Abstract: Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) including catheter assemblies and methods thereof are disclosed. A catheter assembly can include an introducer catheter, an introducer needle, and a RICC. The introducer needle can be disposed in an introducer-catheter lumen of the introducer catheter forming an introducer combination. The RICC can include a catheter tube including an introducing lumen with a number of lumens and a side opening through a side of the catheter tube. The introducing lumen extends from a proximal end of the catheter tube to a distal end of the catheter tube. The side opening opens into the introducing lumen in a distal-end portion of the catheter tube. The introducer combination can be disposed through the side opening, along the distal-end portion of the catheter tube within the introducing lumen, and through the distal end of the catheter tube for introducing the RICC into a blood vessel of a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound system for accessing a vasculature of a patient. The ultrasound system is configured to depict an enhanced ultrasound image of a subcutaneous portion of the patient including an icon surrounding a target vessel depicted on the display. The icon indicates to a clinician the target vessel is within range of a percentage vessel occupancy or vessel purchase length depending on a size of cannula or angle of insertion. The icon can also indicate blood flow strength, vessel type, or vessel deformation. The enhanced image can further include cannula trajectory guidelines and visual alerts for the clinician if the cannula tip can potentially backwall the vessel. Additional icons can indicate obstructions disposed on the cannula trajectory.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a magnetic signature identification system. The system can include a magnetic signature identification device having one or more magnetometers configured to detect magnetic characteristics defined by magnetic elements including dipoles coupled with a target medical device. Logic, when executed by one or more processors, determines a magnetic signature of the target medical device based upon a magnetic field defined by the magnetic characteristics. The system may include multiple medical devices having distinct magnetic signatures stored in memory and the logic may determine an identity of the target medical device by a comparison of the magnetic signature of the target medical device with the distinct magnetic signatures. The magnetic characteristics may be defined by any combination of all or any subset of the number, length, spacing, or orientation of the dipoles. The magnetic signature identification system may be coupled with a device tracking system and/or other medical system.

Abstract: A Rapidly Insertable Central Catheter (“RICC”) includes an access section formed of a first material, a catheter body section formed of a second material, and a dilator section disposed therebetween. The first material has a first durometer and the second material has a second, lesser durometer. The dilator section is formed of the first material, the second material, or a third material having a third durometer. The catheter body defines a primary lumen communicating with a primary lumen aperture disposed in a distal tip of the access section, a secondary lumen communicating with a secondary lumen aperture and a tertiary lumen communicating with a tertiary lumen aperture. The secondary lumen aperture and the tertiary lumen aperture can be disposed at an equal longitudinal length from the primary lumen aperture. The RICC can include intricate tip structures formed from different materials and can define a smooth abluminal surface.

Abstract: Photoacoustic medical-device navigation systems and methods provide alternatives to those incorporating fluoroscopy for medical-device navigation in patient bodies. A medical-device navigation system can include an optical-fiber stylet, ultrasound transducers, and a console. The stylet can transmit light to an instant location of a distal tip of an elongate medical device in a patient's body and, thereby, irradiate endogenous chromophores to generate ultrasound-frequency photoacoustic pressure waves therefrom. The ultrasound transducers can detect ultrasound signals corresponding to the photoacoustic pressure waves. The console can instantiate medical-device navigation processes for navigating the elongate medical device via the stylet as the elongate medical device is advanced to the target location in the patient's body.

Abstract: An infusion system for in-line disinfection of a prepared infusate with UV light can include a vascular access device (“VAD”) and a UV light ring. The VAD can include an intracorporeal conduit, one or more extracorporeal conduits fluidly connected to the intracorporeal conduit, a hub between a proximal portion of the intracorporeal conduit and one or more respective distal portions of the one-or-more extracorporeal conduits, and one or more respective connectors of the one-or-more extracorporeal conduits. The intracorporeal conduit is configured to be percutaneously inserted into a patient, and the extracorporeal conduit is configured to remain outside a body of the patient. The UV light ring can be configured to encircle a portion of an infusion lumen of the VAD and irradiate the prepared infusate within the infusion lumen with the UV light for infusing a disinfected infusate into the patient during an infusion of the patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for automatically determining needle guides for establishing vascular access. For example, a system can include an ultrasound probe, a console operably coupled to the ultrasound probe, and a display screen integrated into the console. The console can include one or more processors and memory including instructions configured to instantiate one or more processes when executed by the one-or-more processors for automatic determination of a needle guide in accordance with ultrasound-imaging data, historical data, or a combination thereof. The automatic determination of such a needle guide can use logic, algorithms, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or a combination thereof. The display screen can be configured to display an ultrasound image including one or more blood vessels below a skin surface of a patient as well as the needle guide resulting from the automatic determination for establishing vascular access to the one-or-more blood vessels in the ultrasound image.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to trackable medical device, e.g. a catheter placement system, having a needle formed of a magnetizable material, and magnetized to produce a magnetic field having a magnetic field strength or a magnetic field signature detectable by a sensor of a tracking system. The medical device further includes a spring formed of a non-magnetizable material, e.g. silver coated copper beryllium or the like, and configured to display the same mechanical performance properties as a spring formed of the magnetizable material. Also disclosed is a method of tracking a medical device including magnetizing the catheter placement system to produce a magnetic field having a strength or a magnetic field signature and detecting the magnetic field by a sensor of a tracking system.

Abstract: A catheter placement system that includes a catheter placement device having elongate body configured for insertion into a catheter lumen, where the elongate body includes a body lumen. A compartment at a proximal end of the body is in fluid communication with the body lumen. A saline solution disposed within the compartment and the body lumen defines an electrical path along the elongate body and an electrode at a distal end of the elongate body. A stylet extends along the elongate body, where the stylet includes a multi-core optical fiber extending along the stylet, and where the multi-core optical fiber includes a number of fiber Bragg gratings disposed along the optical fiber to enable shape sensing of the optical fiber. A system module optically and electrically coupled with the catheter placement device displays a shape of the elongate body and ECG waveform.

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 are two-piece catheters and methods thereof. For example, a two-piece catheter can include a proximal catheter piece and a distal catheter piece. The proximal catheter piece includes a proximal catheter-hub piece and one or more extension legs respectively including one or more extension-leg lumens. Each extension leg of the one-or-more extension legs is coupled to the proximal catheter-hub piece by a distal-end portion of the extension leg. The distal catheter piece includes a distal catheter-hub piece and a catheter tube including one or more catheter-tube lumens. The catheter tube is coupled to the distal catheter-hub piece by a proximal-end portion of the catheter tube. The two-piece catheter has a connected state in which the proximal catheter-hub piece is connected to the distal catheter-hub piece such that the one-or-more catheter-tube lumens are respectively fluidly connected to the one-or-more extension-leg lumens across a two-piece catheter hub.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a non-uniform, targeted ultrasound image modification system. The system can image a target area using ultrasound and can determine one or more target locations within the target area. Further the system can determine a location and orientation of a medical device to overlay a trajectory onto the target area. A user can further modify the one or more target locations as needed. The user can then modify an image parameter for the target area, and can further modify an image parameter for one or more target locations independently of the target area. This allows a user to modify the image of the target location to suit the position, tissue structure, or a procedure taking place there without affecting the image quality of the rest of the target area, or other target locations.

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: Connection systems and methods for establishing optical and electrical connections through a drape are disclosed. A connection system can include a plug and a receptacle, the plug being configured to insert into the receptacle with the drape therebetween. The plug can include an optical terminal extending from a plug housing and an electrical terminal extending from the plug housing. The electrical terminal can be configured as a piercing element for piercing the drape. The receptacle can include an optical receiver within a receptacle housing and an electrical receiver within the receptacle housing. The optical receiver can be configured to form the optical connection with the optical terminal, and the electrical receiver can be configured to form the electrical connection with the electrical terminal when the plug is inserted into the receptacle with the drape therebetween.

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: Ultrasound probes, ultrasound systems, and ultrasound methods with pressure measurement capabilities for detecting and determining if bodily tissue is over-compressed during ultrasound imaging procedure. An ultrasound probe can include a probe body, an articulating probe head attached to the probe body, and a pressure-sensing device housed in an articulating area between the articulating probe head and the probe body. A method can include placing the articulating probe head of the ultrasound probe on a skin surface of a patient and moving the articulating probe head of the ultrasound probe over the patient while ultrasound signals are emitted into the patient from the articulating probe head. The method can also include monitoring for measured pressure values induced on the patient by the articulating probe head to determine whether a threshold pressure value has been exceeded.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound training system that according to various embodiments includes an ultrasound probe, a vascular access device, and a patient simulation block. Logic of the system tracks the location and orientation of the probe and the vascular access device via magnetic tracking, fiber optic shape sensing, inertia measurement or any combination thereof. The logic depicts the vascular access device in relation to the patient simulation block on a display along with a simulated ultrasound image. The patient simulation block may include artificial anatomical elements and the logic may depict simulated anatomic elements aligned with the artificial anatomical elements. The probe includes a load sensor and the logic depicts an anatomic element having a shape affected by the load. The vascular access device includes magnetic elements defining a magnetic signature and the logic depicts the type and/or size of the vascular access device based on the magnetic signature.

Abstract: Central catheters, central catheter assemblies, and methods thereof. A central catheter includes a catheter tube coupled with a number of extension legs, a needle hub coupled with the catheter tube, where the needle hub is configured to receive a needle therethrough so that the needle is disposed within a primary catheter tube lumen. The central catheter includes a manifold hub for coupling the number of extension legs with the catheter tube. The manifold hub may be integral to the needle hub. The needle hub includes a septum within a needle-hub lumen, where the septum is configured to define a fluid tight seal with the needle and to prevent fluid flow through a proximal portion of the needle-hub lumen when the needle is withdrawn from the needle-hub lumen. A method for introducing a central catheter into a blood vessel.

Abstract: Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) including catheter assemblies and methods thereof reduce both steps and medical devices involved in introducing a catheter. A RICC assembly can include a RICC, an introducer, and a coupling system coupling the RICC and the introducer together. A catheter tube of the RICC can include 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 can include an introducer needle having a cannula. The coupling system can include a distal coupler slidably attached to the catheter tube. The cannula can extend 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 a ready-to-deploy state thereof.

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.