Abstract: A thoracentesis needle assembly is provided and generally comprises a longitudinally extending hollow needle which is sharp at its distal end, a longitudinally extending hollow probe which extends through the hollow needle and has a blunt distal end with an opening, a spring which is coupled to the probe and which resiliently biases the probe forward with respect to the hollow needle such that the blunt distal end of the probe extends past the sharp distal end of the needle, a hollow housing which is fixed to the needle and which houses the spring and permits relative movement of the probe relative to the housing, a hollow luer adapter with its distal end coupled to the housing and its proximal end having a luer mating means, the probe, housing and luer adapter providing a flow path for fluid, and an automatic check valve in the fluid flow path, where the automatic check valve permits flow of fluid in a proximal direction, but prevents flow of fluid in a distal direction.

Abstract: A trocar catheter includes a trocar rod having a stepped diameter distal end for use with a catheter having a stepped diameter lumen wherein the trocar is inserted into the lumen of the catheter and the trocar is used to incise a patient and install the catheter after which the trocar is removed from the lumen of the catheter. The distal end of the trocar rod is provided with a stepped coaxial bore into which a piercing point rod, a spring and a safety sleeve are assembled. The piercing point rod has a proximal small diameter portion which is press fit into a correspondingly small diameter portion of the coaxial bore in the distal end of the trocar rod. The spring is carried on the small diameter portion of the piercing point rod and biases the safety sleeve in a distal direction.

Abstract: An endoscopic suctioning instrument with variable suction is disclosed. The instrument has a hollow cannula having a proximal end and a distal end, and sliding sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis, with the sliding sleeve being coaxial to and closely surrounding and slidingly engaging the hollow cannula. The sliding sleeve has a plurality of lateral holes at its distal end with the lateral holes being spaced along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An endoscopic tool for dispensing units of hemostatic agent broadly comprises a hollow tube which holds a plurality of individual units of the hemostatic agent, a valve at the distal end of the hollow tube which permits the hemostatic agent to pass therethrough but prevents foreign matter from contacting the hemostatic agent while in the tube, a plunger which extends into the hollow tube and contacts a proximal unit of the hemostatic agent, and a mechanism for moving the plunger distally in incremental movements to cause, upon each incremental movement, an individual unit of the hemostatic agent to be pushed through the valve. Typically, the mechanism for moving the plunger and the proximal end of the hollow tube are held in a handle. One mechanism for moving the plunger utilizes a portion of the plunger as a ratchet by forming a plurality of conical elements thereon, and utilizes a switch in the handle which has a V-spring coupled thereto as a pawl for advancing the conical elements.