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 antimicrobial urinary catheter device comprising a circumferential array of safe, antimicrobial lights around a urinary catheter directed for disinfecting the distal urethra, urethral meatus, and adjacent indwelling urinary catheter.

Hand held and portable disinfection units for use with patients having indwelling catheters or are hospitalized or under care in an intensive care unit.

A shunt system used to treat excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulation is described. In some embodiments, the system utilizes various mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical concepts designed to either clean a portion of the shunt system, or customize CSF drainage.

The invention includes a shunt for at least partial implantation into a patient that includes an elongated conduit having at least one lumen therethrough, that includes a proximal end for receipt of bodily fluids for flow through the shunt and a distal end for discharge of the bodily fluids from the shunt, and a long term source of at least one occlusion resistant agent, wherein said at least a portion of the at least one occlusion resistant agent can permeate through at least a portion of the elongated conduit. The invention also includes kits and systems.

A medical device including a handle body having a proximal end and a distal end, a spool on the handle body and to move between the distal end and the proximal end of the handle body, a catheter extending from the distal end of the handle body, an actuator attached to the spool and extending through the catheter, such that the actuator is removably connected to one or more dispensable devices at a distal end of the catheter, a spool controller to prevent connection with another of the dispensable devices to the actuator after a predetermined number of dispensable devices have been dispensed by the medical device.

Antiseptic caps that can be used to disinfect and/or protect medical connectors are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the antiseptic cap can include a first chamber configured to be removably attached to the medical connector. Delivery systems for use with medical articles are also disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the delivery system comprises various dispensing systems for antiseptic caps and/or antiseptic cap holder assemblies. In some embodiments, the delivery system can be configured to permit the medical articles to be individually removable from the delivery system.

A catheter insertion aid may comprise: an insertion tip located at a proximal end of the insertion aid; a flexible bag; a self-sealing mating mechanism on the proximal end of the insertion aid; and a physical interface that helps a user hold and support the insertion aid against the body when inserting the catheter tube into the male or female urethral tract. The catheter insertion aid may mate with a urinary intermittent catheter with a catheter tube to be inserted into a male or female urethral tract to facilitate drainage of urine from a bladder into a receptacle. The flexible bag may surround the catheter tube with a first collar connection mechanism connecting to the insertion aid and a second collar connection mechanism connecting to a catheter funnel. The self-sealing mating mechanism may mate with the catheter funnel to create a hermetic seal that is substantially air- and water-tight. The catheter insertion aid may further comprise a lubrication reservoir that holds a lubricant to coat a thin layer of the lubricant on the catheter tube facilitating insertion of the catheter tube into the male or female urethral tract.

The present invention is a self-cleaning catheter designed to impede the development of biofilm within the catheter and provide a mechanism for removing biofilm within the catheter during use by a patient. The self-cleaning catheter includes an outer shell enclosing a urine lumen. The urine lumen has the ability to be opened and closed with a urine lumen closure device and is formed with a plurality of micro ports and a plurality of macro wash ports. At least one antimicrobial lumen is affixed to the exterior of and in fluid communication with the urine lumen at the plurality of micro ports. Similarly, at least one wash lumen is affixed to the exterior of and in fluid communication with the urine lumen at the plurality of macro wash ports. Antimicrobial solutions and wash solutions are introduced into the urine lumen by the antimicrobial lumen and wash lumen respectively, even during use.

An anti-fouling surface having micron scale pillars embedded with Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles is designed. The pillars may be repeatedly induced to move according to a predetermined frequency, such as one that mimic that of the beating movement of natural cilia, through the application of a magnetic field. When square-shaped pillars with a height of 10 μm, width of 2 μm, and inter-pattern distance of 5 μm actuated for three minutes, more than 99.9 percent of biofilm cells were detached and via gentle rinsing from the surface having the pillars. The anti-fouling surface enables effective prevention of biofilm formation and removal of established biofilms, and can be applied to a broad spectrum of polymers.