Trocar-catheter Assembly

Abstract

A catheter device is provided including a catheter element and a flexible plate element wherein the catheter element has a body inserting section extending from one side of the flexible plate element and a tube connecting section extending from the other side of the flexible plate element, the tube connecting section being attached to the flexible plate element with the through bore thereof being generally parallel to or at an acute angle to a plane passing through the flexible plate element.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a butterfly catheter device which is used to introduce or withdraw fluids from the body. The present invention also discloses a suprapubic cystotomy device for bladder control following gynecological and urological repair. Both of the devices have common inventive elements which will become apparent from the discussion which is to follow.

Butterfly catheter devices are commonly provided with flexible wing elements having a hollow needle insert molded therebetween. Medical personnel grip and pinch the flexible wings of the butterfly catheter device to facilitate insertion of the hollow needle into the body to permit fluids to be introduced or withdrawn from the body. Once the butterfly catheter is inserted, tape is used to attach the wings of the catheter device to the body. In addition to discomfort caused by the angle of inclination of the hollow needle relative to the body, there is no current way of keeping the incision area free from germs and bacteria. The catheter device of the present invention overcomes these disadvantages as will become apparent.

The suprapubic cystotomy technique has received renewed interest by surgeons performing gynecological and urological repair since patients following post-operative surgery can attempt to relieve their bladder in the usual manner without subjecting themselves to infection and/or discomfort. Suprapubic cystotomies are performed by puncturing the skin, flesh and bladder with a needle and inserting a drainage tube into the bladder through the needle puncture. The drainage tube is connected to a urinary collection bag.

Several commercial devices have been developed in order to take advantage of the suprapubic cystotomy technique. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,679, a plastic locking plate device has been developed for locking a plastic tube inserted into the bladder to prevent any withdrawal of the plastic group from the locking plate device or withdrawal of the plastic tube into the bladder. Unfortunately, this device has not functioned as desired because it is relatively simple for the patient to inadvertently pull the tube from the bladder. Also, this device includes a number of separate elements which are difficult to assembly and/or connect relative to one another.

Another type of device that is currently under development is similar to the trocar catheter device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,189. With this device, it is necessary for the doctor to rest his forearms on the pubic area and use two arms in inserting the device because of the size of the trocar. Further, neither of the devices can be operated without nurse assistance.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved catheter device which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a catheter device for introducing or withdrawing fluids from the body while providing a sanitary and comfortable mounting relative to the body.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide a trocar catheter device for use in penetrating body cavities which is easily positioned by the physician in the proper location, difficult to dislodge from the body member, and is easy to use by the patient without nurse assistance.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a catheter device which includes a catheter element and a flexible plate element, the catheter element includes a body inserting section which extends from one side of the flexible plate element and a tube connecting section which extends from the other side of the flexible plate element, the tube connecting section is fixedly attached to the flexible plate element with the through bore of the tube connecting section being generally parallel to or at an acute angle to a plane passing through the flexible plate element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trocar catheter device which is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the trocar catheter device as it is being positioned relative to a body cavity;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the trocar catheter device which illustrates the flexibility of the plate element thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view depicting the on/off valve arrangement which is used in conjunction with the catheter device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another form of catheter device which is used in introducing or withdrawing fluids from the body;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the catheter device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the catheter device shown in FIG. 5 and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the catheter device shown in FIG. 5 in mounted position relative to the wrist area of an arm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention discloses a trocar catheter device as shown in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings and a catheter device for introducing and withdrawing fluids from the body as shown in FIGS. 5-8 of the drawings.

Referring first to the trocar catheter device illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the method of inserting the trocar catheter device is shown in FIGS. 2-3 of the drawings while the operation of the trocar catheter device when positioned relative to a body cavity is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings.

The trocar catheter device shown in FIGS. 2-3 of the drawings is generally represented by the numeral 10 and includes a 1-piece catheter device 12 which is associated relative to a rigid trocar 14. The 1-piece catheter device 12 includes a flexible plate element in the shape of a circular disc 16 having formed grooves 18 therein in order to provide a pair of flexible wing elements 20 for gripping by the fingers of the user as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings to facilitate introduction of the trocar catheter 10. The 1-piece catheter device 12 further includes a cylindrically-shaped catheter tube 22 which extends from the lower side of the flexible plate element 16. On the upper side of the flexible plate element 16, there is provided a pre-cast curved elbow section 24 which is bonded along a portion thereof to the flexible plate element 16. The elbow section 24 has a through bore 26 which communicates with the through bore 28 of the catheter tube 22. The through bores 24 and 28 of the elbow section 26 and catheter tube 22 are adapted to be aligned relative to one another in order to receive the rigid trocar 14 shown in FIGS. 2-3 of the drawings. This is made possible by virtue of the manner in which the curved elbow section 24 is attached to one of the flexible wing elements 20 so that the through bores 24 and 28 can be aligned relative to one another. Specifically, it will be seen that the elbow section 24 is attached between the formed grooves 18 as well as intersecting one of the formed grooves 18. Thus, the curved elbow section 24 can be straightened when the rigid trocar 14 is inserted within the bore 26 thereof.

With the rigid trocar 14 slidably positioned within the through bores 26, 28 of the elbow section and catheter tube 24, 22 respectively, the flexible wing elements 20 of the flexible plate element 16 can be gripped as is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings for inserting the trocar catheter device 10 into the stomach wall in order to position the catheter tube 22 relative to the body cavity 30. When this is achieved, the rigid trocar 14 may be withdrawn from the trocar catheter device leaving the 1-piece catheter device 12 inserted in the body so that the catheter tube 22 and its through bore 28 connects the body cavity 30 through the elbow section and its bore 26. The rear faces of the flexible wing elements 20 may be coated with an adhesive and removable cover elements for attaching the flexible plate 16 to the stomach wall or other body part. Alternatively, the flexible plate element 16 may be provided with openings around the periphery thereof for stitching the flexible plate element 16 against the stomach wall or other body part to maintain the catheter tube 22 in position relative to the body cavity 30.

As seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings, an integral strap and plug element 32, 34 respectively shown in hidden lines may be attached to the flexible plate element for plugging off the communicating through bores 28, 26 of the catheter tube and curved elbow section 22, 24 respectively. This can be done after the rigid trocar 14 has been removed from the 1-piece catheter device 12 as well as any time that the patient wants to disconnect himself from the urine collecting bag or other container as will be appreciated.

In order to connect the 1-piece catheter device to a urine collecting bag or other container, there is provided an inside catheter device 36 which includes a catheter tube section 38 which extends through the bores 26, 28 of the elbow section and catheter tube 24, 22 respectively. The catheter tube section 38 has at its free end a series of openings 40 to permit fluid within the cavity 30 to be withdrawn up the catheter tube section and into the urine collecting bag which is connected to the inside catheter device 36. The inside catheter device 36 further includes a male fitting 42 which is complementary shaped relative to the through bore 26 of elbow section 24 for releasable locking engagement therewith as is best illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The male fitting 42 is part of a valve attachment 44 which includes the valve element 46 for opening and closing the communicating through bores 26, 28 of the elbow section 24 and catheter tube 22 respectively with the urine collecting bag. The tube and the urine collecting bag or other container (both of which are not shown) are attached to the fitting 48 which is positioned adjacent to valve attachment 44.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the trocar catheter device can provide ease of operation from both the physician and the patient's view and comfort to the patient without inadvertent removal of the device from the patient's body.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5-8 of the drawings for a description of the catheter device which is used to introduce or remove fluid from a body. As will be seen, the catheter device 50 includes a hollow needle 52 having a sharpened section 54 at one end thereof for insertion into a body member and a hub section 56 at the other end thereof for attachment to a connecting tube 58 which connects the catheter device 50 to a bag or container (not shown) for introducing or withdrawing fluids from the body.

The hollow needle 52 is integrally attached, by insert molding, to a flexible plate element 60 which is made from a flexible plastic material as the 1-piece catheter device 12 in the FIGS. 1-4 embodiment. The hollow needle 52 is attached to the flexible plate 60 at an acute angle thereto with the sharpened section 54 and a portion of the hollow needle 52 extending below the flexible plate element 60 while the hub section 56 and the remaining portion of the hollow needle 52 extends above the flexible plate element 60. The remaining portion of the hollow needle 52 which extends above the flexible plate element 60 is integrally encased within an enlarged section 62 of the flexible plate element by the insert molding process.

As will be seen in FIGS. 5-6 and 8 of the drawings, the flexible plate element 60 has parallel grooves 64 formed therein on opposite sides of the enlarged section 62 to form a pair of wings 66 to facilitate gripping thereof by the fingers of a user as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing.

As best seen in FIGS. 6-7 of the drawings, the sharpened section 54 and preferably also at least a portion of the hollow needle 52 below flexible plate element 60 extends beyond the periphery of the flexible plate element 60 in order that the needle can first come into contact with the portion of the body where fluids are to be introduced or withdrawn and then allow the flexible plate element 60 to overlie the incision area. This is important since the flexible plate element 60 on the lower surface thereof is preferably provided with an antiseptic adhesive with a removable covering thereover which is removed to expose the antiseptic adhesive in order to keep the area in and around the incision made by the hollow needle 52 protected from germs and bacteria. Further, the angle of inclination of the hollow needle 52 relative to the flexible plate element 60 provides substantial comfort to the patient as compared with current butterfly catheter devices wherein the hollow needles lie essentially in the same plane of the butterfly wings. This tends to cause the skin to be pulled or strained in the vicinity of the incision when the butterfly wings are taped to the patient's skin. The acute angle relationship of the hollow needle 52 relative to the flexible plate element 60 in the catheter device 50 does not cause pulling or strain on the skin, and at the same time, allows the flexible plate element 60 to cover the incision area to keep the area free from bacteria and other germs.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that the trocar catheter device of FIGS. 1-4 and the catheter device for introducing or withdrawing fluids relative to a body member as shown in FIGS. 5-8 provide many distinct and improved advantages over existing prior art devices as will now be apparent.

Claims

I claim:

1. A trocar catheter for use in penetrating body cavities including: a one-piece catheter device including a flexible plate element, a catheter tube extending from one side of the flexible plate element and a curved flexible elbow section extending from the other side of the flexible plate element and having a through bore which communicates with the through bore of said catheter tube, means to permit the through bores of said catheter tube and flexible curved elbow section to be held and aligned including having a curved elbow section flexibly mounted on a portion of said plate element of said catheter device, and a rigid trocar slidably and removably received within the curved elbow section and catheter tube to align the communicating through bores thereof.

2. The trocar catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible plate element defines a means for providing a straight bore and for gripping said plate element and said hub to facilitate the introduction of said trocar in one position and to mount said catheter on the body in a second position including grooves formed said plate on opposite sides of the curved elbow section to provide a pair of flexible selectively positionable wing elements.

3. The trocar catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said curved elbow section is attached to one of said flexible wing elements.

4. The trocar catheter as defined in claim 1 and further including an inside catheter device having a catheter tube section adapted to be inserted within the curved elbow section and catheter tube of said one-piece catheter device and a valve attachment including a male fitting complementarily shaped relative to the through bore of said elbow section for releasably locking engagement therewith, said valve attachment being provided with a valve element for opening and closing the communicating through bores of said catheter tube and curved elbow section when said valve attachment is releasably locked within said curved elbow section.

5. The trocar catheter as defined in claim 4 and further including an integral strap and plug element attached to said flexible plate for plugging off the communicating through bores of said catheter tube and curved elbow section.