Abstract: A guidewire stabilization mechanism for a catheter placement system can include an actuator button that can be actuated by the user to grip the guidewire in a locked position. With the guidewire locked relative to a housing of the stabilization mechanism a user can detach a needle hub from the housing and withdraw the needle proximally. A portion of the guidewire can pass through a needle slot to disengage the needle from the guidewire. The stabilization mechanism can prevent the guidewire from being dislodged from the vasculature as the needle is withdrawn. The stabilization mechanism can be biased towards the unlocked position, towards the locked position, can be bistable in both the locked and unlocked positions, or can be activated by the removal of the needle.

Abstract: The distal tip structure of a rapidly insertable central catheter (RICC) can be required to perform different functions from that of the remaining, multi-luminal section, of the RICC catheter. As such, the catheter body can be formed of a first material and the distal tip structure can be formed of a second material. Forming the RICC requires joining these two materials while maintaining a smooth abluminal surface. A bifurcated plug including a second material can be placed within a first lumen or second lumen of the catheter body. A mandrel can be placed within a third lumen. The assembly can then be placed within a die to plastically deform the bifurcated plug into a distal tip structure. Advantageously, only a single structure is required to plug the lumen and form the distal tip structure, reducing complexity and associated costs.

Abstract: Disclosed are insertion assemblies of rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) and methods thereof. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer needle, an access guidewire, and a coupler assembly coupling the foregoing together. The introducer needle can include a needle hub over both a sheath and a needle shaft. The sheath can seal a needle slot except for that under a sheath opening. A distal end of the access guidewire can be disposed in the introducer needle just proximal of a needle tip. The coupler assembly can include a nose piece and a tail piece coupled together. The tail piece can include an extension arm by which a proximal end of the access guidewire is held. The access guidewire can enforce a loop in the access guidewire over which the RICC is disposed, thereby keeping the RICC insertion assembly in a relatively compact form.

Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a peripheral intravenous (“PIV”) portion that provides expedited vascular access. The catheter assembly includes an elongate catheter body defining a first lumen and includes a CVC portion, a transition portion, and a PIV portion. The PIV portion defines a relatively smaller diameter, a tapered tip, and a lumen configured to receive a needle. The needle extends through a needle access aperture, disposed through a side wall of the catheter body, through the PIV lumen, to a point beyond a distal end of the catheter body. A clinician accesses a vasculature using the needle and the PIV portion. The needle is then removed and a guidewire advanced through the lumen of the catheter body and the PIV portion into the vasculature. The CVC portion is then advanced over the guidewire into the vasculature, self-dilating the insertion site as the transition portion enters the vasculature.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are couplers and assemblies thereof for rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”). For example, a coupler assembly can include an introducer needle and a coupler coupled together. The introducer needle can include a needle hub over both a needle shaft and a sheath over the needle shaft. The needle shaft can include a longitudinal needle slot extending through a distal needle tip. The sheath can seal the needle slot thereunder except for the needle slot under a sheath opening in a proximal portion of the sheath. The needle hub can include a needle-hub clip. The coupler can include a coupler housing and an extension arm connected to the coupler housing. The needle-hub clip can be clipped onto the coupler housing in at least a ready-to-deploy state of the coupler assembly. The extension arm can be configured for attaching a proximal end of an access guidewire thereto.

Abstract: Disclosed are splittable sealing modules for insertion assemblies of rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) and methods thereof. A RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer needle, an access guidewire, and a coupler coupling the RICC and the introducer needle together. The introducer needle can include a proximal portion of a sealing-module insert coupled to a distal portion of a needle hub. The coupler can include a coupler housing including a sealing-module cavity and a distal portion of the sealing-module insert disposed in the sealing-module cavity. The sealing-module cavity and the proximal and distal portions of the sealing-module insert form a splittable sealing module of the RICC insertion assembly. The splittable sealing module can be configured to separately seal around the introducer needle and the access guidewire disposed therein when the proximal and distal portions of the sealing-module insert are compressed in the sealing-module cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are couplers and assemblies thereof for rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”). For example, an introducer-needle assembly for a RICC can include an introducer needle and a coupler coupled therewith. The introducer needle can include a needle having a longitudinal needle slot extending from a proximal portion of the needle shaft through a distal needle tip. A sheath can be over the needle shaft sealing the needle slot thereunder except for a portion of the needle slot under a sheath opening in a proximal portion of the sheath. A needle hub can include a distally extending needle-hub extension arm over the proximal portions of the needle shaft and sheath. The needle hub can also include a needle-hub portion of a RICC clip configured to hold a portion of the RICC therein. The coupler can include a complementary coupler portion of the RICC clip connected to a coupler housing.

Abstract: Disclosed are compact rapidly insertable central catheter (“RICC”) insertion assemblies and methods. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer assembly, an access guidewire, and a coupler coupling together the RICC and the introducer assembly. The RICC can include a catheter tube, a catheter hub, and one or more extension legs connected in the foregoing order. The introducer assembly can include an introducer needle coupled to a syringe. The introducer needle can include a needle-hub through hole passing through a needle hub and connecting to a needle-shaft lumen of a needle shaft. The access guidewire can include a proximal portion disposed in the RICC and a distal portion disposed in the needle-shaft lumen through the needle-hub through hole. The coupler can enforce a loop in the access guidewire over which the catheter tube follows, thereby compacting the RICC insertion assembly and making it easier to handle.

Abstract: Disclosed are introducer adapters, introducer assemblies, and methods. In an example, an introducer assembly can include a syringe, a needle, and an introducer adapter fluidly coupled therebetween. The introducer adapter can include a primary conduit, a secondary conduit extending from a side of the primary conduit, and a valve including an elastomeric septum sealing a proximal portion of the primary conduit or the secondary conduit. An access guidewire is optionally loaded in the introducer adapter and sealed therein by the valve. In another example, a method can include a method for securing vascular access with the foregoing introducer assembly. Such a method can include obtaining the introducer assembly, establishing a needle tract from an area of skin to a blood-vessel lumen of a patient with the needle, and advancing at least a guidewire tip of the access guidewire into the blood-vessel lumen for the securing of the vascular access.

Abstract: A probe head-cover applicator and method for applying a probe head-cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe. A probe head-cover applicator can include a tray including a cavity, an insert of a compressible material suspended over the cavity, and a probe head-cover adhered to the insert. The insert can include a first adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the insert facing away from the cavity. The probe head-cover can be adhered to the insert by the first adhesive. The probe head-cover can include a second adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the probe head-cover facing away from the insert. The second adhesive can be configured to adhere the probe head-cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe when the probe head is inserted into the cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed are introducer components, assemblies, and methods. For example, an introducer assembly can include an access guidewire loaded in a needle assembly fluidly connected to a syringe. The needle assembly can include a needle and a valve thereover. The needle can include a needle shaft including a needle lumen, a needle slot in a proximal portion of the needle shaft, and a needle hub over the proximal portion of the needle shaft but proximal of the needle slot. The valve can be over the needle slot with a valve port aligned with the needle slot. The access guidewire can be loaded in the needle lumen and sealed therein by way of the valve port in a ready-to-deploy state of the introducer assembly. In this way, the access guidewire can be immediately advanced into a blood-vessel lumen of a patient upon establishing a needle tract thereto with the needle assembly.

Abstract: Introducer assemblies and methods are disclosed. For example, an introducer assembly can include a syringe and a needle fluidly connected to the syringe. The syringe can include a barrel and a plunger disposed in the barrel. The plunger can include a one-piece plunger shaft and a piston fitted over a distal end of the plunger shaft. The plunger shaft can include a longitudinal plunger-shaft passageway extending from the distal end of the plunger shaft. The piston can include a piston through hole forming a portion of an access-guidewire passageway of the introducer assembly with the plunger-shaft passageway. The needle can include a needle shaft and a needle hub over a proximal portion of the needle shaft. In another example, a method is disclosed for securing vascular access with the foregoing introducer assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed are rapidly insertable central catheter (“RICC”) insertion assemblies and methods. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an access guidewire, an introducer needle, and a coupler coupling the foregoing components together. The introducer needle can include a needle shaft and a sheath. The needle shaft can include a longitudinal needle slot. The sheath can seal the needle slot thereunder except for a sheath opening thereto in a proximal portion of the sheath. The coupler can include a coupler housing and a valve module disposed in the coupler housing. The valve module can seal the needle shaft and the sheath therein. The access guidewire can include a proximal end coupled to the coupler and a distal end disposed in the introducer needle, thereby enforcing a loop in the access guidewire. The RICC can be disposed over the loop in a ready-to-deploy state of the RICC insertion assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed are introducer components, assemblies, and methods. For example, an introducer assembly can include a fluidly connected syringe and needle. The needle can include a needle shaft and a needle hub over a proximal portion of the needle shaft. The needle hub can include a port and a valve disposed in the port. The port can be in a side of the needle hub proximal of a proximal end of the needle shaft. The valve can be configured to form a fluid-tight seal around an elongate medical device such as an access guidewire when passed through the port and into a needle-hub lumen of the needle hub. Such an access guidewire can be disposed in the introducer assembly just proximal of a needle tip of the needle. In this way, the access guidewire can be immediately advanced into a blood-vessel lumen upon establishing a needle tract thereto with the needle.

Abstract: Disclosed are introducer components, assemblies, and methods. For example, an introducer assembly can include a syringe and a needle assembly fluidly connected thereto. The needle assembly can include a needle and an access guidewire-advancement mechanism mounted on a proximal linear portion of a needle shaft of the needle. The needle shaft can include a sigmoid portion between a distal linear portion of the needle shaft and the proximal linear portion as well as a port in a transition from the sigmoid portion to the distal linear portion of the needle shaft. An access guidewire can be loaded in both the access guidewire-advancement mechanism and a needle-shaft lumen in the distal linear portion of the needle shaft in a ready-to-deploy state of the introducer assembly. In this way, the access guidewire can be immediately advanced into a blood-vessel lumen upon establishing a needle tract thereto with the needle.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a securement device including a retainer defining a channel and at least one mounting wing extending therefrom. The mounting wing extends distally of an insertion site a skin surface adjacent to the insertion site to prevent “rocking” or “pistoning.” The mounting wing further includes channels of reduced thickness configured to impart malleable properties on the mounting wing. This can allow the mounting wing to be shaped to fit different portions of the patient. The retainer further includes various locking and anti-rotational features to guide the catheter into position within the retainer and further prevent “rocking” or “pistoning.” The securement device also includes a protective pad to inhibit abrasions from a medical line, spin nuts, and the like, and includes a clasping feature to retain a portion of the release liner to prevent obstructing ingress/egress of the catheter.

Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a peripheral intravenous (“PIV”) portion that provides expedited vascular access. The catheter assembly includes an elongate catheter body defining a first lumen and includes a CVC portion, a transition portion, and a PIV portion. The PIV portion defines a relatively smaller diameter, a tapered tip, and a lumen configured to receive a needle. The needle extends through a needle access aperture, disposed through a side wall of the catheter body, through the PIV lumen, to a point beyond a distal end of the catheter body. A clinician accesses a vasculature using the needle and the PIV portion. The needle is then removed and a guidewire advanced through the lumen of the catheter body and the PIV portion into the vasculature. The CVC portion is then advanced over the guidewire into the vasculature, self-dilating the insertion site as the transition portion enters the vasculature.

Abstract: Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”), introducers, and insertion devices including combinations and methods thereof are disclosed. For example, a RICC system can include an introducer and a RICC insertion assembly including a RICC assembly disposed in a RICC insertion device. The RICC assembly can include a RICC, an access guidewire, and a splittable casing over a catheter tube of the RICC and the access guidewire forming a longitudinal composite. The RICC insertion device can include a frame and a nose cover forming a split channel that splits away from a through channel of a nose of the frame. The RICC insertion device can be configured for advancing the RICC assembly by rolling the longitudinal composite across roller wheels disposed in the frame. The through channel can be configured for advancing the catheter tube therethrough while the split channel can be configured for both splitting and passing the splittable casing therethrough.

Abstract: Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”), RICC insertion assemblies, and methods are disclosed. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer, and an access guidewire. An introducer needle can include a needle shaft having a longitudinal gap extending from a proximal portion of the needle shaft through a needle tip. An introducer sheath can include a splittable sheath hub coupled to a splittable sheath body. The introducer sheath can be disposed over the introducer needle with the sheath body sealing the needle shaft for drawing a vacuum through the introducer needle. The access guidewire can extend along an entirety of a primary lumen of the RICC, through a splittable valved port of the sheath hub, along a sheath body-covered needle channel of the needle shaft, and to a location in the introducer proximal of the needle tip in a ready-to-operate state of the RICC insertion assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a probe head-cover applicator and method for applying a probe-head cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe. A probe head-cover applicator can include a tray including a cavity, an insert of a compressible material suspended over the cavity, and a probe-head cover adhered to the insert. The insert can include a first adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the insert facing away from the cavity. The probe-head cover can be adhered to the insert by the first adhesive. The probe-head cover can include a second adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the probe-head cover facing away from the insert. The second adhesive can be configured to adhere the probe-head cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe when the probe head is inserted into the cavity.