A needle assembly (10) for relieving a pneumothorax and/or a hemothorax, the needle assembly (10) comprising a canula (12), the canula (12) comprising: a distal end portion (20) comprising a cutting end (22) for puncturing a thoracic cavity wall (24), a proximal end portion (14) for removing a fluid or gas from a thoracic cavity (28), a first curved portion (18) between the distal end portion (20) and the proximal end portion (14), an intermediate portion (16) between the first curved portion (18) and the proximal end portion (14), and a first fixing bulge (42) arranged between the first curved portion (18) and the intermediate portion (16), wherein an outer diameter of the canula (12) at the first fixing bulge (42) is increased with respect to the diameter (D1) of the intermediate portion (16), said first fixing bulge (42) being arranged such as to be placed at or close to the inner surface (24) of the thoracic cavity wall (24i), when the canula (12) is inserted for relieving the pneumothorax, such as to prevent or to reduce the risk that the canula (12) inadvertently slides out of its inserted position.

A catheter placement system including a catheter, a needle for creating an insertion site, and a skin nicking device for enlarging the insertion site. A catheter placement device includes the skin nicking device slidably coupled with the needle, where the skin nicking device has one or more blades attached to a frame thereof. Distally displacing the skin nicking device along the needle causes the blade to nick the skin to enlarge the insertion site. A shield of the skin nicking device transitions between a safe configuration encapsulating the blade and a use configuration exposing the blade and the shield may be biased toward the safe configuration. A latch secures the shield in the safe configuration and an actuator releases the latch. A sheath of the skin nicking device includes the needle slidably disposed within a lumen thereof and a sharp tip of the blade embedded within a wall thereof.

A catheter placement system having a catheter and a skin nicking device that includes a blade configured to nick the skin of a patient adjacent a catheter insertion site. The catheter includes a multi-luminal catheter tube coupled with multiple extension legs. The catheter tube includes a diameter transitioning section disposed between two sections of the catheter tube having different diameters. The skin nicking device is disposed within a lumen such that a blade at the distal of the skin nicking device protrudes from an aperture of the lumen. The skin nicking device is positionable and rotatable within lumen and removable from the lumen. The skin nicking device includes an elongate body that may include rigid portions and/or flexible portions.

According to an aspect, a cannula insertion mechanism includes a seal and a cannula carrier. The seal is configured to surround an opening of a housing, the seal including a first seal surface and a second seal surface, the first seal surface facing toward the opening, and the second seal surface facing away from the opening. The cannula carrier is configured to drive a cannula in a first direction through the opening of the housing, the cannula carrier having a first carrier surface and a second carrier surface, the first carrier surface being configured to exert a compression force on the second seal surface when the cannula carrier drives the cannula in the first direction, thereby causing the first seal surface to expand in a second direction to engage the second carrier surface via a clamping force.

Single use inserter system comprising a housing part and a lid part, the inserter system comprising a carrier part in an initial position in the housing and a drive unit comprising a first drive part attached to the housing, the drive unit comprising at least one spring element supported by the first drive part, wherein the drive unit is configured for moving the carrier part from a first position to a second position in relation to the housing in an insertion direction along a first axis. The inserter system comprises a transcutaneous device having a proximal surface and a distal surface, wherein the transcutaneous device is detachably attached to the carrier part, the inserter system comprising at least one transport protection element preventing movement of the carrier part in a direction along the first axis thereby supporting the carrier part in the initial position.

A drainage device may include a catheter including a proximal end and a distal end. The drainage device may further include a hub coupled to the proximal end of the catheter. The hub may include a fastener element configured to secure the distal end of the catheter. In some aspects, the fastener element may be a hinged element. In some aspects, the drainage device may further include a puncture element including a tip and an expander portion. In still other aspects, the puncture element may also include an attachment portion.

An insertion set system includes a base configured to be secured to a patient, and a flexible tubing on the base. The flexible tubing has a distal end portion forming a cannula to be inserted into the patient. An inserter having a needle is received by the base. The needle has a channel in which the distal end portion of the flexible tubing is received. The needle is able to slide relative to the flexible tubing, to selectively withdraw the needle off of the distal end portion of the flexible tubing. The base may include a passage for fluid flow arranged transverse to the axial dimension of the distal end portion of the flexible tubing.

A medical instrument that includes a needle and an expandable member located at a distal end of the needle. The expandable member includes a blocking member. The expandable member is configured to move tissue away from a distal end of the needle and/or from a distal end of a tubular member that is in fluid communication with a substance source. A substance is configured to be expelled into the anatomy through the expandable member. The blocking member is configured to restrict or prevent the substance from being expelled through the portion of the expandable member that includes the blocking member.

Devices and methods used to drain a spinal cyst are disclosed. An opening may be created by a medical device, such as a nested needle assembly, that is inserted percutaneously into a facet joint adjacent to the cyst. The needle assembly may include a first elongate member, needle or introducer cannula; a second elongate member, inner cannula, needle, or trocar; and a piercing needle. The piercing needle may be used to microfenestrate a wall of the cyst such that fluid within the cyst is permitted to drain from the cyst.

Catheter exchange systems and methods may use a cutting tool to sever an encrusted catheter. The cutting tool may include a flexible cannula to encompass and move along the encrusted catheter. A sheath may selectively cover the cutting tool. The cutting tool may selectively transition between a first position in which the cutter is within the sheath and a second position in which the cutting tool is extended beyond the sheath to sever a suture of the catheter. A locking stylet may be used to secure the position of the encrusted catheter and remove the encrusted catheter.