An arrangement for producing a sample of body fluid from an opening created in a skin surface at a sampling site including a cartridge with a plurality of compartments and a plurality of sampling sites, and a detector assembly. Each sampling site includes a skin-penetration member having a first end configured to pierce the surface of the skin and an inner lumen in communication with the first end, a spring actuator operatively associated with the skin-penetration member, and a needle hub connecting the skin-penetration member and the spring actuator. The needle hub includes a reagent pad and the spring actuator is configured to drive the skin-penetration member to form the wound opening. Each compartment at least partially encloses the skin-penetration member, the spring actuator, and the needle hub of a respective sampling site.

An apparatus includes an introducer coupleable to a peripheral intravenous line, with the introducer having a proximal end and a distal end, a catheter defining a lumen between a proximal end and a distal end, with the catheter movable from a first position where the distal end of the catheter is positioned within the introducer to a second position where the distal end of the catheter is positioned outside of the introducer, and an actuator coupled to the catheter and configured to move the catheter between the first position and the second position. The actuator moves relative to the introducer in a direction extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the introducer when the catheter moves from the first position to the second position.

An apparatus includes an introducer defining an inner volume, a catheter, and a guide member. The having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, with the catheter defining a lumen extending through the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the catheter, and with the catheter configured to move between a first position, in which the catheter is disposed within the introducer, and a second position, in which at least the distal end portion of the catheter is distal to the introducer. The guide member is coupled to the introducer, with the guide member defining a lumen. A portion of the catheter is received within the lumen of the guide member when the catheter is in the first position, and the distal end portion of the catheter is distal to the guide member when the catheter is in the second position.

A needle assembly, such as a catheter assembly, having a needle shaft with a needle tip formed from a first rigid material for puncturing a subject. The shaft section, proximal of the needle tip can be formed from a second material different from the first material. The needle tip is attached to the needle shaft to form the needle. The first material can have higher rigidity than the second material and the needle can project through a catheter tube and used in a catheter assembly.

A delivery device for delivering an instrument into a catheter assembly may include a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a slot. The delivery device may include a guide feature, which may be disposed within the housing. The guide feature may extend through the slot. The delivery device may include an instrument disposed within the housing and extending through the guide feature. In response to movement of the guide feature along the slot in the distal direction a first distance, a first end of the instrument may be advanced in the distal direction a second distance, which may be greater than the first distance. A second end of the instrument may be stationary with respect to the housing.

An apparatus for performing phlebotomy through a peripheral intravenous line. The apparatus includes an introducer and a catheter configured to advance the catheter through a peripheral intravenous line. A y-adapter with a port of larger diameter is configured to receive the catheter and place in fluid communication with the peripheral intravenous line. When advanced the catheter is configured to transport a bodily fluid (i.e. blood) to a volume outside of the body.

The present invention relates to a device for collecting body fluids including (a) a fluid receiving part including a fluid receiving space in which an internal low pressure less than an external atmospheric pressure is formed; (b) a fluid collection part including a hollow microstructure connected to form an open system with the fluid receiving space of the fluid receiving part; and (c) a microstructure hollow barrier for blocking the hollow of the microstructure to maintain the internal low pressure formed in the fluid receiving means.

A microneedle has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defines a lumen. The proximal end portion is configured to be coupled to a cartridge to place the lumen in fluid communication with the cartridge. The proximal end portion includes a base surface that is configured to be placed in contact with a surface of a target tissue. The distal end portion of the microneedle includes a beveled surface. The beveled surface defines a tip angle of less than about 20 degrees and a ratio of a bevel height to a bevel width of less than about 2.5.

A medical puncture needle includes a rod-shaped main body portion; and a blade surface formed at a distal end portion of the main body portion. The blade surface includes a first blade surface portion and a second blade surface portion that intersect to form a blade edge. A needle tip is formed at a location at which a distal end of the blade edge intersects a first ridge line at an outer edge of the first blade surface and a second ridge line at an outer edge of the second blade surface. At least one of the blade surface portions is planar, and, in a central axis direction of the main body portion, said at least one blade surface portion extends to a location proximal of a middle position of a blade surface region in which the blade surface is formed.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of through-holes in a layer of first material, for example for the manufacturing of a probe comprising a tip containing a channel. To manufacture the through-holes in a batch process, a layer of first material is deposited on a wafer comprising a plurality of pits a second layer is provided on the layer of first material, and the second layer is provided with a plurality of holes at central locations of the pits; using the second layer as a shadow mask when depositing a third layer at an angle, covering a part of the first material with said third material at the central locations, and etching the exposed parts of the first layer using the third layer as a protective layer.