Peripheral intravenous catheter assemblies with capabilities for both blood sampling and catheterization can have a blood collection holder with a needle hub attached to a catheter hub. The combination catheter assembly and blood sampling holder can be called a catheter and holder assembly. Blood sampling can be done directly through the needle and the blood collection holder after cannulation. After blood sampling, the blood collection holder and the needle can be removed, leaving the catheter hub with the patient for IV infusion. The catheter hub can be a straight catheter hub or can include a side fluid port for use in as an integrated IVC.

Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

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 device for obtaining a blood sample, the device including a holder for receiving a sample source, the holder having an actuation portion and a port, a container engagement portion connected to the holder, and a collection container removably connectable to the container engagement portion, the container defining a collection cavity, wherein the container engagement portion allows the collection container to rotate between a first position in which the collection container is spaced from the port and a second position in which the collection container is in fluid communication with the port.

Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

A fluid sample optimization device for optimizing a fluid sample collected by a fluid collection device from a fluid source, where a first portion of the fluid sample potentially has contaminants. The device includes an inlet configured to connect with the fluid source, an outlet configured to connect with the fluid collection device, a sample path connected between the inlet and the outlet, and a contaminant containment reservoir connected between the inlet and the outlet. The contaminant containment reservoir has an air permeable fluid resistor proximate the outlet, and is arranged to receive the first portion of the fluid sample from the fluid source to displace air therein, such that upon receipt of the first portion of the fluid sample and containment of the contaminants in the contaminant containment reservoir, subsequent portions of the fluid sample are conveyed by the sample path from the inlet to the outlet when subsequent pressure differentials are applied between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid sample optimization device can further include a displaceable plug between the inlet and the sample path, that can be displaced by the subsequent pressure differentials to allow the subsequent portions of the fluid to be conveyed through the sample path.

Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

A blood collection device to prime a blood flow path may include a cannula, a holder, and an elastomeric sleeve. The cannula may include a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis therebetween. The cannula may include a slot to enable a user to visualize the blood flow path through the cannula. The holder may include a channel configured to align with the longitudinal axis to retain a shaft of the cannula. The holder may further include a visual check window corresponding to the slot of the cannula. The elastomeric sleeve may be coupled to the holder and enclose the proximal end of the cannula. A priming opening may be disposed between the elastomeric sleeve and the holder to prime the blood flow path.

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 needle assembly includes a housing having proximal and distal ends, an IV cannula projecting distally from the housing, and an IV shield having an engagement. The housing has a shield seat and the IV cannula has a distal tip. The IV shield has a pre-use position where the IV shield covers the distal tip of the IV cannula and the engagement is disengaged from the shield seat, and a use position where the engagement is engaged with the shield seat and the IV shield is adapted to move between a non-shielded position, in which the distal tip is exposed, and a shielded position, in which the distal tip is shielded by the IV shield.