Introducers and tube assemblies

Details Introducers and tube assemblies Introducers and tube assemblies

1999-08-31

2001-09-11

Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

Respiratory gas supply means enters mouth or tracheotomy...

C128S200260

Reexamination Certificate

active

06286509

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to introducers and to tube assemblies including an introducer.
Where a tube is to be introduced through an opening formed in the skin or other tissue, this may be done by first inserting a guide wire through the opening. An assembly of the tube with an introducer, such as an obturator inserted within it, is then slid along the guide wire. The guide wire and obturator are subsequently removed, leaving the tube in position. Examples of obturators are described, for example, in GB2316321, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,246,897, 5,222,487 and GB2224213. The obturator typically has a nose with a pointed end protruding from the patient end of the tube. The nose is provided at the patient end of a strap, the machine end of which has a mount fitted with the machine end of the tube. The nose has a passage through which the guide wire extends, the passage opening through an aperture located centrally at the patient end and, at its opposite end, through an aperture displaced to one side of the strap, so that the passage is inclined away from the axis of the nose. The plane in which the patient end aperture lies extends at right angles to the axis of the nose and, therefore, at an angle to the guide wire passage. This arrangement means that, when the tube assembly is slid along the guide wire, the patient end surface of the obturator will meet the tissue surface at an angle. As a result of this, a potential tissue pinch point is created between the guide wire and one side of the obturator nose.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative introducer and tube assembly including an introducer.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an introducer for a medical tube, the introducer having a patient end nose a part of which is arranged to protrude from a patient end of the tube, and the nose having a passage therethrough for receiving a guide wire, the passage opening at the patient end of the nose through an aperture that lies on a plane extending at right angles to the passage and inclined away from the normal to the axis of the nose.
The aperture preferably lies on a plane inclined away from the normal to the axis of the nose at an angle of about 8°. The introducer may include a mount at its machine end adapted to engage the machine end of the tube, and a strap extending between the nose and the mount.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly including a medical tube and an introducer according to the above one aspect of the invention.
The medical tube is preferably a tracheostomy tube and the assembly may include a guide wire.
A tracheostomy tube assembly including an obturator and guide wire, according to the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4246897 (1981-01-01), Muto
patent: 4637388 (1987-01-01), Melendy
patent: 4655214 (1987-04-01), Linder
patent: 5222487 (1993-06-01), Carr et al.
patent: 5279610 (1994-01-01), Park et al.
patent: 5546937 (1996-08-01), Stuart et al.
patent: 5749357 (1998-05-01), Linder
patent: 5791338 (1998-08-01), Merchant et al.
patent: 5919183 (1999-07-01), Field
patent: 5928198 (1999-04-01), Lester
patent: 6053166 (2000-04-01), Gomez
patent: WO 94/11048 (1994-05-01), None
patent: WO 98/52637 (1998-11-01), None

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