This document provides systems and methods that can be used for the practice of regenerative medicine. For example, this document provides devices and methods for injecting stem cell material into tissue, such as heart tissue.

A disposable safety needle assembly and safety enclosure for internally shielding a used or contaminated needle includes a needle assembly having a needle cannula slidably disposed within a safety enclosure. An angular orientation to the needle within the enclosure maintains an insertion angle allowing the safety enclosure to remain substantially flush with a dermal surface during and while the needle is inserted. The safety enclosure also includes an internally disposed flexible safety member. The flexible safety member has face portion transversely situated and having a safety feature disposed to the needle and that slides thereon. Retracting the needle within the safety enclosure to a point wherein the sharp tip of the needle is beyond the needle protection section of the flexible member causes the protection section to travel transversely to the direction of motion of the needle. As a result, the safety feature receives the sharp tip of the needle.

The present invention provides devices and methods for establishing aseptic connections between two or more components or subassemblies. The devices may be used in medical devices such as drug delivery pumps (10). In some embodiments, a connection is made between a drug container (50, 1050, 2050) and a fluid pathway connection assembly (300, 1300, 2300). The fluid pathway connection assembly may include a connection hub (312, 1312, 2312), a piercing member (316, 1316, 2316), and a piercing member retainer (314, 1314, 2314). The assembly may further include a first film (318, 1318, 2318) covering a cavity (312A, 1312A, 2312A), thereby maintaining the aseptic condition of the cavity. The drug container may hold a fluid drug and include a pierceable seal (326, 1326, 2326). A second film (322, 1322, 2322) may cover a recess (328, 1328, 2328) formed by the seal and thereby maintain the aseptic condition of the interior of the chamber. The piercing member may be caused to pierce the first and second film and the pierceable seal to open a fluid pathway for delivery of the fluid drug through the fluid pathway connection assembly.

A cartridge for positioning within a pharmaceutical delivery device is described. The cartridge has a housing with a light pipe section which acts as a light pipe having an input location, and a light diffusing section optically coupled to the light pipe. The light diffusing section extends beyond a plane defined by the housing.

A precision steerable and angled medication delivery system and methods of using the same are disclosed. The medication delivery system may include a syringe, a connector orientation structure, and a flexible needle. The system may direct a delivery mechanism in connection with a control syringe to delivery sites within a patient's body. In this manner, therapeutic injections may be performed at precise locations as desired.