A needle steering system and apparatus provides active, semi-autonomous control of needle insertion paths while still enabling a clinician ultimate control over needle insertion. A method and system controls the needle path as the needle is inserted by precisely controlling the rotation of the needle as it continuously rotates during insertion. This enables underactuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of the direction and the curvature of the needle from a single rotary actuator. Control of the rotary motion is therefore decoupled from the needle insertion. The rotary motion controls steering effort and direction, while the insertion controls needle depth or insertion speed. In one implementation, the proposed method does not require constant velocity insertion, interleaved insertion and rotation, or known insertion position or speed. The insertion may be provided by a robot or other automated method, may be a manual insertion, or may be a teleoperated insertion.

A lavage catheter for the treatment of a maxillary sinus is described. The catheter comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion comprises an irrigation tip. The irrigation tip has a tip opening through which fluid may be delivered by one handed operation of the catheter. A method for lavaging the maxillary sinus includes inserting the lavage catheter into a patient's anatomy and advancing the irrigation tip into the maxillary sinus using one hand.

In some embodiments, the disclosure describes a catheter system for applying energy to a vessel, such as a vein. The system may include an elongate catheter shaft having a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, and an energy application device coupled to the distal end of the elongate catheter shaft. The energy application device may be configured to apply energy to the vessel. The system may also include a gauge positioned relative to a working surface. The gauge may be configured to determine a distance that the elongate catheter shaft travels with respect to a treatment zone.

An intravascular device comprises an elongated outer catheter body having a proximal catheter end, a distal catheter end, and an inner catheter lumen extending between the proximal catheter end and the distal catheter end. The intravascular device further comprises an elongated inner articulating member slidably disposed within the inner catheter lumen. The inner articulating member has a proximal member end and an articulatable distal member end. The intravascular device further comprises a control assembly mechanically coupled to the proximal catheter end and the proximal member end. The control assembly is configured for distally translating the outer catheter body over the inner articulating member, and for articulating the distal member end.

A medical system comprising a guiding catheter having an inflation lumen. The inflation lumen extends within a handle and a shaft of the guiding catheter. An inflatable sleeve has a proximal end and a distal end, with the ends attached to the guiding catheter. A sealed interior portion of the inflatable sleeve is bounded by the inflatable sleeve and the shaft of the guiding catheter, and in fluid communication with a distal port of the inflation lumen. The system further comprises a delivery catheter defining a delivery lumen and configured for sliding engagement within the guide lumen of the guiding catheter.

An optical fiber guidewire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one optical fiber and a sleeve surrounding the optical fiber. The sleeve includes a functional section, a guiding section and a supporting section that are connected in sequence. An asymmetric structure is provided on the sleeve itself or the surround of the sleeve along the optical fiber. Therefore, the optical fiber guidewire provided in this disclosure has good bending performance and operability, and thus can be easily manipulated, readily enters a body cavity with a larger opening angle, and achieves self-guidance and flexible detection of the optical fiber guidewire in the body cavity, thereby improving the effect of minimally invasive interventional treatment.

A low or non-torqueable stylet may have: a core wire including: a first pre-formed bend of a first angle of about 15-90°; a second pre-formed bend of a second angle of about 8-15°, the second pre-formed bend being distal of the first pre-formed bend, and the first pre-formed bend being longer than the second pre-formed bend; an intermediate portion of about 1-3 inches extending between the first pre-formed bend and the second pre-formed bend; and a distal portion of about 1-2 inches between the second pre-formed bend and a distal tip, the distal portion having a segment with a reduced width or diameter that increases deflection of the distal tip; a tubular body disposed around the core wire; and a navigation device disposed around the core wire and within the tubular body.

An optical fiber guidewire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one optical fiber and a sleeve surrounding the optical fiber. The sleeve includes a functional section, a guiding section and a supporting section that are connected in sequence. An asymmetric structure is provided on the sleeve itself or the surround of the sleeve along the optical fiber. Therefore, the optical fiber guidewire provided in this disclosure has good bending performance and operability, and thus can be easily manipulated, readily enters a body cavity with a larger opening angle, and achieves self-guidance and flexible detection of the optical fiber guidewire in the body cavity, thereby improving the effect of minimally invasive interventional treatment.

Medical devices, medical device systems, and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example medical device may include an inner shaft having a stent receiving region. A bumper shaft may be disposed about the inner shaft. A deployment sheath may be slidably disposed about the inner shaft. The deployment sheath may have a body region and a distal stent covering region. The distal stent covering region may have an outer diameter that is smaller than an outer diameter of the body region.

A conduit for creating a passage from a right atrium to a left atrium, through a mitral valve into the left ventricle, and to provide a passage from the left ventricle into the aortic valve. The conduit includes an elongate tubular member having a shaft with a proximal section and a distal loop section at a distal end of the proximal section. The distal loop section includes a passive proximal curve, a steerable distal curve, a generally straight segment extending between the curves, and a distal tip. The shaft in the distal loop section is steerable to cause it to curve back on itself so that proximal curve is formed by a part of the shaft that is closer along the length of the shaft to the distal tip. The shapes of the proximal and distal curves are selected to direct the distal tip into the mitral valve after it has crossed the inter-atrial septum from the right atrium to the left atrium of the heart, and to orient the distal opening of the distal tip towards the aortic valve when the proximal curve is in the mitral valve and the distal tip is in the left ventricle.