Abstract: An intravascular needle and catheter arrangement that ensures flashback is indicated after the catheter is safely inserted through the needle puncture in the vascular wall and emplaced into the vessel. This placement location, at which flashback first occurs is sufficient to begin threading the catheter without risk of over-insertion or under-insertion. The catheter overlies a needle having a distal tip that defines a point. The needle tip includes an enclosed distal-most end and a port located along at least one of the proximal portion of the point and an adjacent cylindrical sidewall of the needle. The distal end of the catheter exposes the port for entry of blood from a vessel thereinto only after the distal end of the catheter has entered sufficiently into the interior of the vessel. An opposing second side of the tip defines a curved surface that prevents puncturing of the back vessel wall.

Abstract: A safety syringe that effectively prevents the administration of an injection in excess of a maximum injection pressure, and that provides a clear, immediate tactile feedback to the practitioner each time a maximum injection pressure is exceeded. The practitioner is provided a predetermined number of attempts to inject fluid without exceeding the maximum injection pressure, each time receiving a direct tactile feedback in the form of a ratcheting click within the plunger assembly of the syringe. After a final attempt, the next over-pressure event causes a disconnect between the thumb plate of the syringe and the piston that engages the fluid within the syringe barrel, positively prevent a potentially harmful injection. In an illustrative embodiment, the plunger assembly includes a distal portion connected to the piston and a proximal portion, connected to the thumb plate.

Abstract: A needle, catheter, and housing assembly is provided. The assembly includes a slider portion that slides relative to the housing. The slider portion can be actuated by a caregiver/operator such that a catheter can be threaded into a patient with simple movement of the operator's thumb or other finger. The assembly also includes an improved flash chamber. The flash chamber utilizes capillary action and/or a visible portal area to provide a caregiver/operator with more immediate information as to whether the needle has been inserted in the vein or artery.

Abstract: An intravascular needle and catheter arrangement that ensures flashback is indicated after the catheter is safely inserted through the needle puncture in the vascular wall and emplaced into the vessel. This placement location, at which flashback first occurs is sufficient to begin threading the catheter without risk of over-insertion or under-insertion. The catheter overlies a needle having a distal tip that defines a point. The needle tip includes an enclosed distal-most end and a port located along at least one of the proximal portion of the point and an adjacent cylindrical sidewall of the needle. The distal end of the catheter exposes the port for entry of blood from a vessel thereinto only after the distal end of the catheter has entered sufficiently into the interior of the vessel. An opposing second side of the tip defines a curved surface that prevents puncturing of the back vessel wall.

Abstract: An intravascular needle and catheter arrangement that ensures flashback is indicated after the catheter is safely inserted through the needle puncture in the vascular wall and emplaced into the vessel. This placement location, at which flashback first occurs is sufficient to begin threading the catheter without risk of over-insertion or under-insertion. The catheter overlies a needle having a distal tip that defines a point. The needle tip includes an enclosed distal-most end and a port located along at least one of the proximal portion of the point and an adjacent cylindrical sidewall of the needle. The distal end of the catheter exposes the port for entry of blood from a vessel thereinto only after the distal end of the catheter has entered sufficiently into the interior of the vessel. An opposing second side of the tip defines a curved surface that prevents puncturing of the back vessel wall.

Abstract: An intravascular needle and catheter arrangement that ensures flashback is indicated after the catheter is safely inserted through the needle puncture in the vascular wall and emplaced into the vessel. This placement location, at which flashback first occurs is sufficient to begin threading the catheter without risk of over-insertion or under-insertion. The catheter overlies a needle having a distal tip that defines a point. The needle tip includes an enclosed distal-most end and a port located along at least one of the proximal portion of the point and an adjacent cylindrical sidewall of the needle. The distal end of the catheter exposes the port for entry of blood from a vessel thereinto only after the distal end of the catheter has entered sufficiently into the interior of the vessel. An opposing second side of the tip defines a curved surface that prevents puncturing of the back vessel wall.

Abstract: A dental guard fittable over a patient's upper incisors is composed of an arcuate plastic tray of about 1.5 inches in length and having in cross-section a U-shape. A compliant elastomeric adhesive plug of a hydrogel lies within and is self-adhered to the channel of the U-shaped tray so that when pressed into place over the patient's incisors, the teeth remain embedded in the plug and the dental guard remains adhered in position over the incisors but leaves the posterior teeth (molars including premolars) on either side uncovered. The use of such a dental guard protects the incisors from the levering forces exerted by the laryngoscope blade during intubation and provides the intubator an unobstructed view for easily guiding an endotracheal tube via the pharynx through the vocal cords and into the trachea.