In some instances, an apparatus includes a hub that defines a cavity, a catheter that includes a lumen, and a core attached to the catheter. The core can include a valve actuation tip, and at least a portion of the core can be positioned within the cavity of the hub. The apparatus can further include a valving member that includes an attachment portion that is fixedly attached to the core and a valve positioned distal to a proximal end of the cavity and proximal to the valve actuation tip. The valve can be movable relative to the core such that as at least a portion of the valve moves distally, interaction between the valve and the valve actuation tip opens the valve to establish fluid communication between the cavity of the hub and the lumen of the catheter.

A hemostasis valve includes a housing having a central bore therethrough, a compression tube positioned within the central bore, a soft annular elastomeric seal positioned within the central bore distal to the compression tube, and at least one actuator coupled to the housing. Movement of the actuator relative to the housing may move the compression tube towards or away from the annular elastomeric seal to increase adjust the inner diameter of the annular elastic seal. The large-bore hemostatic valves described herein may be particularly well suited for use with controllably adjusting the seal pressure around a medical device (e.g., catheter) inserted through the valve and may maintain a tight seal at high pressure and with large diameter medical devices.

Rapidly insertable central-catheter (RICC) insertion assemblies and associated methods include valve modules. For example, a RICC insertion assembly can include a RICC, an introducer needle, and an access guidewire coupled together by a coupler in which a valve module is disposed. The introducer needle includes a needle shaft having a longitudinal needle slot and a sheath over the needle shaft sealing the needle slot thereunder except for that under a sheath opening of the sheath. The valve module includes an elastomeric gasket encircling at least a portion of a valve-module compartment of the coupler housing. In a ready-to-deploy state of the RICC insertion assembly, the gasket is compressed in the valve-module compartment around both the introducer needle and the access guidewire where the access guidewire extends from the sheath opening, thereby creating a substantially air-tight space within the gasket around the introducer needle and the access guidewire.

An apparatus includes a hub including a front port, a side port, and a back port including a hemostasis valve. The apparatus further includes a sheath extending from the hemostasis valve through the front port and shaped to define one or more lateral openings within the hub. The sheath is configured for insertion into a blood vessel such that, subsequently to the insertion, a rate of flow of blood between the side port and the blood vessel via the lateral openings is controllable using an instrument passing through the hemostasis valve and into the sheath such that the instrument closes at least a portion of the lateral openings. Other embodiments are also described.

The fluid delivery devices, systems and methods described herein include a subcutaneous port, a catheter, and a connection assembly configured to fluidly couple the port and catheter.

Deflectable catheters, hemostasis valves, and materials for the same are disclosed. The deflectable catheters and hemostasis valves can be made at least partially, if not entirely, from a fluoroelastomer and ePTFE combination. A deflectable region of the catheters can be articulated to form simple and/or complex curves.

A degassing method for a multiple catheter fluid management system includes injecting a first fluid at a low pressure from a first fluid source into a first fluid source connection of a hemostasis valve, closing a first valve at the first fluid source connection, applying vacuum to a sink connection of the hemostasis valve to remove residual first fluid into a sink connected to the sink connection, closing a sink valve at the sink connection, and injecting a second fluid from a second fluid source into a second fluid source connection of the hemostasis valve.

A medical connector for use in a fluid pathway includes a substantially transparent housing having a proximal end with a proximal opening and a distal end with a distal opening, and a cavity extending therebetween. The connector provides a substantially visible fluid flow path extending through a substantial portion of the connector.

Delivery apparatus and methods for delivering a medical device into a patient's vasculature are disclosed. In some examples, a method includes inserting, into a patient, a distal end portion of a delivery apparatus including a radially compressed prosthetic valve mounted around a balloon, advancing the distal end through the patient's vasculature, and inflating the balloon to radially expand the prosthetic valve at a native heart valve. The delivery apparatus includes a handle, a first shaft and a second shaft extending from the handle, and a locking mechanism to prevent axial movement of the second shaft relative to first shaft. The second shaft extends coaxially through the first shaft and includes the balloon, the radially compressed prosthetic valve, and one or more radiopaque markers at a distal end portion. The first shaft includes an end piece covering a proximal portion of the balloon during the advancing of the delivery apparatus.

Medical devices for rotating an elongate medical instrument can be used to remove, break up, clear, and/or eliminate obstructions within a lumen. Some medical devices for rotating an elongate medical instrument may include a coupling member for coupling the medical device to a secondary medical device. Some medical devices may include a flared distal region and some medical devices may include an elongate housing that is disposed around a portion of the distal region.