A catheter that has a catheter tube everting inside-out during the process of catheterization. The catheter tube has a plurality of longitudinal protrusions extending from the first end of the catheter tube through at least a portion of the catheter tube, and forming an angle of 0 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube and facing radially inwards, and provides for dilating a circumference of the catheter tube upon everting the catheter tube inside-out from the first end of the catheter tube.

A catheter assembly includes a catheter at least partially positioned within a sleeve. The catheter has a coating, which produces a low-friction surface on the catheter when treated with an activating fluid. A protective tip is connected to the sleeve and has proximal and distal internal seals, with the proximal seal at the proximal end of the tip or between proximal and distal ends of the protective tip. A cap of the assembly has a projection, which is removably received within the protective tip for sealing engagement with the proximal and distal seals to define a fluid reservoir within the protective tip. An activating fluid is contained within the fluid reservoir. The projection may be partially hollow to receive a portion of the catheter. The sleeve may be relatively narrow or at least have a narrowed portion for better distribution of activating fluid to the surface of the catheter.

An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-adhesive/anti-clogging and/or color marked/tinted micro-capillary tube (microtube), microneedle, or micropipette. Typically, the color/tint will be selected such that the tip of the microneedle or micropipette is in contrast (e.g., visually) to the biological material. The tint/color may be selected to contrast the stained biological material. In some aspects, the color mark comprises nanoparticles that are modified by adding a non-adhesive coating/material that minimizes protein adhesion/adsorption. The microtubes and/or micropipettes may be treated with an anti-clogging reagent and an anti-adhesive reagent to prevent or reduce clogging and adhesion of the micropipette or microneedle to biological materials. The microtubes and/or micropipettes may be formed using additive printing processes and additive manufacturing techniques or from micropipette and microneedle pullers.

A steerable sheath includes an elongate shaft, a handle, an actuator element on the handle, and a plurality of control wires operably coupled to the elongate shaft and the actuator element. Actuation of the actuator element adjusts a shape of a proximal curve and a distal curve on the elongate shaft.

A method of making a ready-to-use catheter assembly is provided, which can be immediately used by a patient. The ready-to-use catheter assembly ensures that the catheter does not suffer from a loss of quality during its shelf life and a wetting medium are provided. The method comprises: placing a catheter with an inactivated hydrophilic outer surface at least along its insertable length and a wetting medium in a catheter package; treating the catheter package with the catheter and the wetting medium with electro-magnetic and/or particle radiation while at least initially the hydrophilic outer surface at least along the insertable length of the catheter remains inactivated; and activating the hydrophilic outer surface at least along the insertable length of the catheter with the wetting medium during and/or after the radiation treatment and wherein the wetting medium decreases in viscosity when submitted to electro-magnetic and/or particle radiation.

A urinary catheter wetting apparatus (121) has a chamber defined by a forward section (123) opposite to a rearward section (125) each having an aperture (143,153) of which are axially aligned. A catheter tube is connected to a connector (161), the latter of which spans the chamber and initially seals the two apertures. The connector is slideable through the first facial surface (129) of forward section and the second end wall (131) of the rearward section so the catheter tube can be drawn through the chamber. A wetting applicator (151) holding a wetting agent is disposed in the chamber. Upon use, the connector passes through the chamber, applying pressure to the wetting applicator, thereby releasing the wetting agent from the wetting applicator and onto the catheter tube as it follows the connector through the chamber.

A medical tube having improved lubricity is disclosed. The medical tube is produced by extruding a polymer material blended with a lubricity enhancing additive through a resilient die. The polymer material can be medical-grade high-density polyethylene, and the lubricity enhancing additive can be a silicone-based or alloy-based material. The medical tube can include one or more internal elongated protuberances so as to reduce the internal surface area of the medical tube available to generate friction on a guide wire inserted or withdrawn through the medical tube.

A medical tube having improved lubricity is disclosed. The medical tube is produced by extruding a polymer material blended with a lubricity enhancing additive through a resilient die. The polymer material can be medical-grade high-density polyethylene, and the lubricity enhancing additive can be a silicone-based or alloy-based material. The medical tube can include one or more internal elongated protuberances so as to reduce the internal surface area of the medical tube available to generate friction on a guide wire inserted or withdrawn through the medical tube.

A cable includes a sheath, and a coating film covering a circumference of the sheath. The coating film adheres to the sheath. The static friction coefficient of a surface of the coating film is smaller than the static friction coefficient of a surface of the sheath. The adhesion strength between the sheath and the coating film is 0.30 MPa or more.

A cable includes a sheath, and a coating film covering a circumference of the sheath. The coating film adheres to the sheath. The static friction coefficient of a surface of the coating film is smaller than the static friction coefficient of a surface of the sheath. The adhesion strength between the sheath and the coating film is 0.30 MPa or more.