A fluid sampling device and a method is provided for collecting body fluid samples such as blood without the intervention of medically trained personnel. The body fluid sampling device having a sample containment chamber made of a material having a thermal inertia permitting the maintenance of sample temperature over a known period of time. Optionally an isolating cover or sleeve may slide in place by a mechanism triggered by thermal contraction of an element after the device has reached a sufficiently low temperature in a patients refrigerator. Associated methods are provided to ensure hermetic transport of the collected body fluid sample to an analysis lab. Also disclosed is a device and app combination for drug or vaccine injection, the app including means to allow for verification of the patient's ID and/or the particular device used. The device my be equipped with geo-localization and long-range communication capabilities.

A retractable needle assembly includes a housing having a sidewall defining a hollow bore, and an elongate plunger, the distal end of the plunger forming a reservoir within the hollow bore for containing a fluid therein. The plunger is adapted for slideable movement within the hollow bore. The assembly includes a hub disposed within the hollow bore and at least partially supporting a cannula therewith, and a needle retraction member engaged with the hub for manually selectable advancement with respect to a portion of the housing. The needle retraction member may be advanced from an initial position in which at least a portion of the needle is disposed outside the housing, to a retracted position in which the needle is fully surrounded by the housing. The elongate plunger may be advanced about the hub for extracting the fluid into the reservoir or expelling the fluid from the reservoir.

A lancet device generally includes a housing having opposing lateral sides extending between a forward end and a rearward end, and a shield coaxially and movably associated with the housing. The housing includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending along a portion of at least one of the opposing lateral sides. The plurality of longitudinal ribs form a finger grip on at least one of, and typically both of the opposing lateral sides. The shield is generally movable from a first position in which the shield extends outwardly from the forward end of the housing to a second position in which the shield is at least partially moved within the housing, based on axial pressure applied by the user against the finger grip formed by the longitudinal ribs.

Medical device assemblies capable of aspirating liquid into a syringe barrel or other medical devices while evacuating any air from the syringe are described. An exemplary medical device includes a syringe barrel, plunger rod and stopper assembly having an air permeable and liquid impermeable porous portion and structure for forming a vacuum within either the stopper or the plunger rod. Described is a medical device including a syringe barrel, plunger rod and stopper assembly having an air permeable and liquid impermeable porous portion and structure for forming a vacuum within chamber between the stopper and plunger rod wherein the plunger rod includes a sealing edge and is moveable relative to the stopper. Exemplary medical devices may include a vent for allowing air that permeates through the porous portion to escape to atmosphere. Methods for aspirating a syringe barrel with a liquid are also provided.

An arrangement for producing a sample of body fluid from a wound opening created in a skin surface at a sampling site includes: a housing, the housing comprising a first opening; a skin interface member disposed in the first opening, the skin interface member comprising an inner member having a second opening, and an outer member at least partially surrounding the inner member and attached to the first opening; and at least one skin-penetration member configured and arranged to project within the second opening. Arrangements having alternatively constructed skin interface members are also described.

Provided are a cupping device and a blood analysis apparatus using the same. The cupping device includes a cupping cup having a first opening defined in a lower portion thereof, at least one blood collecting container disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the cupping cup and having an accommodation space configured to accommodate blood therein, and a connecting pipe disposed between the cupping cup and the blood collecting container to connect an inner space of the cupping cup to the accommodation space of the blood collecting container.

Methods and apparatus are provided for manufacturing an analyte detecting device. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a housing; a penetrating member driver; a cartridge containing a plurality of penetrating members; a display on the cartridge; a linear slider on the housing, the slider coupled to a rod; and the rod moving with the slider, the rod having at least one roller. The device uses the linear motion of the slider to rotate the cartridge, punch open a new cavity and load a new penetrating member.

An apparatus includes an introducer defining an inner volume, a catheter, and a guide member. The having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, with the catheter defining a lumen extending through the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the catheter, and with the catheter configured to move between a first position, in which the catheter is disposed within the introducer, and a second position, in which at least the distal end portion of the catheter is distal to the introducer. The guide member is coupled to the introducer, with the guide member defining a lumen. A portion of the catheter is received within the lumen of the guide member when the catheter is in the first position, and the distal end portion of the catheter is distal to the guide member when the catheter is in the second position.

A grinder (220) is provided for use in a method of processing a piece of lateral flow paper, comprising a grinder body (222) defining a grinder storage volume (226) with a top opening for accessing the grinder storage volume and one or more through holes (228) providing a fluid connection through the grinder body into the grinder storage volume, wherein the grinder body further comprises one or more grinding protrusions (229) at an outer surface of the grinder body. Furthermore, a sample container (200) is provided for storing a blood sample provided on a piece of lateral flow paper, comprising a sample container body with a base part, a cylindrical wall extending from the base part and defining a storage volume with an opening for accessing the storage volume, wherein the base part comprises one or more protrusions (209) extending into the storage volume.

A needle guide assembly for inserting a needle into the body of a patient in order to access a subcutaneous target, such as a vessel, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the needle guide assembly comprises a needle guide body that is configured to at least indirectly and removably attach to an image producing device, such as an ultrasound probe. The needle guide body defines at least first and second elongate guide channels. Each guide channel defines a unique insertion angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the ultrasound probe. Further, each guide channel is configured to accept needles of differing gauges. In other embodiments other needle guide assemblies are disclosed that include multiple guide channels for inserting a needle at a variety of insertion angles into the patient's body. Related methods are also disclosed. In yet other embodiments, needle guide assemblies including needle stop features are disclosed.