Abstract: Disclosed herein are medical-device magnetizer systems and methods. In an example, a magnetizer system can be configured to impart one or more magnetic signatures to a medical device having ferrous elements for medical-device tracking. Such a magnetizer system can include, in some embodiments, a magnetizer. The magnetizer can have an elongate body with a single-dipole section, a multipole section, and a plurality of magnets configured to generate two or more magnetic fields. The single-dipole section can have a magnetizer body defining a cavity having a first magnetic field therein. The multipole section can have a second magnetic field therein. In another example, a method can include imparting a magnetic signature to a plurality of medical devices having ferrous elements using the magnetizer system.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a stabilization feature configured to be coupled to an ultrasound probe, or similar medical device and grasped by one or more fingers of a user. The user can then manipulate the stabilization feature and probe assembly without requiring any opposing pressure to be applied by the thumb. As such a user is free to use the thumb to operate controls disposed on the probe, or stabilize a skin surface, or the like. The stabilization feature can include a first portion configured to be grasped by one or more fingers, and a second portion configured to engage the probe. Further, the second portion can engage the probe through a sheath to maintain a sterile barrier therebetween. Alternatively, the first portion can be grasped by one or more fingers through a sheath to maintain a sterile barrier therebetween.

Abstract: Devices and methods for restoring patency of a catheter. Devices can include an elongate member configured for insertion through the catheter. Elongate members can facilitate delivery of a chemical agent directly to a catheter blockage and/or facilitate agitation of the chemical agent in close proximity to the blockage. A catheter or catheter system disclosed herein includes a device for removing the blockage. The device for removing a blockage from a catheter can include an elongate member configured for insertion through a catheter lumen, the elongate member defining a proximal end and a distal end, and an agitation actuator coupled with the elongate member adjacent the proximal end, wherein operation of the actuator causes agitation of a fluid adjacent the distal end.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system and methods for monitoring a medical process. The system can include a plurality of electrodes coupled with a medical device, and a monitoring module electrically coupled with the plurality of electrodes, the module including logic stored in memory that, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of operations including transmitting an electrical signal between a first electrode and a second electrode, determining an electrical impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode, and providing a notification to the operator when the determined electrical impedance is outside a predefined impedance range. The system can include logic stored in memory that, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of operations including transmitting an electrical signal between a first distal electrode and a second proximal electrode and determining an electrical impedance between the electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound imaging system configured to guide medical device insertion. The ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound generation device configured to detect one or more anatomical targets within a target area, and one or more projectors configured to project one or more icons within the target area. The ultrasound imaging system can also include a console configured to generate the one or more icons. The console can be coupled to the ultrasound probe, and be in communication with each of the ultrasound generation device and the one or more projectors.

Abstract: A magnetizer system for use with a medical device including ferrous elements. The magnetizer can include a magnetizer body defining a cavity, the magnetizer body having a body opening in communication with the cavity, the magnetizer body including one or more magnets configured to generate a magnetic field configured to imprint a magnetic signature on ferrous elements within the cavity. The magnetizer can include one or more mechanisms configured to detect the presence of the medical device.

Abstract: An ultrasound system is disclosed that includes an ultrasound imaging device including a display screen, a processor and memory having stored thereon logic, and an ultrasound probe. The logic of the ultrasound imaging device, upon execution by the processor, can causes an alteration of content displayed on the display screen in accordance of with ultrasound probe movement-related data. The ultrasound imaging device can include a light source configured to provide incident light to the optical fiber cable, the optical fiber cable including a plurality of reflective gratings disposed along a length thereof. Each of the plurality of reflective gratings can be configured to reflect light with different specific spectral widths to provide distributed measurements in accordance with strain applied to the optical fiber cable. The ultrasound imaging device can obtain the ultrasound probe movement-related data through an optical fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method directed to detecting placement of a medical device within a patient body, where the system includes a medical device including an optical fiber having core fibers, each of the one or more core fibers including a plurality of sensors each configured to (i) reflect a light signal having an altered characteristic due to strain experienced by the optical fiber. The system further includes logic configured to cause operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the incident light from the sensors, processing the reflected light signals to detect fluctuations of a portion of the optical fiber, and determining a location of the portion of the optical fiber based on the detected fluctuations. In some instances, the detected fluctuations are caused by anatomical movement of the patient body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound imaging system including an ultrasound probe and a blood vessel visualization device. The ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound generation device and is configured to detect one or more blood vessels. The blood vessel visualization device is configured to project a depiction of the blood vessel topography within a target area. The blood vessel visualization device can include one or more near-infrared/infrared emitters configured to generate infrared/near-infrared waves within the target area, one or more near-infrared/infrared sensors configured to detect the difference in reflective properties of tissue and blood vessels within the target area, and one or more visual light projectors configured to project a blood vessel visualization depiction of the blood vessel topography onto the target area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a medical device system configured to detect one or more blood vessels within a target area. The medical device system includes an ultrasound probe configured to detect one or more blood vessels, the ultrasound probe in communication with a console. The medical device system further includes one or more blood vessel correlation tools configured to generate a local output detectable by a user. The one or more blood vessel correlation tools are coupled to the ultrasound probe and in communication with a console. The one or more blood vessel correlation tools are selected from the group consisting of a light array, one or more visible light projectors, a haptic feedback system, and an auditory device.

Abstract: An elongate multi-core optical fiber instrument for insertion within a patient body includes a set of first optical fiber cores extending along a first sensing region of the multi-core optical fiber instrument, where each first optical fiber core includes a set of first sensors disposed along the first region and a set of second optical fiber cores extending along a second sensing region of the multi-core optical fiber instrument, where each second optical fiber core includes a set of second sensors disposed along the second sensing region. The first sensing region is located distal the second sensing region, and the first optical fiber cores extend along the second sensing region. Also disclosed is a console for providing an incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber instrument, receiving reflected light signals from the sensors, and determining a parameter experienced by instrument in accordance with the reflected light signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computing device controller system including a computing device outside of a sterile field, and a controller in communication with the computing device, the controller having a controller body including an input mechanism, the input mechanism including one or both of a non-tactile input and a tactile input, wherein the input mechanism is configured to be accessible in the sterile field and to provide one or more input parameter changes to the computing device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wireless medical device powering system configured to power an untethered medical device including a first medical device having an induction receiving coil, the induction receiving coil in communication with each of one or more electrical systems and a first medical device console comprising one or more processors, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a plurality of logic modules. The system can include a wireless powering device configured to wirelessly provide power to the first medical device, the wireless powering device having a body including an induction transmitting coil.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a patient body, where the system includes the medical instrument having a first optical fiber, a console and an interconnect having a second optical fiber to receive incident light from the console and propagate the incident light to the medical instrument. The interconnect includes a predetermined bend along its length, such that logic of the console may determine a positioning and an orientation of the medical instrument relative to the predetermined bend. Additionally, the logic may generate a display of the medical instrument based on the reflected light signals and the determination of the positioning and the orientation of the medical instrument relative to the predetermined bend, where the display may be rendered as an overlay on an ultrasound image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound probe securement device to secure an ultrasound probe to a patient. The securement device can include a probe coupling mechanism to couple an ultrasound probe to the securement device, a patient coupling mechanism to couple the securement device to a patient, and a constraining mechanism to maintain an acoustic coupling of the ultrasound probe with the patient during an ultrasound procedure without user intervention.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system is disclosed that includes an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers configured to acquire ultrasound images, a processor and non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic that, when executed by the processor, is configured to perform operations including receiving ultrasound imaging data, detecting one or more blood vessels within the ultrasound imaging data, identifying at least one blood vessel of the one or more blood vessels as an artery or as a vein, and rendering a visualization of at least a subset of the one or more blood vessels on a display. The logic may, when executed by the processor, cause performances of further operations including identifying the at least one blood vessel as the artery at least one differentiating characteristic of a plurality of differentiating characteristics of blood vessel type.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system is disclosed that can include an ultrasound probe including a transducer array configured to acquire ultrasound images, and a console including a processor and non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of logic modules that, when executed by the processor, are configured to perform operations including receiving an ultrasound image, detecting one or more targets within the ultrasound image, and generating a visualization from the ultrasound image to center the one or more detected targets within a displayed portion of the ultrasound image. Generating the visualization may include cropping the ultrasound image to center the one or more detected targets within a displayed portion of the ultrasound image. Generating the visualization may include increasing a magnification of a cropped portion of the ultrasound image to center the one or more detected targets within a displayed portion of the ultrasound image.

Abstract: Blood vessel recognition and needle guidance systems, components, and methods thereof are disclosed. A console can be configured to instantiate a target recognition process for recognizing an anatomical target, such as a blood vessel, of a patient and a needle guidance process for guiding insertion of a needle into the anatomical target using ultrasound-imaging data received by the console. The system can perform target identification based on artificial intelligence (AI), which can be trained to recognize targets based on the ultrasound image. The ultrasound probe can be configured to provide to the console electrical signals corresponding to the ultrasound-imaging data. The ultrasound probe can include an array of transducers and, optionally, an array of magnetic sensors respectively configured to convert reflected ultrasound signals from the patient and magnetic signals from the needle, when magnetized, into the electrical signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a vasculature of a patient body, where the medical instrument includes an optical fiber having one or more core fibers. The system also includes a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, processing the reflected light signals associated with the optical fiber and determining a location of a distal tip of the medical instrument within the patient body. The medical instrument may be steerable in one of various methods including having a predetermined curvature, a distal tip that is magnetic, magnetized, metallic or ferrous and is steerable by an external magnetic device or a having a variable stiffness at a distal tip.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are optical-fiber stylet holders and methods thereof for holding optical-fiber stylets in position in catheters or the like while preventing breakage of optical fibers in the optical-fiber stylets and maintaining functionality of the optical-fiber stylets. The holding of optical-fiber stylets in position in catheters or the like can be important for maintaining distal tips of intravascularly delivered optical-fiber stylets in their target anatomical locations during procedures.