A catheter assembly includes a peripheral intravenous (“PIV”) portion that provides expedited vascular access. The catheter assembly includes an elongate catheter body defining a first lumen and includes a CVC portion, a transition portion, and a PIV portion. The PIV portion defines a relatively smaller diameter, a tapered tip, and a lumen configured to receive a needle. The needle extends through a needle access aperture, disposed through a side wall of the catheter body, through the PIV lumen, to a point beyond a distal end of the catheter body. A clinician accesses a vasculature using the needle and the PIV portion. The needle is then removed and a guidewire advanced through the lumen of the catheter body and the PIV portion into the vasculature. The CVC portion is then advanced over the guidewire into the vasculature, self-dilating the insertion site as the transition portion enters the vasculature.

An IV catheter-placement device and method thereof. The IV catheter-placement device can include a cartridge and a case fixedly disposed over the cartridge. The cartridge can include a barrel having a release button, a spring-loaded needle extending from the barrel, and an IV catheter including a catheter hub slidably disposed over the needle. The case can include a deployment button configured to slide the IV catheter over the needle. The deployment button can also be configured to press the release button when the deployment button slides into the release button. A spring compressed between a needle hub and a distal-end portion of the barrel can be released when the deployment button slides into the release button. An entirety of the needle is subsequently launched into a needle cavity of the barrel.

A vascular access device may include a housing, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end of the housing and the proximal end of the housing. The distal end of the housing may include a connector configured to couple to a catheter assembly. The vascular access device may include a bag, which may be coupled to the proximal end of the housing. The vascular access device may include an instrument and a pincher disposed within the bag. The pincher may be configured to pinch the instrument to move the instrument distally through the lumen of the housing and into the catheter assembly.

A catheter assembly may include a catheter adapter, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, a lumen extending through the distal end of the catheter adapter and the proximal end of the catheter adapter, and a side port disposed between the distal end of the catheter adapter and the proximal end of the catheter adapter. The catheter assembly may include a catheter extending distally from the distal end of the catheter adapter. The catheter assembly may include a valve disposed within the lumen. The catheter assembly may include a retainer element configured to secure the annular valve within the lumen. The retainer element may be disposed within the lumen proximal to a proximal end of the annular valve.

A needle assembly of a catheter system may include one or more features to facilitate flashback confirmation of catheterization while also preventing buildup of positive pressure within a flashback chamber of the needle assembly. The needle assembly may include a plug, which may include an aperture for receiving an introducer needle. A proximal opening of the introducer needle may be accessible from the proximal end of the needle hub. The plug may include a vent between an outer surface of the plug and an inner surface of the needle hub to prevent the buildup of positive pressure. The plug may include an extended distal end that reduces a volume of the flashback chamber. The plug may include a window in fluid communication with a notch of the introducer needle. Blood may flow from the notch into the flashback chamber with a reduced volume via the window of the plug.

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.

A safety intravenous catheter that includes a passive release feature. The catheter assembly includes ready, safe, and released positions. In the release position, a retainer being in a proximal retainer position relative to a collar enables release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device. The sharp tip of the insertion needle remains inaccessible in the release position in order to prevent unwanted needle sticks.

A flow restriction device may include a proximal housing including an internal fluid channel, a distal housing including an internal fluid channel, and an intermediate housing interposed between the proximal and distal housings. The intermediate housing may include an internal chamber, and a slider reciprocally disposed in the internal chamber. The slider may include an internal fluid channel and a seal overlaying an outer surface of slider excluding the fluid channel, and may be reciprocally movable between (i) a first position where the internal fluid channel of the slider is axially aligned with the internal fluid channels of the proximal and distal housings to allow a fluid to flow therethrough, and (ii) a second position where the internal fluid channel of the slider is not aligned with the internal fluid channels of the proximal and distal housings and the seal blocks fluid connection between the proximal and distal housings.

A low-profile universal passive protector for an IV catheter includes a connector having a tubular body and a pair of arms pivotally connected thereto. The tubular body defines an end face and the connector includes a cavity extending from the end face. An elongate sheath is snap engageable to the tubular body. A spring is insertable within the connector cavity to extend between at least one of the pair of arms and the elongate sheath when received within the cavity. A slider is moveably coupled to the sheath. The slider includes a flashback chamber formed therein. A hypodermic needle is connected to the slider and is in fluid communication with the flashback chamber. The slider is moveable along the sheath between a first position and a second position, with the hypodermic needle being drawn into the sheath as the slider moves from the first position toward the second position.

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.