Polymeric tubing, for use with catheters or other medical devices, where the polymeric tubing can have regions of customized properties including, but not limited to, durometer, torque control, flexibility, axial strength, stiffness, etc. One variation of the device allows for transitions between regions to be configured such that there can be gradual or customized transitions between various regions such that the structural characteristics differential between the regions selectively designed. Additional variations include outer layers having a plurality of material sections extending in a spiral direction along the axial length to form a continuous wall of the outer layer. In certain variations, the structural characteristic differential is minimized or eliminated as compared to conventional catheters.

A guide wire for minimally invasive operations with a distal wire end piece (3, II) connected to a wire main piece (2), wherein the guide wire (I, 10) has, at least in the distal wire end piece (3, II), an inner shaft (4, 14) and at least one protective layer enclosing the inner shaft (4, 14), the inner shaft (4, 14) comprises a first fibre composite material and, at least in the distal wire end piece (3, II), the inner shaft (4, 14) has a plurality of weakened points (8, 18), which are created by mechanical interventions, is characterised in that the weakened points (8, 18) are created by buckling load, bending load and/or breaking load. Correspondingly, for a method for producing a guide wire of this kind it is proposed that the weakened points (8, 18) are created by buckling load, bending load and/or breaking load.

The present disclosure relates to guidewire devices having shapeable tips and effective torquability. A guidewire device includes a core having a proximal section and a tapered distal section. A tube structure is coupled to the core such that the tapered distal section of the core extends into and distally beyond the tube structure. The portion of the core extending distally beyond the tube forms a shapeable tip. One or more coils also extend distally beyond the tube. The tip is configured to reduce the tendency of resilient forces from the tube structure to disrupt a customized shape of the tip.

A manipulator, including an elongated chassis containing a U-shaped channel defining a distal direction and a proximal direction. The manipulator also includes an adjuster that is configured to slide in the U-shaped channel. The adjuster includes a first wheel which on rotation translates a guidewire positioned in the adjuster along an axis of the guidewire, and a second wheel which on rotation rotates the guidewire positioned in the adjuster about the axis of the guidewire. The adjuster also includes a port, distal to the first and the second wheel, that is configured to accept a tubular balloon and the guidewire.

Provided is an improved medical elongated body which can be inserted into a biological lumen and can be restrained from unintentionally moving at a target site inside the biological lumen. The medical elongated body includes a main body portion that extends in an axial direction, and a projection portion that protrudes radially outward on an outer circumference of the main body portion and extends in the axial direction. One surface of the projection portion in a circumferential direction has higher sliding properties than an other surface of the projection portion in the circumferential direction.

A medical device includes: an elongated member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a body extending between the proximal end and the distal end; wherein the elongated member comprises a tubular section having a plurality of slots extending into a wall of the tubular section, the plurality of slots comprising a first slot; and wherein the elongated member further comprises fillers respectively located in the slots, the filers comprising a first filler, wherein the first filler comprises a spongy material located in the first slot.

A delivery device to deliver a tubular instrument into a catheter extending distally from a catheter adapter. The delivery device may include a housing configured to couple to the catheter adapter. The delivery device may include a tubular instrument configured to insert through the catheter. The tubular instrument may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end. The distal end may include a distal tip, which may be closed. The proximal end may be secured within the housing. The tubular instrument may be configured to advance distally with respect to the housing. A portion of the distal end proximate the distal tip may include a first material and may be stiffer than the distal tip, which may include a second material. A durometer of the first material may be greater than a durometer of the second material.

A catheter insertion device includes a housing, a needle, a guide wire, and a catheter disposed coaxially over the needle. The needle has a proximal end in the housing and a distal end extending from a distal end of the housing in an insertion position. The guide wire has a distal portion disposed in a lumen of the needle in a withdrawn position. The guide wire may include a safety tip having a non-coiled configuration in the withdrawn position and a coiled configuration in an advanced position. The catheter insertion device may include a sliding member attached to the guide wire, wherein movement of the sliding member translates the guide wire from the withdrawn position to the advanced position.

A method for treating a patient using a catheter insertion device. The catheter insertion device includes a housing, a needle, a catheter, a guidewire, and an actuator mechanism. The needle is attached to a needle carrier, the catheter is positioned coaxially around the needle such that a distal end of the needle extends distal of a distal end of the catheter, and the guidewire has a distal end positioned in a lumen of the needle. The method includes holding the catheter insertion device, inserting the distal end of the needle and catheter into a blood vessel, advancing the distal end of the guidewire out of the lumen of the needle into the blood vessel, moving the catheter over the guidewire in the blood vessel, and activating the actuator mechanism to simultaneously retract the distal end of the needle and the distal end of the guidewire into the housing.

The invention relates to a rod-shaped body comprised of one or more filaments and of a non-ferromagnetic matrix material. The matrix material surrounds the filament(s) and/or adheres them to one another. The rod-shaped body is also comprised of a dopant consisting of particles that generate magnetic resonance tomographic artifacts that is introduced into the matrix material. Rod-shaped bodies of this type can be used to construct guide wires, catheters and other instruments to be used in minimally invasive surgical interventions.