VOLUME FED, and CLEAR VOLUME functions. The cassette includes a hydraulically self-actuating inlet valve (44) communicating with the supply tube (2), a hydraulically self-actuating outlet check valve (42) communicating with, and preventing backflow from, the outlet tube (6), a hollow, resilient compressible member, such as a bellows (34) having an interior communicating with the inlet and outlet valves, and a support structure (30,36,38) securing together the tubes, valves and bellows in operating relation. Preferably, the inlet and outlet valves are a unitary element.

Pump cassette and method of pumping

Pump system for enteral/parenteral fluid control and delivery

A therapeutic device for removing pathological effectors brom body fluids of a patient is disclosed. Said device includes a chamber for receiving the body fluids and positioned within the chamber is a biospecific polymer. Said biospecific polymer interacts with and binds specific pathological effectors carried by the body fluid that is passed through the chamber.

Therapeutic device

An electrode having a lead base and a catalyst is manufactured by (a) compressing titanium sponge particles so as to consolidate them to a coherent porous layer, (b) applying the catalyst to the titanium sponge particles, and (c) fixing the layer of consolidated sponge particles to the lead base. The catalyst is formed on the titanium sponge particles before or after their consolidation to a coherent layer. This layer may be produced and fixed to the base in a single compressing and fixing step combining (a) and (c). Oxygen is anodically evolved at a reduced, stable potential by means of this electrode, so that it can be usefully applied as an anode in processes for electrowinning metals from acid electrolytes.

Manufacture of electrodes with lead base

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Mentor, OH, United States of America

Mark R Honard