Patent ID: 8849382

Claim:
A catheter placement system for inserting a catheter into a vasculature of a patient, comprising: a catheter assembly including: a catheter, a distal end of the catheter comprising a conductive band; and a stylet removably received within a lumen of the catheter comprising an ECG sensor component for detecting ECG signals of a node of a heart of the patient when at least a portion of the catheter assembly is disposed within the vasculature of the patient, the stylet including two conductive portions longitudinally separated by an interposed nonconductive portion, wherein the nonconductive portion has a longitudinal length less than a longitudinal length of the conductive band; an ECG signal receiving component that receives ECG signals detected by the ECG sensor component, the ECG signal receiving component being operably connectable to the ECG sensor component; and a connection integrity component that verifies an integrity of an operable connection between the ECG signal receiving component and the ECG sensor component.