A catheter assembly includes: a catheter having a first lumen; a catheter hub joined to a proximal end of the catheter; a reinforcement needle inserted through the first lumen of the catheter, having a second lumen, and including a distal portion that is blunt; a reinforcement needle hub joined to a proximal end of the reinforcement needle; an inner needle inserted through the second lumen and including a sharp needle tip at a distal end thereof; an inner needle hub joined to a proximal end of the inner needle; a first fixing portion configured to fix the catheter hub and the reinforcement needle hub so as not to be detachable by an operation of pulling the catheter hub and the reinforcement needle hub in an axial direction; and a second fixing portion configured to fix the reinforcement needle hub and the inner needle hub to each other.

A method of using an integrated catheter assembly includes a housing member, an outer lumen member extending from the housing member, and a needle member slidably or movably coupled to the housing member, wherein the needle member can be extended beyond a first port of the outer lumen member in a first position and concealed in the outer lumen member in a second position. The outer lumen member has a side port between its first and second ports such that when the needle is extended in the first position and inserted into an arteriovenous fistula, blood from the arteriovenous fistula flashes into the needle member, is diverted through a relief port of the needle member out the side port of the outer lumen member for delivery to a dialysis machine. The assembly further includes an inner lumen member that is disposable through the housing member to extend out from the same the outer lumen member to provide dialyzed blood from the machine. The assembly therefore receives and delivers blood through a single injection site.

A method of using an integrated catheter assembly includes a housing member, an outer lumen member extending from the housing member, and a needle member slidably or movably coupled to the housing member, wherein the needle member can be extended beyond a first port of the outer lumen member in a first position and concealed in the outer lumen member in a second position. The outer lumen member has a side port between its first and second ports such that when the needle is extended in the first position and inserted into an arteriovenous fistula, blood from the arteriovenous fistula flashes into the needle member, is diverted through a relief port of the needle member out the side port of the outer lumen member for delivery to a dialysis machine. The assembly further includes an inner lumen member that is disposable through the housing member to extend out from the same the outer lumen member to provide dialyzed blood from the machine. The assembly therefore receives and delivers blood through a single injection site.

A catheter assembly may include a catheter adapter. A body of the catheter adapter may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end and the proximal end. A catheter may extend distally from the distal end of the body. The catheter adapter may include a side port, which may extend outwardly from the body. The catheter assembly may include a valve disposed within the lumen. The valve may include a channel extending through the valve. The catheter assembly may include a cannula fixed within the side port and disposed within the channel. The cannula may include an opening, and the valve may be configured to compress to expose the opening from within the valve.

A catheter assembly includes a catheter, a catheter hub, an inner needle, and an inner needle hub. The catheter assembly is disposed in a hollow portion axially extending in the interior of the inner needle, and includes a blunt needle having a distal end portion blunter than a needle tip and a movement mechanism for moving the blunt needle. The movement mechanism is configured separately from the catheter hub and causes the distal end of the blunt needle to protrude beyond the needle tip along with the movement of the catheter.

Exemplary embodiments described herein are directed to arteriovenous (AV) access catheters with inline needles that are protectable by sliding displacement of the catheter, and to methods of performing hemodialysis using said AV catheters. Extension (sliding) of the catheter portion of an exemplary device relative to a needle portion, after the needle of the needle portion has been used to access a patient fistula/graft, allows the catheter to cover the needle tip, thereby minimizing or eliminating the possibility that the needle may damage the fistula/graft. Because the needle still remains largely within the catheter, there is no risk of catheter collapse, kinking, etc., which could compromise blood flow during a hemodialysis procedure.

Exemplary embodiments described herein are directed to a vascular access catheter device with an inline needle, the device having a catheter portion that is linearly displaceable relative to a needle portion, and vice versa, and to methods of performing hemodialysis using said device. Extension of the catheter portion relative to the needle portion allows the catheter of the catheter portion to cover the needle tip, thereby minimizing or eliminating the possibility that the needle may damage a fistula/graft or peripheral vessel of a patient. Subsequent retraction of the needle portion withdraws the needle into the catheter to protect the fistula/graft or peripheral vessel from possible damage. Because the needle still remains largely within the catheter after retraction, there is no risk of catheter collapse, kinking, etc., which could compromise blood flow during a hemodialysis or other vascular access procedure.

An intravenous catheter introducer for medical use having a body, a frontal attachment that is disposed in transverse sliding engagement with a front part of the body, a hub tube assembly that is releasably supported by the frontal attachment, and a retractable catheter insertion needle and needle holder that are biased rearwardly by a spring offset laterally from the needle axis, whereby lateral repositioning of the body relative to the frontal attachment following vascular insertion moves a needle retraction cavity disposed inside the body into substantial coaxial alignment and causes the needle holder to be retracted into the needle retraction cavity.

An intravenous catheter system having a retractable needle system and a body system is disclosed. The retractable needle system includes a housing, a needle, a docking feature, and an optional anti-shearing mechanism. The body system includes a body, at least one hub, a catheter connector, at least one plug, a plug recoil mechanism, a locking mechanism, a flash chamber, and a flash window.

A method and device are provided for simultaneously or near-simultaneously diagnosing and treating tension pneumothorax and/or hemothoraxA Veress-type needle portion includes a hollow needle for puncturing the chest wall over a blunt hollow probe biased by one or more springs to extend distally into the pleural cavity. Openings in the blunt hollow probe connect via a pathway to an automatic check valve, which permits the flow of air and/or fluid only in a proximal direction. Pressure from within the pleural cavity is transmitted to the interior surface of a pressure documenter. If pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is present in the pleural cavity, the pressure documenter will be automatically urged proximally to simultaneously allow air and/or fluid to escape from the pleural space through the device, thus treating the tension pneumothorax and/or hemothorax, as well as providing a stable indicator to positively document the diagnosis of increased pressure.