A flow restriction device includes a proximal housing configured to couple to a fluid collection device, a distal housing configured to couple to a catheter assembly, an intermediate housing interposed between the proximal housing and the distal housing and an internal fluid channel extending transversely therethrough. The flow restriction device also includes a fluid shield assembly having an enclosure coupled to an end of the distal housing and a split septum coupled to an end of the enclosure, the split septum comprising a flexible material with a centrally disposed slit. The fluid shield assembly provides for connection of a female connector to a male connector of the distal housing through the slit of the split septum, and to contain fluid within the enclosure and split septum upon disconnection and withdrawal of the female connector from the male connector. Blood collection systems and fluid shield assemblies are also provided.

Bodily fluid sample transport systems, devices, and method are provided. In at least one embodiment described herein, methods are provided for the physical transport of small volumes of bodily fluid in liquid form from one location to another location. By way of nonlimiting example, the samples are collected in liquid form at a collection site, transported in liquid form, and arrive at an analysis site in liquid form. In many embodiments, the liquid form during transport is not held in a porous matrix, wicking material, webbing, or similar material that prevents sample for being extracted in liquid form at the destination site. In one embodiment, small volume of sample in each sample vessel is in the range of about 1 ml to about 1 microliter.

A needle assembly includes a housing having proximal and distal ends, an IV cannula projecting distally from the housing, and an IV shield having an engagement. The housing has a shield seat and the IV cannula has a distal tip. The IV shield has a pre-use position where the IV shield covers the distal tip of the IV cannula and the engagement is disengaged from the shield seat, and a use position where the engagement is engaged with the shield seat and the IV shield is adapted to move between a non-shielded position, in which the distal tip is exposed, and a shielded position, in which the distal tip is shielded by the IV shield.

The present invention is directed to the parenteral procurement of bodily-fluid samples. The present invention is also directed to systems and methods for parenterally procuring bodily-fluid samples with reduced contamination from dermally-residing microbes. In some embodiments, a bodily-fluid withdrawing system is used to withdraw bodily fluid from a patient for incubation in culture media in one or more sample vessels. Prior to withdrawing bodily fluid into the one or more sample vessels for incubation, an initial volume of withdrawn bodily fluid is placed in one or more pre-sample reservoirs and is not used for the incubation in culture media.

A needle assembly is disclosed. The needle assembly includes a housing having a flash chamber, and having a distal end and a proximal end engageable with a specimen collection container. The assembly includes a cannula having a patient end, a non-patient end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining a cannula interior. The patient end of the cannula projects at least partially from the distal end of the housing, and the cannula interior is in fluid communication with the flash chamber. The assembly further includes a shield restrainably engaged with a portion of the housing and axially transitionable over the patient cannula from a retracted position in which the patient end is exposed, to an extended position in which the patient end is shielded by at least a portion of the shield, wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is visible in the retracted position.

A device and method for directing a cannula toward a target location under a patient's skin. The device is handheld and the device operations may be automated. The device includes an imaging probe for imaging the target location, a positioning unit for manipulating a cannula towards the target location, and a processor. The processor receives imaging data from the imaging probe, cannula pose data from at least one cannula position sensor, and device pose data from at least one device position sensor. The target location is identified from the imaging data, and a trajectory for manipulating the cannula towards the target location is determined based on the imaging data, the cannula pose data, and the device pose data. The processor may determine that the trajectory becomes misaligned with the target position, and may update to a corrected trajectory based on the imaging data, cannula pose data, and device pose data.

The present invention is directed to the parenteral procurement of bodily-fluid samples. The present invention is also directed to systems and methods for parenterally procuring bodily-fluid samples with reduced contamination from dermally-residing microbes. In some embodiments, a bodily-fluid withdrawing system is used to withdraw bodily fluid from a patient for incubation in culture media in one or more sample vessels. Prior to withdrawing bodily fluid into the one or more sample vessels for incubation, an initial volume of withdrawn bodily fluid is placed in one or more pre-sample reservoirs and is not used for the incubation in culture media.

The present invention relates to the field of medical appliances, and specifically, to a disposable pen-type blood-return-visible and anti-reflux venous blood collection needle, comprising a venous puncture needle and a transparent needle seat. A one-way valve fixation seat is arranged in a cavity of the transparent needle seat, and an anti-reflux one-way valve is mounted on the one-way valve fixation seat. The one-way valve fixation seat is plugged from a front end of the needle seat and mounted in the cavity of the needle seat. A tail end of the venous puncture needle is plugged and mounted in a blood inlet of the one-way valve fixation seat. A tail end of a puncture-end protective cover is sleeved over an outer wall of a front portion of the needle seat. A tube-plug puncture needle is plugged and mounted in a blood outlet on a tail portion of the needle seat, and a latex sheath is sleeved over the tube-plug puncture needle. An abutting-end protective cover is sleeved over the latex sheath, and a front end of the abutting-end protective cover is sleeved over an outer wall of the tail end of the puncture-end protective cover. The present invention can prevent blood in a negative-pressure blood collection container from suddenly flowing back to the human body, and can greatly reduce waste of a blood sample as the blood sample directly enters the needle seat through the venous puncture needle.

Bodily fluid sample transport systems, devices, and method are provided. In at least one embodiment described herein, methods are provided for the physical transport of small volumes of bodily fluid in liquid form from one location to another location. By way of nonlimiting example, the samples are collected in liquid form at a collection site, transported in liquid form, and arrive at an analysis site in liquid form. In many embodiments, the liquid form during transport is not held in a porous matrix, wicking material, webbing, or similar material that prevents sample for being extracted in liquid form at the destination site. In one embodiment, small volume of sample in each sample vessel is in the range of about 1 ml to about 1 microliter.

A catheter system may include a catheter adapter, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, a lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end, and a side port in fluid communication with the lumen. A catheter may extend distally from the catheter adapter. A septum may be disposed within the lumen. The septum may include a first slit generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the catheter and a second slit offset from the longitudinal axis of the catheter. An introducer needle may be secured within a needle hub and may extend through the catheter and the first slit of the septum. A winged needle set may include: a body; a needle extending distally from the body and through the second slit of the septum; an extension tube extending from the body; and a blood collection device coupled to the extension tube.