This invention relates to a medical device for use in aiding the successful placement of a needle tip in a blood vessel. The medical device comprises a body defining a vacuum chamber therein, a port for engagement of a hub of a needle, a fluid passageway through the port from the exterior of the body to the vacuum chamber in the interior of the body, and means to generate an audio/haptic feedback to a user acted upon by a vacuum in the vacuum chamber. The means to generate the audio/haptic feedback comprises an abutment arm and a complementary abutment surface engaged by the abutment arm. The abutment surface has ribs along its length, opposing the abutment arm. The vacuum in the vacuum chamber moves one of the abutment arm and the abutment surface relative to the other, thereby causing the abutment arm to releasably engage a rib to produce the audible/haptic feedback.

The present invention relates to a method and system for estimating blood analyte levels using a noninvasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) based physiological monitor. An algorithm correlates OCT-based estimated blood analyte data with actual blood analyte data determined by other methods, such as invasively. OCT-based data is fit to the obtained blood analyte measurements to achieve the best correlation. Once the algorithm has generated sets of estimated blood analyte levels, it may refine the number of sets by applying one or more mathematical filters. The OCT-based physiological monitor can be calibrated using an Intensity Difference plot or the Pearson Product Moment Correlation method.

A catheter insertion device includes a handle, a needle, a guide wire, and a catheter. The handle may have a proximal region and a distal region. The distal region may include a slot between a top extension and a bottom extension, which extends through a distal end. The needle may have a proximal end positioned in the proximal region and a distal end extending from the distal region. The guide wire may have a proximal end positioned in the proximal region of the handle and a distal end positioned in a lumen of the needle. The catheter may be positioned coaxially over the needle with a proximal end connected to a catheter hub. The catheter hub may be slidably disposed in the slot to enable movement from a first position in the distal region to a second position distal of the distal region.

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.

The present invention relates to a method and system for estimating blood analyte levels using a noninvasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) based physiological monitor. An algorithm correlates OCT-based estimated blood analyte data with actual blood analyte data determined by other methods, such as invasively. OCT-based data is fit to the obtained blood analyte measurements to achieve the best correlation. Once the algorithm has generated sets of estimated blood analyte levels, it may refine the number of sets by applying one or more mathematical filters. The OCT-based physiological monitor can be calibrated using an Intensity Difference plot or the Pearson Product Moment Correlation method.

A catheter insertion device includes a housing, a needle, a catheter, and a guide wire. The needle has a proximal end positioned in the housing and a distal end extending beyond a distal end of the housing. The catheter is positioned coaxially over the needle, and includes a flexible tube and a catheter hub on a proximal end of the flexible tube. A proximal portion of the flexible tube and the catheter hub are positioned in the housing. The guide wire has a proximal end positioned in the housing and a distal end positioned in a lumen of the needle. The catheter insertion device also includes a handle coupled to the catheter, wherein movement of the handle relative to the housing moves the catheter hub from a position in the housing to a position outside of the housing.

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.

An apparatus includes a hypodermic needle, a blood vessel dilator connected to the hypodermic needle, and an actuator connected to the blood vessel dilator in such a way that the actuator expands the blood vessel dilator. The blood vessel dilator helps mitigate blood vessel collapse.

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 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.