A valve assembly comprising a chamber, the chamber having an inlet which is adapted to be connected to a source of relatively high pressure fluid, and an outlet which is adapted to be connected to a source of relatively low pressure fluid, and a switch valve which is switchable between a first configuration in which the valve closes the outlet and opens the inlet, and a second configuration in which the valve closes the inlet and opens the outlet, characterised in that a flow control device is provided between the outlet and the volume of relatively low pressure fluid, the flow control device including a restrictor portion which restricts flow of fluid through the flow control device, the extent to which fluid flow is restricted decreasing as the fluid pressure in the chamber increases.

A valve stem ( 100 ) for use with a metered dose dispensing valve, said valve stem having a central longitudinal axis and comprising a first stem portion ( 101 ), a second stem portion ( 102 ) and a disk seal ( 112 ), said disk seal being disposed between the first and second stem portion along the longitudinal axis of the valve stem and said disk seal extending radially outwardly from the central longitudinal axis of valve stem so as to be capable of forming a fluid-tight seal with a portion of an internal wall of said valve.

An ossicle prosthesis (10) that replaces or bridges component(s) or parts of a component of the ossicular chain, comprises a rotary joint between two fastening elements (11, 12) comprising a silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene receiving part (13) in which a metal rotary element (14) fixedly connected with a metal longitudinal shank (16) that connects the two fastening elements is hingedly supported. The elastic plastic receiving part is rigidly connected with first fastening element. It comprises a cavity that encloses at least half of the surface of the rotary element in its installed state. An ossicle prosthesis that replaces or bridges component(s) or parts of a component of the ossicular chain, comprises a first fastening element at one end designed as a top plate for mechanical connection with the tympanic membrane; a second fastening element at the other end for mechanical connection with a component or parts of the ossicular chain or with the inner ear; and a rotary joint between the two fastening elements comprising a silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene receiving part in which a metal rotary element fixedly connected with a metal longitudinal shank that connects the two fastening elements is hingedly supported. The receiving part is made of an elastic plastic. It is rigidly connected with the first fastening element, and comprises a cavity shaped in such a way that when in an installed state, it encloses at least half of the surface of the rotary element.

The valve, comprising a body (1) with an inner fluid channel (4, 32) controlled by a shut-off element (8) and seat (9), incorporates a manually-operated emergency cut-out system that allows the fluid flow to be halted immediately and completely, and consists of a head (20) that moves along the axis (X - X') of the valve, and a bush (19) with a spiral cam slot. The cam slot receives a spindle (22) that can occupy two positions corresponding to the opening or closure of the fluid channel (4, 32), and either the head or bush co-operated directly or indirectly with a slider (25) controlling the shut-off element.

There is disclosed a method of stent placement which comprises first guiding a guidewire through the vasculature. Second, a balloon catheter which contains two guidewire lumens is strung along the guidewire into position at the bifurcation. The distal opening of the second guidewire lumen abuts the proximal end of the bifurcation. Thereafter, a second guidewire is strung through the first balloon catheter and out the distal opening of the second guidewire lumen. Thus, resident in the second bifurcation leg is the second guidewire. Then, a second standard stent delivery balloon catheter is guided along the second guidewire to a position within the bifurcation. Typically, expansion of both stents can be done one right after the other after proper placement of the first and second balloons.

The present invention provides a lumen support stent for use in an artery or any body lumen. The stent is formed from a plurality of ladder elements having elongated ribs and end rungs affixed to the elongated ribs. The elongated ribs of adjacent ladder elements are slidably engaged by the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements. Sliding of the elongated ribs creates a variable distance between the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements. Consequently, the stent has a first diameter in which the distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is collapsed, and a variable second diameter in which the distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is expanded.

The invention relates to an anesthesia syringe (1). The aim of the invention is to provide an improved, very compact anesthesia syringe (1) that allows to carry out injections in a precise and reproducible manner. The inventive syringe is characterized in that at the back of an advance plunger (7) a first hydraulic chamber (16) and at the back of the first hydraulic chamber (16) a second hydraulic chamber (19) are provided and in that the hydraulic chambers (16, 19) are interlinked in a manner so as to be rheostatically controlled. The invention also relates to a special seat for needles that are specifically developed for the inventive syringe (1).

The invention relates to a color chamber doctor blade 1 , which has following characteristic features: two doctor blade knives 2 that can be set up in a roof-like fashion against a roller 6 from which two doctor blade knives 2 can be fixed on the doctor blade chamber body 5 by means of a clamping plate 3 whereby the clamping plate 3 is in active connection with long-stretch fasteners 4 in the axial direction (z) of the roller 6, which are arranged essentially parallel to the clamping plate 3 and from which the force required for fixing at least one doctor blade knife 2 is applied. Inventive is that the resultant of the force exercised by the fasteners 4 points to the doctor blade chamber body 5.

A device for preparing and ejecting polymeric cement made from at least two pre-packaged components comprises a tubular vessel including a first axial end wall having a closed outlet, and a second axial end wall having an aperture. A first starting component of the polymeric cement is present inside said tubular vessel near the first axial end wall. A hollow shaft extends through said aperture of the second axial end wall. A piston element comprises a closed container filled with a second starting component of the polymeric cement. The piston element is selectively lockable to the shaft. The container has a bore and is slidingly engaged upon said shaft. An agitator element is secured to one end of the shaft. Furthermore opening means for providing an opening in the closed container are provided. The hollow shaft is provided with a gas permeable filter means.

A frame structure consisting of two compound units provided with mutually facing grooves undercut on either side, in which the first compound unit can be attached in a desired position to the second compound unit via a detachable coupling which comprises a turning part which can be turned from the outside manually via a handle about its longitudinal axis by about 90 DEG into its coupling or decoupling position, and which in its coupling position positively engages by means of a T-head at its one end in one of the two grooves and by means of anchoring means at its other end in the other of the two grooves and can be locked in this coupling position by means of an anti-rotation device. To connect the two compound units to each other without special tools, but above all to be able also to detach them from each other again, it is proposed according to the invention that the anchoring means comprise a punched part which is arranged longitudinally displaceably in the one groove and bears the turning part which is freely rotatable relative to it and that the handle comprise a resilient element connected securely against rotation to the turning part, which element in decoupling position extends in relieved state or under only slight stress between the two compound units and in coupling position engages under bending stress behind a holder.