A catheter insertion device includes a housing, a needle, a guide wire, and a catheter disposed coaxially over the needle. The needle has a proximal end in the housing and a distal end extending from a distal end of the housing in an insertion position. The guide wire has a distal portion disposed in a lumen of the needle in a withdrawn position. The guide wire may include a safety tip having a non-coiled configuration in the withdrawn position and a coiled configuration in an advanced position. The catheter insertion device may include a sliding member attached to the guide wire, wherein movement of the sliding member translates the guide wire from the withdrawn position to the advanced position.

The present disclosure provides an improved guidewire assembly including a sensor disposed on a distal portion thereof and a proximal connector disposed on a proximal portion thereof for electrically coupling the guidewire assembly to an external device. The proximal connector comprises at least one proximal contact and at least one reflowed insulative element disposed adjacent the at least one proximal contact.

An elongated medical instrument includes a base material part, and an outer layer part made of a resin provided on a surface of the base material part. An outer surface of the outer layer part is a substantially flat surface other than the presence of irregularly disposed recesses or protrusions.

Multifunctional crosslinkers are a reaction product between a polyaziridine compound and two or more functionalized benzophenones. The polyaziridine compound is linked to the functionalized benzophenones through two or more reacted aziridine groups. Coating compositions, comprising: a polymer, and multifunctional crosslinkers. Coated medical devices, comprise a lubricious coating bonded adjacent to an exterior surface of the medical device. The lubricious coating is prepared by UV-curing a coating composition, wherein the coating composition comprises: a water/isopropyl alcohol (IPA) soluble polymer and/or a UV-curable polymer, and a water/IPA soluble multifunctional crosslinker.

Pressure sensing guidewires and methods for making and using pressure sensing guidewires are disclosed. An example pressure sensing guidewire may include a tubular member having a proximal region and a housing region. An optical fiber may be disposed within the tubular member and extend to the housing region. The optical fiber may have a distal end region with a cavity formed therein. A polymeric member disposed within the cavity. A reflective surface disposed along the polymeric member.

A guidewire introducible into a bodily lumen having an obstruction therein is provided. An introducer needle is advanced through tissue and into the bodily lumen. A guidewire is advanced through the introducer and into the lumen. The guidewire is advanced further through the lumen until an atraumatic distal tip of the guidewire encounters an obstruction the distal tip cannot pass in a straight forward manner. The distal tip is pressed against the obstruction such that a flexible segment proximal of the distal tip forms a loop distal of the distal tip. The guidewire is advanced further through the lumen such that the loop of the flexible segment is pushed past the obstruction and the distal tip is pulled distally past the obstruction. A greater diameter guidewire extension can be coupled to the back end of the guidewire, providing function as a larger diameter guidewire.

Guidewires useful for cooperating with catheters may be actively steered and/or provide adjustable stiffness. Angle or curvature of a guidewire, and/or flexural modulus of a guidewire, may be adjusted at one or more locations between ends thereof. Variable stiffness segments may include electrically operated compressible and/or extensible materials. Multiple tensile elements may terminate at different body elements to adjust angle or curvature at multiple locations. Multiple circumferentially and/or radially contractible fiber regions may be provided and distributed over a length of a guidewire. Adjustable flexure elements arranged in or along a guidewire may be electrically operated. A flexible core member may be centrally arranged in a tubular body. A flexible guide wire or track may cooperate with electrically operable motor units.

A urinary catheter insertion alignment device for use by a female patient is disclosed. The urinary catheter insertion alignment device is molded to the patient's vaginal anatomy using impression material while an intermittent urinary catheter is inserted into the urethral orifice. Once the urinary catheter insertion alignment device has hardened, the intermittent urinary catheter is removed therefrom. Thereafter, the urinary catheter insertion alignment device may be fitted to the vaginal anatomy by the patient, which positions the passageway therethrough (formerly occupied by the urinary catheter in place during the molding operation) directly over the urethral orifice. The patient may then easily insert an intermittent urinary catheter (of a size smaller than that used during the molding operation) through the passageway, into the urethral orifice, and into the bladder for drainage of the bladder.

A delivery guide wire (10,100) and a therapeutic device are disclosed. The therapeutic device includes the delivery guide wire (10, 100), a medical implant and a delivery catheter (20). The delivery guide wire (10, 100) includes a core shaft (110) and a driving member (120) disposed on the core shaft (110), and the driving member (120) defines thereon a depression. The medical implant is compressed by the delivery catheter (20) and disposed over the delivery guide wire (10,100) in such a manner that it is at least partially received in the depression. This results in an increased contact area between the medical implant and the delivery guide wire (10, 100), which facilitates movement of the medical implant in sync with the delivery guide wire (10, 100) and makes its delivery easier.

A drug eluting guide wire comprises a body aperture having low friction characteristics. The guide wire includes an effective leading end segment that is formed along its outer surface with a rapid action body aperture drug eluting agent serving as a vasilodating substance. The low friction characteristics are achieved by the leading end segment of the wire being covered with a low friction lubricating substance such as hydrogel that is loaded with a drug eluting substance in the form of isoprenaline in constituting the segment. Isoprenaline serves a constricted body aperture rapid action relaxing function in amongst others, or at least the case of the guide wire, is used to access a kidney along a ureter in response to temporarily paralyzing the smooth muscles of the ureteric wall resulting in widening of the lumen of the ureter.