A continuously hollow device for the transfer of fluids to the human body is provided, which is made in a nanomaterial derived from latex, which chemical composition in based primarily on fats, waxes and several gummy resins obtained from cytoplasm of lactic cells. This biochemically modified material is capable of adjusting its outer and inner diameter, i.e. it enlarges or shrinks according to the needs of the patient. The device corresponds to a needle or the like (catheter), which allows to have a very small diameter so as to be inserted in the patient (minimally invasive procedure) and after a physical excitation of such nanomaterial, it can be extended once inserted in the body so as to allow the intake or discharge of fluids to or from the body through a catheter, probe or the like.

A catheter assembly may include a catheter adapter, which may include a body and a nose extending distally from the body. The nose may be generally cylindrical. A strain relief rib may be disposed on the nose. The strain relief rib may be constructed of a flexible material. The catheter assembly may also include a needle secured within the catheter adapter and extending distally beyond the nose. The catheter assembly may further include a needle cover, which may be removably coupled to the nose of the catheter adapter. An inner surface of the needle cover may be smooth and may contact the strain relief rib.

A catheter is capable of firmly fixing a shaft and a hub, and preventing a decrease in dimensional accuracy of an outer side of the hub in a radial direction. The catheter includes: a shaft that is a tubular body in which a lumen extending the shaft from a distal end to a proximal end is formed, and that includes a shaft proximal surface in which the lumen is opened and a shaft outer surface that is an outer peripheral surface of the tubular body; and a hub that is attached to the proximal end of the shaft. The hub includes a tubular accommodation unit configured to accommodate the shaft, the accommodation unit includes a hub melted surface that is directly welded to the shaft outer surface, and an absolute value of a residual strain of the accommodation unit decreases outward in a radial direction from the hub melted surface.

The proposed device comprises a plurality of electroactive material actuator units arranged as a set. Control data for driving individual units is transferred over three shared power lines. The electroactive material actuator of each unit is driven depending on control data received from the power lines via a demodulator, a controller, and a driver.

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.

A catheter assembly may include a catheter adapter, which may include a body and a nose extending distally from the body. The nose may be generally cylindrical. A strain relief rib may be disposed on the nose. The strain relief rib may be constructed of a flexible material. The catheter assembly may also include a needle secured within the catheter adapter and extending distally beyond the nose. The catheter assembly may further include a needle cover, which may be removably coupled to the nose of the catheter adapter. An inner surface of the needle cover may be smooth and may contact the strain relief rib.

A catheter includes an electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuator disposed in a steerable tip at the distal end of the catheter. When activated, the EMP actuator deflects the steerable tip through an angle between 0 and 270 degrees, thus permitting the operator to steer the steerable tip through the vasculature. The steerable tip also has at least a first relatively stiff region and a second relatively flexible region, and the EMP actuator is provided next to the first relatively stiff region so that the steerable tip may toward the flexible region when activated. In one implementation, an external interface allows a user to select by name one of many sets of control signals, with each set of control signals being signals calibrated for configuring the catheter to mimic a known catheter.

Implants comprising electrically-responsive hydrogel are described. Systems to provide electricity to induce response in hydrogel-containing implants are described. Methods for utilizing said system and methods for utilizing said hydrogel-containing implants are described.

The invention generally relates to method and apparatus for crossing an obstruction in a tubular member, and more particularly to a medical device method for crossing of a chronic occlusion in a subintimal or interstitial space of an artery.

A neurovascular catheter extension segment is provided, such as for distal neurovascular access or aspiration. The neurovascular catheter extension segment includes 1) an elongate flexible control wire having a proximal end and a distal end and 2) a tubular extension segment having a side wall defining a central lumen carried by the distal end of the control wire. The side wall of the tubular extension segment includes a tubular inner liner, a tie layer separated from the lumen by the inner liner, a helical coil surrounding the tie layer, and an outer jacket surrounding the helical coil. The extension segment may be introduced into the proximal end of a neurovascular catheter and advanced distally to extend beyond the catheter and thereby extend the reach of the catheter.