A cuffed tracheostomy tube has a sealing cuff 10, 10, 100, 100 attached to a shaft 1, 1, 1 of the tube towards its patient end by a rear end collar 30, 55, 103 bonded with the outside of the shaft. In one embodiment the patient end collar 31, 31 is folded unattached around the patient end face 60, 60 of the shaft and is attached to the inside of the tube. When inflated, the cuff inflates slightly away from the patient end face to cushion the tip of the tube. In another embodiment the cuff 100 is formed integrally with the shaft 51. In a further embodiment the cuff 100 has an integral portion 102 of a soft material that forms a patient end extension of the shaft 1.

A method of manufacturing a balloon catheter in which an extruded tubular balloon parison is attached to a component of a catheter shaft prior to blow molding a balloon from the extruded tubular balloon parison. A distal end region of the tubular balloon parison is attached to the outer surface of the elongate catheter shaft component to form a distal bond region between the tubular balloon parison and the catheter shaft component, and then the assembly is positioned in a balloon mold. An annular space between an inner surface of the tubular balloon parison and the outer surface of the elongate tubular member is pressurized to expand the tubular balloon parison in the cavity of the balloon mold to form an inflatable balloon.

Embodiments of the present disclosure comprise occlusion and drug delivery devices and methods. One aspect of the disclosure comprises a drug delivery device comprising an inner expansion member and an outer drug delivery component. Another aspect of the disclosure comprises bioabsorbable, lumen-occluding implants.

Systems and methods are provided for injecting one or more agents into tissue within a patient's body that includes a catheter. A needle guide extends from a distal end of the catheter and terminates at a distal tip, e.g., including a foot with an atraumatic contact surface, the needle guide having a cross-section smaller than the distal end and being biased to a curved shape. The needle guide includes a passage communicating from a lumen of the catheter to an outlet at the distal tip, and a needle device is disposed within the passage that may be deployed from the outlet to inject one or more agents into tissue. The catheter also includes an imaging assembly on the distal end configured to acquire images of tissue adjacent the needle guide distal tip.

An everting balloon system is disclosed that can be used for the placement of an IUD within the uterine cavity of a female patient. The everting balloon system with IUD can be used to access a uterine cavity at specific locations in the fundus. A one-handed IUD delivery system for placement with an everting catheter is disclosed. An IUD loading system for placement within an everting catheter is disclosed. The everting catheter with an IUD can simplify the process of IUD placement within the uterine cavity.

A dilator device including an elongated flexible material sleeve having a hollow interior extending along a distal portion and a proximal portion thereof. An expandable or inflatable bladder is connected to the distal portion and disposable radially outward from an exterior of the sleeve when in an expanded and/or inflated orientation. The elongated sleeve comprising a tip having a predetermined configuration that facilitates positioning the elongated sleeve within an intended body part. A fluid input is structured for removable connection to a fluid source and is disposed on the sleeve, in fluid communication with the bladder. An access opening is formed on the proximal portion and is cooperatively dimensioned with the hollow interior to removably receive any one of a plurality of different types of positioning instruments within the sleeve.

Balloon guide catheter with a balloon bonded thereto maximizing bonding strength and integrity while minimizing outer profile. Reflow jacket(s) is melted to/embedded within a braid supporting structure of the catheter securing beneath the balloon. Radially arranged apertures and/or recesses may be defined in the balloon through which adhesive is seepable upwards when secured about the catheter shaft. Proximal and distal bond interface areas of the balloon may be skived at right angles into two sections each extending radially 180. Proximal and/or distal edges of the balloon may be flipped inwards prior to securing to the catheter shaft to form respective proximal and/or inverted bonds. During prepping of the catheter, residual air may be purged from the balloon via an exhaust hole defined in the compliant balloon or an exhaust tube secured between the exterior surface of the catheter shaft and the balloon.

Apparatus for passing a blocked vein, including: (a) an intravascular catheter body defining at least one lumen; (b) a radially expandable anchor at a distal end of said catheter; and (c) a penetration tool sized and shaped to be delivered by the lumen to a point distal of the expandable anchor, the penetration tool including a tip and configured for being pushed through venous blockage more than one week old and present with a young's modulus greater than 1 MPa. Optionally, the penetration tool tip comprises a sharpened tip. Optionally or additionally, the penetration tool tip is controllably bendable.

A system and method for cell collection within a vessel. The system including a cannula having a pathway extending from a first end to a second end, a elongated member situated longitudinally within the pathway of the cannula, a sleeve coupled to the second end of the cannula and a balloon situated within the sleeve.