85results about How to "Less painful" patented technology

The invention provides an automatic injection device for providing a subcutaneous injection of a substance into a user, comprising: a housing having an open first end and a second end; a syringe movably disposed in the housing, the syringe including a barrel portion for holding the substance, a hollow needle in fluid communication with the barrel portion for ejecting the substance from the syringe, and a bung for sealing the barrel portion and selectively applying pressure to the substance to force the substance through the hollow needle; a plunger for first moving the syringe towards the first end such that the needle projects from the first end and subsequently applying pressure to the bung, the plunger including a rod connected at a first end to the bung, a compressible expanded central portion and a flange between a second end of the rod and the compressible expanded central portion; and a biasing mechanism for biasing the plunger towards the first open end of the housing, the biasing mechanism disposed about the second end of the rod between the flange and the second end of the housing. The present invention also provides methods and kits for using an automatic injection device, and methods and kits for promoting an automatic injection device comprising a medication based on advantageous properties of the device as compared to a pre-filled syringe. The invention also provides methods and kits for training a recipient on use of the automatic injection device.

A device and technique for a sutureless wound closure, which limits the risks of rupture and scarring, is described. The device includes a one-piece surgical fastener generally shaped in a curve along the width of the surgical fastener. The fastener includes a tissue insertion tongue with a plurality of tissue attachment points for fixing the fastener to skin tissue. The fastener also includes a clasp for engaging an identical surgical fastener. The surgical fastener can also be a two-piece structure including a male connecting strap and a female connector. Both pieces include a tissue-connecting mechanism for fixing to skin tissue. The female connector includes an engagement clasp for securing the male connecting strap to the female connector.

A novel fiber comprising a substantially homogeneous mixture of a hydrophilic polymer and a polymer which is at least weakly hydrophobic is disclosed. The fiber optionally contains a pH adjusting compound. A method of making the fiber comprises electrospinning fibers of the substantially homogeneous polymer solution. A method of treating a wound or other area of a patient requiring protection from contamination comprises electrospinning the substantially homogeneous polymer solution to form a dressing. An apparatus for electrospinning a wound dressing is discosed.

A sensor for blood component analysis, which allows even a trace amount of blood to be led to an analysis portion reliably. The sensor for blood component analysis includes a substrate, a spacer, and a cover. The cover is disposed on the substrate with the spacer intervening between the cover and the substrate, whereby a space that serves as an analysis portion and a channel for leading blood to the analysis portion is formed inside the sensor. Through holes are formed in the substrate and the spacer, respectively, so that a common through hole through which a needle of a lancet can pass is formed when the spacer is disposed on the substrate. The through hole of the spacer communicates with the channel and a top of the through hole of the spacer is covered with the cover, whereby a lancing portion is formed by the common through hole and a portion of the cover covering the top of the through hole of the spacer. In use, the sensor is placed at a position where blood collection is to be performed, the portion of the cover covering the lancing portion is broken through with the needle of the lancet so that the needle is allowed to pass through the common through hole to puncture the position, and blood that has come out is guided by a downwardly protruding burr formed when the cover is broken through so that the blood is led to the channel and flows through the channel to be led to the analysis portion.

A non-mediated biosensor for indicating amperometrically the catalytic activity of an oxidoreductase enzyme in the presence of a fluid containing a substance acted upon by said enzyme, the biosensor comprising: (a) a first substrate; (b) a working electrode and a counter electrode on the first substrate; (c) conductive tracks connected to said electrodes for making electrical connections with a test meter apparatus; (d) a second substrate overlying at least a part of the first substrate; and (e) a spacer layer having a channel therein and disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the spacer layer channel co-operating with adjacent surfaces to define a capillary flow path which does not contain a mesh and which extends from an edge of at least one of said substrates to said electrodes; wherein the working electrode includes: (f) an electrically-conductive base layer comprising particles of finely divided platinum-group metal or platinum-group metal oxide bonded together by a resin; (g) a top layer on the base layer, said top layer comprising a buffer; and (h) a catalytically-active quantity of said oxidoreductase enzyme in at least one of said base layer and said top layer.

Apparatus and method for catheterized delivery or infusion of medication and anaesthesia are disclosed. The perforating catheter is first used to perforate the periodontal ligament and / or the cortical plate of bone tissue, and is then left in place and used as a catheter for insertion of a hypodermic needle of smaller gauge to deliver medication or anaesthesia to a target area. The perforator is a bevelled needle for drilling into the ligament or bone tissue. For drilling, the device comprises an adaptor which transmits the rotational movement from a dental hand piece or the like to the bevelled needle. A cap is also included for protecting the bevelled needle during storage of the device. The adaptor may have a rod which extends axially into the bevelled needle when the device is assembled for drilling. The rod is used to prevent the debris resulting from drilling from blocking the passage in the bevelled needle. As well, the rod reinforces the needle and maintains the alignment between the perforator and the adaptor for improved drilling efficiency. An adapter is disclosed which couples with the catheter once in place easing access to supply medication to difficult to reach areas.

Ultrasonic apparatus and method for selective and targeted removal of unwanted tissues are disclosed. The apparatus and methods may utilize combinations of ultrasonic and cryogenic energy for the selective removal of tissue. The apparatus generates and delivers to the tissue both cryogenic and ultrasonic energy either in combination or in sequence and provides resize ablation of unwanted tissue parts and may be used on other body tissues including internal organs.

This invention provides devices and methods for insertion of a catheter into a vessel. The devices include coaxial slidably mounted needle, dilator and catheter components. The methods include piercing a vessel with the needle component, dilating the pierced hole with the dilator component, retraction of the needle component, insertion of the catheter and withdrawal of the dilator.

A photo-thermal therapeutic device having an outer housing that can be used to treat patients. A plurality of light emitting diodes and resistors are resiliently mounted in the housing. The resilient mounting of the diodes and resistors allow the device to conform and provide effective treatment of almost any surface of the body of a user.

A device for delivering a drug includes a housing; at least one nozzle at a portion of the housing; a source of drug in the housing; and an energy source for providing a pressure of up to about 2,000 psi for driving the drug through the at least one nozzle and out of the housing. The drug is delivered to tissue under microjet propulsion. The device is particularly useful for drug delivery applications such as transdermal and ocular by way of example.

A method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive hip surgery for implanting a prosthetic acetabular component into a natural acetabulum. The method and apparatus include a driving instrument and driving guide for aligning and driving bone screws and screw-hole plugs. The instrument includes a working section and a driving section connected together with a joint connector. The joint connector enables the working and driving sections to move to various angles relative to each other.

The invention provides an electro-therapeutic device for application on a human or animal body part, comprising electrodes (3), a measuring means connected thereto and arranged to measure a value of an electrical quantity, and a control unit (10) to process the measured values, wherein the control unit (10) further comprises pattern recognition means to determine a pattern in the measured values, for example by comparing with patterns stored in a memory unit (15). By means of the determined pattern, the device is able to know its position on the body, and to determine whether this position is suitable for a treatment, and to which electrodes a treatment signal must be supplied. The device is much easier to use since it does not require any user's knowledge about patterns, as this may be stored in the device itself.

A negative pressure (i.e., vacuum or suction) wound healing device and system incorporating the device. The device of the present disclosure is smaller, lighter, portable, and overall more manageable by both the user and the medical personnel than the conventional systems. The device could be readily worn by the user.

A method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive hip surgery for implanting a prosthetic acetabular component into a natural acetabulum. The method and apparatus include a posterior retractor having handle and retracting sections. The retracting section retracts soft tissue in the posterior section of the surgical site and includes a paddle with a curved flare and an elongated curved prong extending outwardly.

This invention provides devices and methods for insertion of a catheter into a vessel. The devices include coaxial slidably mounted needle, dilator and catheter components. The methods include piercing a vessel with the needle component, dilating the pierced hole with the dilator component, retraction of the needle component, insertion of the catheter and withdrawal of the dilator.

A method for delivering a drug into tissue includes the steps of: providing a drug delivery device having at least one nozzle and a drug contained in a portion of the device; identifying a site for delivery of the drug in or on tissue; placing a portion of the device on or near the site; and delivering the drug into the tissue at the site through at least one nozzle of the device under microjet propulsion.

A method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive hip surgery to implant an acetabular shell into the acetabulum. A collapsible acetabular reamer is moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position. In the expanded position, the reamer reams the acetabulum. In the collapsed position, the reamer can fit through a small minimally invasive incision.

A breast cup is described herein which is made from a stretchable material for compressing the breast during x-ray imaging. The breast cup is constructed preferably of a fabric having elastomeric yarns to allow it to be easily worn during radiation and afterwards removed with minimal effort. The stretchable qualities provide the needed compression throughout the cup, yet is not unduly uncomfortable while worn.

A method for making a jet injection drug delivery device wherein the drug delivery device has at least one drug reservoir and at least one injection nozzle includes the steps of: identifying a drug desired to be delivered; identifying a volume of the drug desired to be delivered; establishing a reservoir diameter for the at least one drug reservoir; establishing a nozzle diameter for the at least one injection nozzle; identifying a tissue model for delivery of the drug; identifying a penetration depth in the tissue model for the delivery of the drug; and injecting the drug into the tissue model under variable pressure until the desired penetration depth is achieved. The method also includes identifying an optimal pressure range for the drug delivery device that achieves the desired penetration depth.

A method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive hip replacement surgery using a T-handle ruler to make measurements inside the surgical site to assist in implanting a prosthetic femoral hip into the intramedullary canal of the natural femur. The ruler has an elongated central body and two measuring ends that are angled with respect to the central body.

The present invention provides a method for producing a less-painful immunogenic composition of a hydrophobic protein in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier suitable for administering to a mammal, comprising the steps of (a) solubilizing said hydrophobic protein with a zwitterionic detergent to make a first composition; (b) altering said first composition, such that the altered composition produces a reduction in pain as measured in the rat footpad model as compared to said first composition.

The present invention relates to novel anti-pain formulations and methods of their delivery. Anti-pain agents delivered in accordance with the methods of the invention have an improved clinical utility and therapeutic efficacy relative to other drug delivery methods, including oral, intramuscular and subcutaneous delivery. The methods of the present invention provide benefits and improvements over conventional drug delivery methods including dose sparing, increased drug efficacy, reduced side effects.

An inserter for placing a T-shaped intrauterine device inside a patient's uterus and a T-shaped intrauterine device are disclosed. The inserter includes a sleeve part and a plunger part, the sleeve part includes a tube and a first engaging member and the plunger part includes a rod, a handle attached to the rod and a second engaging member. The first and the second engaging members are configured for reversibly engaging the sleeve part and the plunger part to temporarily lock the relative position between the tube and the rod. The T-shaped intrauterine device includes a pair of wings having a relaxed extended configuration and a contracted folded configuration and an elongated contraceptive body suspended from a junction between the wings.

A catheter insertion aid for facilitating urethral insertion of a catheter comprising a hollow device having opposing flexible sides with a slit opening running between said first end and said second end of said device. The slit opening being used for removal of the catheter insertion aid from around the catheter while the catheter is still in place in the vagina. The geometry of the first end of the device being smaller than the second end of the device allowing for easy penetration by the smaller end between the labia folds. The opposing flexible sides of the device when held in a compressed position allow for easy insertion of the device between the labia folds and with the release of the compressed position, the flexible sides expand presenting the urethra for easy insertion of the catheter. A kit containing a catheter insertion aid and a catheter is also disclosed. Alternative embodiments involving a V-shaped tapered device and a device with hinged finger cups and elevations for labia spread are disclosed.

A sensor for blood component analysis, which allows even a trace amount of blood to be led to an analysis portion reliably. The sensor for blood component analysis includes a substrate, a spacer, and a cover. The cover is disposed on the substrate with the spacer intervening between the cover and the substrate, whereby a space that serves as an analysis portion and a channel for leading blood to the analysis portion is formed inside the sensor. Through holes are formed in the substrate and the spacer, respectively, so that a common through hole through which a needle of a lancet can pass is formed when the spacer is disposed on the substrate. The through hole of the spacer communicates with the channel and a top of the through hole of the spacer is covered with the cover, whereby a lancing portion is formed by the common through hole and a portion of the cover covering the top of the through hole of the spacer. In use, the sensor is placed at a position where blood collection is to be performed, the portion of the cover covering the lancing portion is broken through with the needle of the lancet so that the needle is allowed to pass through the common through hole to puncture the position, and blood that has come out is guided by a downwardly protruding burr formed when the cover is broken through so that the blood is led to the channel and flows through the channel to be led to the analysis portion.