Abstract: An enhanced catheter introducer and method for making the same are disclosed. The catheter introducer may have a splittable sleeve assembly configured to be inserted into a blood vessel with a cannula. The cannula may then be removed, and a catheter may be inserted into the sleeve assembly. The sleeve assembly may be removed from the catheter by pulling handles of the sleeve assembly in different directions to split the sleeve assembly into two pieces. The sleeve assembly may have failure zones that enable the sleeve assembly to be easily split; the failure zones may take the form of thinned regions running along the length of the sleeve assembly. The sleeve assembly may be injection molded with a single step by injecting flows of molten plastic into a cavity of a mold such that the flows converge into an even distribution about the circumference of the sleeve. The mold may have a core pin designed to fit into the cavity.

Abstract: A spike adapter and blunt cannula spike adapter assembly comprises a spike adapter having a hollow chamber extending axially therethrough from a first body end to a second body end. The hollow chamber is adapted to receive and accommodate attachment with a blunt cannula therein. A spike shaft projects axially outwardly away from the adapter body second end and has a sharpened tip at a distal end. A spike cover is disposed over the spike shaft to cover the sharpened tip. The spike shaft includes a hollow channel extending axially therethrough that is adapted to accommodate placement of a blunt cannula shaft concentrically therein to allow the blunt cannula to access medicine containers having unslit septums or stoppers. The spike adapter body includes axially extending grooves that accommodate blunt cannula tongues therein to form a tongue and groove attachment therebetween.