Abstract: A medical instrument having an elongate frame with proximal and distal ends. An operating assembly is at a proximal region of the frame with a working assembly at a distal region of the frame. The working assembly has a tip with a leading free end to be engaged with a human body at an operation site. The working assembly has at least one cautery component that: a) contacts a human body at the cutting location; and b) is operable to generate a current that alters a contacted portion of the human body at the cutting location. An insulating material is located at least one of: i) at the leading free end; and ii) between the at least one cautery component and the leading free end so that current does not conduct from the at least one cautery component to body tissue during a medical procedure.

Abstract: A medical instrument having an elongate frame with proximal and distal ends, an operating assembly at a proximal region of the frame, and a working assembly at a distal region of the frame. The working assembly has a cantilevered tip with a free end and is reconfigurable by an operator through the operating assembly by selectively reorienting the tip relative to: a) the frame; and b) a reference plane extending through the frame orthogonally to the central axis at a location on the frame spaced axially from the working assembly toward the operating assembly. The tip in one position projects in a first axial direction toward the reference plane. The working assembly has at least one cautery component that: a) contacts a human body part at the cutting location; and b) is operable to generate a current that dissects a contacted portion of the human body part.

Abstract: The combination of a) a dilator having: a tubular body with a length, an internal passage, and proximal and distal ends spaced in a lengthwise direction; and b) an elongate guide wire having a length and capable of being received in, and movable in a lengthwise direction within, the internal passage with the dilator and guide wire in operative relationship. The tubular body has a locally flexible length that allows a limited predetermined degree of bending of the tubular body at, or adjacent, the distal end of the tubular body to allow the dilator to conform to a curved guide wire shape.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing an access site on a patient for insertion of a catheter into one of the patient's veins. The method includes the steps of: providing a tract forming assembly having a leading cutting edge and a dilating body defining a trailing dilating portion, with the cutting edge and dilating body together defining a tract forming unit; advancing the tract forming unit into skin at the access site so that: a) the cutting edge progressively forms a tract through the patient's skin and subcutaneous tissue towards the one vein; and b) the dilating body follows the cutting edge and dilates the tract; and removing the tract forming unit from the dilated tract so that no component resides in the dilated tract to allow a catheter to be directed through the dilated tract and into the one vein.

Abstract: A medical instrument having an elongate frame with proximal and distal ends. An operating assembly is at a proximal region of the frame with a working assembly at a distal region of the frame. The working assembly has a tip with a leading free end to be engaged with a human body at an operation site. The working assembly has at least one cautery component that: a) contacts a human body at the cutting location; and b) is operable to generate a current that alters a contacted portion of the human body at the cutting location. An insulating material is located at least one of: i) at the leading free end; and ii) between the at least one cautery component and the leading free end so that current does not conduct from the at least one cautery component to body tissue during a medical procedure.