Abstract: A safety intravenous catheter that includes a passive release feature. The catheter assembly includes ready, safe, and released positions. In the release position, a retainer being in a proximal retainer position relative to a collar enables release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device. The sharp tip of the insertion needle remains inaccessible in the release position in order to prevent unwanted needle sticks.

Abstract: An echogenic needle may have at least one V-shaped spiral groove formed at its distal portion adjacent to its patient end. The walls of the groove are orthogonal to each other. The groove is titled at a given angle from a neutral position toward the proximal end of the needle so that when the needle is inserted into the patient at an insertion angle under ultrasound imaging, the ultrasound wave emitted from the ultrasound transducer is reflected in a substantially reverse direction back to the transducer by at least one wall of the spiral groove. A pair of crisscrossing grooves may be spirally wound about the distal portion of the needle with each groove being tilted to the given angle to enhance echogeneity. The echogeneity of the needle may also be enhanced by increasing the pitch density of each groove while maintaining the crisscrossing groves at their neutral position.

Abstract: An LVP that provides peristaltic pumping to removably couplable administration set tubing assemblies supplying medical infusate. The LVP includes a housing, a drive-train assembly, and a controller. The housing includes an assembly receptacle configured to receive an administration set tubing assembly. The drive-train assembly provides mechanical peristaltic movement within the assembly receptacle. The drive-train assembly includes a stepper motor located within the housing and a camshaft assembly, driven by the stepper motor and at least partially extending into the assembly receptacle. The camshaft assembly includes a unitary camshaft and a plurality of tube engaging members that cooperatively move according to rotation of the unitary camshaft. Further, the controller is located within the housing that controls operation of the stepper motor and the camshaft assembly.

Abstract: A blood sequestration device configured to isolate an initial, potentially contaminated portion of blood from the flow of blood of a patient, prior to directing the flow of blood to an outlet port where the blood can be accessed. The blood sequestration device including a body member having an interior wall defining a fluid conduit having a distal portion, a first proximal portion, and a second proximal portion, wherein the first proximal portion defines a sequestration chamber configured to isolate an initial portion of blood of a flow of blood, a vent path configured to enable the escape of gas initially trapped within the sequestration chamber.

Abstract: The device includes a dilator having a valve element configured to at least inhibit fluid flow through the dilator in a distal direction, while not inhibiting the passage of articles (e.g., a guidewire) through the dilator in a proximal direction.

Abstract: Infusion pump interfaces providing simple and intuitive user experiences. A controller display subsystem for implementing infusion pump interfaces includes a processor, a memory, display logic, keypad I/O, and screen I/O. Display logic can command the processor via the memory to implement desirable displays on screen I/O.

Abstract: An infusion pump, including a housing, a user interface, a motor and a set of drive components, and a controller. The housing enables selective stacked attachment with other infusion pumps. The housing includes a top portion with a handle integrated into an outer surface that partially defines a generally U-shaped retaining feature. The housing also includes a bottom portion with a generally U-shaped projection that is contoured to selectively mate with the retaining feature of another infusion pump. The user interface provides a front side to the housing that receives commands regarding infusion pump operation. The motor and set of drive components are at least partially located within the housing and mechanically direct infusion of infusate. The controller is located within the housing and that controls operation of the motor and the set of drive components.

Abstract: An assembly is configured to position a peristaltic tube with respect to a linear peristaltic pump drive of an infusion pump. The assembly can include a peristaltic tube, first and second tube couplers, a frame, first and second securement plates, a free-flow prevention arm, and a biasing mechanism. The frame can include a snap-fit tab configured to releasably secure the assembly to an assembly receptacle of the infusion pump. The free-flow prevention arm can be selectively movable between a free-flow preventing position and a free-flow allowing position. A latching mechanism can be ergonomically manipulable to latch the free-flow prevention arm in a free-flow allowing position, and to unlatch the free-flow prevention arm such that the biasing mechanism is able to bias the free-flow prevention arm to the free-flow preventing position.

Abstract: An identifier is provided to a medical device such as a syringe to uniquely identify the medical device. For a syringe, the unique identifier may be in the form of a bar code printed onto the thumb press, stem, or both at the plunger of the syringe. The bar code may be a 2-dimensional bar code or a 1-dimensional bar code. Alternatively, an RFID tag may be attached to the plunger, for example fitted to or embedded into the thumb press. The unique identifier provides, at minimum, the manufacturing data unique to the syringe so that the history of the syringe may be readily traced and associated with the medical records of the patient the syringe is used for.

Abstract: A catheter hub assembly. The catheter hub assembly includes a catheter hub body, a septum and a septum retainer, the catheter hub body having a distal end, a proximal and an internal wall defining an internal fluid passageway therebetween, the internal wall defining a transitional step within the internal fluid passageway, the septum positioned within the internal fluid passageway such that a distal end of the septum abuts up against the transitional step, the septum retainer at least partially receivable within the internal fluid passageway and having an outer wall shaped and sized to interlock with the inner wall of the catheter hub body, the outer wall including one or more lateral ribs configured to inhibit rotation of the septum retainer relative to the catheter hub body.

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: A catheter assembly includes a catheter hub defining an interior cavity and a catheter tube extending distally thereof. A rigid actuator is positioned to extend proximally in the interior cavity and support a seal member positioned thereon in the interior cavity. The seal member includes a central membrane, a distal portion, and a proximal portion. An hourglass shaped actuator cavity is formed in the distal portion and receives a barbed end of the actuator. The outer surface of the seal member is in partial circumferential engagement with the catheter hub to define an air path that allows fluid communication between areas of the interior cavity distal and proximal of the seal member. The seal member may be configured for multi-use and include a biasing member that moves the seal member to force the membrane back over the actuator to close the membrane.

Abstract: The device includes a dilator having a locking mechanism configured to limit a distance a guidewire can be advanced out of a distal end of the dilator.

Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a syringe, a needle, and a sheath which are employed together with a guide wire. The sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle. During insertion of the sheath over the needle, guide wire and into the body space, the syringe provides a negative pressure to ensure that any air located between the inside diameter of the sheath and the outside diameter of the needle is drawn into the needle rather than into the body space. In certain embodiments, a dilator is coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle and within the sheath.

Abstract: A method of creating a feature on a needle. The method comprising the steps of providing a needle having a sharpened distal end for insertion into an insertion site on a subject, a proximal end, and a tubular wall defining an inner diameter and an outer diameter; gripping a distal portion of the needle about the outer diameter; gripping a proximal portion of the needle about an outer diameter; and applying a compressive force between the distal portion and the proximal portion sufficient to effect an outward buckling of the tubular wall, thereby increasing an outer diameter of the tubular wall between the distal portion and the proximal portion.

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: 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 catheter assembly includes a catheter hub defining an interior cavity and a catheter tube extending distally thereof. A rigid actuator is positioned to extend proximally in the interior cavity and support a seal member positioned thereon in the interior cavity. The seal member includes a central membrane, a distal portion, and a proximal portion. An hourglass shaped actuator cavity is formed in the distal portion and receives a barbed end of the actuator. The outer surface of the seal member is in partial circumferential engagement with the catheter hub to define an air path that allows fluid communication between areas of the interior cavity distal and proximal of the seal member. The seal member may be configured for multi-use and include a biasing member that moves the seal member to force the membrane back over the actuator to close the membrane.

Abstract: A port is adapted to be implanted to a body with its top exposed to the environment. The port has a housing defining a chamber that has an opening at the top of the housing. An aperture having a lumen attached thereto is formed at the lower portion of the chamber. For infusion, an insert that has an internal passageway that connects a fluid inlet at its top surface and a bore at its sidewall is sealingly mated to the chamber. The bore sealingly aligns with the aperture. After infusion, the insert is removed, and a blank insert is fitted to the chamber. A band of tissue ingrowth media encircles the housing to form an aseptic barrier where the outer wall of the housing and the tissue of the body encircling the housing meet.

Abstract: A needle assembly for sampling fluid from a patient including a needle guard, an insertion needle, and a needle housing. The distal end of the needle guard includes a nose portion and a flexible nose extension defining a fluid collection reservoir. The proximal end of the needle guard includes a push feature. The insertion needle has a sharpened distal tip, a proximal needle end and a shaft defining a lumen extending therebetween. The needle housing is operably coupled to the proximal needle end and is slideably coupled to the needle guard. The needle housing includes a flash chamber including a wall defining a cavity. The cavity is in fluid communication with the lumen of the insertion needle and is sealed at one end by a gas permeable flash plug. The push feature selectively engages the flash plug to divert captured bodily fluids to the fluid collection reservoir for sampling.