Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Patent
1994-03-25
1996-10-08
Green, Randall L.
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
604192, 604198, 604264, 604280, A61M 500
Patent
active
055626335
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to catheter placement units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is established medical practice to introduce a flexible tubular catheter into a desired position in a patient's body by means of a catheter placement unit which includes an introducing needle extending externally or internally of the catheter and projecting beyond the end of the catheter. In use of such a catheter placement unit to place a catheter within a patient's vein for supply of infusion fluid, for example, the needle tip projecting beyond the end of the catheter serves to puncture the patient's skin and to locate the catheter within the vein. When the catheter is suitably positioned, as may be determined by the flow of blood in the hub of the needle, the needle may be withdrawn leaving the catheter in position in the vein. Typically the needle is completely withdrawn from the catheter and safely disposed of prior to the connection of a fluid line to the catheter so as to prevent damage to the patient by the needle during infusion. However the need to withdraw the needle from the catheter leads to a risk that doctors or nurses will accidentally prick themselves with the needle, and this can be highly dangerous due to the risk of transfer of blood-related diseases.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,152 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,073 disclose catheter placement units of a type in which the needle is withdrawn into a housing connected to the catheter and locked therein after placement of the catheter in the patient's body, in order to prevent damage to the patient from the needle. However such catheter placement units are complex and bulky in that they require a needle housing which remains attached to the catheter in use, and are not suitable for use in applications where the needle is to be withdrawn completely from the catheter and disposed of.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,344 discloses a catheter placement unit of a type in which the needle is withdrawn completely from the catheter and disposed of after placement of the catheter in the patient's body, and in which the action of withdrawal of the needle from the catheter causes a tethered cap portion to be drawn over the needle tip. However the drawing of the cap portion over the needle tip relies on frictional engagement of the cap portion by the catheter hub, and it is possible to withdraw the needle from the catheter without triggering the required capping action. Also, because of the form of the capping portion, it is possible for the needle tip to be re-exposed after capping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a catheter placement unit with means to reliably prevent needle stick injuries on withdrawal of the needle.
According to the present invention there is provided a catheter placement unit as defined by the accompanying claims.
Since movement of the guard element into the guard position in use of such a catheter placement unit occurs as a direct consequence of withdrawal of the needle from the catheter bore, it follows that the needle tip is reliably protected by the guard element as soon as it is withdrawn from the catheter bore, and there is no risk of the doctor or nurse or the patient being accidentally pricked by the needle after withdrawal. Furthermore the needle may be safely disposed of without any additional shielding measures being required.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Although the catheter placement unit may be supplied for fitting to a separately supplied assembly comprising a catheter and catheter hub, it is contemplated that the catheter placement unit supplied will generally include a catheter and catheter hub to which the needle, needle hub and protector are fitted ready for introduction of the catheter into the patient's body.
In order that the invention may be more fully understood, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which;
FIG. 1 is a side view of a catheter placement unit in accordance with the invention in a partially disassembled condition;
FIG. 2
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4950252 (1990-08-01), Luther et al.
patent: 4994041 (1991-02-01), Dombrowski et al.
patent: 5026351 (1991-06-01), Dizon
patent: 5051109 (1991-09-01), Simon
patent: 5176655 (1993-01-01), McCormick et al.
patent: 5183468 (1993-02-01), McLees
patent: 5279591 (1994-01-01), Simon
patent: 5300045 (1994-04-01), Plassche, Jr.
patent: 5348544 (1994-09-01), Sweeney et al.
Green Randall L.
Gring N. Kent
Sterimatic Holdings Limited
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