A slitter for slitting a guide catheter has a handle and a blade assembly coupled to the handle. The blade assembly includes a shroud for receiving an elongated body of a medical device and a slitting blade having an exposed cutting edge to slit the guide catheter. The blade assembly includes a user-deflectable portion coupled to the shroud for causing the shroud to flex in response to deflection of the user-deflectable portion. The handle and the blade assembly may be assembled from piece parts in a manufacturing method.

An expandable medical sheath can include a sheath body having a lumen that extends between proximal and distal ends of the sheath. The sheath can have first and second members where the first member has a different elastic modulus than the second member such that one provides elasticity to the sheath and the other provides column strength. The first and second members can be coupled together in alternating sections to form the tubular sheath or the stiffer members can be embedded in the elastic member along all or a portion of the longitudinal length of the sheath. The sheath can automatically move to an expanded state to allow a larger diameter medical device to pass through the lumen, and once through the sheath can automatically return to its initial diameter.

A hemostasis valve body provides strong sealing around a medical device during insertion of the medical device into a blood vessel, low forces for tearing, and stability during insertion of the medical devices as well as during peel away. The valve body comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, an edge, helical slits, and a pair of longitudinal cuts. The helical slits are positioned at a center of the valve body and traverse the first surface to the second surface. The helical slits provide a seal around the medical device. Each respective longitudinal cut extends from the first surface partially through the valve body to a depth short of the second surface for at least part of a length of the respective longitudinal cut. The longitudinal cuts facilitate a separation of the valve body into two parts during a peel away action.

A system for facilitating instrument delivery through a peripheral intravenous catheter (“PIVC”) may include a catheter assembly having a catheter adapter, an extension tube extending from a side port of the catheter adapter, a septum disposed in a lumen of the catheter adapter, and a PIVC extending distally from the catheter adapter. The septum may include a first piece and a second piece and may be least partially disposed within a canister. The system may include an extension set, which may include a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end may include a distal connector and a rigid tube. The proximal end may include a proximal connector. The distal connector may be coupled to the proximal end of the catheter adapter. The rigid tube may penetrate the septum in response to the distal connector being coupled to the proximal end of the catheter adapter.

A hemostasis valve body provides strong sealing around a medical device during insertion of the medical device into a blood vessel, low forces for tearing, and stability during insertion of the medical devices as well as during peel away. The valve body comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, an edge, helical slits, and a pair of longitudinal cuts. The helical slits are positioned at a center of the valve body and traverse the first surface to the second surface. The helical slits provide a seal around the medical device. Each respective longitudinal cut extends from the first surface partially through the valve body to a depth short of the second surface for at least part of a length of the respective longitudinal cut. The longitudinal cuts facilitate a separation of the valve body into two parts during a peel away action.

A delivery tool for an implantable medical device to be introduced into a human or animal body, in particular, an implantable leadless pacemaker, the delivery tool having an outer sheath and an inner sheath, wherein the inner sheath is configured to be retractable into a lumen of the outer sheath, wherein a distal side of the inner sheath is configured to provide regions which are reversibly collapsible and non-collapsible in diameter, wherein a non-collapsible region is arranged at the distal end of the inner sheath. A system including a delivery tool and an implantable medical device is also provided.

Sheath assembly for the insertion of a cord-shaped element, comprising an introducer sheath, and an auxiliary sheath for insertion into the introducer sheath together with the cord-shaped element. In some examples, the auxiliary sheath has a housing configured to detachably couple to the introducer sheath housing, and to detachably fasten the cord-shaped element with respect to the auxiliary sheath housing.

An expandable medical sheath can include a sheath body having a lumen that extends between proximal and distal ends of the sheath. The sheath can have first and second members where the first member has a different elastic modulus than the second member such that one provides elasticity to the sheath and the other provides column strength. The first and second members can be coupled together in alternating sections to form the tubular sheath or the stiffer members can be embedded in the elastic member along all or a portion of the longitudinal length of the sheath. The sheath can automatically move to an expanded state to allow a larger diameter medical device to pass through the lumen, and once through the sheath can automatically return to its initial diameter.

Intravascular delivery system is designed for a safe and efficient access to secondary and tertiary vascular structures, such as the branches of the coronary sinus, to enhance the delivery and deployment of various catheters, such as, for example, pacemaker electrical leads. The over-the-wire system features a straight, or alternatively shaped, micro-catheter distal tip of an inner catheter that seamlessly cooperates with a peel-away reinforced outer catheter. The inner catheter and the peel-away reinforced outer catheter are advanced in their engaged mode of operation towards (or beyond) the target site. Subsequently, the inner and outer catheters are disengaged, and the inner catheter is removed from the outer catheter. A pacemaker lead may be advanced over the wire inside the outer catheter to the target site for deployment. Subsequently, the outer catheter is easily split and may be rapidly removed from the blood vessel.

Sheath assembly for the insertion of a cord-shaped element, comprising an introducer sheath, and an auxiliary sheath for insertion into the introducer sheath together with the cord-shaped element. In some examples, the auxiliary sheath has a housing configured to detachably couple to the introducer sheath housing, and to detachably fasten the cord-shaped element with respect to the auxiliary sheath housing.