An expandable introducer sheath with an interlock dilator. The present technology provides an expandable sheath with a step feature inside its distal opening, and a dilator with an interlock that includes a catch surface configured to engage with the step feature and resist further relative movement so that the body of the dilator is prevented from exiting the distal end of the expandable sheath. This interlocking engagement may allow the dilator to be used to extend and maintain tension on the expandable sheath during insertion into a patient, and then to be retracted from the expandable sheath by pulling the dilator in the opposite direction. The present technology also provides a dilator hub with a spring mechanism configured to achieve and maintain a desired tension on the expandable sheath and to prevent overextension of the expandable sheath when the dilator is being inserted into the expandable sheath.

A system for manipulating a guide catheter within a patient's nasal passages or sinus cavities includes a guide catheter formed from an elongate flexible member having a lumen passing there through. A wire guide is slidably disposed within the lumen of the guide catheter. The system further includes a steering member fixedly secured to a proximal end of the wire guide and a proximal hub secured to a proximal end of the guide catheter. The system further includes a recessed handle having a first recess for fixedly receiving the proximal hub of the guide catheter and a second recess for receiving the steering member, the second recess being dimensioned to permit axial and rotational movement of the steering member while disposed in the second recess.

A tissue-cutting dilator can include an elongate dilator body, a dilator tip, a plurality of retractable blades, and a cap. The dilator body can include a plurality of longitudinal guide slots along a distal portion of the dilator body. The dilator tip can be formed in the distal portion of the dilator body or coupled to a distal end of the dilator body. The dilator tip can include a plurality of blade slots. The blades can be disposed in the dilator body. The blades can be configured to extend through the blade slots in a ready-to-dilate state of the dilator to cut tissue around an insertion site upon insertion into the insertion site. The cap can be slidably disposed over the dilator body. The cap can cover the dilator tip in at least the ready-to-dilate state of the dilator.

The present disclosure provides a guide wire system comprising (a) a guide wire having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the guide wire comprises a superelastic material, (b) a first connector coupled to the proximal end of the guide wire, (c) a second connector coupled to the guide wire between the distal end and the proximal end, (d) an electromagnetic sensor coupled to the distal end of the guide wire, and (e) a polymeric tube surrounding the guide wire and at least a portion of the electromagnetic sensor.

A method is provided for making a fiber wire having a fiber bundle core and a polymer jacket. The method includes rotating a spool of fiber bundle about a first rotational axis to progressively unwind the fiber bundle from the spool. The fiber bundle includes a plurality of continuous synthetic fiber filaments. While the spool is rotated about the first rotational axis, the spool is simultaneously rotated about a second rotational axis to thereby twist the unwound fiber bundle about its longitudinal axis. The method further includes coating the twisted fiber bundle with a molten polymer, and permitting the molten polymer to cool to define a flexible outer jacket that encapsulates the twisted fiber bundle.

Apparatus and methods are provided for accessing body lumens and/or for delivering instruments into body lumens, e.g., vessels within a patient's vasculature. A flexible sheath is provided that is expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen therein. The sheath is lubricious and has a relatively thin wall, thereby providing a collapsible/expandable guide for delivering fluids and/or instruments through tortuous anatomy and/or into relatively narrow passages. The sheath is advanced from an entry site to a body lumen in the contracted condition. Once the sheath reaches a target body lumen, the sheath is expanded to the enlarged condition, thereby defining a lumen within the sheath, and fluids and/or instruments are introduced into the body lumen via the sheath lumen. Upon completing the procedure, the sheath is removed from the body lumen.

The invention provides a novel prostate dilation catheter, which comprises a main tube, wherein a urinary catheterization cavity, an internal capsule cavity, an external capsule cavity and a flushing cavity are provided inside the main tube, a composite bar-like high pressure water capsule is arranged in front portions of an outlet of the urinary catheterization cavity and an outlet of the flushing cavity, the composite bar-like high pressure water capsule comprises an internal capsule and an external capsule, the internal capsule is arranged inside the outer capsule and at a front end of the outer capsule, and the front ends of the internal capsule cavity and the external capsule cavity are formed with openings which are located inside the internal capsule and the external capsule respectively. Utilization of such structure makes the catheter will automatically move towards the inside of bladder after a bladder neck is dilated, so as to remove compression on an external sphincter to prevent occurrence of urinary incontinence; and in addition, it is more conducive to preoperative localization and postoperative fixation of the catheter, and can avoid bladder spasm caused by postoperative compression of the catheter on crypt.

A catheter system for accessing the central venous system through an occlusion in the neck region.

An angioplasty apparatus and method, with a self-expanding stent, for facilitating accurate placement of the self-expanding stent for dilating a patient's blood lumen stenosis, the apparatus includes arcuate, low pressure, balloon segment(s) connected at a distal end of a deployment catheter assembly with axial gap(s) to facilitate continuous blood flow during a stenting procedure.

An apparatus includes a shaft, an expandable dilation member, and a bulbous tip. The shaft has a first outer cross-sectional dimension. The dilation member is positioned proximal to the distal end of the shaft. The dilation member is operable to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The dilation member is sized to pass through a passageway associated with drainage of a paranasal sinus or a Eustachian tube when the dilation member is in the non-expanded configuration. The bulbous tip is positioned at the distal end of the shaft. The bulbous tip is distal to the dilation member. The bulbous tip has a second outer cross-sectional dimension. The second outer cross-sectional dimension is larger than the first outer cross-sectional dimension. The bulbous tip is removably secured to the distal end of the shaft.