Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-15
2001-05-08
Seidel, Richard K. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S165010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228062
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheath lock device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a one piece sheath lock of the type used with a catheter insertion assembly which uses a splittable sheath to advance a catheter within a patient and in which the sheath lock secures the sheath and maintains the desired catheter insertion length.
BACKGROUND
There are countless devices for introducing a catheter within a patient for infusion or extraction of fluids. One class of such devices includes a catheter assembly having a catheter, which can be of an extended length, an insertion needle and a winged catheter inserter. As with conventional catheter placement kits, the insertion needle is positioned within the interior of the catheter, with the tip of the needle extending out of the tip of the catheter. In such a device, the proximal end of the catheter usually terminates at a hub. A wire is attached to the needle and threaded through the interior of the catheter. The wire terminates at a knob which is removably attached to the hub.
Near the distal end of the catheter and needle is an inserter. The inserter is commonly an inserter having a wing structure similar to that widely used in the catheter art. Disposed through the center of the inserter is a guide channel. The catheter and needle are placed within the interior of the guide channel and pass through the interior of the inserter.
A sheath is placed around the exterior of the catheter over the length of the catheter running from near the inserter to the hub. The sheath is splittable. For instance, the sheath is weakened or has a partial slit along its longitudinal axis. During operation, as the sheath is pulled forward, the catheter within the sheath is also moved forward. This allows the catheter to be inserted into a patient by simply pulling the sheath forward. At the same time, the sheath is opened along its slit and removed from the cannula by sheath stripping means located distal of the inserter structure. Thus, the sheath is split and removed from about the cannula prior to the time the cannula travels through the inserter and into the patient.
A problem faced with catheter assemblies using a splittable sheath is how to securely lock the sheath once the catheter has been properly positioned within the patient. One known device for locking a splittable sheath is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,613 to Balbierz. This patent discloses a two-piece locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a first locking member carried by the inserter and a slidable second locking member located about the sheath between the inserter and the hub. The first and second lock members are interlockable with one another. The locking mechanism is used to secure the sheath and catheter in place once they are advanced to the desired location.
The first and second lock members are manufactured with sufficiently close tolerances such that when locked together, they sandwich or compress the sheath within their joined structure to restrict movement of the sheath.
It would be an advancement in the art to provide a simple, yet effective sheath lock which allows the sheath to be easily pulled to properly position the catheter and also allows the sheath to be securely locked into any such desired position.
Such a sheath lock is disclosed and claimed herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a sheath lock for use with a splittable sheath. The sheath lock apparatus includes a tapered slot extending from a wide untapered end to a narrow tapered end. A lock box is located adjacent the narrow tapered end of the tapered slot. The lock box preferably has a plurality of tines which grip and retain the sheath when it is positioned within the lock box.
In use, the sheath passes through the tapered slot. The sheath can freely move when located at the wide untapered end, but the sheath is securely locked when it moved through the tapered slot from the untapered end into the lock box.
In a preferred embodiment, the tapered slot is formed from two tapered wall sections which, at the narrow tapered end, form two tines projecting into the lock box. The lock box can include additional tines projecting into the lock box to provide enhanced gripping power for the sheath. The tines can be arranged in various configurations to form the lock box. For instance, the tines can be arranged in an elliptical or circular configuration around the lock box. Alternatively, the plurality of tines can be arranged in a rectangular or square configuration around the lock box.
In a currently preferred embodiment, the sheath lock is used with a catheter introducer assembly having a catheter configured to be inserted into a blood vessel and a catheter introducer configured to introduce the catheter into the blood vessel. A splittable sheath surrounds the catheter from its proximal end to the catheter introducer. The proximal end of the catheter and sheath are attached, such that movement of the sheath causes movement of the catheter. A sheath splitter, disposed adjacent the catheter introducer, is configured to split the sheath and to separate the sheath from the catheter, such that the distal ends of the sheath and catheter are separate. With the distal ends of the sheath and catheter separated, and with the proximal ends of the sheath and catheter attached, the distal end of the catheter can be advanced into the patient's blood vessel by pulling the distal end of the sheath. After the catheter is advanced to a desired location within the patient's blood vessel, the sheath is locked by moving it through the tapered slot from the untapered end into the lock box.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2503327 (1950-04-01), Fields
patent: 3167072 (1965-01-01), Stone et al.
patent: 3786810 (1974-01-01), Pannier, Jr. et al.
patent: 4307869 (1981-12-01), Mittleman
patent: 4349022 (1982-09-01), Ishikawa
patent: 4801294 (1989-01-01), Okada
patent: 4840613 (1989-06-01), Balbierz
patent: 5829430 (1998-11-01), Islava
patent: 5843051 (1998-12-01), Adams et al.
patent: 0 821 980 (1998-02-01), None
Brown Carolyn Elizabeth
Cindrich Christopher Noel
Harding Weston Finch
Howell Glade H.
Johnson Steven Wayne
Becton Dickinson and Company
Lee, Esq. Eric M.
Seidel Richard K.
Thissell Jeremy
LandOfFree
One piece lock for splittable sheath does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with One piece lock for splittable sheath, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and One piece lock for splittable sheath will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2436818