Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-05
2001-08-07
Sykes, Angela D. (Department: 3734)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S115000, C604S165030, C604S177000, C604S243000, C604S523000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270480
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to medical catheters, and more particularly to catheters for providing access to blood vessels.
2. Description of Related Technology
A significant problem encountered during the administration of intravenous solutions to patients, particularly over extended periods of time, is leakage of the intravenous fluid from the vein into which it is introduced. This leakage usually results from internal laceration of the vein by an indwelling catheter or butterfly needle having a sharp tip. Subsequent leakage of solution and soft tissue damage can become a major problem, particularly if the drug being introduced into the vein is a local irritant or soft tissue vesicant.
Sharp-tipped steel scalp-vein or “butterfly” needles having flexible wings which can be taped in position on the skin of a patient are commonly used for continuous subcutaneous and intravenous medication delivery. The sharp tip of the needle can cause prolonged local irritation and pain, which may be compounded by irritation from the drug being delivered. Winged catheter assemblies may comprise a flexible cannula having a needle inserted in the cannula. The needle is used to insert the catheter into a vessel, but must be removed after the catheter is inserted. A winged infusion device comprising a catheter having a retractable sharp needle is disclosed in Dorr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,841, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The Dorr '841 patent device includes a spring for biasing a needle hub and a catheter hub towards each other and a wedge for separating the hubs. The present invention is an improvement over the Dorr '841 device in that it includes an elastomeric housing that biases a catheter hub and a needle hub towards each other. No spring or wedge are required for the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a catheter apparatus includes a hollow needle having a first end and a sharpened tip at a second end. A catheter having a blunt end is telescopically received in the needle. A catheter hub is attached to the catheter and spaced from the blunt end. The catheter hub is disposed adjacent the needle hub in an elastomeric housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of inserting a catheter in a patient's vein includes a step of providing a catheter apparatus including a hollow needle having a first end and a sharpened tip at a second end. A catheter having a blunt end is telescopically received in the needle and a catheter hub is attached to the catheter and spaced from the blunt end. The catheter hub is disposed adjacent the needle hub in an elastomeric housing, which biases the hubs, needle, and catheter in a rest position in which the catheter protrudes from the tip of the needle. Applying sufficient pressure to the housing displaces the catheter hub relative to the needle hub, causing the tip of the needle to protrude beyond the blunt end of the catheter and releasing the housing allows the assembly to return to the rest position. The method also includes the steps of squeezing the housing to displace the catheter hub relative to the needle hub, causing the tip of the needle to protrude beyond the blunt end of the catheter, inserting the needle and catheter in the patients's vein, and releasing the housing to allow the catheter assembly to return to the rest position.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.
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Dorr Robert T.
Spreier Russell L.
Bianco Patricia M.
Cancer Technologies, Inc.
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
Sykes Angela D.
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