A medical assembly includes an expandable-mouth catheter and an introducer tool configured to facilitate advancement of the catheter into a delivery sheath. In some examples, a distal-most portion of the introducer tool includes a plurality of axial extensions separated by triangular-shaped slits. When the catheter is received within the introducer tool and when the introducer tool is received within a tapered portion of the delivery sheath, the axial extensions are configured to collapse radially inward to radially compress the expandable member and to enable the introducer to extend farther into the delivery sheath.

Devices and methods for increasing a patient's pulmonary arterial compliance are disclosed. The devices include catheters designed to create a connection between a patient's venous anatomy and the patient's pulmonary artery. With the arteriovenous connection various devices can be implanted in order to increase the volumetric compliance of the pulmonary artery. The devices include collapsible and expandable mechanisms which allow the effective pulmonary arterial volume to expand during systole and contract during diastole. The devices may include a balloon or balloon-like implants which cyclically shuttle a working fluid from the pulmonary artery to the vein and back. The devices may be adjustable to provide desired hemodynamic benefits. Methods are disclosed for making and using the inventive devices.

An elongate medical device shaft may comprise an elongate body and an annular electrode disposed on the elongate body. The annular electrode may define a longitudinal axis and have an outer diameter. The outer diameter may be greater at an axial center of the electrode than at an axial end of the electrode. Additionally or alternatively, the elongate body may comprise three longitudinal sections having three wall thicknesses. The middle wall thickness may be less than the proximal and distal wall thicknesses and the distal wall thickness may be less than the proximal wall thickness. Additionally or alternatively, the shaft may comprise an inner cylindrical structure and an outer tube. The outer tube may comprise a first radial layer and a second radial layer that is radially-outward of the first radial layer, the first radial layer, second radial layer, and inner structure having different stiffnesses.

A hub for an optical shape sensing reference includes a hub body (606) configured to receive an elongated flexible instrument (622) with a shape sensing system coupled to the flexible instrument within a path formed in the hub body. A profile (630) is formed in the hub body in the path to impart a hub template configured to distinguish a portion of the elongated flexible instrument within the hub in shape sensing data. An attachment mechanism (616) is formed on the hub body to detachably connect the hub body to a deployable instrument such that a change in a position of the hub body indicates a corresponding change in the deployable device.

A vascular access system can have a probe with a dynamically expandable distal end. The dynamically expandable probe can be inserted through a catheter while the catheter is positioned intravenously to facilitate fluid flow into or out from the catheter such as by moving an occlusion away from the catheter tip, removing an occlusion, accessing additional sources of blood and/or repositioning the catheter tip. Because it is dynamically expandable, the probe can minimize the likelihood that it will become occluded while it is inserted intravenously and may provide control over the rate of fluid flow into or out from the catheter.

A urinary catheter can be retained inside the body for extended periods. A catheter mating device can connect to the catheter to move the catheter inside of the body or remove it from the body. The catheter includes: (1) a tube having a lumen and an outer surface, (2) a retainer that may have an attachment portion attached to the tube and a flap or handle-shaped structure attached to the attachment portion, wherein the retainer has a first, contracted position and a second, extended position, and (3) an bladder retention structure at the catheter's distal end, wherein the bladder retention portion may comprise a flap or a handle-shaped portion and that has a first, compressed position and a second, extended position. The retainer and/or bladder retention structure each are configured to retain the catheter in the proper position inside of a user's body.

Devices for transferring fluid to or from a subject include an elongate tubular cannula having opposing proximal and distal ends with an axially extending lumen. The devices also include an elongate needle having opposing proximal and distal ends. The elongate needle is configured so that the distal end of the needle extends out of the distal end of the cannula a suitable adjustable distance. The devices also include a housing with a length adjustment mechanism that adjusts a length between the tip of the needle and the distal end of the tubular cannula.

A surgical device comprises an elongate shaft (12) which extends from a proximal end region to a distal end region thereof, the shaft (12) defining a first lumen (14) for receiving an elongate camera device therein, a second lumen (16) for receiving a tissue manipulation device therein, and a third lumen (18) for receiving a tissue retrieval device therein, the first, second and third lumens (14, 16, 18) extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region of the elongate shaft, and having respective open ends at the distal end region of the elongate shaft. The surgical device further comprises an elongate camera device which extends along the first lumen, a tissue manipulation device which extends along the second lumen, and a tissue retrieval device which extends along the third lumen.

This disclosure relates generally to treatment programs utilizing expansion elements, such as those associated with occlusion and therapeutic agent delivery devices, systems, and methods. In some more specific examples, treatment programs include expansion-contraction cycles at a pre-selected frequency profile configured to treat a particular condition, such as calcification of an arterial conduit, for example.

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.