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 The guide wire has a distal portion disposed in a lumen of the needle in a withdrawn position. The guide wire may include a safety tip having a non-coiled configuration in the withdrawn position and a coiled configuration in an advanced position.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a sliding member attached to the guide wire, wherein movement of the sliding member translates the guide wire from the withdrawn position to the advanced position.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 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.

The invention relates to a method for filling an inflatable catheter balloon of a device for transanally introducing an infusion into the rectum or colon of a patient by means of a filling device, wherein a fill volume or a filling pressure prevailing in the catheter balloon is increased in two or more steps until there occurs a gradual, user-controllable, pneumatically initiated expansion of portions of the bowel wall, thus triggering a coordinated defecation reflex, wherein the timing and intensity of the triggering stimulus can be determined to the greatest possible extent by the user.

Medical guidewire assembly is movable through guidewire introducer positionable proximate to a biological wall located within the body of a patient. Medical guidewire assembly has flexible distal shaft section configured to extend along the guidewire introducer. Medical guidewire assembly has a predetermined spatial geometry once the flexible distal shaft section is removed from guidewire introducer. Medical guidewire assembly also has a piercing stylet device configured to puncture the biological wall in response to placement of guidewire introducer (in use) proximate to the biological wall, and movement of the flexible distal shaft section through the guidewire introducer. The predetermined spatial geometry is configured to prevent physical contact between the piercing stylet device and adjacently positioned tissue of the patient in response to formation of the predetermined spatial geometry.

Disclosed are introducer components, assemblies, and methods. For example, an introducer assembly can include a syringe and a needle assembly fluidly connected thereto. The needle assembly can include a needle and an access guidewire-advancement mechanism mounted on a proximal linear portion of a needle shaft of the needle. The needle shaft can include a sigmoid portion between a distal linear portion of the needle shaft and the proximal linear portion as well as a port in a transition from the sigmoid portion to the distal linear portion of the needle shaft. An access guidewire can be loaded in both the access guidewire-advancement mechanism and a needle-shaft lumen in the distal linear portion of the needle shaft in a ready-to-deploy state of the introducer assembly. In this way, the access guidewire can be immediately advanced into a blood-vessel lumen upon establishing a needle tract thereto with the needle.

Introducer assemblies and methods are disclosed. For example, an introducer assembly can include a syringe and a needle fluidly connected to the syringe. The syringe can include a barrel and a plunger disposed in the barrel. The plunger can include a one-piece plunger shaft and a piston fitted over a distal end of the plunger shaft. The plunger shaft can include a longitudinal plunger-shaft passageway extending from the distal end of the plunger shaft. The piston can include a piston through hole forming a portion of an access-guidewire passageway of the introducer assembly with the plunger-shaft passageway. The needle can include a needle shaft and a needle hub over a proximal portion of the needle shaft. In another example, a method is disclosed for securing vascular access with the foregoing introducer assembly.

Disclosed are introducer components, assemblies, and methods. For example, an introducer assembly can include a fluidly connected syringe and needle. The needle can include a needle shaft and a needle hub over a proximal portion of the needle shaft. The needle hub can include a port and a valve disposed in the port. The port can be in a side of the needle hub proximal of a proximal end of the needle shaft. The valve can be configured to form a fluid-tight seal around an elongate medical device such as an access guidewire when passed through the port and into a needle-hub lumen of the needle hub. Such an access guidewire can be disposed in the introducer assembly just proximal of a needle tip of the needle. In this way, the access guidewire can be immediately advanced into a blood-vessel lumen upon establishing a needle tract thereto with the needle.

In various examples, a medical device is configured to be at least partially insertable within a patient. The medical device includes a first elongate member including a sidewall surrounding and defining a lumen extending through the first elongate member between a first proximal end and a first distal end. A second elongate member is sized and shaped to fit within the lumen of the first elongate member. A coil is disposed within the sidewall of the first elongate member, wherein the coil is configured to sense a position of the second elongate member with respect to the coil. In some examples, the first elongate member includes a catheter, and the second elongate member includes a guidewire.

A catheter assembly includes a catheter; a catheter hub fixed to a proximal end portion of the catheter; a hollow needle having a needle tip and disengageably located in the catheter; a needle hub fixed to a proximal end portion of the needle; a guide wire slidably located in the needle, the guide wire being longer than the catheter and having a distal end that is protrudable from the needle tip; a guide wire hub configured to support the guide wire and move the guide wire with respect to the needle in association with movement of the guide wire hub; and a movement mechanism configured to retract the guide wire hub with respect to the needle hub such that the distal end of the guide wire is housed in the needle in association with forward movement of the catheter hub with respect to the needle hub.

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.