Methods, apparatus, and systems to non-invasively determine intra-luminal placement and patency of a vascular access device. In one form, our device itself remains non-invasive, connecting at the vascular access device's hub outside the patient's body. Patency and/or placement are estimated indirectly by measuring a physiological parameter which is indicative of proper patency and/or placement of the vascular access device in a patient. The measurement is compared to a reference value or calibration. If the comparison indicates indication of proper patency and/or placement, a signal is generated. The signal can be used in a number of ways. One example is to give a user-perceivable alarm or indication of proper patency and/or placement. Non-limiting examples include activating a light, an audible buzzer, a vibration, readable displayed text or graphics, or some combination of the same. The user can then have an indirect and at least semi-automatic way of estimating proper patency and/or placement of a vascular access device. In one aspect of the invention, the technique is able to achieve this end by monitoring and detecting changes in the physiological parameter of systemic vascular pressure via pressure measurement in, at, or near the hub or other portion of a vascular access device that has a lumen placed intra-luminally, and then using the results of that monitoring to indirectly transduce conditions or states indicative of either good placement/patency or bad placement/patency of the vascular access device.

A surgical port includes an end face with a channel extending through the end face. The channel has a cross section shaped to receive a surgical instrument cannula. A lateral wall extends around a perimeter of the end face. The lateral wall and end face enclose an open volume. A rim extends radially inward from the lateral wall and projects into the open volume. An apron portion extends radially outward from the lateral wall and in a direction axially away from the end face. Surgical systems may include surgical ports. Methods relate to using surgical ports.

A sheath for producing a fully sealed access to the interior of a vessel of an animal or human body comprises a base sheath having a tubular body defining a pass-through channel. The base sheath is adapted to be inserted into the vessel through a vessel aperture. The sheath further comprises an expansion device which is adapted to cooperate with the base sheath such that the outer diameter of the sheath increases in the region of the vessel aperture with the sheath in a stationary position in the vessel and upon actuation of the expansion device.

Improved systems and methods for medicine delivery, and in particular, improved insulin pen needles and related devices are provided. Smart injection devices record and transfer data including medicine level, delivered dose, dose confirmation, and dose time and date. Additional data captured may include glucose concentration, insulin level, carbohydrates ingested, stress level, exercise, blood pressure, and glucose high and low excursion events. Various means of data collection and analysis are provided and systems can identify and flag patients who require intervention. Smart sleeves and add sensing capability to standard insulin pens. Pen needles are provided with sensing capability to confirm and measure doses delivered by insulin pen. A two-part pen cap include a primary sleeve that connects to the insulin pen and an end cap that provides for capturing the time of dose delivery, and monitoring the hold time for a dose delivery after plunger movement.

An obturator assembly includes an obturator at least partially positionable within a lumen of a device. The obturator has a distal end with a tip portion and an opposing proximal end. A sensor assembly is at the tip portion. The sensor assembly is configured to sense one or more environmental characteristics and to generate one or more signals representative of the one or more environmental characteristics. A hub is operatively coupled to the obturator. The hub is also operatively coupled to electronic circuitry that is coupled in signal communication with the sensor assembly. In certain embodiments, the electronic circuitry is configured to receive the one or more signals from the sensor assembly and transmit the one or more signals to remote reception circuitry and/or display a datum representative of the one or more environmental characteristics on a display of the hub.

The present technology relates to vascular access devices, systems, and methods configured to monitor a patient's health. In some embodiments, the vascular access device may include a sensing element, and the system of the present technology may be configured to obtain physiological measurements of the patient via the sensing element, determine at least one physiological parameter based on the physiological measurement, compare the at least one physiological parameter to a predetermined threshold, and, based on the comparison, provide an indication of the patient's health.

A surgical port assembly for use with surgical instruments includes a body including an exterior surface and an interior space defined by an interior surface of the body. The surgical port assembly includes a control interface including a plurality of drive members coupled to the body and controllable to apply a force to a different portion of a shaft of an surgical instrument, when the shaft is disposed within the interior space, to move a distal portion of the surgical instrument to a desired position within a body cavity.

A method of electrically grounding a medical instrument includes inserting a medical instrument through a channel of a surgical port extending from a first end of the surgical port to a second end of the surgical port and while the medical instrument is inserted through the channel, contacting the medical instrument with an electrically conductive material portion protruding into an interior of the channel and extending through a sidewall of the surgical port. Contact of the medical instrument with the electrically conductive material portion does not extend around an entire circumference of the medical instrument.

Methods, apparatus, and systems to non-invasively determine intra-luminal placement and patency of a vascular access device. Patency and/or placement are estimated indirectly by measuring a physiological parameter which is indicative of proper patency and/or placement of the vascular access device in a patient. The measurement is compared to a reference value or calibration. If the comparison indicates indication of proper patency and/or placement, a signal is generated. The signal can be used in a number of ways. One example is to give a user-perceivable alarm or indication of proper patency and/or placement. Non-limiting examples include activating a light, an audible buzzer, a vibration, readable displayed text or graphics, or some combination of the same. The user can then have an indirect and at least semi-automatic way of estimating proper patency and/or placement of a vascular access device.

A surgical port includes an end face with a channel extending through the end face. The channel has a cross section shaped to receive a surgical instrument cannula. A lateral wall extends around a perimeter of the end face. The lateral wall and end face enclose an open volume. A rim extends radially inward from the lateral wall and projects into the open volume. An apron portion extends radially outward from the lateral wall and in a direction axially away from the end face. Surgical systems may include surgical ports. Methods relate to using surgical ports.