A catheter assembly including a multi-luminal catheter, a primary stylet, and a secondary stylet. The primary stylet and the secondary stylet are each inserted into separate lumens extending along the catheter tube. The primary stylet includes a magnetic region to enable magnetic tracking. The secondary stylet is configured to prevent buckling of the magnetic region during insertion. The secondary stylet includes a proximal section having a proximal column strength and a distal section having a distal column strength greater than the proximal column strength. During use, an insertion force exceeding an insertion force limit causes the proximal section to buckle to prevent buckling of the distal section. The primary stylet may also include electrical sensors and/or an optical fiber configured for shape sensing.

An implantable medical device is provided for controlled drug delivery within the bladder, or other body vesicle. The device may include at least one drug reservoir component comprising a drug; and a vesicle retention frame which comprises an elastic wire having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate region therebetween, wherein the drug reservoir component is attached to the intermediate region of the vesicle retention frame. The retention frame prevents accidental voiding of the device from the bladder, and it preferably has a spring constant selected for the device to effectively stay in the bladder during urination while minimizing the irritation of the bladder.

The present invention generally provides a device for inserting needles and alleviating the discomfort associated with needle insertion. In certain embodiments, the device is suited for injecting butterfly needles and particularly butterfly needles that are attached to infusion tubing. The patient or caregiver loads a butterfly needle with tubing attached into the base of the drive plunger. The needle with tubing attached is retracted into the housing of the device by retracting the inner plunger. Once retracted, the device is activated and ready to administer a needle into the tissue of a patient. The device is then placed on the location of the skin where injection is desired. The surface that contacts the skin may be textured and may include a contact switch that causes the device to vibrate when slight pressure is applied through contact with the skin. Two trigger buttons in the housing of the device may be depressed to eject the needle at an angle essentially perpendicular to the surface of the skin into the tissue of the patient concurrently with the textured pads contacting the skin and vibrating, distracting the patient from the needle insertion. The inner plunger of the device is then depressed toward the surface of the skin to release the needle from the device. The wings and body of the butterfly may be secured to the skin, for example, with an adhesive such as tape.

Apparatuses (e.g., devices, systems, etc.) and methods that may provide access to one or more tools to a remote site in the body including expandable and external working channels that may be part of a tube that is coupled to an outer surface of an elongate medical device, such as an endoscope.

Methods and devices for trans-jugular carotid access are disclosed. Methods within the scope of this disclosure include methods of trans-jugular carotid access originating in the leg of a patient or other location remote to the jugular vein and carotid artery and methods originating at the neck of a patient. Devices used in connection with the disclosed methods may comprise access catheters, lumens, and stylets.

Disclosed is a device for facilitating placement of a central line in a patient, said device comprising: a housing having proximal and distal ends and a central portion therebetween, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion; a handgrip provided on the proximal end of the housing, said handgrip having at least one of a channel and a through hole extending from the proximal end to the central portion, wherein the channel or through hole is sized to receive a guidewire; a feeder tip receiver provided on a proximal end of the handgrip in communication with the channel or through hole in said handgrip; a stabilizer provided on the lower portion of said housing; a luer slip tip provided on the distal end of the housing, said luer slip tip having a mounting portion for attachment to a needle hub, said luer slip tip having a lumen aligned with the channel or through hole in said handgrip; and a wire slide platform provided on the central portion of the housing.

Methods and devices for trans-jugular carotid access are disclosed. Methods within the scope of this disclosure include methods of trans-jugular carotid access originating in the leg of a patient or other location remote to the jugular vein and carotid artery and methods originating at the neck of a patient. Devices used in connection with the disclosed methods may comprise access catheters, lumens, and stylets.

An endoscope system includes an endoscope, and an insertion auxiliary tool into which the endoscope is inserted. A flexible portion of the insertion section of the endoscope includes, from a distal end side toward a proximal end side, a low flexural rigidity portion, a flexural rigidity varying portion in which a flexural rigidity increases from the distal end side toward the proximal end side, and a high flexural rigidity portion with flexural rigidity higher than that in the low flexural rigidity portion. When at least a part of the flexible portion projects from a distal end opening of the tube body, a position of the proximal end of the low flexural rigidity portion is positioned closer to a proximal end of the insertion auxiliary tool than the distal end opening of the tube body from the proximal end of the insertion auxiliary tool.

A guide extension catheter includes a push member and a distal shaft coupled to and extending distally from the push member. The distal shaft includes a shaft wall and a passageway. The shaft wall includes a helically-shaped proximal end and a distal end. The helically-shaped proximal end coils helically about a first central longitudinal axis of the passageway of the distal shaft. The helically-shaped proximal end of the shaft wall defines a helically-shaped entry port of the distal shaft. The distal shaft may include a helically-shaped collar coupled to the helically-shaped proximal end of the distal shaft, the collar defining the helically-shaped entry port of the distal shaft.

A stylet assembly and method of forming an in vivo image acquiring stylet assembly. The stylet assembly includes an elongate flexible body and an image acquiring device that is supported at a location that is offset from an in vivo facing terminal end of the stylet assembly. A terminal end portion of the stylet assembly is defined by a manipulator that is oriented to extend in a crossing direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate body. The terminal end portion of the stylet assembly is steerable relative to the elongate body and is operable to manipulate positions or adjacent anatomy and/or effectuate guidance of the imaging device relative thereto during use.