Some embodiments relate to a method of reducing excess mucosa production and/or secretion in the respiratory tract, comprising: introducing into a respiratory tract lumen a device configured for damaging nerve tissue or blocking neural conduction in the surroundings of said lumen, the device comprising a plurality of energy emitters; positioning the energy emitters of the device inside the lumen at a distance from walls of the lumen; and activating the energy emitters to emit energy suitable to damage the nerve tissue enough to suppress parasympathetic nerve activity which causes excess mucosa production and/or secretion.

A catheter may include a catheter body having a tubular shape, a cuff encircling the catheter body, and a wire mesh attached to and encircling the catheter body. The cuff may be configured for facilitating fibrous tissue growth. The wire mesh may be configured for radially expanding away from the catheter body.

A method of manufacturing a catheter assembly including a proximal catheter assembly portion and a distal catheter assembly portion. The method of manufacturing comprises forming the proximal catheter assembly portion, creating a distal catheter assembly portion, and applying a polymeric coating to at least one of the proximal catheter assembly portion and the distal catheter assembly portion. The proximal catheter assembly portion can include a catheter hub and at least one cannula, the catheter hub including at least one fluid passageway in communication with a lumen of the at least one cannula. The distal catheter assembly portion can include a catheter tube defining at least one lumen designed to receive the at least one cannula. The polymeric coating is configured to provide a seal between the at least one cannula and the catheter tube when the proximal catheter assembly portion and the distal catheter assembly portion are connected.

The present invention includes the provision and use of a novel method and apparatus for anchoring a catheter line to the tissue of a patient (e.g., the internal fascia of a patient) for pain pump drug delivery. In one preferred form of the invention, the invention includes the provision and use of a catheter line fixation device including a housing and a collet assembly. The catheter line fixation device is intended to be adjustably secured to a catheter line, and the catheter line fixation device is intended to be secured to the tissue of a patient (e.g., the internal fascia of a patient), so as to secure the catheter line to the tissue of the patient.

A support catheter includes: a distal shaft shaped as a tube into which a therapeutic catheter is insertable, the distal shaft including an inner layer and a reinforcing layer, the reinforcing layer being shaped as a tubular mesh including metal wires wound in first and second opposite directions; and a proximal shaft connected to the distal shaft. The reinforcing layer includes welds at intersections of the metal wires wound in the first and second directions. The welds are located in a limited region in a circumferential direction of the distal shaft. A covering member is located outside the welds.

A medical clip for holding a medical device. The medical clip includes a first jaw and a second jaw rotatably coupled to the first jaw, the first jaw and the second jaw being rotatable with respect to each other between a closed position and an open position; an elastomeric insert configured to be positioned between the first jaw and the second jaw. The elastomeric insert defining a cavity having a cavity depth that receives a medical device between the first jaw and the second jaw. In the closed position, a distal face of the first jaw and the second jaw define a distal opening configured to receive a portion of the medical device through the distal opening; and, a proximal face of the first jaw and the second jaw define a proximal opening configured to receive a second portion of the medical device through the proximal opening.

A device for axial and rotational locking of a dual catheter system and methods of the same. The system includes an outer catheter and an inner catheter adapted to be inserted into the outer catheter. The outer catheter extends along a catheter axis and includes an outer catheter shaft and an outer catheter hub. The inner catheter includes an inner catheter shaft and an inner catheter hub. The system also includes an intermediate hub located between the inner and outer catheters. The intermediate hub includes a deformable component positioned around at least a portion of the inner catheter. The deformable component is adapted to be inserted into the outer catheter hub such that the inner catheter is restricted, rotationally about and axially along the catheter axis, relative to the outer catheter.

An instrument having a flexible and elongated body includes at least a lumen and a flex member disposed within the lumen. The flex member may be capable of providing steering control to a first portion of the elongate body while providing load bearing support to a second portion of the elongate body. A pull wire may be disposed within the flex member, and at least a distal portion of the pull wire may be coupled to the elongate body and a proximal portion of the pull wire may be operatively coupled to a control unit. The control unit may be coupled to a proximal portion of the elongate body. In addition, a control member may be operatively coupled to the control unit such that a distal portion of the control member may be positioned near a proximal portion of the flex member. The control member may be configured to support the flex member and control the movement or displacement of the flex member. Furthermore, the flex member may be configured to selectively decouple articulation or steering forces of a first portion of the elongate body away from a second portion of the elongate body; thereby, preventing compression of the second portion of the elongate body while maintaining elasticity or flexibility of the second portion of the elongate body.

A surface-modified cannula includes a hollow shaft having a proximal opening and one or more surface features along a portion of the length of the hollow shaft, the one or more surface features including one or more channels, one or more depressions, and/or two or more ports each extending at least partially between an outer diameter and an inner diameter of the hollow shaft. The one or more surface features are configured to enable, upon delivery of the cannula to a position proximate to a wound site in the blood vessel, collection of the patient’s blood from the wound site, and ejection of the blood along an access path to the wound site, thereby enabling blood to migrate from the wound site to a region surrounding and extending from the wound site along the access path.

A method of stabilizing a tube at a stoma of a patient includes providing a stabilizing device having a base portion and a tube holding portion that is attached at the base portion via at least two legs and that, with the base portion affixed to the patient, is spaced from the stoma of the patient. The tube holding portion has a passageway therethrough that is configured to receive the tube that passes through the stoma. The tube holding portion may be adjusted to position the tube in a free-flow orientation or a restricted-flow orientation. The tube holding portion may include a disinfecting wiping element. The stabilizing device may have pads coupled to respective legs via an elastomeric connecting element to allow for adjustment of the pads relative to the legs. The tube holding portion may include flexible tabs that deflect to enlarge an effective diameter of the passageway.