A catheter assembly may include an over-the-needle catheter and introducer needle. The catheter may include a distal tip and an elongate tubular portion proximate the distal tip of the catheter. The distal tip may be constructed of a first material and may include at least a portion of a stepped surface. The tubular portion may be constructed of a second material having a harder durometer than the first material. The introducer needle may include a needle feature having another stepped surface configured to abut the stepped surface of the catheter when the introducer needle is in an insertion position such that proximal movement of the distal tip of the catheter relative to the introducer needle is inhibited.

Rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”), RICC insertion assemblies, and methods are disclosed. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer, and an access guidewire. An introducer needle can include a needle shaft having a longitudinal gap extending from a proximal portion of the needle shaft through a needle tip. An introducer sheath can include a splittable sheath hub coupled to a splittable sheath body. The introducer sheath can be disposed over the introducer needle with the sheath body sealing the needle shaft for drawing a vacuum through the introducer needle. The access guidewire can extend along an entirety of a primary lumen of the RICC, through a splittable valved port of the sheath hub, along a sheath body-covered needle channel of the needle shaft, and to a location in the introducer proximal of the needle tip in a ready-to-operate state of the RICC insertion assembly.

Techniques and technologies for guiding medical instruments during medical procedures using real-time imaging technologies are disclosed. A representative apparatus includes a medical instrument, an imaging system, a stage assembly, and a control system. The medical instrument includes an elongated portion configured to be inserted into a body portion and having an optical fiber that includes a tip portion that is extendable beyond a distal end of the elongated portion. The imaging system provides a sampling energy that is emitted from the tip portion. The stage assembly actuates the tip portion to perform scanning of one or more tissues with the sampling energy. The imaging system receives a reflected energy, providing a plurality of one-dimensional arrays of intensity values of the reflected energy. The control system analyzes the plurality of one-dimensional arrays of intensity values to determine a shape and a location of the target tissue, and displays information for guiding the medical instrument into engagement with the target tissue.

The invention relates to a holder device for holding a medical instrument, the device comprising:

a base that is to be carried by an apparatus comprising a medical imaging probe associated with the medical instrument; and

a carrier structure for carrying the medical instrument and movably mounted on the base so as to be capable of moving on the base between a first position and a second position.

The invention also relates to an installation including both such a device and a needle-guide.

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a vein introducer and/or cannulation needle. Specifically, the needle includes a straight section attached to a distal end of a housing, and a curved section that comprises sharp tip. The curved or arcuate section is shaped to facilitate vessel introduction and maneuverability. Thus, the curved shape of the needle allows a user to access an internal vessel (e.g., a subclavian vein) in a parallel manner. As a result, the vessel can be accessed more safely and with decreased pain. The disclosed needle can therefore be used to provide fluidic and/or instrument access to an internal body structure (e.g., a subclavian vein).

A catheter system may include a catheter assembly. The catheter assembly may include the catheter adapter, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, an inner surface forming a lumen, the lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end, and a side port disposed between the distal end and the proximal end. The catheter assembly may include an annular valve, which may be disposed within the lumen and aligned with the side port. The annular valve may seal a fluid pathway from the side port to the lumen. The catheter assembly may include a retainer ring or a bump disposed proximal and/or proximate the annular valve within the lumen. The catheter assembly may include a catheter extending distally from the distal end of the catheter adapter.

Disclosed are compact rapidly insertable central catheter (“RICC”) insertion assemblies and methods. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer assembly, an access guidewire, and a coupler coupling together the RICC and the introducer assembly. The RICC can include a catheter tube, a catheter hub, and one or more extension legs connected in the foregoing order. The introducer assembly can include an introducer needle coupled to a syringe. The introducer needle can include a needle-hub through hole passing through a needle hub and connecting to a needle-shaft lumen of a needle shaft. The access guidewire can include a proximal portion disposed in the RICC and a distal portion disposed in the needle-shaft lumen through the needle-hub through hole. The coupler can enforce a loop in the access guidewire over which the catheter tube follows, thereby compacting the RICC insertion assembly and making it easier to handle.

Disclosed herein are couplers and assemblies thereof for rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”). For example, a coupler assembly can include an introducer needle and a coupler coupled together. The introducer needle can include a needle hub over both a needle shaft and a sheath over the needle shaft. The needle shaft can include a longitudinal needle slot extending through a distal needle tip. The sheath can seal the needle slot thereunder except for the needle slot under a sheath opening in a proximal portion of the sheath. The needle hub can include a needle-hub clip. The coupler can include a coupler housing and an extension arm connected to the coupler housing. The needle-hub clip can be clipped onto the coupler housing in at least a ready-to-deploy state of the coupler assembly. The extension arm can be configured for attaching a proximal end of an access guidewire thereto.

Disclosed herein are couplers and assemblies thereof for rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”). For example, an introducer-needle assembly for a RICC can include an introducer needle and a coupler coupled therewith. The introducer needle can include a needle having a longitudinal needle slot extending from a proximal portion of the needle shaft through a distal needle tip. A sheath can be over the needle shaft sealing the needle slot thereunder except for a portion of the needle slot under a sheath opening in a proximal portion of the sheath. A needle hub can include a distally extending needle-hub extension arm over the proximal portions of the needle shaft and sheath. The needle hub can also include a needle-hub portion of a RICC clip configured to hold a portion of the RICC therein. The coupler can include a complementary coupler portion of the RICC clip connected to a coupler housing.

Disclosed are splittable sealing modules for insertion assemblies of rapidly insertable central catheters (“RICCs”) and methods thereof. A RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer needle, an access guidewire, and a coupler coupling the RICC and the introducer needle together. The introducer needle can include a proximal portion of a sealing-module insert coupled to a distal portion of a needle hub. The coupler can include a coupler housing including a sealing-module cavity and a distal portion of the sealing-module insert disposed in the sealing-module cavity. The sealing-module cavity and the proximal and distal portions of the sealing-module insert form a splittable sealing module of the RICC insertion assembly. The splittable sealing module can be configured to separately seal around the introducer needle and the access guidewire disposed therein when the proximal and distal portions of the sealing-module insert are compressed in the sealing-module cavity.