The disclosure provides insertion tools and articles that facilitate entry of a medical device, such as a balloon catheter, into the body. In embodiments the insertion tools have an elongate hollow body (50) that is able to protect a portion of a medical device, such as a balloon of a balloon catheter, during an insertion procedure. In one embodiment the insertion tool has an elongate hollow body (131), a tapered distal end (135), and a locking mechanism (133) at the proximal end which can secure a portion of a balloon catheter. An opening at the distal end can allow passage of the balloon in a folded uninflated state.

A rigidizing device includes an elongate flexible tube, a braid layer positioned over the elongate flexible tube, an outer layer over the flexible tube and the braid layer, and an inlet between the elongate flexible tube and the outer layer and configured to attach to a source of vacuum or pressure. The braid layer has a plurality of strands braided together at a braid angle of 5-40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate flexible tube when the elongate flexible tube is straight. The rigidizing device is configured to have a rigid configuration when vacuum or pressure is applied through the inlet and a flexible configuration when vacuum or pressure is not applied through the inlet. The braid angle is configured to change as the rigidizing device bends when the rigidizing device is in the flexible configuration.

Devices for transferring fluid to or from a subject include a plunger assembly coupled to or coupleable to a cannula assembly to allow target fluid to be “front-loaded” into a distal end of the cannula assembly while the stylet is withdrawn a distance to create a vacuum and define a flow channel.

Medical devices for accessing the central nervous system, as well as making and using medical devices, are disclosed. An example medical device may include an expandable access sheath having a proximal end region and a distal end region. The expandable access sheath may be designed to shift between a first configuration and an expanded configuration. The expandable access sheath may include a tubular body having one or more axial support members disposed along the tubular body. The medical device may include an expansion member designed to shift the expandable access sheath between the first configuration and the expanded configuration.

A device comprises a tubular member with a longitudinal axis having a proximal end and a distal end, at least one partial cut located at, along or near the distal end of the tubular member, the at least one partial cut comprising an orientation that is angled relative to both the longitudinal axis and an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis, a pusher member positioned within an interior of the tubular member and configured to selectively advance the distal end of the tubular member longitudinally, wherein the distal end of the tubular member is configured to at least partially rotate when the pusher member is advanced relative to the tubular member so at to facilitate placement of the distal end in a particular branch of a subject's intraluminal network, wherein the distal end of the tubular member is configured to longitudinally elongate along or near an area of the at least one partial cut.

A system for performing a minimally invasive procedure comprises a flexible catheter with a lumen extending therethrough. The system also comprises an elongate instrument sized for passage through the lumen and an optical coherence tomographic sensor coupled to the elongate instrument. The system also comprises a control system that includes one or more processors. The control system is configured to receive sensor data from the optical coherence tomographic sensor, profile a tissue based on the received sensor data, generate an output signal based on the profiled tissue, and based on receipt of the output signal, generate a command to indicate or affect movement of the elongate instrument.

A treatment method is disclosed, which includes preparing a catheter assembly by inserting an inner catheter into an outer catheter and screwing a protrusion of the outer catheter into a helical groove of the inner catheter; introducing the catheter assembly into the radial artery along a guide wire; pushing the catheter assembly along the guide wire to a target site in front of a stenosis of a blood vessel; releasing the screwing between the helical groove of the inner catheter and the protrusion of the outer catheter after a distal end of the catheter assembly reaches the target site; and causing the outer catheter to abut on at least a part of wall surfaces of a thoracic aorta and an abdominal aorta while drawing a helix and causing the treatment device to protrude from a distal end of the outer catheter at the stenosis.

A guiding device for a vascular catheter that is inserted over a guidewire. The guiding device comprising a tapered component for passing through a bore of the vascular catheter and extending from a distal end thereof. The tapered component has an aperture through which the guidewire may pass so that the tapered component (12) may move along the guidewire. A pushing means extends from the tapered component and is configured to extend beyond a proximal end of the vascular catheter. The tapered component comprises a first section, a second section and the third section. The first section is disposed between the proximal end of the tapered component and the second section, the second section is disposed between the first section and the third section, and the third section is disposed between the second section and a distal end of the tapered component. The first section is a cylinder and the second and the third sections are conical. The taper of the second section differs from the taper of the third section.

A rigidizing device includes an elongate flexible tube, a braid layer positioned over the elongate flexible tube, an outer layer over the flexible tube and the braid layer, and an inlet between the elongate flexible tube and the outer layer and configured to attach to a source of vacuum or pressure. The braid layer has a plurality of strands braided together at a braid angle of 5-40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate flexible tube when the elongate flexible tube is straight. The rigidizing device is configured to have a rigid configuration when vacuum or pressure is applied through the inlet and a flexible configuration when vacuum or pressure is not applied through the inlet. The braid angle is configured to change as the rigidizing device bends when the rigidizing device is in the flexible configuration.

Systems and methods for accessing small arteries for conveying catheters to target vessels such as brain vessels are described. In particular, the invention describes systems enabling a catheter to be introduced directly through a vessel opening without an external sheath wherein a distal tip of the catheter is protected by a protective cover. Methods of introducing catheters into vessels and kits are also described.