The present invention provides a guide wire and catheter disk holder that carries coiled guide wires and catheters with easy insertion of coiled guide wires and catheters through a side cutout on the holder allowing the user’s hand to extend through the disk. The coiled guide wires and catheters are inserted substantially along a plane of the disk thus encouraging uncoiling and expanding of the wires and catheters into a longitudinal channel of the disk. The secured wire can be pulled out of the disk by holding and pulling the entire coiled wire, or by simply pulling the end of the wire while the rest of the wire is still secured inside the holder. Optionally, a spool may be inserted into the disk holder in order to wind up uncoiled wire and catheter within the disk holder.

The invention features is an embodiment of a drainage catheter to be used to drain fluid or gas from any body space with an improved distal tip of variable configuration, to facilitate passage of a guide wire used for catheter exchange. The invention also features an embodiment of a retention mechanism used to stabilize the drainage catheter in the body, where in this embodiment the retention mechanism is located outside of the lumen of the tube as it courses from its distal attachment sites to the catheter hub.

An aspiration system exhibits an accelerated drop in negative pressure at the distal end of an aspiration catheter from the time of opening a valve. The system includes an aspiration pump in communication with a first chamber, and an aspiration catheter configured for placement into fluid communication with the first chamber by way of an elongate aspiration tube. A second chamber is provided between the aspiration tube and the catheter, and a valve is provided between the second chamber and the aspiration catheter. Upon opening of the valve with negative pressure at equilibrium in the first and second chambers, resistance to fluid flow between the second chamber and the distal end of the catheter is less than the resistance to fluid flow between the second chamber and the first chamber, causing a rapid aspiration into the second chamber.

An apparatus including a tubular channel having a pathway extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the tubular channel. The proximal end is configured to connect directly or indirectly to an end tidal CO.sub.2 monitor. The distal end has an opening. The apparatus further includes a detection member including a chamber disposed in fluid communication with the pathway of the tubular channel such that gas entering the tubular channel via the opening on the distal end passes into the chamber. A detection element is disposed within the chamber and includes a component that is sensitive to one or more systemic biomarkers such that, upon exposure to a predetermined concentration level of the one or more systemic biomarkers contained in the gas, a state of the detection element experiences a permanent alteration and the detection member indicates that the predetermined concentration level of the one or more systemic biomarkers is present in the gas.

An implantable renal replacement therapy device may include: a first catheter configured to be inserted into a blood vessel in a subject's body; a pump in fluid communication with the first catheter, the pump is configured to pump subject's blood from the blood vessel; a filter in fluid communication with the pump, the filter is configured to: receive the subject's blood from the pump, and filter the received blood to provide a filtered blood and a filtrate liquid, wherein the filter is in fluid communication with the first catheter to cause an outflow of the filtered blood from the filter to the blood vessel; and a second catheter in fluid communication with the filter and configured to be inserted into an urinary bladder in the subject's body to cause an outflow of the filtrate liquid from the filter to the urinary bladder.

The Peritoneal Conduit is a medical device composed of tubing with an integrated collar made of a flexible and non-absorbable material for surgical implantation to create a conduit for passage of a catheter between two body cavities. The Peritoneal Conduit has a hollow center that spans from one end (shorter proximal portion) to the other end (longer distal portion). The catheter that will be being placed through the Peritoneal Conduit will enter into the proximal portion and will pass through the hollow center of the Peritoneal Conduit to emerge from the distal portion. The catheter is then secured to the Peritoneal Conduit using one suture that is tied around the groove in the proximal portion of the Peritoneal Conduit. The Peritoneal Conduit itself is secured in placed using two sutures that are placed through the integrated collar at the junction of the proximal and distal portions of the Peritoneal Conduit.

Some embodiments of a medical system include a subcutaneous anchor device that extends outwardly from side wall of an intravenous cannula so as to secure the intravenous cannula in a position relative to a skin penetration point.

One embodiment is directed to a system for creating translumenal vascular access, comprising a dilator adaptor member having proximal and distal ends and defining a dilator adaptor lumen therethrough, wherein the dilator adaptor lumen is defined by an inner diameter profile sized to accommodate insertion of one or more portions of a guidewire, and wherein the dilator adaptor is further defined by an outer diameter profile sized to accommodate at least partial insertion of the proximal end of the dilator adaptor into a dilator member lumen formed through a dilator member, the dilator member being coupleable to an introducer catheter member through an introducer member lumen formed through the introducer member.

Devices and methods for providing an internal balloon sheath are disclosed. One device includes a sheath for insertion through an arteriotomy of a patient. The sheath comprises a tubular sheath body having a longitudinal axis, an open proximal end, an open distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a lumen between the proximal and distal ends for passage of a catheter device. The sheath also comprises an inflatable balloon disposed within the lumen. The inflatable balloon is configured to occupy a longitudinal space in the lumen between the inner surface of the sheath body and the catheter device when the catheter device is disposed within the sheath and the balloon is inflated, and fluidically seal the lumen.

A vascular access device may include a housing. An inner surface of the housing may include a groove disposed within the housing between the proximal end and the distal end. An advancement element may extend through the slot and may be configured to move linearly along the slot between a retracted position and an advanced position. An instrument, having a first end and a second end, may be disposed within the groove. In response to movement of the advancement element from the retracted position to the advanced position, the second end of the instrument may be advanced beyond the distal end. A support feature may be disposed on top of the groove or within the groove and configured to move distally in response to movement of the advancement element from the retracted position to the advanced position. The support feature may limit displacement of the instrument from the groove.