An intravenous catheter system including a housing, a catheter, and a guide wheel rotatably disposed in the housing and manually engageable by the user. The intravenous catheter system may also include a guidewire contained within the housing and moveable by the guide wheel into and through the catheter with roation of the guide wheel with one finger, and push off tab. The intravenous catheter system may be configured such that once the guidewire is in a vein of a body, the user may use the same finger to advance the catheter by use of the push off tab A blood flash chamber can be incorporated into the housing of the system, method or device to indicate engagement between the catheter and the vein of the patient, and indicate the timing of the use of the wheel to move the guidewire.

A guidewire retraction device having a first support structure located opposite a second support structure. The first support structure has a primary bore traversing the length of the first support structure. The first support structure has a first opening bordering a first ramp. The first ramp is connected to the primary bore. A second support structure has a secondary bore traversing the length of the second support structure. The second support structure has a second opening bordering a second ramp. The second ramp is connected to the secondary bore. The first ramp of the first support structure and the second ramp of the second support structure are configured to receive a guidewire. A rotation element is rotated in a first direction to orient the guidewire in a retracted orientation. The rotation element is rotated in a second direction to orient the guidewire in an advanced orientation.

A steerable endoluminal access device, such as a guidewire or guide catheter. The steerable endoluminal access device includes an inner tube within an outer tube, with the inner tube fixed to the outer tube near the distal end of the device. The steerable endoluminal access device includes a releasably detachable hub for tensioning or compressing the inner tube relative to the outer tube.

A torque device for gripping and manipulating a guidewire for advancing the guidewire into a patient's vascular system. The torque device is configured for single-handed use and can be opened for repositioning the torque device relative to the guidewire and closed for gripping the guidewire to prevent axial and rotational movement relative to the guidewire. The torque device grips the guidewire at multiple spaced apart locations on the guidewire.

A nerve block introducer for introducing a catheter and also administering an initial dose of local anesthetic, the introducer having an elongated body with a distal end and a proximal end, an inlet, and at least one discharge opening for the local anesthetic near the distal end. The introducer also includes a grasping member near the distal end of the elongated body, the grasping member operably coupled to a handle near the proximal end of the elongated body such that the grasping member can be used to releasably hold a catheter by operation of the handle. The catheter may thus be positioned and left in place following removal of the introducer.

An IV device assembly may include a lumen forming a fluidic channel within the IV device assembly. The lumen may be fluidically coupled to a vascular access device (VAD) coupler via a funnel coupler, and an IV device assembly coupler at a proximal end of the lumen. The IV device assembly may also include one or more of the following: a collapsible sleeve formed coaxially around a first portion of the lumen and mechanically coupled to the funnel coupler, a patency instrument formed along a second portion of the lumen within the collapsible sleeve and into the VAD coupler, a translation handle that translates the patency instrument out of a distal end of the VAD coupler, and a fixed grip formed around the lumen to maintain a position of the IV device assembly relative to the translation handle.

A device for one-handed insertion of a hollow needle and a guidewire includes a grip, an actuator carriage, a wire guide feed mount, a wire feed surface, and a plunger with a guidewire passage colinear with the needle. The actuator carriage has a trigger and is coupled with the plunger. The wire guide feed mount is mounted on the actuator carriage and has a guide fitting that couples with the plunger and directs the guidewire through the plunger. When the grip is engaged by one hand, a digit of the hand can advance the guidewire through the plunger by engaging the guidewire between the digit and the wire feed surface, sensing a degree of resistance encountered by a tip of the guidewire, with another digit of the hand urging the trigger and drawing the plunger rearwardly and/or forwardly, while the hand continues to engage the grip.

This invention is a transvascularly placed steerable guidewire, further including internal steerability and the ability to articulate in a direction at right angles to its longitudinal axis at or near its distal end. The steerable guidewire is generally fabricated from stainless steel and includes an outer tube, an inner tube, hub structures, and a distal articulating region. The steerable guidewire can be advanced through a body lumen in its straight configuration and then be selectively articulated or curved to permit negotiation of tortuous curvature. The steerable guidewire hub can be removed to permit advancement of catheters over its proximal end followed by re-attachment of the hub to permit deflection of the distal end of the steerable guidewire. Removal of the hub can result in a limp guidewire or maintenance of a forced curvature of the distal end of the guidewire.

An implant holder for holding and controlling release of an implant from a delivery catheter is provided. The implant holder is disposed in the distal section of the delivery catheter. The implant holder engages the implant in the collapsed state for restraining axial and radial displacement of the implant. The implant holder includes specific invariant features in terms of uniquely designed releasing part and pusher block that are adapted to uniquely accommodate and disengage the implant from the delivery catheter.

The present invention relates to methods of transvascular retrograde access placement and to devices that facilitate these methods. For purposes of the present invention, transvascular retrograde access placement generally comprises the insertion of a vascular catheter into a central blood vessel through the puncturing of the central blood vessel from the inside of the central blood vessel with a needle or other similarly configured device, or a needle-tipped guidewire of the present invention, and exiting that needle from the patient through the skin rather than the traditional approach of inserting a needle from the outside of the skin surface to the inside of a blood vessel.