Becton Dickinson and Company Limited

William T Antoshkiw

Thomas A Ursic

Antonio A Bendek

Robert J Strowe

Joseph J Gregg

Marian H Gravel

Robert C Uschold

Ashutosh Sharma

Joseph Ferraro

Benjamin Gasparello

Keith J McWha

Nigel Talboys

Joseph Choon Chee

A portable diagnostic and medication delivery system that includes a housing and a monitor disposed in the housing for monitoring a characteristic of a bodily fluid sample obtained from an individual. A medication delivery pen and a lancer are each removably mounted to the housing. The monitor, which may be integrated into the housing, may monitor blood glucose levels, for example, and the pen may be employed for the delivery of insulin.

Integrated system including medication delivery pen, blood monitoring device, and lancer

A catheter designed for improved patency characteristics under forces normally exerted upon the catheter during use. The catheter features an inner wall having one or more protuberances running lengthwise in a manner parallel with the central axis of the catheter. The protuberances include a tip, a root defined along the inner wall, and a pair of sidewalls extending between the tip and the root. The roots of adjacent protuberances are spaced from one another. A fluid path is established between the inner wall and the opposed sidewalls of adjacent protuberances. The opposed sidewalls can be straight. Alternately, at least one of the opposed sidewalls includes a non-linear portion along its length. In response to a force normally exerted upon the catheter during use, the spacing between adjacent roots and, if so provided, the non-linear portion of an opposed sidewall prevents the opposed sidewalls from entering into total contact with one another, thereby preventing occlusion of the fluid path. If desired, to strengthen the catheter against occlusion by a medical adapter attached to the proximal end, one or more support elements may be incorporated at the proximal end of the inner wall.

Catheter having a gear-shaped lumen to avert the elimination of fluid

A regulating device for adjusting the length of a combined spinal epidural needle and the method of practicing same is disclosed. In one variant, the regulating device features a pair of substantially concentrically disposed sliding members to which each of the epidural needle and spinal needle may be fitted. A locking actuation tab fitted to one of the sliding members is provided to control axial movement between the sliding members, thereby regulating the extension of the spinal needle relative to the epidural needle. The sliding members may be configured in a variety of shapes or dimensions to accommodate various combinations of spinal and epidural needles. The device may be provided pre-assembled with either one or both of the spinal needle or epidural needle, or it may be employed with a spinal needle, epidural needle, or both separately sourced.

Method and apparatus for adjusting the length of a combined

Improved detachment and sealing mechanism for a balloon catheter assembly utilized in diagnostic and therapeutic environments in connection with very small human vessels. The assembly is of the type including a resilient elongated catheter having means at one end for attachment to a source of pressurized fluid. A small inflatable tubular balloon is detachably connected at the other end of the cannula and is in fluid communication therewith. The detachment and sealing mechanism includes a self-sealing plug positioned in the balloon adjacent the end of the cannula. A circumferential band is on the outer surface of the inflatable balloon in concentric position with respect to the plug. A pin is provided and has a passageway therethrough and one end mounted in the end of the cannula with the passageway therein in communication with the passageway through the cannula and the other end of the pin being pointed and extended through a small opening in the plug in fluid communication with the balloon on the side of the plug distal from the cannula. The pin extending through the plug expands the plug and the expandable band surrounding the plug. The pin has a side opening intermediate its ends located in the space between the end of the cannula and the adjacent end of the plug. When sufficient pressurized fluid is passed through the cannula and the pin into the inflatable portion to inflate the balloon to the desired degree, further fluid passes through the side opening in the pin and inflates the end portion surrounding the plug and extending to the end in communication with the cannula thereby freeing the cannula and pin from the balloon portion for removal. Thereafter, the band and self-sealing plug will cooperate to return to their initial configuration and close the opening in the plug and retain the balloon in inflated condition in position in the human vessel.

Miniature balloon catheter

A syringe for sequentially injecting at least two volumes of liquid with a minimum amount of intermixing prior to and during injection. This is accomplished by means of concentric plunger rods attached, respectively, to adjacent coaxial plungers. A first chamber is filled by drawing back on one plunger, and drawing the liquid through a communicating channel in the other plunger. When the first chamber has been filled to the desired capacity, a second chamber is filled by drawing back on this other plunger. The injection process reverses the previous filling stages, with the most forward plunger being depressed first to inject the fluid in the second chamber adjacent to the tip of the syringe, and the other plunger then being depressed to inject the contents of the first chamber through the communicating channel of the forward plunger and the tip of the syringe.

Sequential injection syringe

A method for determining cardiac output by use of thermodilution principles and by utilizing a catheter assembly with a passageway therethrough. The catheter assembly is introduced at least into close proximity to the right heart. A small balloon tipped catheter is inserted through the passageway of the catheter assembly and is guided thereby with the balloon uninflated and with a thermistor attached thereto to the desired location. The balloon tipped end of the small catheter is passed out of the passageway through the catheter assembly into the bloodstream and the balloon is inflated so that it is flow directed away from the catheter assembly into the desired position in the heart and spaced a substantial distance from the catheter assembly. The small balloon tip catheter has a central lumen therethrough to effect the inflation and deflation of the balloon. A fluid different in temperature from the bloodstream is injected into the annular space between the passageway of the catheter assembly and the outer surface of the smaller balloon tipped catheter with the passageway through the catheter assembly forming a guideway for the fluid to direct it to the desired location and the spacing between the inflated small balloon catheter and the catheter assembly preventing interference of the flow of the fluid from the catheter assembly so that the thermistor on the balloon catheter can detect the temperature changes in the bloodstream. The thermistor output is then detected to determine the cardiac output.

Method of determining cardiac output by thermodilution principles and

A multi-component flow directed catheter system for use in the determination of physiological parameters in the vascular system. The system includes a catheter assembly and a central component in the form of a balloon tipped central catheter whose primary purpose is to, by means of its flow directed balloon tip, form or act as a passageway from outside of the body to the interior of the heart, in particular, the right heart including the right atrium, the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. The catheter assembly includes two or more concentric tubes with the inner tube extending distally beyond the outer tube. An inflatable balloon is attached distally to the outer surface of the inside tube to seal the distal portion of the balloon and is proximally attached to the outer surface of the outer tube to seal the proximal portion of the balloon. Inflatation and deflation of the balloon is effected by injecting fluid into the annular space between the two tubes. Movement of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube effects the distance between the distal and proximal attachments of the balloon and thereby effects the shape of the balloon.

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Clifton, NJ, United States of America

William T Antoshkiw