Abstract: A stylet for placing a catheter in a vasculature of a patient is disclosed. The stylet can include an ECG sensor assembly having an electrode, a magnetic assembly producing a magnetic field, a core wire and a coil defining a lumen. A portion of the core wire can be disposed within the lumen of the coil. An intravascular catheter is disclosed that includes the stylet disposed within a lumen of the catheter. A method of placing a catheter within a superior vena cava of a patient is provided, including inserting the stylet within a lumen of the catheter, connecting the ECG sensor assembly to an ECG system, advancing the catheter along a patient vasculature, discontinuing advancement of the catheter upon an indication via an ECG signal that a tip of the stylet is disposed within the superior vena cava, and removing the stylet from the lumen of the catheter.

Abstract: Diagnostic systems and methods including temperature-sensing vascular devices. A diagnostic system can include a catheter assembly for establishing vascular or other access within a body of a patient. The catheter assembly can be equipped with one or more sensors such as temperature sensors that enable monitoring of one or more physiological aspects of the patient, such as temperature, when a portion of the catheter assembly is disposed within the patient. The catheter assembly can be configured to transmit or otherwise forward data relating to the physiological aspects to another location, such as a console, a smartphone or another mobile device, a nurse station, a patient electronic medical record, etc. A method of the diagnostic system can include an instantiating step of instantiating in memory of the console a diagnostic process having one or more functions for at least processing temperature data from the catheter assembly.

Abstract: A stylet for use in guiding a catheter to a predetermined location within the body of a patient. The stylet may include a continuous core member for transmitting an electrical signal from a distal section of the stylet to a proximal end. In some embodiments, the stylet includes a differing stiffness profile along its length. A differing stiffness characteristics can be achieved by varying the number of strands of a wire, the diameter of each individual strand, twisting or braiding the strands, or varying the number of turns per unit length of the twisted strands. The stiffness of the stylet may decrease from the proximal end to the distal section, for example, intermittently, continuously, or along continuous sections adjacent the distal end. By using multiple strands bundled together, the beneficial conductive and, optionally, magnetic properties can be maximized while at the same time the stiffness characteristics can be modified.

Abstract: A system, device and method for thermally affecting tissue are provided. The system includes a pump/controller unit having a pump for pumping a thermally conductive fluid through the system, a fluid chiller for thermally treating the conductive fluid, a controller circuitry for measuring and controlling the temperature of the conductive fluid, and a fluid circulation path having an extension tubing set for circulating the thermally conductive fluid, a thermal application device having at least one flow passage that is in fluid communication with the tubing set, a thermal exchanger element in fluid communication with the tubing set that interfaces with the fluid chiller, where the tubing set operably interfaces with a pump to enable the pump to circulate a thermally conductive fluid through a fluid circulation path. The fluid circulation path may have various sensors providing temperature and pressure readings to the pump/controller unit.