A dilation catheter system includes a body and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly extends passed a distal end of the body. The shaft assembly includes a fixed guide member, a catheter shaft, a dilator, a removable guide member, and a guidewire. The fixed guide member is fixed relative to the body. The dilator is fixed to the catheter shaft. The catheter shaft is operable to expand the dilator. The removable guide member is operable to selectively attach to the body. The catheter shaft is slidably disposed along the removable guide member such that the catheter shaft is configured to translate along the removable guide member. The guidewire is slidably disposed within the removable guide member.

A dilation catheter system includes a body, a guidewire, and a dilation catheter having an elongate shaft. The dilation catheter system may include a locking mechanism to prevent the guidewire from moving relative to the elongate shaft or to lock the guidewire to the dilation catheter to form a fixed wire unit. The dilation catheter system may include a stabilizing tube extending from an actuator, to provide rigidity to the guidewire. The dilation catheter may include a grip element having a plurality of grip features disposed thereon. The dilation catheter may include a cap biased toward a first longitudinal position and movable to a second longitudinal position. A guide catheter secured to the cap is prevented from changing angular orientation in the first longitudinal position and is free to change angular orientation in the second longitudinal position.

A catheter assembly is disclosed, which includes a catheter; a catheter hub fixed to a base end portion of the catheter; an inner needle having a needlepoint, inserted into the catheter; a needle hub coupled to the inner needle; a needle support portion configured to support the inner needle through the catheter on a leading end side beyond the catheter hub, the needle support portion having a pair of support arms openable and closeable in a different direction to an axis of the inner needle; a restraining portion capable of restraining the pair of support arms in a closed state and releasing a restraint of the pair of support arms; and wherein the restraining portion is movable with respect to the pair of support arms by a distal movement of the catheter hub relative to the inner needle, which releases the restraint with respect to the pair of support arms.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for capturing a guidewire being progressed along the lumen of a bodily duct and to direct it into a catheter. In one aspect a catheter-based eccentric cone capture structure is used to engage and direct a guidewire oppositely approaching the capture structure.

Embodiments relate to a dilator and catheter introducer systems. The dilator system includes a dilator including a dilator lumen, and one or more cores for positioning in the dilator lumen. The catheter introducer systems further include a sheath including a sheath lumen operable to receive at least a portion of the dilator therein. Each core imparts a curvature to the dilator; modify the bending resistance of the dilator, or a combination thereof.

In a method for inserting an endoscopic device, a guide wire is punctured into a subject from outside the body. A tip portion of the wire is inserted into a first hollow organ. A tip-side portion of the inserted wire is projected into a lumen of a second hollow organ that communicates with the first via an opening, from the opening. An endoscopic device is inserted through a flexible endoscope and pushed into the second hollow organ. A tip portion of the device is locked onto the tip-side portion of the wire projecting into the second hollow organ. A portion of the wire outside the body of the subject is held and is tugged outside of the body. The tip portion of the device is thus pulled into the first hollow organ from the second, via the opening. Therefore, the endoscopic device can be led to the first hollow organ.

A magnetic guidance system (20) for guiding a guidewire (70) or other elongate medical device includes a magnet unit (20) disposed in one implementation adjacent a head end of a patient table (30). The magnet unit is disposed on a magnet support which enables the magnet unit (20) to move in a periodic motion substantially around a single plane. The preferred motion is a rotary motion about a patient's head, which creates a repetitive repulsive force at the distal end of the medical device, causing the distal end of the medical device to move in different directions within the patient's vasculature, useful in assisting the guidance of the medical device through tortuous vessel structures. The repetitive alternating medical field makes guidance of a medical device within a patient's vasculature a relatively simple task.

The present invention relates to a catheter for a stent operation. The catheter for a stent operation according to the present invention comprises: a solid bar of which one end is coupled to the side of a handle; an outer tube into which the solid bar is inserted, having an insertion hole through which a guide wire can be inserted from the outside to the inside, and of which one end is coupled to the side of the body; a guide tip coupled to the side of the solid bar, and guiding the guide wire by having a through-hole through which the guide wire passes; a connection tube for connecting and coupling the guide tip to the solid bar, wherein the solid bar has an accommodation groove, for preparing a space capable of accommodating the guide wire, formed in a predetermined section of a region to be connected to the connection tube, such that the guide wire can be accommodated inside of the outer tube. According to the present invention, the length of the guide wire is short but the structure is simple due to the rod-shaped solid bar, and thus there are effects of improving productivity by having a simple assembly and reducing the defect rate, and preventing operation defects.

An apparatus for providing support to an elongated medical device is provided between a first device module and a second device module coupled to a linear member of a robotic drive for a catheter-based procedure system. The second device module is located in a position along the linear member distal to the first device module. The apparatus includes a device support having a distal end and a proximal end. A section of the device support is positioned within the first device module. The apparatus also includes a connector attached to the distal end of the device support. The connector includes an attachment mechanism for engaging a proximal end of the second device module. The proximal end of the device support is configured to be coupled to the second device module.

Double-lumen infusion catheter including: a shaft having proximal section, distal section, and intermediate section therebetween; first and second lumens extending along a length of the shaft and having arc shaped wall therebetween; and an inflatable member provided distally to intermediate section, and over the distal section. First lumen has cross section larger than cross section of second lumen and is configured to receive a guidewire therethrough and allow fluid flow via an unobstructed portion of first lumen. Unobstructed portion is formed along guidewire outer surface, between guidewire outer surface and inner wall of first lumen, and extends from an inlet at proximal end of intermediate section to an outlet at distal end of intermediate section. First lumen is narrowed to approximate a first diameter in shaft proximal and distal sections, and is widened to approximate a second diameter greater than first diameter in the shaft intermediate section.