Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for an implant, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes a foldable inner member having a detached flap structure at its distal tip that facilitates expansion of the sheath lumen to increased diameters, and an elastomeric distal end that reduces push and retrieval forces therethrough. The sheath can include a hemostasis seal on its proximal end to prevent the leakage of blood out of the sheath and prevent ballooning of outer layer of the sheath.

Medical devices including vascular access systems comprising a strain relief component are disclosed. The vascular access system comprises an inflow conduit, connector, and strain relief component. The strain relief is configured to prevent kinking and an irregular internal surface of the inflow conduit to promote laminar flow of blood within the inflow conduit and prevent thrombosis of the inflow conduit. The strain relief is configured to be releasably coupled to the inflow conduit.

A catheter includes a tubular body having an outer surface, and a sleeve disposed on only a portion of the outer surface of the tubular body. The sleeve includes an outer layer overlying an inner layer. The catheter contains a water-soluble, anti-microbial agent in the outer layer of the sleeve. Methods of making the catheter are also disclosed.

An introducer sheath includes a tubular body configured to be percutaneously inserted into a body lumen and a hub that is connected to a proximal portion of the tubular body, wherein the tubular body contains a polyamide resin having a structural unit derived from a cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon, and a wall thickness/inner diameter ratio of the tubular body is 1/14 or less, and a kink radius/outer diameter ratio of the tubular body is less than 10.

Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for an implant, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes a foldable inner member having a detached flap structure at its distal tip that facilitates expansion of the sheath lumen to increased diameters, and an elastomeric distal end that reduces push and retrieval forces therethrough. The sheath can include a hemostasis seal on its proximal end to prevent the leakage of blood out of the sheath and prevent ballooning of outer layer of the sheath.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an aspiration catheter comprising a catheter body that can have a first end and a second end and an aspiration lumen extending through the catheter body. The aspiration lumen can have an aspiration opening located in a distal portion of the aspiration catheter. The catheter can have an assistive jet element extending through a wall of the aspiration lumen. The assistive jet element can have an assistive jet channel. The assistive jet element can be adaptable to draw blood through the assistive jet element from a location outside of the catheter body adjacent to the assistive jet element and into the aspiration lumen when suction is applied to the aspiration lumen and can be configured to break apart a thrombus or obstruction in the aspiration lumen.

In various examples, a hub for a medical device includes a hub housing including a passage from a proximal end of the hub housing to a distal end of the hub housing. A valve is disposed within the hub. The valve is configured to allow passage of an insertable device through the valve while inhibiting leakage of fluid from the valve. A cap is engaged to the hub housing. The cap includes an opening therethrough sized and shaped to allow passage of the insertable device through the opening. The opening allows access to the passage of the hub housing. An angled sidewall is disposed within the hub. The angled sidewall is configured to retain and deform the valve into a curved shape.

An intravenous (IV) catheter system may include a catheter adapter having a proximal end and a distal end. The IV catheter system may also include a cannula extending through the catheter adapter. A proximal end of the cannula may include a notch. The IV catheter system may also include a needle hub, which may be coupled to the proximal end of the catheter adapter. The needle hub may include a flashback chamber, which may be in fluid communication with the notch when the IV catheter system is in an insertion configuration.

The strain relief device of this invention reduces injury and danger of serious infection at driveline skin exit sites caused by routine patient activities and accidental stresses on the drivelines of ventricle assist devices and similar externally powered implanted medical devices. The device comprises a sleeve that forms an adherent biological interface with the skin and compliant seals between the sleeve and driveline. The compliant seals mechanically decouple linear and rotary driveline motions from the sleeve, while isolating the patients internal tissue from the outside environment. This mechanical decoupling reduces stresses and injury to the adherent interface, thereby reducing the risk of bacterial entry and infection. The device may be inserted into the patient as part of the driveline assembly implantation procedure, and is positioned such that the skin contacts and adheres to the outer diameter of the sleeve. It may also be partially or completely replaced or retrofitted to previously implanted drivelines in a relatively simple procedure.

Disclosed herein is a strain relief having a plurality of enclosing parts arranged in an axial direction and enclosing a longitudinal axis of the strain relief. A space portion can be formed between adjacent enclosing parts so that the strain relief is freely bendable. In the strain relief, the adjacent enclosing parts are interconnected, and one or both of opposed surfaces of the adjacent enclosing parts can be provided with a projection that projects in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis.