Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Avent, Inc.

Stephen Avedis Baratian

Joseph A Cesa

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Andrew Thomas Baker

Charles Wilson Colman

Jayant Chakravarty

Alison Salyer Bagwell

Scott M Teixeira

Adrienne A Hershey

Theresa Michelle McCoy

Jared Lockwood Martin

David William Koenig

Corey Thomas Cunningham

Jason C Cohen

Michael Z Sleva

Brian Joseph Cuevas

John Herbert Conrad

Earl David Brock

Stephen Baldwin

James Hongxue Wang

Ali Yahiaoui

John Anthony Rotella

Richard Warren Tanzer

Tamara Lee Mace

Jonathan P Bauer

Jeremy Hemingway

John A Brewer

Peter Michailovich Kobylivker

Thomas Gregory Estes

Ross Thomas Kaufman

Mary Lucille DeLucia

Steven R Stopper

Christopher Dale Fenwick

Braulio Arturo Polanco

Emily A Reichart

Benone Tarcau

Jennifer S Stadelman

Charles Edward Edmundson

Steven Ray Burnett

Carl Aronson

Melpo Lambidonis

Lisa A Dagnatchew

Susan Carol Sudbeck

Christian Trusock

A subglottic suctioning system with a tracheal tube having a ventilation lumen, a cuff inflation lumen, and a suction lumen are disclosed which may help reduce the incidence of ventilator associated (or acquired) pneumonia. The suction lumen communicates with the space in the trachea above the cuff where secretions accumulate. The suction lumen has a valve on the proximal end for connection to a source of vacuum. The valve is adapted to interrupt the supply of vacuum to the suction lumen to allow for the introduction of a rinsing fluid in its place and to automatically re-establish the connection to the source of vacuum upon completion of rinsing. The rinsing fluid aids in maintaining an open suction lumen and may include medicaments and mucolytic agents to enhance or promote healing or to alter the properties of the mucus to make removal easier. The user may easily and repeatedly alternate suction and rinsing fluid through the suction lumen, i.e., the user may 'pulse' the line to loosen, break up and remove secretions and deposits that may partially or completely block or clog the suction lumen.

Subglottic suctioning system

There is provided an enteral feeding assembly having a base and a connector. The base has a catheter with a lumen for communication with a body lumen. The base also has an opening with a predetermined shape on its proximal side that also communicates with the catheter lumen. The connector has a key configured to complement the predetermined shape of the opening in the base, which occurs desirably in one position only, so that the connector and base may be joined together. The connector is also connected to a feeding tube that provides a nutrient solution from a replaceable feeding bag. Once the connector is in position in the base, liquid may from the bag to the body lumen. Once in position, the connector may rotate 360 degrees relative to the base before being again in the installation/removal position.

Enteral feeding assembly with lock assembly

A device for cleaning the interior wall of a catheter has a cleaning lumen and skives as non-inflatable removal elements on the exterior surface of the cleaning lumen. Each skive has a first position when unconstrained and a second position when within the catheter. The skives self-position the device concentrically within the catheter. Suction is desirably applied to the cleaning lumen during use.

Self positioning tracheal tube clearance mechanism using skives

Ergonomic bodily fluid collection container

A method of making an absorbent structure having a three-dimensional topography includes placing at least a portion of the absorbent structure between opposed mold surfaces. At least one of the mold surfaces has a three-dimensional topography. The three-dimensional topography of the mold surface is imparted onto the absorbent structure so that the absorbent structure has a three-dimensional topography corresponding to the three-dimensional topography of the mold surface.

Method of making absorbent structure having three-dimensional topography

A biodegradable nonwoven laminate is provided. The laminate comprises a spunbond layer formed from substantially continuous filaments that contain a first aliphatic polyester having a melting point of from about 50&#xb0; C. to about 160&#xb0; C. The meltblown layer is formed from microfibers that contain a second aliphatic polyester having a melting point of from about 50&#xb0; C. to about 160&#xb0; C. The first aliphatic polyester, the second aliphatic polyester, or both have an apparent viscosity of from about 20 to about 215 Pascal-seconds, as determined at a temperature of 160&#xb0; C. and a shear rate of 1000 sec-1. The first aliphatic polyester may be the same or different than the second aliphatic polyester.

Biodegradable nonwoven laminate

Method of making an absorbent structure having three-dimensional topography

Endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes have an inflatable cuff for sealing the trachea so that a patient may be ventilated through a respiratory lumen of the tube. As a result of sealing the trachea outside of the tube, liquids accumulate above the cuff. If these liquids are allowed to move into the lungs, they may cause ventilator acquired pneumonia (VAP). The liquids may be removed by suction applied to a suction lumen terminating in a port above the cuff, but suctioning can cause damage to the trachea if the tube is sucked up against the tracheal wall. A tracheal catheter having a unique method of attaching the balloon cuff is provided. The cuff is to attached so that an upper part (collar) of the cuff is used to cover the distal end of a suction lumen port. This allows the port to be located closer to the cuff and so provides more thorough liquid removal and reduces the possibility that the tube may suck itself onto the tracheal wall.

Tracheal catheter with suction lumen port in close proximity to the cuff

An absorbent structure having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a z-direction axis normal to the longitudinal and lateral axes, longitudinally opposite ends and laterally opposite side edges. An upper surface of the absorbent structure has a three-dimensional topography relative to the longitudinal and lateral axes and defines a plurality of peaks and valleys of the upper surface relative to the z-direction. A lower surface of the absorbent structure has a three-dimensional topography relative to the longitudinal and lateral axes and defines a plurality of the peaks and valleys of the lower surface relative to the z-direction. The absorbent structure has a projected area as determined by a Topography Analysis Method, and the upper surface of the absorbent structure has a vertical area as determined by the Topography Analysis Method of at least about 0.1 cmper 1.0 cmprojected area of the absorbent structure.

Absorbent structure having three-dimensional topography on upper and lower surfaces

A biodegradable nonwoven web comprising substantially continuous multicomponent filaments is provided. The filaments comprise a first component and a second component. The first component contains at least one high-melting point aliphatic polyester having a melting point of from about 160&#xb0; C. to about 250&#xb0; C. and the second component contains at least one low-melting point aliphatic polyester. The melting point of the low-melting point aliphatic polyester is at least about 30&#xb0; C. less than the melting point of the high-melting point aliphatic polyester. The low-melting point aliphatic polyester has a number average molecular weight of from about 30,000 to about 120,000 Daltons, a glass transition temperature of less than about 25&#xb0; C., and an apparent viscosity of from about 50 to about 215 Pascal-seconds, as determined at a temperature of 160&#xb0; C. and a shear rate of 1000 sec.

Biodegradable continuous filament web

Fibers are hydroentangled at temperatures near or above their glass transition temperature, the resultant fabrics are then rapidly cooled. A process of preparing a nonwoven fabric that includes depositing fibers on a foraminous support; impinging hot or warm water upon the fibers to hydroentangle them; and then rapidly cooling the resultant fabric is disclosed. The hydroentangled fabric resulting from this process, products made from the hydroentangle fabric, and the equipment used to prepare the fabrics are described.

Hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics, process, products and apparatus

Absorbent articles having enhanced absorption of bodily exudates are disclosed. The absorbent articles comprise a bodily exudate modifying agent and a skin care formulation. The bodily exudate modifying agent is capable of reducing the viscosity of bodily exudates such as feces and menses. The skin care formulation comprises a bodily exudate modifying agent neutralizer to neutralize the possible negative effects on skin barrier function caused by the bodily exudate modifying agents coming into direct contact with the wearer's skin.

Absorbent articles comprising a bodily exudate modifying agent and a skin care formulation

A technique for incorporating a liquid additive into a nonwoven web is disclosed. Specifically, the liquid additive is loaded into filler particles to form a 'dry liquid concentrate', i.e., pulverulent granular solid or powder loaded with the liquid additive. The incorporation of the liquid additive into dry liquid concentrates provides a variety of benefits. For example, prior to extrusion, the dry liquid concentrates generally retain the properties of filler particles from which they are formed as the liquid remains isolated. In this manner, a higher level of the liquid additive may be compounded with a melt-extrudable base composition without adversely affecting the extrusion process. Only upon extrusion of the composition will a significant portion of the liquid additive be released to provide the desired properties to the resulting nonwoven web.

Technique for incorporating a liquid additive into a nonwoven web

Absorbent articles having enhanced absorption of bodily exudates are disclosed. The absorbent articles comprise a bodily exudate modifying agent and a skin care formulation. The bodily exudate modifying agent is capable of reducing the viscosity of bodily exudates such as feces and menses. The skin care formulation comprises a film forming agent that, upon transfer to the skin, can form a continuous film layer on the skin to retard harmful agents.

Absorbent articles comprising a bodily exudate modifying agent and a film-forming skin care formulation

Growing community of inventors

Roswell, GA, United States of America

Stephen Avedis Baratian