A catheter sheath comprises a tubular member connected to a catheter handle, the tubular sheath including one or more electrical conductors and one or more electrode rings attached to the tip of the tubular member. The tubular member further includes at least one opening that allows the one or more electrical conductor to be electrically connected to the one or more electrode rings. The electrode ring is slid over the tubular member so as to cover the opening. The tubular member and the electrode ring are subjected to heat treatment by induction heating so that the material of the tubular member melts locally around the electrode ring to form a seal between the tubular member and the electrode ring.

A method for producing a distal-end assembly of a medical device, the method includes disposing a first layer on at least part of a given section among one or more sections of a flexible substrate. At one or more selected locations on the given section, which are to serve as electrodes on the distal-end assembly of the medical device, a second layer is disposed so that, when brought into contact with tissue, the second layer has a reduced impedance for transferring electrical signals to or from the tissue at a predefined frequency range, relative to the first layer. The given section is shaped to form the distal-end assembly.

This disclosure describes a micro-cutting machine for forming cuts in catheters, guidewires, and similar products. The micro-cutting machine can directly control the dimensions of the resultant beams being cut into these types of products, and can also capture images of each cut for feedback control and accuracy verification. The micro-cutting machine has two cutting blades each with cutting edges aligned with a vertical axis. Motors operate to move the cutting blades in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stock material being cut to form a pair of opposing grooves in the stock material with each cut.

A medical device assembly includes a catheter with a catheter hub, a housing, a first wing, and a second wing. The housing surrounds the catheter hub, but is spaced from the catheter hub to define a channel. The first wing includes a first hook disposed in the channel to permit rotation of the first wing about the catheter hub. The second wing includes a second hook disposed in the channel to permit rotation of the second wing about the catheter hub.

A rapid exchange catheter includes a stiff proximal tube and a relatively flexible tapered distal tube, a guide wire tube being provided in the distal tube, with an aperture for access to the guide wire lumen being provided at the junction between the distal tube and the proximal tube, the tubes being bonded together at their junction.

This disclosure describes a micro-cutting machine for forming cuts in catheters, guidewires, and similar products. The micro-cutting machine can directly control the dimensions of the resultant beams being cut into these types of products, and can also capture images of each cut for feedback control and accuracy verification. The micro-cutting machine has two cutting blades each with cutting edges aligned with a vertical axis. Motors operate to move the cutting blades in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stock material being cut to form a pair of opposing grooves in the stock material with each cut.

A variable volume fluid dispenser (10) for medical therapy and diagnostic use includes a tubular body (12) having a proximal end (16) and a distal end (14). Each end includes a fluidic connector (18, 26) and the tubular body (12) defines an interior volume. A piston (30) is located within the interior volume and is configured to create a fluid and gas seal within the interior volume of the tubular body (12) and to move axially under the action of a displacement fluid via the fluidic connectors (18, 26) between the proximal end (16) and the distal end (14). The position of the piston (30) relative to the distal end defines the volume of fluid to be dispensed.

In order to improve work efficiency of inserting manipulators into proximal ends of an over tube, a medical manipulator system includes: manipulators having, at the proximal ends, proximal-end driving parts; an over tube having channels through which the manipulators pass; and a base provided with support parts to which proximal end parts of the over tube are attached, and driving sources that supply driving force to the proximal-end driving parts, wherein each support part includes a movable part movable between a first position where the longitudinal axis of the proximal end part is supported horizontally and a second position where the proximal end is supported at a further position from the top surface, and an urging part that moves the movable part to the second position during the proximal-end driving part is not connected to the driving source.

A percutaneous catheter for an extracorporeal blood circulator has a tubular reinforcement body comprised of a plurality of wires braided in a reticulated manner. The braided wires include first wires wound in a first helical direction and second wires wound in a second helical direction crossing the first wires to define regular gap portions. A portion of the first and second wires are deviated from the helical directions to enlarge a selected gap portion into a first opening portion. A resin layer coats the reinforcement body and includes a second opening portion coincident with the first opening portion to form a side hole for fluid communication between an interior lumen and an exterior of the catheter. A continuous reinforcement is provided between longitudinal ends of the tubular reinforcement body including a longitudinal region of the side hole.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods for merging a balloon catheter onto a locked guidewire. In one implementation, a balloon catheter may include an inflatable balloon affixed thereto and a slit extending from a distal end of a guidewire lumen to a position proximal of the balloon. The slit may be widened by a working member of an adapter to allow passage of the locked guidewire into the guidewire lumen of the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter may be merged onto the guidewire via the slit and delivered to the desired treatment device without requiring the guidewire to be unlocked. Advantageously, access to at least one desired treatment site may be maintained with the guidewire during merging of the balloon catheter.