Abstract: A catheter for introducing fluid into the vascular system includes ports in the catheter's sidewall which are obliquely angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter. Certain pairs of ports are oriented toward each other, and certain other pairs of ports are oriented away from each other. The arrangement of ports causes fluid to exit the ports in streams which are oriented at oblique angles corresponding to the angles of the port. The obliquely angled streams create advantageous circulation paths proximate to the catheter which generally improve efficacy of the injected fluid associated with the medical application. The catheter may be used for a variety of purposes, including to perform thrombolysis.

Abstract: An instrument for penetrating into body cavities and potential spaces in preparation for the performance of minimally invasive surgical techniques in which an indicator is provided to assist the surgeon in determining when the instrument is properly placed thereby avoiding injury to vessels and underlying structures in the body cavities and potential spaces.

Abstract: A surgical retractor having a plurality of widenable and narrowable blades of substantial width, having tissue-contacting surfaces that are not significantly narrower, in a collapsed position, than a guide tube for guiding the retractor blades through a surgical access port to a surgical site during a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Each retractor blade includes a relatively large, preferably planar, tissue-contacting surface for displacing or repositioning internal body tissue, such as an internal organ, for temporary displacement away from the surgical site. After insertion through a surgical access port one or more of the retractor blades can be widened laterally to substantially space distal ends of the retractor blades apart for maximum contact against and over a substantial area of the tissue to be displaced during the surgical procedure.