An apparatus includes a catheter, an introducer, and an actuator. A distal end portion of the introducer has a lock configured to couple the introducer to a closed system intravenous line at least partially disposed in a body. The lock is configured to transition a seal of the closed system intravenous line from a closed state to an open state when coupled thereto. The actuator is at least partially disposed in the introducer and coupled to a proximal end portion of the catheter. The actuator is configured to move the catheter between a first position, in which the catheter is disposed within the introducer, and a second position, in which the catheter extends through the seal of the closed system intravenous line such that a distal end surface of the catheter is positioned distal to the closed system intravenous line.

A peripheral intravenous catheter assembly may include a low-drag septum. The septum may include a body having a distal end and a proximal end, which may be sealed. The septum may include a slot disposed within an outer surface of the body and oriented along a longitudinal axis of the body. The slot may include a distal end spaced apart from the distal end of the body, and a proximal end spaced apart from the proximal end of the body. An introducer needle may extend through the slot.

Bodily fluid sample collection systems, devices, and method are provided. The sample is collected at a first location and subjected to a first sample processing step. The sample may be shipped to a second location and subjected to a second sample processing step that does not introduce contaminants into a plasma portion of the sample formed from the first processing step. The sample may also be mixed with other material(s) in the collection device.

A regulator for modulation of the flow rate of blood out of a patients blood vessel during blood collection is disclosed. The regulator includes a housing having a housing inlet, a housing outlet, and a wall defining a housing interior. At least a portion of the wall includes a flexible member. A valve is associated with the flexible member and is in communication with the housing interior. The regulator is designed so that upon an application of a differential pressure within the housing interior, the flexible member and/or valve automatically move with respect to either the housing inlet or housing outlet to modulate a flow of blood moving through the housing. A manual over-ride device can be provided to enable a user to over-ride the automatic regulation and manually regulate the flow of blood through the housing.

A needle assembly is disclosed. The needle assembly includes a housing having a flash chamber, and having a distal end and a proximal end engageable with a specimen collection container. The assembly includes a cannula having a patient end, a non-patient end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining a cannula interior. The patient end of the cannula projects at least partially from the distal end of the housing, and the cannula interior is in fluid communication with the flash chamber. The assembly further includes a shield restrainably engaged with a portion of the housing and axially transitionable over the patient cannula from a retracted position in which the patient end is exposed, to an extended position in which the patient end is shielded by at least a portion of the shield, wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is visible in the retracted position.

A blood collection assembly to facilitate the assay of a blood sample, comprising: (i) an absorptive media configured to collect and release the blood sample, (ii) a cartridge defining a cavity and a blood-sampling end configured to hold the absorptive media against a dermal membrane containing the blood sample; (iii) a lancet disposed within the cavity and having a lance at one end thereof; and (iv) a plunger configured to extend and retract the lancet through the absorptive media to lance the dermal membrane and collect the blood sample within the absorptive media. The cartridge containing the blood-filled, absorptive media is configured to be placed into a blood assay device for extraction of the blood sample from the absorptive media.

A system and method for preparing a diagnostic fluid sample for use with a fluid assay system. The method comprises the steps of: amplifying the fluid sample to increase the number of cells subject to being tested; drawing a first volume of the fluid sample into a first syringe of a dual-barrel syringe and dispensing the first volume of the fluid sample through a media filter. The method further comprises the steps of placing the bacteria-laced filter into a lysis module; dispensing a first portion of a lysis buffer into the lysis module from the second syringe of the dual-barrel syringe; and dispensing a second portion of the lysis buffer through the media filter into a disposable cartridge of a fluid assay system.

The present invention includes a filter apparatus including a filtration unit; and a collection chamber in fluid communication with the filtration unit; wherein a vacuum draws the biological fluid through the apparatus; and wherein selected biological material comprised by the biological fluid is separated from a remainder of the biological fluid.

An analysis unit formed by an analysis body housing an analysis chamber and having a sample inlet and a supply channel configured to fluidically connect the sample inlet to the analysis chamber. Dried assay reagents are arranged in the analysis chamber and are contained in an alveolar mass. For instance, the alveolar mass is a lyophilized mass formed by excipients and by assay-specific reagents.

An analysis unit formed by an analysis body housing an analysis chamber and having a sample inlet and a supply channel configured to fluidically connect the sample inlet to the analysis chamber. Dried assay reagents are arranged in the analysis chamber and are contained in an alveolar mass. For instance, the alveolar mass is a lyophilized mass formed by excipients and by assay-specific reagents.