# US 11,992,634 B2 · Arterial access needle with proximal port > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,634 B2 - Document ID: US11992634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/195,043 - Filed: 2021-03-08 - Published: 2021-09-16 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-10 - Assignees: Merit Medical Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Merit Medical Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Dean Haslam; Richard P. Jenkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992634B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/0612: {Devices for protecting the needle; Devices to help insertion of the needle, e.g. wings or holders} - A61M 25/0097: {characterised by the hub (tube connectors or tube couplings A61M39/10)} - A61M 25/065: {Guide needles} - A61M 25/0693: {Flashback chambers} - A61M 25/09: Guide wires - A61M 25/0637: {Butterfly or winged devices, e.g. for facilitating handling or for attachment to the skin} - A61M 25/09025: {with sliding mandrils} - A61M 25/09041: {Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires} - A61M 2025/0098: {having a strain relief at the proximal end, e.g. sleeve} - A61M 2039/0244: {having means for detecting an inserted needle} - A61M 2205/7536: allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Devices used to provide access the vasculature are disclosed. The devices may be configured to provide access to a blood vessel, such as an artery. The devices may include a catheter assembly disposed over a needle assembly. The devices may also include a barrel assembly coupled to the needle assembly. A guidewire may be displaceable by barrel assembly within a needle. The needle may include a proximal and distal port. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vascular access device, comprising: a needle assembly, comprising: a needle hub; a needle coupled to the needle hub, the needle comprising: a distal end; a needle lumen extending from the distal end of the needle; a distal port extending from an outside surface of the needle to the needle lumen; and a proximal port extending from the outside surface of the needle to the needle lumen; a catheter assembly disposed over a portion of the needle assembly, the catheter assembly comprising: a catheter hub; an elongate tube coupled to the catheter hub; and a barrel assembly coupled to the needle hub, the barrel assembly comprising: an elongate barrel comprising a first flashback channel and a second flashback channel; a slider member slidably coupled to the elongate barrel; and a guidewire coupled to the slider member, wherein the guidewire is configured to be slidably disposed within the needle lumen; and a flow restrictor operably coupled to the first flashback channel, wherein the second flashback channel is configured to fill with flashback blood prior to the first flashback channel filling with the flashback blood, the flow restrictor comprising a protrusion extending proximally from the needle hub into the first flashback channel, and wherein an outer diameter of the protrusion is less than an inner diameter of the first flashback channel, wherein the guidewire comprises a proximal portion and a linearly shaped distal portion, wherein a diameter of the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire is greater than a diameter of the proximal portion of the guidewire, and wherein the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire is configured to inhibit blood flow within the needle lumen around the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire between the distal port and the proximal port when the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire is disposed between the distal port and the proximal port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the needle hub further comprises laterally extending wing grips. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vascular access device of claim 1, further comprising a strain relief member comprising a circumferential radial inwardly directed rib configured to apply a radial inwardly directed force to the elongate tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the needle hub further comprises a return chamber in fluid communication with the lumen of the needle and at least one flashback channel of the first flashback channel or the second flashback channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the distal end of the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire is disposed proximal to the distal port of the needle and the proximal end of the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire is disposed distal to the proximal port of the needle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vascular access device of claim 1, further comprising a coil that is disposed around the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire, wherein a diameter of the coil is slightly smaller than a diameter of the needle lumen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vascular access device of claim 1, further comprising a coil that is disposed around the linearly shaped distal portion of the guidewire, wherein the coil has a length such that the coil extends from adjacent the distal port to adjacent the proximal port, thereby substantially occluding the needle lumen between the distal port and the proximal port. ### Claim 8 A method of placing a vascular access device into a blood vessel, comprising: obtaining the vascular access device comprising a needle assembly, a catheter assembly, and a barrel assembly coupled to a needle hub of the needle assembly; puncturing the blood vessel with a needle of the needle assembly of the vascular access device; inducing a blood flow through a distal portion of a lumen of the needle; directing the blood flow from the distal portion of the lumen of the needle through a needle distal port into an elongate annular space defined by an inner surface of a catheter body of the catheter assembly and an outer surface of the needle; directing the blood flow from the elongate annular space through a needle proximal port into the needle lumen, and filling a first flashback channel of an elongate barrel of the barrel assembly with flashback blood prior to filling a second flashback channel with the flashback blood responsive to a flow restrictor operably coupled to the second flashback channel, the flow restrictor comprising a protrusion extending proximally from the needle hub into the second flashback channel, and wherein an outer diameter of the protrusion is less than an inner diameter of the second flashback channel, wherein directing the blood flow comprises inhibiting the needle lumen with a guidewire between the needle distal port and the needle proximal port, wherein the guidewire comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion of the guidewire comprising an elongated shape and extending from proximate the needle distal port to proximate the needle proximal port, and wherein a diameter of the distal portion of the guidewire is greater than a diameter of the proximal portion of the guidewire. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising visually observing blood flowing through the elongate annular space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: visually observing blood flowing from the needle lumen into a return chamber; and visually observing blood flowing from the return chamber into at least one flashback channel of the first flashback channel and the second flashback channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising visually observing blood flowing into the first flashback channel prior to visually observing blood flowing into the second flashback channel. ### Claim 12 A vascular access device, comprising: a needle assembly, comprising: a needle hub; a needle coupled to the needle hub, the needle comprising a distal end, a needle lumen extending from the distal end of the needle, a distal port extending from an outside surface of the needle to the needle lumen, and a proximal port extending from the outside surface of the needle to the needle lumen; a catheter assembly disposed over a portion of the needle assembly, the catheter assembly comprising a catheter hub and an elongate tube coupled to the catheter hub; and a barrel assembly coupled to the needle hub, the barrel assembly comprising: an elongate barrel comprising a first flashback channel and a second flashback channel; a slider member slidably coupled to the elongate barrel; and a guidewire coupled to the slider member, wherein the guidewire is configured to be slidably disposed within the needle lumen; and a flow restrictor operably coupled to the first flashback channel, wherein the second flashback channel is configured to fill with flashback blood prior to the first flashback channel filling with the flashback blood, the flow restrictor comprising a protrusion extending proximally from the needle hub into the first flashback channel, and wherein an outer diameter of the protrusion is less than an inner diameter of the first flashback channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vascular access device of claim 12, wherein the guidewire comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the proximal portion of the guidewire. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vascular access device of claim 13, wherein: the distal portion of the guidewire comprises a proximal end and a distal end; and wherein the distal end of the distal portion of the guidewire is disposed proximal to the distal port of the needle and the proximal end of the distal portion of the guidewire is disposed distal to the proximal port of the needle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vascular access device of claim 12, wherein the guidewire comprises a distal portion configured to inhibit blood flow within the needle lumen around the distal portion of the guidewire between the distal port and the proximal port when the distal portion of the guidewire is disposed between the distal port and the proximal port. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The vascular access device of claim 12, wherein the needle hub further comprises laterally extending wing grips. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The vascular access device of claim 12, further comprising a strain relief member comprising a circumferential radial inwardly directed rib configured to apply a radial inwardly directed force to the elongate tube. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The vascular access device of claim 12, wherein the needle hub further comprises a return chamber in fluid communication with the lumen of the needle and at least one flashback channel of the first flashback channel or the second flashback channel.