Sensor devices including dissolvable tissue-piercing tips are provided. The sensor devices can be used in conjunction with dissolvable needles configured for inserting the sensor devices into a host. Hardening agents for strengthening membranes on sensor devices are also provided. Methods of using and fabricating sensor devices are also provided.

The goal is to provide a medical suture needle having, as the material, austenite stainless steel with a structure that is elongated in a fiber form while improving the hardness and flexural strength of the cutting portion. A medical suture needle is made of austenite stainless steel having a structure that is elongated in fiber form, and has a cutting portion and a body portion with a triangular cross-sectional shape that is continuous with said cutting portion. The cutting portion has cutting edges, at least one surface of which is formed by a pressed surface, and which are formed by the intersection of said pressed surface with two sharpened surfaces, and a cutting edge that is formed by the intersection of the two sharpened surfaces. The tip where the various cutting edges and converge is positioned in the center of the pressed surface. Moreover, the cutting edges formed by the intersection of the above pressed surface with the two sharpened surfaces are longer than the cutting edge that is formed by the intersection of the two sharpened surfaces.

There is provided a needle comprising a needle tube extending along a central axis between proximal and distal ends of the needle, the needle tube defining a lumen, and the distal end defining an opening into the lumen. The needle comprises a point, a cutting edge, and a heel extending between inner and outer surfaces of the needle tube. At least a region of the heel extends substantially orthogonally to the central axis to provide a non-cutting edge of the distal end.