An apparatus includes a hypodermic needle, a blood vessel dilator connected to the hypodermic needle, and an actuator connected to the blood vessel dilator in such a way that the actuator expands the blood vessel dilator. The blood vessel dilator helps mitigate blood vessel collapse.

Disclosed are introducer components, assemblies, and methods. For example, an introducer assembly can include an access guidewire loaded in a needle assembly fluidly connected to a syringe. The needle assembly can include a needle and a valve thereover. The needle can include a needle shaft including a needle lumen, a needle slot in a proximal portion of the needle shaft, and a needle hub over the proximal portion of the needle shaft but proximal of the needle slot. The valve can be over the needle slot with a valve port aligned with the needle slot. The access guidewire can be loaded in the needle lumen and sealed therein by way of the valve port in a ready-to-deploy state of the introducer assembly. In this way, the access guidewire can be immediately advanced into a blood-vessel lumen of a patient upon establishing a needle tract thereto with the needle assembly.

Embodiments of catheter placement systems described herein include a temporary splittable sheath anchor, disposed on an outer surface of a needle. The splittable anchor moves with respect to the needle when accessing the vessel, allowing for a temporary anchor to be created as soon as venous access is confirmed via flashback. The clinician can advance the anchor over the needle once vessel access has been confirmed by flashback. The needle can then be removed without further insertion into the vessel, mitigating accidental trauma. The guidewire can then be introduced through the anchor and advanced to a target location within the vasculature. The anchor can then be removed by splitting and withdrawing the anchor proximally. Embodiments further include a splittable advancement sheath including a guidewire and configured to be drawn thorough a housing and split to allow the guidewire to separate from the advancement sheath and advance into the vasculature.

A catheter system may include a catheter adapter having a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending therebetween. The system may include a catheter tube extending distally from the catheter adapter. The system may include an extension tube coupled to the proximal end of the catheter adapter. The extension tube may be extendable. The system may include a locking mechanism coupled to the extension tube and removably coupled to the proximal end of the catheter adapter. The system may include a needle hub removably coupled to a proximal end of the extension tube and an introducer needle extending through the catheter tube. A proximal end of the introducer needle may be secured within the needle hub.

A catheter assembly includes a catheter hub defining an interior cavity and a catheter tube extending distally thereof. A rigid actuator is positioned to extend proximally in the interior cavity and support a seal member positioned thereon in the interior cavity. The seal member includes a central membrane, a distal portion, and a proximal portion. An hourglass shaped actuator cavity is formed in the distal portion and receives a barbed end of the actuator. The outer surface of the seal member is in partial circumferential engagement with the catheter hub to define an air path that allows fluid communication between areas of the interior cavity distal and proximal of the seal member. The seal member may be configured for multi-use and include a biasing member that moves the seal member to force the membrane back over the actuator to close the membrane.

Needle assemblies and related methods having a needle hub with a needle, a catheter tube with a catheter hub and having the needle extending through the catheter tube, a valve positioned in an interior cavity of the catheter hub, a valve opener proximal of the valve, and a needle guard extending at least partially into the valve opener. The valve opener can be used with a range of needle sizes.

Advanced catheter placement systems require disengaging a needle from the guidewire without disturbing a position of the guidewire within the vasculature. Embodiments include withdrawing the needle proximally and drawing the needle over a splitter system that includes a splitter wedge. The splitter system separates the needle along a longitudinal axis. A portion of the guidewire can then pass between a first portion and a second portion of the needle, allowing the needle to disengage the guidewire. A catheter disposed on a proximal portion of the guidewire can then be advanced thereover into the vasculature. A needle safety system can adhere a puncture-resistant adhesive tape to the split portions of the needle. The tape can encapsulate the portions of the needle mitigating any damage or trauma caused by sharpened edges of the needle portions.

A device to couple a vascular access device to a medical device may include a body, a spring, and a housing. The body may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end. The proximal end of the body may include a connector. The housing may be coupled to a proximal end of the spring and may enclose the connector. A distal end of the spring may be coupled to the body. The housing may include a flap, which may include an antimicrobial compound. When the housing is disposed in a proximal position, the flap may cover the connector, the antimicrobial compound may contact the connector, and the spring may be uncompressed. In response to movement of the housing from the proximal position to a distal position, the spring may be compressed and the flap may open.

A catheter system may include a catheter adapter, a catheter extending distally from the distal end of the catheter adapter, and a needle hub coupled to the catheter adapter. The needle hub may be transparent, and a needle may be secured within the needle hub. The catheter system may also include a flow control plug coupled to the proximal end of the needle hub. In some embodiments, a flashback pathway may be disposed between an outer surface of the flow control plug and an inner surface of the needle hub. In some embodiments, the catheter system may include an inner barrel and an outer barrel, and the inner barrel and the needle hub may be configured to move proximally within the outer barrel to retract the needle. The flashback pathway may be disposed between an outer surface of the needle hub and an inner surface of the inner barrel.

In certain instances, an access system includes a connector to couple with a closed intravenous catheter system that includes a valve and a catheter tube. The access system can include a reinforcement member fixedly secured to the connector so as to be immobile relative thereto and oriented such that when the connector is coupled with the closed intravenous catheter system, a distal tip of the reinforcement member is at or proximally spaced from a proximal surface of the valve. The access system can include a cannula movable relative to the reinforcement member from a retracted position to an advanced position. At least a portion of the cannula can be advanced distally through the reinforcement member and then through the valve and subsequently into the catheter tube as the cannula is transitioned from the retracted position to the advanced position.