Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a securement device for retaining a medical line to the body of a patient comprising:
affixing a sheet of a backing material to a sheet of adhesive-backed foam material;
cutting a first pattern through the sheet of foam material without cutting through the sheet of backing material, the pattern at least partially defining an anchor pad;
cutting a second pattern through both the sheet of foam material and the sheet of backing material, the second pattern defining a release layer for exposing the adhesive backing of the anchor pad prior to attaching the securement device to the patient’s body;
forming a retainer that defines a locator mechanism adapted to interact with a portion of the medical line and thereby guide the medical line into a position relative to the retainer;
attaching the retainer to the upper surface of the anchor pad; and
applying a patch of an adhesive material to an upper surface of the retainer.
2. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive patch is applied by spray-sputtering an adhesive onto the upper surface of the retainer.
3. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive patch is applied by transferring the adhesive patch to the retainer using transfer tape.
4. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 1 additionally involving of corona-treating the upper surface of the anchor pad with a low electric charge before attaching the retainer to the anchor pad.
5. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 1 wherein attaching the retainer to the anchor pad involves adhering the retainer onto a surface of the pad using a solvent bond adhesive.
6. A method of manufacturing a securement device for retaining a medical line to the body of a patient comprising:
cutting a foam sheet into a first shape;
cutting an aperture through the foam sheet, the aperture being positioned on the first shape;
attaching a substrate to the foam pad; and
applying a layer of adhesive so as place the adhesive layer such that at least a portion of the adhesive layer is accessible through the aperture.
7. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 6, wherein the layer of adhesive is applied by spray-sputtering an adhesive onto the substrate.
8. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 6, wherein the layer of adhesive is applied by transferring the adhesive to the substrate using transfer tape.
9. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 6 additionally comprising corona-treating the upper surface of the foam pad with a low electric charge.
10. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 6, wherein the substrate is attached to the foam pad using a solvent bond adhesive.
11. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises a double sided adhesive tape.
12. A method of manufacturing a securement device as in claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises an anchor pad used to attach the securement device to the skin of a patient.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A hyperthermia treatment system for heating a selected region within a target body, comprising:
at least one electromagnetic radiation power source;
a plurality of electromagnetic radiation applicators in electrical communication with the at least one power source and arranged in a surrounding array around a focal region to concentrate a combined radiation output into the focal region;
a support mechanism adapted to support the target body within the surrounding array of applicators;
a positioning mechanism adapted to move the support mechanism and align the selected region within the target body with the focal region, and
a displacement measurement system adapted to collect at least one positional measurement of the target body relative to the surrounding array of applicators.
2. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is adapted to compensate for movement of the focal region in response to an interaction between the combined radiation output and the target body.
3. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein both a phase output and a power output of each of the plurality of applicators is substantially constant.
4. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one power source is a power source common to the plurality of applicators.
5. The treatment system of claim 4, wherein a power output of the common power source is substantially-equally divided among the plurality of applicators.
6. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein the surrounding array of applicators has a longitudinal center axis and the positioning mechanism is adapted to move the support mechanism and supported target body in at least one plane orientated perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis.
7. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein the displacement measurement system is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical scale, an electronic scale, a rotatable mechanical ruler, a dielectric contact bar, an ultrasonic position detector, an optical position detector, a laser position detector, and combinations thereof.
8. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one positional measurement is selected from the group consisting of a direct mechanical measurement, an ultrasonic distance measurement, a light distance measurement, and combinations thereof.
9. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one positional measurement comprises at least one of a top, bottom and opposite side perimeter locations of the target body.
10. The treatment system of claim 1, wherein an output signal channel from the displacement measurement system is combined with a power signal channel from the at least one power source.
11. The treatment system of claim 1, comprising a radiated energy measurement device configured to collect at least one applied radiated energy measurement of the target body relative to the surrounding array of applicators.
12. The treatment system of claim 11, wherein the applied radiated energy measurement device comprises an E-field detector.
13. The treatment system of claim 11, wherein the at least one applied radiated energy measurement comprises at least one of a top, bottom and opposite side perimeter locations of the target body.
14. A hyperthermia treatment system for heating a selected region within a target body, comprising:
at least one electromagnetic radiation power source;
a plurality of electromagnetic radiation applicators in electrical communication with the at least one power source and arranged in a surrounding array around a focal region to concentrate a combined radiation output into the focal region;
a support mechanism adapted to support the target body within the surrounding array of applicators;
a positioning mechanism adapted to move the support mechanism and align the selected region within the target body with the focal region; and
a radiated energy measurement device configured to collect at least one applied radiated energy measurement of the target body relative to the surrounding array of applicators;
wherein an output signal channel from the radiated energy measurement device is combined with a power signal channel from the at least one power source.
15. A hyperthermia treatment system for heating a selected region within a target body, comprising:
at least one electromagnetic radiation power source;
a plurality of electromagnetic radiation applicators in electrical communication with the at least one power source and arranged in a surrounding array around a focal region to concentrate a combined radiation output into the focal region;
a support mechanism adapted to support the target body within the surrounding array of applicators; and
a positioning mechanism adapted to move the support mechanism and align the selected region within the target body with the focal region;
wherein a driver device actuating the positioning mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic drive, a pneumatic drive, an electric-motor drive and a mechanical gear drive, and combinations thereof.
16. The treatment system of claim 1, further comprising a flexible bolus filled with a high-dielectric fluid between the surrounding array of applicators and the supported target body that conveys the radiation output between the applicators and the target body.
17. A non-invasive hyperthermia system for heating a treatment region within
a target body, comprising:
a power source;
a plurality of electromagnetic radiation applicators in electrical communication with the power source and arranged in a surrounding array around a focal region and aligned to concentrate a plurality of radiation outputs of substantially constant power and phase into the focal region;
a support mechanism adapted to support a target body within the surrounding array of applicators; and
a positioning mechanism adapted to move the support mechanism and supported target body in at least one plane orientated perpendicular to a longitudinal center axis of the surrounding array and to align the treatment region with the focal region,
wherein the positioning mechanism is adapted to compensate for shifting of the focal region away from the longitudinal center axis in response to an interaction between the plurality of radiation outputs and the target body.
18. A method of heating a selected region within a target body, comprising:
providing a plurality of electromagnetic radiation applicators in electrical communication with at least one power source and arranged in a surrounding array around a focal region to concentrate the plurality of radiation outputs into the focal region, and wherein a power and phase of each radiation output is substantially constant;
supporting a target body within the surrounding array of applicators;
moving the supported target body in space relative to the focal region;
aligning the selected region within the target body with the focal region while compensating for a shifting of the focal region in space in response to an interaction between the plurality of radiation outputs and the target body; and
activating the plurality of electromagnetic applicators to heat the selected region within a target body.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising filling a flexible bolus between the surrounding array of applicators and the supported target body with a high-dielectric fluid that conveys the radiation output between the applicators and the target body.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising monitoring at least one positional measurement at a perimeter location of the target body relative to the surrounding array of applicators.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising monitoring at least one applied radiated energy measurement at a perimeter location of the target body relative to the surrounding array of applicators.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising combining the at least one positional measurement with the at least one applied radiated energy measurement to determine an inferred applied radiated energy measurement at the selected region within a target body.

1. A filter assembly for obtaining a sample of filtrate from a contaminated fluid, the assembly comprising
a filter element comprising an elongate porous tube having an exterior surface wherein a portion of the exterior surface is arranged to be immersed in a fluid to be filtered and wherein the tube is substantially rigid so that, in use, the interior bore is maintained as a passage for the filtered fluid; and
a pump, having an inlet and coupled to the interior bore of the filter element and an outlet, for drawing filtrate through the filter element from the exterior surface of the filter element to the interior bore and through the interior bore to the inlet of the pump;
means for incrementally extending a further portion of the exterior surface of the filter element to immerse the further portion in the contaminated fluid as the filter element becomes clogged.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a single drive means is arranged to operate the pump to draw fluid through the filter element and to advance the filter element to expose further portions of the surface.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the assembly includes coupling means arranged to couple a rotary drive to the pump to draw fluid through the filter element when rotation is applied in a first direction and to advance the filter element when rotation is applied in the opposite direction.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pump is arranged to pump fluid back through the filter element from the interior surface of the filter element to the exterior surface of the filter element to effect back-flushing of the filter element.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the filter assembly is removably coupled to a drive means so that the filter assembly may be renewed without having to renew the drive means.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the filter element comprises a substantially cylindrical tube.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the further portion of the exterior surface of the filter element is incrementally exposed by means of a relatively rotatable threaded shaft or screw and nut member, one of the screw or shaft being arranged to be rotated by drive means.
8. A filter assembly for obtaining a sample of filtrate from a contaminated fluid, the assembly comprising:
a filter element comprising an elongate porous tube having an exterior surface wherein a portion of the exterior surface is arranged to be exposed to a fluid to be filter; and
means for incrementally exposing a further portion of the exterior surface of the filter element to the contaminated fluid as the filter element becomes clogged;
the interior bore of the tube being arranged to couple to an inlet of a pump for drawing filtrate through the filter element from the exterior surface of the filter element to the interior bore of the filter element;
a single drive means being arranged to operate the pump to draw fluid through the filter element and to advance the filter element to expose further portions of the surface; and
the filter assembly further including coupling means arranged to couple a rotary drive to the pump to draw fluid through the filter element when rotation is applied in a first direction and to advance the filter element when rotation is applied in the opposite direction.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A diblock copolymer comprising a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, said hydrophilic block comprising a polyethylene oxide polymer, said hydrophobic block comprising a polycaprolactone polymer, said polycaprolactone polymer comprising a number of caprolactone monomers selected from 5 to 150, said polyethylene oxide polymer comprising a number of ethylene oxide monomers selected from 20 to 100, wherein said diblock copolymers are assembled in a suitable aqueous medium such that said hydrophobic blocks define a core of said micellar system and said hydrophilic blocks define a shell surrounding said core.
2. The diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 1, wherein said number of caprolactone monomers is 20 and said number of ethylene oxide monomers is 44; wherein said diblock copolymers are assembled in a suitable aqueous medium such that said hydrophobic blocks define a core of said micellar system and said hydrophilic blocks define a shell surrounding said core.
3. A diblock copolymer comprising a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, said hydrophilic block comprising a polyethylene oxide polymer, said hydrophobic block comprising a polycaprolactone polymer, said polycaprolactone polymer comprising 20 caprolactone monomers, said polyethylene oxide polymer comprising 44 ethylene oxide monomers, wherein said diblock copolymers are assembled in a suitable aqueous medium such that said hydrophobic blocks define a core of said micellar system and said hydrophilic blocks define a shell surrounding said core.
4. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 1, wherein said micellar system has a diameter varying essentially from about 10 nanometers to about 100 nanometers.
5. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 2, wherein said micellar system has a diameter varying essentially from about 10 nanometers to about 100 nanometers.
6. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to anyone of claim 2, wherein said micellar system contains a biologically active agent into said core.
7. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 3, wherein said biologically active agent is lipophilic.
8. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 4, wherein said biologically active agent comprises a neuroactive agent.
9. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 5, wherein said neuroactive agent is a neurotrophic agent selected from the group consisting of FK506 and L-685,818.
10. A diblock copolymer micellar system according to claim 6, wherein said neuroactive agent consists of L-685,818.
11. A composition comprising a population of micellar systems according to claim 3 in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
12. A composition comprising a population of micellar systems according to claim 7 in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
13. A composition according to claim 7, wherein said copolymers are present in a solution in an amount of about 1 percent by weight.
14. A delivery system for delivering a biologically active agent in situ in a patient, the delivery system comprising a population of micellar systems according to claim 1.
15. A delivery system according to claim 11, wherein said in situ delivery is to the central nervous system of said patient.
16. A method for preparing a population of micellar systems according to claim 1 which comprises the steps of:
a) dissolving said copolymers in a suitable organic solvant solution; and
b) adding water in a dropwise fashion to said solution to form said micellar systems.