Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator disposed on and slideable along the elongated body of the needle and a medical article. The medical article is disposed on and slideable along the dilator. A track extends in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub slides along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device further includes a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position.

Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator disposed on and slideable along the elongated body of the needle and a medical article. The medical article is disposed on and slideable along the dilator. A track extends in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub slides along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device further includes a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position.

Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator disposed on and slideable along the elongated body of the needle and a medical article. The medical article is disposed on and slideable along the dilator. A track extends in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub slides along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device further includes a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a medical article. The needle can include an elongated needle body with a distal end and a hub from which the needle body extends. The elongated needle body can include at least one side fenestration and an outer diameter. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The dilator shaft can include at least one side fenestration in communication with the needle side fenestration. The dilator shaft can also include an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the needle. The medical article can include a tubular section and a hub. The tubular section can be disposed on the dilator and define a space between the medical article and the dilator in communication with the needle side fenestration through the dilator side fenestration.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a sheath. The dilator can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle, and the sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the dilator. The access device can further include a inner member coaxially disposed between the needle and dilator. The needle can include a fenestration in fluid communication with a space between the needle and inner member. When the needle punctures a blood vessel, the fenestration allows blood to flow into the space between the needle and inner member to provide a visual indicator to a physician or healthcare professional that the needle is in a vessel.

Abstract: A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.

Abstract: A splittable sheath includes a splittable sheath body, a splittable sheath hub, and a valve element. The sheath body comprises a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body defines a longitudinal axis and is splittable into two halves along a pre-determined line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The sheath hub extends from the proximal end of the sheath body and defines a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub form an inner cavity along their respective longitudinal axes. The valve element includes a resilient plate and a sealing element. The resilient plate includes a distal portion extending radially inwardly from a side of the inner cavity.

Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator disposed on and slideable along the elongated body of the needle and a medical article. The medical article is disposed on and slideable along the dilator. A track extends in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub slides along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device further includes a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a sheath. The dilator can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle, and the sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the dilator. The access device can further include a inner member coaxially disposed between the needle and dilator. The needle can include a fenestration in fluid communication with a space between the needle and inner member. When the needle punctures a blood vessel, the fenestration allows blood to flow into the space between the needle and inner member to provide a visual indicator to a physician or healthcare professional that the needle is in a vessel.

Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator and a medical article. A track can extend in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub can slide along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device can further include a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position. The device can further include a guidewire that can bend such that the guidewire can both pass through the needle hub at one end and attach to the needle hub at another end.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a medical article. The needle can include an elongated needle body with a distal end and a hub from which the needle body extends. The elongated needle body can include at least one side fenestration and an outer diameter. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The dilator shaft can include at least one side fenestration in communication with the needle side fenestration. The dilator shaft can also include an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the needle. The medical article can include a tubular section and a hub. The tubular section can be disposed on the dilator and define a space between the medical article and the dilator in communication with the needle side fenestration through the dilator side fenestration.

Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator disposed on and slideable along the elongated body of the needle and a medical article. The medical article is disposed on and slideable along the dilator. A track extends in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub slides along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device further includes a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a sheath. The dilator can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle, and the sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the dilator. The access device can further include a inner member coaxially disposed between the needle and dilator. The needle can include a fenestration in fluid communication with a space between the needle and inner member. When the needle punctures a blood vessel, the fenestration allows blood to flow into the space between the needle and inner member to provide a visual indicator to a physician or healthcare professional that the needle is in a vessel.

Abstract: A sheath can include a sheath body and a sheath hub. The sheath body can have a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body can further define a longitudinal axis. The sheath hub can attach to the proximal end of the sheath body and define a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub can also form a central cavity along their respective axes. The sheath hub can include two plates: a flexible plate and a rigid plate. The rigid plate can have a relief generally centered on the sheath body's axis. Advantageously, the flexible plate and rigid plate can overlap to substantially seal the central cavity.

Abstract: A splittable sheath includes a splittable sheath body, a splittable sheath hub, and a valve element. The sheath body comprises a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body defines a longitudinal axis and is splittable into two halves along a pre-determined line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The sheath hub extends from the proximal end of the sheath body and defines a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub form an inner cavity along their respective longitudinal axes. The valve element includes a resilient plate and a sealing element. The resilient plate includes a distal portion extending radially inwardly from a side of the inner cavity.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a sheath. The needle can include an elongated needle body and a hub from which the needle body extends. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The sheath can include a tubular sheath body disposed on the dilator and a sheath hub coupled with the tubular sheath body. The tubular sheath body can include a material that exhibits a reduced rigidity upon exposure to heat.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a sheath. The needle can include an elongated needle body and a hub from which the needle body extends. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The sheath can include a tubular sheath body, and a sheath hub. The tubular body can be disposed on the dilator. The needle, dilator, and sheath can be held together by a disposable bracket engaged with the needle and the sheath.