Abstract: A system for performing irrigation of a body cavity includes a reservoir containing an irrigation liquid, a catheter and a controller. The catheter is configured to be at least partially inserted into the body cavity and has a flushing passage, a drain passage and a retention balloon. A waste drain valve is in fluid communication with the drain passage of the catheter and is movable between a closed configuration, where waste is retained within the drain passage, and an open configuration where waste flows through the drain passage. The controller is in fluid communication with the reservoir and the catheter, and has a pump and a valve assembly. The valve assembly is changeable between configurations where, when the pump is actuated, irrigation liquid is pumped from the reservoir to the retention balloon, from the reservoir to the flushing passage of the catheter and from the retention balloon to the reservoir.

Abstract: A needle insertor for a medicament delivery device is presented having a driver having a first part movably arranged within the case and a second part connected to the base, a needle assembly movably held by the first part in the case, a rotator arranged in the case and configured to engage the first part for moving the driver, an energy accumulation member configured to interact with the rotator for applying a rotational force on the rotator, a movable stop arranged on the base and configured to interact with the rotator for preventing the rotator from rotating. The first part has a first position where the needle assembly is held inside the case, a second position where the needle portion is positioned outside the case after being moved to pass through the injection site end, and a third position where the needle portion is positioned inside the case.

Abstract: A medical dispensing device which includes a catheter, an applicator tip at a distal end of the catheter, the catheter and the applicator tip defining a lumen having a longitudinal axis and a distal opening, a plunger in the lumen and movable along the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of elements in the lumen proximal to the distal opening and distal to the plunger, the plurality of elements stacked along the longitudinal axis for dispersement of one element at a time through the distal opening via a force applied by the plunger.

Abstract: A deflectable catheter includes an elongate member having a wall defining a longitudinally extending lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end, a fixation member coupled to an exterior surface of the wall on a distal portion of the elongate member, and a pull wire extending through the wall of the elongate member from the proximal end of the elongate member to the fixation member. The pull wire is coupled to the fixation member and constrained along its length such that the elongate member is configured to deflect from an initial configuration to a deflected configuration in response to a pull force applied to the pull wire and actively return from the deflected configuration to the initial configuration in response to a push force applied to the pull wire.

Abstract: An active return curve deflectable catheter includes an elongate member, a fixation member, a deflection assembly, and a pull wire. The fixation member is coupled to a distal portion of the elongate member. The deflection assembly includes a hub assembly coupled to a proximal end of the elongate member, a handle, and a control member. The pull wire extends from the control member through the hub assembly to the fixation member. The elongate member is configured to deflect from an initial configuration to a deflected configuration in response to a pull force applied to the pull wire by actuation of the control member in a first direction.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a generally tubular member with a tip portion coupled to the tubular member. A puller wire is disposed in the tubular member and configured for movement along the longitudinal axis to bend the tip portion with respect to the longitudinal axis. An anchor is disposed within the tubular member and connected to the puller wire such that the anchor has a t-bar. The t-bar includes a generally transverse extension and a ferrule connected to the puller wire. The t-bar has a polymeric member disposed on the generally transverse extension to increase a strength of the anchor with respect to forces applied to the puller wire to deflect the tip of the medical probe.

Abstract: In some examples, a catheter (e.g., a balloon catheter) includes a guidewire tube extending through a catheter body and a coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the guidewire tube. In some examples, the coating is an elastomeric coating. The coating is configured to increase friction between the portion of the outer surface of the guidewire tube and an inner surface of the catheter body when the portion of the outer surface contacts an inner surface of the catheter body.

Abstract: A catheter that includes a mechanism for deflecting a distal portion of a catheter may include a deflection knob including a first thread, a rod including a second thread that is coupled to the first thread, and a puller wire that is connected to the rod. The rod may additionally include a pocket to which the puller wire may be connected via a joining feature that may be secured in the pocket and attached to a proximal end of the puller wire. The joining feature may include a first ferrule joined, e.g., crimped, to the proximal end of the puller wire and a second ferrule secured, e.g., bonded, in the pocket and joined, e.g., crimped, to the first ferrule.

Abstract: The catheter canal is a medical device. The catheter canal is configured for use with a guiding catheter or guide sheath. The catheter canal forms a canal that controls and eliminates potentially undesirable movement of a catheter, wire, stent, balloon or any other over the wire instrument as it is inserted into a patient. The catheter canal includes a guiding structure, a plurality of flexible structures, and an adhesive structure. The plurality of flexible structures and the adhesive structure attaches to the guiding structure. The plurality of flexible structures form a framework that creates the canal that controls and limits potentially undesirable movement of the catheter, wire, stent, balloon or any other over the wire instrument.

Abstract: A catheter includes a handle with torqueing and steering mechanisms. The torqueing mechanism includes a rotatable nosecone and a bearing coupled to the nosecone to be rotatable therewith. The bearing is concentrically disposed over a shaft of the catheter. The steering mechanism includes a rack coupled to the bearing to be slideable therewith and a pull wire having a proximal end attached to the bearing and a distal end attached to a distal portion of the shaft. Rotation of the nosecone causes an entire length of the shaft to rotate and axial movement of the rack tensions the pull wire to bend the distal portion of the shaft. A valve relief component is slidingly disposed over the shaft and is configured to dock onto the handle when not in use.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide apparatus, systems and method for introducing fluids into a body cavity for treatment. One embodiment provides an apparatus for treating a patient including an access device for insertion into the peritoneal cavity of the patient including an infusion member in a lumen of the access device. An oxygenated solution may be infused and removed into and out of the cavity via the infusion member.

Abstract: A guide wire includes a core shaft, a coil wound around the core shaft, a distal-end joining region to which a distal end of the core shaft and a distal end of the coil are joined, and a proximal-end joining region to which a proximal end of the core shaft and a proximal end of the coil are joined, and the coil has a sparsely wound portion having a sparser coil pitch than other portions of the coil, the sparsely wound portion being disposed between the distal-end joining region and the proximal-end joining region.

Abstract: A guidewire and catheter are disclosed which are configured together so that it is not possible to advance the guidewire into the patient where it may be undesirably retained in the patient. The improved safety is achieved by protrusions on each of the guidewire and catheter which coordinate with one another. Novel methods of catheterization are also disclosed.

Abstract: A catheter includes a hollow shaft having a tip part decreasing in diameter in a direction of a distal end, and a coil body covering the hollow shaft. The tip part has a small diameter portion, a large diameter portion, and a tapered portion gradually increasing in diameter from the small diameter portion toward the large diameter portion. The coil body has a substantially cylindrical joint part at which an end portion of the coil body in the direction of the distal end is joined in the circumferential direction. The joint part is located over the tapered portion and/or the small diameter portion, and in a state in which the hollow shaft extends substantially linearly, the distance between an inner peripheral surface of the joint part and outer peripheral surfaces of the tapered portion and/or the small diameter portion increases in the direction of the distal end.

Abstract: Intravascular catheters with fluoroscopically visible indicium of rotational orientation. The catheter includes an elongate flexible tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end and a tubular side wall defining at least one lumen extending therethrough. At least first and second opposing pairs of radiopaque rings are embedded in the side wall, spaced axially apart from each other. A first transverse axis extending through the first pair of rings is rotationally offset from a second transverse axis extending through the second pair of rings. The rings may be supported by a subassembly integrated into the wall of the catheter. The subassembly may include a tubular body having a plurality of aperture portions connected by intervening hinge portions. In one implementation, the catheter is a reentry catheter.

Abstract: A catheter system may include a needle assembly coupled to a catheter adapter. The needle assembly may include a housing, an introducer needle, a proximal opening, a distal opening, and a needle tip shield feature. A distal tip of the introducer needle may be configured to be proximally withdrawn from a first position to a second position in which a bump feature of the introducer needle contacts and is prevented from moving through the proximal opening. In response to withdrawal of the distal tip proximally from the second position to a third position, the housing may move proximally, and the needle tip shield feature may be released to block the distal opening. The needle tip shield feature may not contact the introducer needle when the distal tip moves proximally from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the third position, which may reduce a friction-based drag force on the introducer needle.

Abstract: A catheter system may include a needle assembly coupled to a catheter adapter. The needle assembly may include a housing, an introducer needle, a distal opening, a first magnet, and a second magnet. In response to proximal withdrawal of the introducer needle, the first magnet may move towards the second magnet, which may block the distal opening and/or prevent blood from leaking out the distal opening.

Abstract: A system for accessing a patient's cardiac anatomy which includes an endovascular aortic partitioning device that separates the coronary arteries and the heart from the rest of the patient's arterial system. The endovascular device for partitioning a patient's ascending aorta comprises a flexible shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first inner lumen therebetween with an opening at the distal end. The shaft may have a preshaped distal portion with a curvature generally corresponding to the curvature of the patient's aortic arch. An expandable means, e.g. a balloon, is disposed near the distal end of the shaft proximal to the opening in the first inner lumen for occluding the ascending aorta so as to block substantially all blood flow therethrough for a plurality of cardiac cycles, while the patient is supported by cardiopulmonary bypass. The endovascular aortic partitioning device may be coupled to an arterial bypass cannula for delivering oxygenated blood to the patient's arterial system.

Abstract: A single-use syringe is provided with a rod-like plunger having a plurality of frusto-conical ratchet teeth. A radially resilient locking spring clip having a circumferential opening, dangles on the ratchet teeth of the plunger. The original location of the spring clip on the plunger determines the maximum dosage which can be administered by the syringe. In use, a first withdrawal of the plunger allows medication to be drawn into the barrel of the syringe. The spring clip glides, by radial flexing, over the surface of the ratchet teeth during plunger withdrawal. The spring clip is maintained in relative position along the sidewall of the barrel by outwardly directed contact points which embed into the interior sidewall of the barrel. During administration of the medication previously drawn into the barrel, the spring clip moves along with the plunger since an interiorly directed camming tooth of the clip mechanically cooperates with the base of a ratchet tooth of the plunger.

Abstract: A needleless connector allowing infusion and withdrawal of fluid in medical applications is disclosed. The injection site has a housing which contains a blunt cannula within it. An elastomeric pre-slit plunger is movably carried within the housing by the housing and said blunt cannula. Insertion of a connector moves the elastomeric pre-slit plunger from a first, occluding position deeper into the housing and over the blunt cannula to a second position, where the pre-slit portion of the plunger is penetrated by the blunt cannula. This opens a fluid passage from the inserted connector through the cannula to the opposite end of the housing, allowing fluid flow through the connector. Pressurized gas within the housing, or an elastically deformable member, or the two in combination, bias the elastomeric plunger back to its first position. As an inserted connector is removed, the fluid pathway through the injection site is re-sealed.