U.S. patent number 3,811,440 [Application Number 05/170,157] was granted by the patent office on 1974-05-21 for catheter placement unit with pressure closure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Desert Pharmaceutical Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harvey Robert Moorehead, George R. Reading.
United States Patent |
3,811,440 |
Moorehead , et al. |
May 21, 1974 |
CATHETER PLACEMENT UNIT WITH PRESSURE CLOSURE
Abstract
A catheter placement unit comprising an adapter assembly for
coupling a catheter tube to a fluid infusion unit and including
resilient means which are manually compressable to control the flow
of fluid through the catheter tube. Two forms of the catheter
placement unit are disclosed.
Inventors: |
Moorehead; Harvey Robert (Salt
Lake City, UT), Reading; George R. (Sandy, UT) |
Assignee: |
Desert Pharmaceutical Company,
Inc. (Sandy, UT)
|
Family
ID: |
22618790 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/170,157 |
Filed: |
August 9, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/167.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
39/0613 (20130101); A61M 2039/062 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
39/02 (20060101); A61M 39/06 (20060101); A61m
005/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/214.4,214.2,221,348,349 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Laudenslager; Lucie H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Foster; Lynn G.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A stylet catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter tube having an axial bore;
elongated piercing means coaxially disposed through and extending
beyond the bore of the catheter tube;
a hollow body affixed to the proximal end of the catheter tube
through which the piercing means also coaxially passes, the hollow
of the body being in fluid communication with the bore of the
catheter tube and the proximal end of the hollow body comprising an
infusion female fitting;
the hollow body comprising a yieldable occluding hollow section
with memory forward of the female fitting which upon being manually
squeezed against the piercing means fully collapses and occludes
the hollow of the body immediately upon axial removal of the
piercing means from the catheter tube and the occluding hollow
section, to prevent blood loss after venipuncture following
piercing means removal before infusion attachment at the female
fitting;
means attached to the proximal end of the piercing means and sleeve
means attached to said atached means and concentrically interposed
between the piercing means and the occluding hollow section so that
as the piercing means are removed by manual manipulation of the
attached means, the sleeve means will be removed from its
interposition between the occluding hollow section and the piercing
means.
2. A stylet catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter tube having an axial bore;
elongated piercing means coaxially disposed through and extending
beyond the bore of the catheter tube;
a hollow body affixed to the proximal end of the catheter tube
through which the piercing means also coaxially passes, the hollow
of the body being in fluid communication with the bore of the
catheter tube and the proximal end of the hollow body comprising an
infusion female fitting;
the hollow body comprising a yieldable occluding hollow section
with memory forward of the female fitting which upon being manually
squeezed against the piercing means fully collapses and occludes
the hollow of the body immediately upon axial removal of the
piercing means from the catheter tube and the occluding hollow
section, to prevent blood loss after venipuncture following
piercing means removal before infusion attachment at the female
fitting;
a portion of the hollow body substantially surrounding the
occluding hollow section, and the occluding hollow section
comprising a projection extending through an opening in the hollow
body and exposed to be manually depressed to occlude the hollow of
the section as specified.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to catheter placement units and particularly
to means for controlling blood flow during coupling of a catheter
placement unit to a fluid infusion unit or the like.
2. Prior Art
In the placement of a catheter for fluid infusion and the like, it
is conventional to employ a placement unit having a hollow stylet
needle which extends telescopically through the catheter and has a
point which projects slightly beyond the leading edge of the
catheter to facilitate venipuncture. Once the venipuncture has been
achieved and the catheter suitably placed, the needle is withdrawn
from the catheter and the catheter is coupled to the fluid infusion
unit. When the venipuncture is achieved, the blood pressure in the
patent's vein forces blood through the needle and it is customary
to provide the needle with a transparent portion which permits
observance of this "blood flashback" to indicate that venipuncture
has been obrained. Unfortunately, as the needle is withdrawn, blood
also flows through the interior of the catheter and, since the free
end of the catheter is open for some moments, while the needle is
removed and the infusion unit is attached, this blood frequently
escapes and causes staining of clothing and bed linens. Moreover,
should a delay occur for any reason, between removal of the needle
and attachment of the infusion unit, the loss of blood through the
catheter could become serious. In instances where the needle
remains indwelling, the needle is provided with a removable plug to
permit attachment of the infusion unit and the foregoing problems
are presented during removal of this plug.
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present
invention and an angiocath is provided which includes means for
manually controlling the flow of blood therethrough.
The advangates of the present invention are preferably attained by
providing a fitting adjacent the free end of the catheter having a
tubular portion communicating with the bore of the catheter and
formed of resilient material which can be manually pressed to
prevent passage of blood therethrough.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved catheter placement unit.
Another object is to provide improved means for coupling an
indwelling catheter to a fluid infusion unit or the like.
A further object of the present invention is to provide means for
preventing undesired flow of blood through a catheter placement
unit.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide means
for manually controlling the flow of blood through a catheter
placement unit.
A specific object of the present invention is to provide a catheter
placement unit comprising a fitting connected adjacent the free end
of the catheter having a tubular portion communicating with the
bore of the catheter and formed of resilient material which can be
manually pressed to prevent passage of blood therethrough.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will
be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a catheter placement unit,
embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical section through a modified form of the
placement unit of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the placement unit of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
In that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of
illustration in FIG. 1, a catheter placement unit is shown,
indicated generally at 2, comprising a catheter tube 4 having an
axial bore 6. One end 8 of the catheter tube 4 extends through the
bore 10 of a locking ring 12 and is forced onto the tapered male
end portion 14 of an adapter 16. Preferably, the bore 10 of the
locking ring 12 has an enlarged tapered portion 18 formed with a
plurality of annular steps or shoulders 20 and terminating in an
internally threaded portion 22 which mates with an externally
threaded portion 24 of adapter 16 to secure the catheter tube 4 to
the adapter 16, as disclosed in the copending application of James
C. Loveless, Ser. No. 884,107, filed Dec. 11, 1969, now abandoned,
and assigned to the present assignee. The catheter tube 4 may be
permanently secured to the locking ring 12 and adapter 16 by means
of a suitable epoxy or the like. The adapter 16 is formed with a
radial flange 26 having an external diameter similar to that of the
locking ring 12 and is formed with a rearwardly projecting stud 28
of lesser diameter than the flange 26. An axial bore 30 extends
completely through the adapter 16 and communicates with the bore 6
of the catheter tube 4. A cylindrical sleeve 32, formed of
resilient material, is provided at its opposite ends with axial
recesses 34 and 36 having internal diameters substantially equal to
the diameter of stud 28 of the adapter 16, which seats in recess 34
of sleeve 32 and is secured thereto by epoxy or other suitable
means. The sleeve 32 has an external diameter similar to locking
ring 12 and flange 26 of adapter 16 and is formed with an axial
bore 38 communicating with the recesses 34 and 36 and the bore 38
has a larger diameter than the bores 6 and 30 of the catheter tube
4 and adapter 16, respectively. Recess 36 of sleeve 32 mates with a
projection 40 on the forward end of a coupling member 42 and is
secured thereto by epoxy or the like. The coupling member 42 has a
central portion 44 having an external diameter similar to sleeve
32, locking ring 12 and flange 26 of adapter 16. In addition,
coupling member 42 is formed with a radially projecting flange
portion 46 which is adapted to provide conventional Luer lock dogs.
Internally, coupling member 42 has an axial recess 48 formed in the
rear end thereof which is dimensioned to provide a friction fit
with the male end portion of a fluid infusion tube or the like. A
bore 50 communicates the forward end of coupling member 42 with the
recess 48 and the diameter of the bore 50 is substantially
identical with that of bore 38 of sleeve 32. A hollow stylet needle
52 has a beveled leading end point 54 and extends telescopically
through bore 6 of the catheter tube 4, bore 30 of adapter 16, bore
38 of sleeve 32, and bore 50 of coupling member 42 and is molded or
otherwise permanently secured to a rigid needle hub 56. The needle
hub 56 is formed with a coupling projection 58 which is dimensioned
to frictionally engage the recess 48 of coupling member 42. In
addition, a rigid stabilizer portion 60 is dimensioned to extend,
in sliding relation, through bore 50 of coupling member 42 and bore
38 of resilient sleeve 32, to abut the rear end of stud 28 of
adapter 16. Aside from the coupling projection 58 and stabilizer
portion 60, the needle hub 56 may be conventional and will include
a flashback chamber, 57, communicating with the bore of the needle
52, the flashback chamber also comprising a coupling recess for
removably receiving a flow control plug 62 or the male end portion
of a fluid infusion tube. The needle 52 is permanently secured to
the needle hub 56 in a conventional manner as is the sleeve 60.
In use, with the placement unit 2 assembled, as shown in FIG. 1,
the needle 52 and stabilizer portion cooperate to provide a rigid
structure which may be employed to perform a venipuncture in a
conventional manner. When it is desired to remove the needle 52,
the doctor grips the resilient sleeve 32 with the thumb and
forefinger of one hand and grips the needle hub 56 with the other
hand and proceeds to move the needle hub 56 away from the coupling
member 42, thereby withdrawing the needle 52. As the needle 52 is
withdrawn, the stabilizer portion 60 is withdrawn from bore 38 of
resilient sleeve 32. This allows the sleeve 32 to be compressed,
thereby reducing the effective size of bore 38. As the needle 52 is
withdrawn through the sleeve 32, the sleeve 32 is further
compressed to close bore 38 and prevent flow of blood therethrough.
The needle 52 may, then, be completely withdrawn and a suitable
fluid infusion tube or the like may be attached to coupling member
42. Thereafter, the resilient sleeve 32 is released and resumes its
normal shape, whereupon, fluid can flow freely through bore 38 of
sleeve 32 and through bore 30 of adapter 16 to bore 6 of the
catheter tube 4. Subsequently, if it is desired to substitute a
different infusion fluid, for example, the fluid flow may readily
be halted, by compressing sleeve 32 in the manner described, and
the substitution may be made without fear of staining bed linens or
clothing and without the danger of loss of blood from the
patient.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrates an alternative form of the present
invention. In this form of the invention, a modified adapter 64 is
employed and is formed generally cylindrical, as shown, with an
external diameter similar to that of the locking ring 12. The
adapter 64 has a tapered male portion 14 and threaded portion 24,
identical to those of adapter 16 of FIG. 1, and is attached to the
catheter tube 4 and locking ring 12 in the manner described with
respect to adapter 16 of FIG. 1. The modified adapter 64 has a
cylindrical body portion 66 formed with a Luer lock flange 68
projecting radially adjacent the rear end thereof and having an
opening 70 formed in one side of the body portion 66 intermediate
the length thereof. The modified adapter b4 has a bore 72 extending
completely therethrough and which is preferably formed with a
slightly divergently tapered wall at rear portion 74, a central
portion of uniform diameter 76, and a sharply tapered forward
portion 78 terminating at the leading end of the male portion 14 in
an opening 80 which is substantially equal in diameter with the
bore 6 of catheter tube 4. The side opening 70 communicates the
central portion 76 of bore 72 with the exterior of the adapter 64.
A generally cylindrical valve member 82 is located in the central
portion 76 of bore 72 and has an external dimension substantially
equal to the diameter of central portion 76 of bore 72. Preferably,
the valve member 82 is permanently secured within the central
portion 76 of bore 72 by epoxy or the like. The valve member 82 is
composed of resilient material and is formed with a bore 84
extending axially therethrough and having a diameter similar to
that of the bore 6 of catheter tube 4. In addition, the valve
member 82 is formed with a projection 86 which extends through
opening 70 and preferably projects a slight distance beyond the
exterior of adapter 64. The rear portion 74 of bore 72 of adapter
64 is formed to firctionally receive the male end portion of a
fluid infusion tube or the like, not shown. The needle hub 88 is
substantially identical with the needle hub 56 of FIG. 1, except
that the stabilizer portion 60 is omitted.
In use, the assembled placement unit is employed to perform a
venipuncture in the usual manner. When it is desired to remove the
needle 52, the doctor grips the adapter 64 with one hand, placing
the tip of one finger on the projection 86 of valve member 82, and
grips the needle hub 88 with the other hand. As the needle 52 is
withdrawn through the placement unit, the doctor applied pressure
to projection 86 which, upon passage of the needle 52, serves to
close the bore 84 of the valve member 82 to prevent passage of
blood therethrough. Thereafter, the needle 52 may be completely
withdrawn and the male portion of the fluid infusion unit may be
attached to tapered portion 74 of bore 72 of the adapter 64. Upon
release of the pressure from projection 86, valve 82 and bore 84
resume their original shapes and fluid can flow freely through bore
84.
Obviously, numerous variations and modifications may be made
without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, it
should be clearly understood that the forms of the present
invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawing are
illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *