Abstract: Connection systems and methods establish safe, routine, functional connections between sterile single patient-use (“SPU”) medical devices and multiple patient-use (“MPU”) medical devices. For example, a connection system can include a male connector associated with an SPU medical device and a female connector associated with an MTV medical device. The male connector can include a flexible member therearound but proximal of a plug of the male connector. The female connector can include a rigid member around an opening of a receptacle of the female connector. The flexible member can conform to the rigid member with a procedural barrier therebetween when the plug of the male connector is inserted into the receptacle of the female connector. Upon insertion of the plug of the male connector into the receptacle of the female connector, one or more functional connections can be established across the procedural barrier between the SPU and MPU medical devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, in some embodiments, are medical device systems including an elongate medical device having a proximal end including one or more sensor connectors, a distal end including one or more sensors or emitters communicatively coupled to the one or more sensor connectors, and a drive connector including one or more sensor connector attachments configured to detachably couple to the one or more sensor connectors. The one or more sensor connector attachments can be configured to drive the one or more sensors or emitters of the elongate medical device.

Abstract: Optical-and-electrical medical systems and methods thereof are disclosed. Such a medical system can include a console, an optical shape-sensing (“OSS”) medical device including an optical-fiber stylet, one or more electrical medical devices, and a relay module for establishing one or more optical or electrical relay connections between the relay module and a remainder of the medical system including the console. The console can be configured for converting reflected optical signals from the optical-fiber stylet into shapes thereof for display. The relay module can include a primary receptacle configured to accept insertion of a medical barrier-piercing plug of the OSS medical device and establish a through-barrier optical connection therebetween. The relay module also can include one or more secondary receptacles configured to accept insertion of a corresponding number of electrical plugs of the one-or-more electrical medical devices and establish one or more under-barrier electrical connections therebetween.

Abstract: A connection system includes a first connector and a second connector configured for establishing one or more electrical connections through a drape. The first connector can include an alignment protrusion and a first piercing element having one or more electrical contacts configured to pierce the drape. The second connector can include an alignment notch, a channel, and a first receptacle configured to receive the first piercing element when inserted therein. The alignment notch can be configured to accept the alignment protrusion when the first connector is aligned with the second connector then disposed over the second connector. The channel can be configured to allow the alignment protrusion to slide along a length of the second connector. The first receptacle can have one or more electrical contacts configured to form at least a first electrical connection of the one or more electrical connections with the first connector.

Abstract: Shape-sensing systems and methods for medical devices. The shape-sensing system can include a medical device, an optical interrogator, a console, and a display screen. The medical device can include an integrated optical-fiber stylet having fiber Bragg grating (“FBG”) sensors along at least a distal-end portion thereof. The optical interrogator can be configured to send input optical signals into the optical-fiber stylet and receive FBG sensor-reflected optical signals therefrom. The console can be configured to convert the reflected optical signals into plottable data for displaying plots thereof on the display screen. The plots can include a plot of curvature vs. time for each FBG sensor of a selection of the FBG sensors in the distal-end portion of the optical-fiber stylet for identifying a distinctive change in strain of the optical-fiber stylet as a tip of the medical device is advanced into a superior vena cava of a patient.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe designed to produce an ultrasound image including one or more blood vessels below a skin surface of a patient, and a console with a display. The console is operably coupled to the ultrasound probe. The console includes a memory including instructions capable of causing a processor to determine a depth of the user selected blood vessel and a selection of medical devices based on a user selection including one or both of a minimum dwell length and an angle of insertion. The processor can be configured to determine these parameters prior to insertion of a user selected medical device into a user selected blood vessel from the one or more blood vessels below the skin surface of the patient. The display depicts the ultrasound image, the user selected blood vessel, and the user selected medical device.

Abstract: An intraosseous access system, including an access assembly having a needle configured to drill into bone via rotation of the needle and a driver. The driver can include a housing, a power converter configured to impart rotational power to the needle, a first power source coupled to the power converter, and a second power source selectively coupleable to the power converter, where the second power source is configured to be disposed at least partially external to the housing. A method of drilling through a bone includes providing the intraosseous access system, applying rotational power to the needle, and placing the needle in contact with the bone. The method can further include coupling the second power source to the power converter so that power from the second power source is combined with power from the first energy source.

Abstract: Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) including catheter assemblies and methods thereof are disclosed. A RICC assembly can include a RICC, an introducer, and a coupling system configured to couple the RICC and the introducer together. A catheter tube of the RICC includes a side aperture in a distal-end portion of the catheter tube, which opens into an introducing lumen extending from the side aperture to a distal end of the RICC. The introducer includes a syringe and an introducer needle having a cannula. The coupling system includes a distal coupler slidably attached to the catheter tube proximal of the side aperture. The cannula extends through a longitudinal through hole of the distal coupler, through the side aperture of the catheter tube, along the introducing lumen of the catheter tube, and through the distal end of the RICC when the RICC assembly is in at least a ready-to-deploy state thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are puncturing devices and puncturing systems including the puncturing devices. Such puncturing devices and systems include those that sense a difference between venous blood and arterial blood as a function of blood oxygen, impedance, or pressure. As a result, the puncturing devices and systems are able to differentiate between a venipuncture and an arterial puncture. Methods of the puncturing devices and systems for differentiating between a venipuncture and an arterial puncture for are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for confirming the tip location of a static endovascular device are disclosed. The system can include an ivECG acquisition module for receiving ECG data from an implanted endovascular device and a notification module. The system can calculate P×I and distance parameters to determine the location of the tip of the implanted endovascular device relative to a predetermined location such as the cavoatrial junction. The system can use chaos theory and the concept of self-organized criticality (SOC) to determine parameters where P-waves are absent or atypical. The notification module can include one or more of an audio signal, a video signal, and a tactile signal. Also disclosed are systems and methods of establishing an electrical pathway within a previously positioned, endovascular device, including saline columns and electrically conductive guidewires.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to a magnetizer comprising at least one magnet; and a housing, the housing comprising: a top face; a bottom face positioned on an opposite side of the housing from the top face; a plurality of faces adjoining the top face and the bottom face; an interior comprising an interior surface formed at least in part by the top face, the bottom face and the plurality of faces; wherein the top face includes a first opening configured to receive a medical device; and wherein the at least one magnet is positioned within the interior of the housing. A face of the plurality of faces may include a second opening to expose at least a portion of the interior surface through the second opening. The second opening may be larger than the first opening.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are push activated intraosseous (IO) access devices, and methods thereof. Embodiments include replaceable and rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery packs, or spring driven devices. Intraosseous access devices often require training to ensure correct placement of the access device. Users must coordinate the opposing actions of pulling proximally on a trigger, while applying sufficient distal drive force to penetrate the bone. Devices disclosed herein include an intuitive operation with a unidirectional activation and drive force application. Further the trigger is both activated and deactivated automatically to prevent premature activation and prevent “backwalling”. The device includes various indicators to further guide a user in placing the device correctly, with little or no training. Devices further include replaceable battery packs to ensure a full charge is available when the device is used, and to provide a multi-use device that requires less storage.

Abstract: Disclosed are disinfecting covers for optical-fiber connectors. For example, a male disinfecting cover can include a plug, a bore of the plug, an absorbent disposed in the bore, and a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. The plug is configured to insert into a receptacle of a female optical-fiber connector. A female disinfecting cover can include a body, a receptacle in the body, an absorbent disposed in the receptacle, and a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. The receptacle is configured to accept a male optical-fiber connector. Whether the disinfecting cover is male or female, the absorbent is configured to contact the ferrule and the optical fiber disposed of the optical-fiber connector. Methods can include at least a method of using the male or female disinfecting cover.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are portable ultrasound systems and methods. In an example, a portable ultrasound system can include a handheld computer, a case holding the handheld computer, a probe head coupled to the case, and a communicating means for communicating between the probe head and the handheld computer. The handheld computer can include a display. The case can also include an anterior opening framing the display of the handheld computer. The case can include a rechargeable battery integrated into the case opposite the anterior opening. The probe head can include an array of ultrasonic transducers powered by the battery. In another example, a method of the portable ultrasound system includes a method of using the portable ultrasound system.

Abstract: Disclosed are enclosures for establishing a sterile environment over a patient for a medical procedure, as well as systems and methods thereof. An enclosure can include an expandable portion of a barrier separating a sterile environment inside of the enclosure from a non-sterile environment outside of the enclosure and a patient-interfacing portion of the barrier. The enclosure can also include a support system coupled to the patient-interfacing portion of the barrier in some embodiments. The patient-interfacing portion of the barrier can include one or more fenestrations for placement directly over one or more areas of interest of the patient, as well as for access to the areas of interest from within the sterile environment. When present, the support system can flank the fenestration. The support system is configured to support the enclosure on a surface when placed over an appendage of the patient or a main body of the patient.

Abstract: Rapidly inserted central catheters (“RICC”), and methods thereof. A RICC can include a catheter tube including a first section in a distal-end portion of the catheter tube, a second section in the distal-end portion of the catheter tube proximal of the first section, and a junction between the first and second sections of the catheter tube. The first section of the catheter tube can be formed of a first material having a first durometer. The second section of the catheter tube can be formed of a second material having a second durometer less than the first durometer. The first and second sections of the catheter tube can have a column strength sufficient to prevent buckling of the catheter tube when inserted into an insertion site and advanced through a vasculature of a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical device into a body of a patient, each performing or including operations of providing a broadband incident light signal to a plurality of core fibers of a multi-core optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals of different spectral width, processing the reflected light signals associated with the plurality of core fibers to determine (i) a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber relating to the medical device including the multi-core optical fiber, and (ii) an orientation of the multi-core optical fiber relative to a reference frame of the body. Additional operations include generating a display illustrating the physical state of the multi-core optical fiber based at least on the orientation determined during processing of the reflected light. Typically, the display is a two-dimensional representation of the multi-core optical fiber in accordance with the determined orientation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a magnetic-based tracking system for tracking an ultrasound probe to create a three-dimensional visualization. The system includes a reference device including a reference magnet; an ultrasound probe including an ultrasound acoustic transducer or acoustic array that acquires ultrasound images and a magnetometer that detects a magnetic field generated by the reference magnet.

Abstract: An optical tip-tracking system is disclosed including a light-emitting stylet, a light detector, and a console configured to operably connect to the light-emitting stylet and the light detector. The light-emitting stylet is configured to be disposed in a lumen of a catheter. The light-emitting stylet includes a light source in a distal-end portion of the light-emitting stylet configured to emit light. The light detector is configured to be placed over a patient. The light detector includes a plurality of photodetectors configured to detect the light emitted from the light source. The console is configured to instantiate an optical tip-tracking process for optically tracking the distal-end portion of the light-emitting stylet while the light-emitting stylet is disposed in a vasculature of the patient, the light source is emitting light, the light detector is disposed over the light-emitting stylet, and the photodetectors are detecting the light emitted from the light source.

Abstract: Disclosed is a two-step rapid insertion central catheter (“RICC”) system that can include an introducer placement system, a docking station and a catheter placement system. The introducer placement system can place an introducer within a vasculature, which is supported by a docking station that detaches from a distal end of the introducer placement system. A catheter placement system can be configured to couple with the docking station, and a catheter can be advanced through the introducer into the vasculature. The introducer can then be split and retracted before the catheter placement system disengages the docking station. The docking station can be configured to split and disengage from the catheter. The RICC system can include a guidewire hub to prevent guidewire embolisms, collapsible sterile barriers to prevent contamination, and locking features to prevent premature advancement of guidewires, dilators and the like.