Other

3m Innovative Properties Company

Michael Schmidt

Reiner Kunz

Wolfgang Ansorge

Florentin Michael Wilfart

Ina Voigt

Jan Haelssig

Hydrophobic poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) hollow fiber membrane for retention of anesthetic agents with an inner and an outer surface and between inner and outer surface an essentially isotropic support layer with a sponge-like, open-pored, microporous structure free of macrovoids and adjacent to this support layer on the outer surface a dense separation layer with a thickness between 1.0 and 3.5 &#x3bc;m. The membrane has a porosity in the range of greater than 35% to less than 50% by volume and a permeance for COof 20-60 mol/(h&#xb7;m&#xb7;bar), a gas separation factor &#x3b1;(CO/N) of at least 5 and a selectivity CO/anesthetic agents of at least 150. The process for producing this membrane is based on a thermally induced phase separation process in which process a homogeneous solution of a poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) in a solvent system containing components A and B is formed, wherein component A is a strong solvent and component B a weak non-solvent for the polymer component. After formation of a hollow fiber the hollow fiber is cooled in a liquid cooling medium to form a hollow fiber membrane. The concentration of the polymer component in the solution may be in the range from 42.5 to 45.8 wt.-% and the hollow fiber leaving the die runs through a gap between die and cooling medium with a gap length in the range of 5-30 mm.

Hollow fiber membrane for use in an anesthetic circuit

A method for controlling image capturing and spatial control in a device monitored by imaging, in particular an endoscopic instrument, for examination and manipulation purposes, wherein the work region and the position and action of the device are monitored by means of one of the display means displaying the observed work region via optics. The device is held and moved by motor-driven equipment depending on the display, the respective position and intended action. The eye movements of the operating person or the line of sight during observation of the display is registered according to the eye-tracking method and used to control the image capturing and tracking and the display.

Navigation of endoscopic devices by means of eye-tracker

The invention relates to a trocar system for a minimally invasive work station, comprising an endoscopic instrument () having imaging means () and a device for transmitting the signals containing the image information to a display unit () and, as required, work tools, further comprising a trocar assembly (to) having a trocar sleeve, which is designed to receive a pin, including imaging means (), provided with a tip that is permeable to imaging media having different wavelengths, wherein the imaging means are provided to make the work field visible through the distal end of the pin and a device () is provided for transmitting the signals containing the image information to a display unit (). The trocar assembly (to) and the minimally invasive instrument () are provided for separate use and for displaying the respective image information for the same display unit (). The pin is provided with an on/off switch (). The display device is equipped to display the image information transmitted by the pin when the pin is switched on and to suppress the display of the image information transmitted by the endoscopic instrument, and to display the information transmitted by the endoscopic instrument when the pin is switched off.

Trocar system

The invention relates to a communication system and devices forming part of this system, wherein light is used for the transmission signal. The communication system includes an apparatus for forwarding operating room device signals to a device which apparatus is configured to receive an analog signal comprising the operating room device signal and to produce a digital signal based upon the analog signal, the apparatus further being configured to produce a signal based upon the digital signal, wherein the signal is for modulating the output of a light source. This invention includes a device for managing access and priority of traffic within this system according to a specific hierarchy of priority starting with safety and ending with administrative information.

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Halifax, Canada

Michael Schmidt