A lancet needle with an alignment and engagement notch, with material of the lancet body extending into the notch to more securely retain the needle to the lancet body, whereby a shorter needle can be utilized than with typical lancets. The notch optionally also provides a registration point for rotational and/or axial alignment of the needle during overmolding to form the lancet body, for example to maintain consistent positioning of the needle's beveled point.

In an embodiment, a syringe needle comprises a helical portion located in between a needle tip portion and a distal portion. In another embodiment, a compliant article comprises a casing tube comprising a tube end opening located at a needle tube end of the casing tube, a distal tube opening located at a distal tube end of the casing tube, and an inner tube space; and a syringe needle that traverses the tube end opening; wherein the compliant article comprises a compliant portion that allows for a reduced insertion pressure of the syringe needle as compared to an insertion pressure of a corresponding syringe needle in an article without the compliant portion.

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.

An apparatus for insertion of a medical device in the skin of a subject is provided, as well as methods of inserting medical devices.

A biopsy needle unit includes a biopsy needle and an elastically deformable safety tube for partially covering the biopsy needle inserted to a lumen extending in a longitudinal direction. A marker is arranged on the biopsy needle at a position protruding from an end portion of the safety tube on an opposite side of a needle tip of the puncture needle when the needle tip portion is accommodated in the lumen. The safety tube has portions in which the lumen is curved at least partially with respect to the longitudinal direction so that the safety tube is elastically deformed due to contact between an inner circumferential face of the lumen and an outer circumferential face of the biopsy needle when the biopsy needle is inserted to the lumen to cause frictional resistance between the inner circumferential face of the lumen and the outer circumferential face of the biopsy needle.

A catheter and associated method for taking a plurality of samples from within a length of a blood vessel. The catheter includes an elongate central body arranged to be inserted into and positioned along a central region of a blood vessel. A plurality of collection areas are defined along the elongate central body for collecting samples at the central region of the blood vessel. A plurality of mixers are provided radially outwardly of the elongate central body and arranged to create a flow of blood from a boundary layer at a wall of the blood vessel to the elongate central body. This enables the collection areas to collect samples from the boundary layer.

An apparatus for eliciting a blood sample is presented having a lancet for lancing a body part of a user and a cleaning member of absorbent material operable to clean a surface of the body part, the apparatus being configured such that in use the lancet is moved to lance a body part of a user and subsequently the cleaning member is moved to contact the body part of the user so as to remove blood from the surface of the body part prior to collection of the blood sample from the surface of the body part.

An apparatus for insertion of a medical device in the skin of a subject is provided, as well as methods of inserting medical devices.

A catheter and associated method for taking a plurality of samples from within a length of a blood vessel. The catheter includes an elongate central body arranged to be inserted into and positioned along a central region of a blood vessel. A plurality of collection areas are defined along the elongate central body for collecting samples at the central region of the blood vessel. A plurality of mixers are provided radially outwardly of the elongate central body and arranged to create a flow of blood from a boundary layer at a wall of the blood vessel to the elongate central body. This enables the collection areas to collect samples from the boundary layer.

An apparatus for insertion of a medical device in the skin of a subject is provided, as well as methods of inserting medical devices. Embodiments include removing a substantially cylindrical cap from an inserter to expose a substantially cylindrical sleeve, removing a cover from a substantially cylindrical container holding sensor components, and fitting the sensor components into the inserter.