Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-07-10
Dawson, Glenn K. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S179000, C604S180000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258066
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to intravenous catheter stabilizing devices which support and protect catheters inserted into a human or animal patient. More particularly, the present invention relates to a catheter stabilizing device having a reusable strap assembly and a disposable catheter assembly, which in combination secure and protect a catheter hub adjacent to a venipuncture site.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A venipuncture can be made in many areas of the human body, such as the forearm, upper arm, or leg. In veterinary medicine, venipuncture is usually performed on a forelimb of the animal patient. In a typical venipuncture procedure, a catheter is inserted into a vein by means of a hollow needle which is then withdrawn to avoid damage to the walls of the punctured vein. The catheter remains in the vein of the patient and is connected to a source of infusion liquid. It is then necessary to stabilize the catheter to prevent movement which may work the catheter loose and create a potential source of infection or irritation to the patient at the point of catheter insertion. This stabilization is generally done by taping the catheter hub and associated tube fittings to the patient's skin in an area adjacent to the point of catheter insertion.
Although it is important to obtain secure stabilization of the inserted catheter or needle, use of adhesive tape is not always desirable. For example, repeated application and removal of adhesive tape from the skin of a long-term patient may damage the skin of the patient and be quite painful. The use of such adhesive tapes is also quite time-consuming, requiring that strips of adhesive tape or similar materials be individually cut and trimmed to fasten the IV catheter directly to the skin of a patient or animal. Time consumption becomes a larger factor in situations where the adhesive tape must be frequently changed. Changes in swelling conditions of the limb in which the catheter is placed exacerbate these problems as they often require re-stabilization of the inserted catheter with new adhesive. Moreover, in some circumstances, the condition of the skin may prevent proper adhesion of the adhesive strips.
Additionally, catheterization of an animal patient presents additional problems. A canine, for example, who has been catheterized often attempts to chew at the catheterization site. Prior art techniques that use adhesives are generally insufficient to protect the inserted catheter. Accordingly, as to veterinary applications, there is an especial need to secure inserted IV catheters and to prevent the animal patient from chewing or otherwise disturbing the catheter.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel catheter stabilizing device which secures and protects a catheter hub or a syringe body adjacent to a venipuncture site. The need exists for such a catheter stabilizing device to be of simplified construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easily understood and used by medical and veterinary personnel. Additionally, a catheter stabilizing device is needed which may be readily attached to or detached from the patient without the use of adhesives. Moreover, a need exists for such a catheter stabilizing device which is easy to place upon the limb of the patient, and is adapted to hold not only the catheter hub assembly, but also the tubes feeding fluid to the venipuncture site. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a new intravenous catheter stabilizing device comprising a disposable catheter assembly and a reusable strap having a hole or aperture therein. The catheter assembly includes a hub portion and a catheter, as is conventional in the art. The aperture or hole in the strap is configured such that the hub portion of a catheter assembly may extend at least partially therethrough. The strap of the present invention has attachment means located thereon and proximal to the aperture for attaching the catheter assembly to the strap such that the hub portion of the catheter assembly extends at least partially through the aperture of the strap. The strap further includes fastening means for securing the strap around a limb of a patient. When the device of the present invention is assembled and used as intended on a limb of a patient, the hub of the catheter partially extends through the aperture in the strap thereby allowing attachment of an intravenous tube with a standard luer lock mechanism. In this configuration, the device protects the attached catheter hub and secures it against the limb of a patient and adjacent to the venipuncture site.
One aspect of the present invention features catheter attachment assemblies which hold a standard catheter assembly and present features for securement to the strap of the present invention. Embodiments according to this aspect of the present invention include adhesive strips and flexible plastic members which secure a standard catheter assembly and present attachment sites for corresponding attachment means located on the strap of the invention. Other catheter attachment assemblies of the present invention include features integral with the catheter hub for attachment to the strap. One such embodiment is an injection-molded part comprising two opposing, flexible tabs extending from a catheter hub. These opposing tabs each have snap elements located thereon corresponding to mating snap elements on the strap. Another embodiment according to this aspect of the invention comprises a catheter assembly with a groove in its hub portion that corresponds to a U-shaped clip located on the strap.
More specifically and in one preferred embodiment, the present invention is an intravenous catheter stabilizing device generally comprising a reusable strap and a disposable catheter attachment assembly. The catheter attachment assembly includes a catheter assembly having a hub portion and a needle. The catheter attachment assembly further includes at least one feature which allows for its attachment to the strap of the present invention. In one preferred embodiment, these features comprise opposing, flexible tabs having snap elements located thereon. The strap has an aperture and two mating snap elements located on opposite sides of the aperture. The mating snap elements of the strap correspond to the snap elements of the catheter attachment assembly. The aperture has a diameter sufficient to permit passage of the catheter hub therethrough. Lastly, the strap has securing means which releasably attaches the strap to itself to securely hold the strap over the venipuncture site and around the limb of a patient. The catheter stabilizing device of the present invention stabilizes the inserted catheter at the venipuncture site. Furthermore, the strap of the present invention also covers and protects the otherwise exposed catheter hub.
In actual use, the catheter attachment assembly is inserted into the vein of a patient by means of a hollow needle as is conventional in the field. The hollow needle is withdrawn leaving the catheter inserted into the vein and the catheter hub lying adjacent to the venipuncture site. The catheter attachment assembly is then coupled to the reusable strap at the attachment site such that the hub partially extends through the hole of the strap. Lastly, the strap is wrapped around the limb of the patient and secured to itself thereby stabilizing the catheter relative to the venipuncture site. A tube carrying desired intravenous fluids can then be attached to the catheter hub. Alternatively, the tube can be attached to the catheter hub before the strap is wrapped and secured around the patient's limb.
The catheter attachment assembly of the present invention encompasses many different embodiments. The catheter attachment assembly includes a standard catheter assembly having a catheter and a hub portion. The catheter may comprise TEFLON, polyethylene, polypropylene, or any other suitable plastic. The catheter is attached to the hub portion in a convention
Dawson Glenn K.
Maynard Jennifer
Meyer Intellectual Property Law
Meyer, Esq. Virginia H.
Spolyar, Esq. Mark J.
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