Abstract:
A midline catheter is provided. The midline catheter includes a shaft defining a lumen, the shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end includes two or more opposing notches thereon, each of the notches having an open notch distal end and an opposing notch proximal end formed as an arch. The catheter may also include written indicia thereon to indicate that it is a midline catheter and/or is power injectable or non-power-injectable.
Abstract:
A cannula-catheter bonding method and apparatus can include a needle (10) having a specifically configured connector end (12) to reduce the risk of the connector end disengaging with an adapter (30) (e.g., a catheter, a cannula, or a connector of a Huber needle assembly, etc.). The specifically configured needle connector end (12) can be a formation (20), such as a barb, a bead, an annular structure, a rib, etc. The formation (20) can be formed on the connector end (12), and may be elongated with a conical shaped nose (21) leading to a base (22) with a bottom (23). The formation (20) can be used to prevent movement of the needle (10) relative to the adapter (30). A method for producing the formation can include forming a mold (51) for the formation in a plate (50), where the connector end (12) can then be placed within the mold so that curable material can be disposed within the mold (51). Upon hardening of the curable material, the formation can take the shape of at least a portion of the mold.
Abstract:
A system for locating the tip of a catheter inside a human body is provided. The system includes a housing; a sound emitter and a sound sensor housed in the housing; a waveform generator configured to generate a fixed waveform at a desired frequency and having desired characteristics and output the fixed waveform to the sound emitter; a peripherally inserted central catheter fluidly coupled to the housing and configured to propagate the fixed waveform toward a heart of a patient; a sound sensor housed within said housing, said sound configured to sense sound waves reflected from the heart as the peripherally inserted central catheter is progressed toward a heart of a patient; and a waveform analyzer operably coupled to the output of the waveform generator and input from the sound sensor, the waveform analyzer operable to determine the difference between the output and input.
Abstract:
A method of determining information regarding an implanted medical device. The method includes scanning an infrared or near-infrared laser over a target area wherein a medical device (50) having at least one light affective area defined thereon is implanted; sensing reflected light from the scanned area; processing the reflected light and creating an image which indicates the light affective area based on a difference in the sensed light; and displaying the created image. A system (20) for determining information regarding an implanted medical device is also provided.
Abstract:
A dilator assembly used for the dilatation of vessel, tracts, or cavities. The dilator assembly comprises a hub portion, a shaft portion, and a tong tapered tip portion having a taper no greater than 4 Fr per 1 cm. In certain aspects, the taper of the tapered tip portion is between approximately 1 Fr per 1 cm to 1 Fr per 1.5 cm. The present invention obviates the need for pre-dilatation. The dilator shaft portion and/or the distal tapered tip portion are flexible, providing excellent tractabiiity, being capable of bending along a guide wire with minimal physical force and without kinking, to tract the curvature of a vessel, tract, or cavity. Additionally, a section of the shaft portion can be is capable of similarly bending along a guide wire. The present invention functions as a dilator, and tracts like a catheter over a guide wire.
Abstract:
A multi-lumen catheter comprising a longitudinally extending elongated body portion, with at least two septa extending longitudinally there through the entire body portion, defining a central lumen and two side lumens. The central lumen is of oblong shape in cross section, and is positioned between the side lumens. The septa that form the central lumen are configured to be capable of fixing outwards when the central lumen is under pressure, such as when used in procedures that require power injection, whereby a cross sectional area of the central lumen resultantly increases to increase flow capacity through the central lumen. In some embodiments, the central lumen has α defining inner surface such that a radius of curvature of the central lumen inner surface is, in all locations, equal to or greater than a radius of curvature of an outer surface of a guide wire used for insertion of the multi-lumen catheter. The septa are each configured to fail under pressure before failure of the outer wall.
Abstract:
An inflatable gastric band incorporates a fluid channel within an outer surface of the band and an inflatable bladder on a stomach-faeing side of the band. The gastric band attaches to a double lumen catheter, whieh communicates with a dual infusion port. One lumen communicates with the fluid channel and one port, while the other lumen communicates with the inflatable bladder and a second port. Injection of fluid into one chamber of the infusion port expands inflatable bladder, allowing adjustment to the diameter of the stoma. Injection of drugs or therapeutic agents into the second chamber allows the infusion of drugs or agents directly into the abdominal cavity of a gastric band recipient. The inflatable bladder can be eontinuous or segmented. A segmented bladder reduces pinching and/or folding of the inner surface of the gastric band during expansion/contraction, thereby lessening stomach pinching and/or irritation.
Abstract:
A tearaway introducer sheath assembly (10) for use in implantation of a catheter into a patient, having an elongated polytetrafluoroethylene sheath tube (12) and a proximal polyethylene hub component (16). The hub comprises two halves (22) insert molded about the sheath tube proximal end and joined to each other by frangible webs (28) enabling manual splitting. At least one pair of opposed holes (42) is formed through the tube proximal end portion 44, and a polyethylene liner (46) is inserted into the tube's proximal end portion. The polyethylene flows into the at least one pair of holes (42) to fuse with the liner, establishing a pair of physical joints (50') integrally joining the liner (46) to a respective hub half (22). Upon manual splitting of the hub halves, the sheath tube easily splits along its length as a result of a property of the polytetrafluoroethylene material.
Abstract:
A tearaway sheath assembly (100) having a splittable sheath tube (102) a splittable hub (110), a splittable valve (150) and a split cap (180). The valve (150) is of the elongated duckbill type and having a slit (158) almost completely across the distal end wall (154) such that two diverging sides (156) of the distal valve portion may be moved apart during insertion therethrough of a dilator or a catheter. A two-part cap (180) is affixed to the hub proximal end (120) and traps a seating flange (168) of the valve between itself and a seating groove (136) of the hub. Pairs of opposed gaps (184,122) of the cap (180) and the hub (110) are aligned with frangible sections or seams (108) of the sheath tube (102) and frangible sections (172) and slits (166) of the valve, facilitating splitting of the assembly (100) when desired by the practitioner to peel it away from the inserted catheter.
Abstract:
A tearaway sheath assembly (100) having a splittable sheath tube (102) a splittable hub (110), a splittable valve (150) and a split cap (180). The valve (150) is of the elongated duckbill type and having a slit (158) almost completely across the distal end wall (154) such that two diverging sides (156) of the distal valve portion may be moved apart during insertion therethrough of a dilator or a catheter. A two-part cap (180) is affixed to the hub proximal end (120) and traps a seating flange (168) of the valve between itself and a seating groove (136) of the hub. Pairs of opposed gaps (184,122) of the cap (180) and the hub (110) are aligned with frangible sections or seams (108) of the sheath tube (102) and frangible sections (172) and slits (166) of the valve, facilitating splitting of the assembly (100) when desired by the practitioner to peel it away from the inserted catheter.