Other

University of Minnesota

Minntech Corporation

Perry L Blackshear, Jr

Louis C Cosentino

Daniel A Baker

Cynthia T Clague

Robert T Hall, Ii

Jeffrey A Lee

LeRoy J Fischbach

Anatol M Hnojewyj

Scott R Vagle

Joseph L Blackshear

David A Blackshear

A probe for use in collecting liquids entrained with a gaseous component, particularly collecting a patient's blood with entrained gas bubbles from a surgical site for autologous reinfusion. The probe separates the gaseous component from the collected liquid, particularly separating air bubbles from blood cells to inhibit hemolysis, platelet degradation and protein denaturation. An elongated probe body has a distal end to be inserted into the liquid to be collected through an inlet by jet pump action into a centrally disposed mixing chamber. A diffuser is formed within the probe body proximal to and in axial alignment with the inlet and mixing chamber leading to a liquid exit. A jet pump nozzle is formed in the probe distal tip surrounding the inlet in the form of an annular chamber into which pressurized drive fluid is introduced through a distribution channel system extending along the probe body from the proximal end. The drive fluid is ejected in a swirling vortex from the jet pump nozzle around the periphery of the mixing chamber effecting a sub-atmospheric pressure for suctioning the liquid to be collected and the gaseous component thereof into the inlet and mixing chamber. The drive fluid mixes therewith in the swirling vortex and propels the mixture into the diffuser while concentrating the gaseous component in the center of the swirling vortex as a stream. A gas evacuation tube is oriented in the centrally disposed concentrated gaseous stream for evacuating the gaseous component from the mixture before it is propelled into the diffuser. In the autologous reinfusion context, the entrained air bubbles are concentrated and removed in the probe from the blood as they are suctioned into the swirling vortex to reduce hemolysis. When mixed in the vortex, the blood and drive fluid mixture is pressurized to inhibit further air bubble formation.

Jet driven surgical suction device and method of using

A passive perfusion angioplasty catheter is provided which includes an elongated flexible member defining an inflation lumen and an inflatable balloon member affixed to a distal end of the flexible member for pressing against an interior wall of an artery. The balloon member defines at least one passage between a surface thereof and the interior wall permitting blood to flow therethrough when the balloon member is pressed against the interior wall. A method of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is also provided.

Passive perfusion angioplasty catheter

Outside perfusion type blood oxygenator

A method for non-destructive testing for approximation of oxygen transmission in hollow fiber blood oxygenators or the like is provided which method includes passing a first fluid at a predetermined temperature and volume flow rate through the hollows of the fibers and a second fluid at a second predetermined input temperature and volume flow rate across the outside of the fibers and measuring the heat rise or fall of the fluids and comparing the results with standards for a given blood oxygenator device.

Method of quality control for hollow fiber gas transfer cells

A humidity modifying device for guitars, and similar musical instruments which are susceptible to damage such as cracking, splitting, etc. when subjected to deleterious humidity conditions. Such instruments characteristically have a sound box formed from wood, strings and a sound hole underlying the strings. The humidity modifying device comprises a resilient plug adapted to be disposed in the sound hole with a sealing fit and having a humidity modifying material, such as a moisture retentive sponge-like pad or desiccant cartridge, secured to the inner surface of the plug to maintain desired humidity conditions within the sound box. Preferably the moisture-retentive means or desiccant is retained within a pocket or chamber within the plug by means of a closure plate supported by a flange formed in the bottom surface of the plug.

Humidity modifying device for guitars

A system for the adsorption of a substance from a warm fluid containing the same. An initially relatively cool bed of adsorbent is fed with a relatively warm fluid containing an adsorbate. A sharp thermal wave is generated as the warm fluid enters the cool bed. A high pulse in concentration of the adsorbate develops ahead of the thermal front if the bed properties are appropriate. The concentration of adsorbate immediately ahead of the wave is related to adsorbate concentration in the inlet stream, the shape of the adsorption isotherms, the effective heat capacities and the original and final bed temperatures, bed design, thermal conductivities and dispersivities. There is a sharp drop in concentration at the forward edge of the concentration pulse. This pulse in adsorbate concentration is harvested by aspirating fluid from the bed at the time the pulse arrives at the end of the bed. For some purposes a total cycle of discharge and recharge of the bed is desirable. Following the discharge of the high concentration pulse from the bed, the bed is seen to be filled with fluid at the inlet concentration and temperature in approximate equilibrium with the solid. When the flow of fluid, free of the removed adsorbate, is passed through the bed at the cool temperature, a concentration wave will precede the thermal wave toward the original bed inlet. All the fluid that leaves the bed before the concentration wave reaches the inlet is desirably recycled. Provisions for the mass flow imbalance are proposed. The general requirements for this recycling process are described. The system is useful, for example, for concentrating urea in an artificial kidney, for concentrating NO in engines and power plants for oxidation to NO.sub.2 and subsequent capture, for concentrating SO.sub.2 in exhaust gases of systems using sulfur-bearing fuels, for concentrating organic impurities for removal from water, for concentrating alcohol, and the like.

System for regenerative thermally reversed adsorption

Growing community of inventors

Mahtomedi, MN, United States of America

Perry L Blackshear, Jr