Devices for nasal insertion may include an open-ended tubular element which extends along a central tube axis between a first end and a second end, the first end being larger than the second end, and in which the tubular element includes at least one spiral strut extending from the first end to the second end, and/or a nodule having an internal face, a rounded external face, and a stalk extending from the internal face and terminating in an anchor sufficiently larger than a receptacle in the tubular element and sufficiently deformable as to be pressed through the receptacle to affix the nodule to the tubular element.

A catheter assembly may include an over-the-needle catheter and introducer needle. The catheter may include a distal tip and an elongate tubular portion proximate the distal tip of the catheter. The distal tip may be constructed of a first material and may include at least a portion of a stepped surface. The tubular portion may be constructed of a second material having a harder durometer than the first material. The introducer needle may include a needle feature having another stepped surface configured to abut the stepped surface of the catheter when the introducer needle is in an insertion position such that proximal movement of the distal tip of the catheter relative to the introducer needle is inhibited.

A microcatheter with a guidewire therein can be steered to target tissue, then the target tissue can be punctured with the guidewire to create a transseptal puncture. The microcatheter can have a diameter substantially smaller than known sheaths which are typically used to guide a needle to a target puncture site in known transseptal puncture treatments. The guidewire can have an atraumatic, electrically conductive distal end that can be electrically energized to puncture the target tissue. Once the guide wire is across, ancillary devices such as a dilator and sheath can be delivered over the guide wire across the transseptal puncture. The microcatheter can include one or more location sensors. A navigation module can use the electrically conductive distal end as a reference electrode to the location sensor(s) of the microcatheter.

A microcatheter with a guidewire therein can be steered to target tissue, then the target tissue can be punctured with the guidewire to create a transseptal puncture. The microcatheter can have a diameter substantially smaller than known sheaths which are typically used to guide a needle to a target puncture site in known transseptal puncture treatments. The guidewire can have an atraumatic, electrically conductive distal end that can be electrically energized to puncture the target tissue. Once the guide wire is across, ancillary devices such as a dilator and sheath can be delivered over the guide wire across the transseptal puncture. The microcatheter can include one or more location sensors. A navigation module can use the electrically conductive distal end as a reference electrode to the location sensor(s) of the microcatheter.

A wiggle catheter (a dilator) is disclosed to facilitate advancing catheters after puncturing a blood pathway, including without limitation navigation of noncompliant hardware through a diseased lumen. The wiggle catheter includes a proximal section, a distal section, and an intermediate section disposed between the proximal section and the distal section, the intermediate section may include a plurality of angulated kinks along the long axis of the catheter, the angulated kinks having substantially the same diameter at the outer edge of the kinks, said diameter of the outer edge of the kinks being substantially same as the inner diameter of an introducer sheath whereby the wiggle catheter may be positioned inside the introducer sheath with the outer edges of the kinks in close proximity to the inner surface of the introducer sheath. The wiggle catheter may also include a sinusoidal waveform like structure or a helical or spiral structure.

An expandable inter-vivos tube that allows for the use in medical procedures while limiting known complications arising from conventional inter-vivos tubes is presented, wherein the expandable inter-vivos tube comprises a slit formed longitudinally within a tube and a plurality of nipples extending from an outer surface of the tube that are insertable within a corresponding one of a plurality of slides within an outer slidable element that is slidable within the slit. A position of the nipples within the slots causes a distance between the edges of the to increase; thus, increasing a circumference of the inter-vivos tube as the outer element is slide from a proximal end of the tube element to a distal end of the tube.

An expandable inter-vivos tube that allows for the use in medical procedures while limiting known complications arising from conventional inter-vivos tubes is presented, wherein the expandable inter-vivos tube comprises a slit formed longitudinally within a tube and a plurality of nipples extending from an outer surface of the tube that are insertable within a corresponding one of a plurality of slides within an outer slidable element that is slidable within the slit. A position of the nipples within the slots causes a distance between the edges of the to increase; thus, increasing a circumference of the inter-vivos tube as the outer element is slide from a proximal end of the tube element to a distal end of the tube.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for a catheterization system and related methods. The systems and methods provide for the initial placement of a smaller diameter catheter within a patient, the catheter being expandable to a larger diameter by the implementation of a dilator, wherein the dilator is configured to contact and expand a lumen of the catheter as it is inserted therethrough.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for a catheterization system and related methods. The systems and methods provide for the initial placement of a smaller diameter catheter within a patient, the catheter being expandable to a larger diameter by the implementation of a dilator, wherein the dilator is configured to contact and expand a lumen of the catheter as it is inserted therethrough.

A steerable transseptal punch system and method of using the steerable transseptal punch system to access the left atrium.