Exciting New Developments in Progress!

The R&D Department of WorldMed continues to develop exciting new innovations and important product improvement. Below is a list of current projects in progress.

Two new systems are under testing. (1)Thicker Push Rod - Most of the dead space which was previously present between the push rod and the inner wall of the introducer sheath, has been filled in by slightly increasing the outer diameter of the polyethylene push rod. This minor modification serves to improve the kink/twist resistance and pushability of the introducer sheath. It also improves the seal of the hemostasis valve and eases deployment of tightly packed stent grafts from the introducer sheath. The stiffness of the new thicker push rod matches the stiffness of commercially available vessel dilators. (2) Double Wall Sheath - offers improved kink resistance and pushability with minimal effect on stiffness.

Thoracic Placement Catheter Tip and Push Rod Plunger Modified

The tip balloon has been removed from the thoracic placement catheter, and the length of the tip section has been shortened. This was done to avoid tip balloon interference with the brachiocephalic vessels. The plunger of the push rod has been modified to a beveled edge to allow it to smoothly advance around bends.

Perspective in a Time of Change The growth of our company has been phenomenal in the past 12 months. I have tried my best to keep perspective on what is happening. My goal is to remain committed to continuous learning and continuous improvement. To stay focused on all the small details and getting the work done that needs to get done.

It is easy to allow the dazzling numbers which come with quick growth to distort your perspective.

In the process of trying to keep my feet on the ground I created a list of the some of the most influential things in my life, that I would like to share.

1. Shortly after I was born I was nearly lost to brain fever. My last rights were read to me and I lost my pulse. An anesthesiologist immersed me in ice water, I woke up and recovered. My parents and grandparents told me the story over and over again growing up.

2. When I was in third grade the kids called me the Professor. I wore glasses, read science books all the time, and did experiments. I then met our new neighbor, Marty Christensen, who was autistic (like the Rain Man of movie fame). He could tell you with an instant look how many apples were in an apple tree and after you actually counted, you would find him to be right. He was amazing. He was in fifth grade and was studying college calculus and science. He and I would conduct experiments together. At the time I did not know that Marty was so rare. I thought that there were lots of people like Marty. I was motivated to try to keep up with him. I read more ferociously than ever. Marty was one of the smartest people I have ever met and there was no way to keep up with him. I was a little jealous to lose the attention of being the smartest kid around, but we were great friends. The other kids would tease him because he was a social misfit and always shook his body in a funny way when he got excited. I got myself in a number of fist fights defending Marty.

   15 years later it was heart breaking for me to learn that Marty was homeless on the streets of Los Angeles and made his meager living helping bowlers to keep score at a bowling alley. I learned the strong lesson that it takes more than book smarts to succeed in this world.

3. In the fall of 1988 as I sat at my desk, across the street from my office now, I received a telephone call from home that our son had fallen from the second story window onto the drive way pavement head first. My wife and I jumped into our car, sped through red lights and got home to find our five year old son, Ryan unconscious. The ambulance took forever it seemed to arrive, finally it did and Ryan was taken to Memorial-Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital. His head swelled up to the size of a pumpkin. He had been playing with his friend in his bedroom, and he leaned his back against the screen of the open window and the screen fell out. He held on by his legs for a short time, but then his friend grabbed his legs to pull him in, but could not handle the weight and he dropped head first, 20 feet onto the pavement.

   Ryan was in a coma for 3 days, which seemed like a life time, and then finally he woke up to the sight of his grateful parents looking down upon him. What an incredible overwhelming experience.

   Ryan is now a healthy teenager who will be 14 years old next month. He was just accepted at St. Thomas Aquinas High School starting this fall. His dream is to attend the University of Notre Dame.

   Ryan and I traveled last fall to Ireland to visit our factory and to attend the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game in Dublin. Ryan got his picture taken with coach Lou Holtz which was a great thrill for him.

   "We have received a number of blessings during our time, we are really very lucky. I believe in the work that we do we are exchanging blessings for the blessings we have received". We stand with our feet on the ground with the full realization of how fragile a successful and healthy state is at any given moment. Things can change in a New York Minute.