Intravenous infusion needle with soft body
OwnerRonald B. Lutherinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a catheter having a flexible tube and a sharpened needle secured to the catheter at its distal end. The catheter does not require a separate sharpened instrument to enable insertion into an anatomical passageway. The sharpened needle of the catheter remains disposed within an anatomical passageway during treatment. Also disclosed is a catheter assembly comprising the catheter and a safety inserter. The safety inserter has a blunt end and facilitates the insertion of the catheter by providing a mechanism to urge the sharpened needle of the catheter into an anatomical passageway. Also disclosed is an improved needle tip which minimizes trauma to an anatomical passageway. Also disclosed are methods of using and forming the catheter, catheter assembly and needle tip.
Claims23
An improved catheter assembly (i) which does not require that a separate sharpened needle be inserted with the catheter and then removed immediately after the catheter is in place in an anatomical passageway such as a blood vessel, (ii) which resists clotting, and (iii) which minimizes the trauma to such anatomical passageway so that the catheter may remain in place for an extended period of time, said catheter assembly comprising:
- an elongated flexible tube,
- a needle tip defining a lumen secured to the distal end of said flexible tube, said needle tip enabling insertion of said tube into said anatomical passageway, said tube having sufficient flexibility so that said needle tip is allowed to be flow directed toward the center of said anatomical passageway when said tube is located therewithin, and
- a safety inserter removably placed within said flexible tube and said needle tip during insertion of said flexible tube into said anatomical passageway, said inserter having sufficient rigidity so that said flexible tube can be initially positioned within said anatomical passageway without collapsing during the insertion procedure.
A catheter for insertion into an anatomical passageway, said catheter comprising:
- an elongated flexible tube having a distal end;
- and
- a needle tip defining a lumen secured to the distal end of said flexible tube to enable insertion of said catheter into said passageway.
A catheter assembly for inserting a catheter into an anatomical passageway, said catheter assembly comprising:
- an elongated flexible tube having a distal end;
- a needle tip defining a lumen secured to the distal end of said flexible tube, said needle tip having a sharp distal end to enable insertion of said flexible tube into said passageway and a proximal end extending into the distal end of said flexible tube;
- and
- an inserter removably placed within said flexible tube and said needle tip, said inserter having a base portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion sized to fit within the lumen in said needle tip.
A method of treating a patient with a catheter, comprising:
- providing a catheter comprising an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a needle tip, said needle tip defining a lumen secured within the distal end of said flexible tube;
- placing an inserter having a base portion and a distal end portion within said catheter whereby said distal end portion extends within the lumen defined by said needle tip and said base portion abuts a proximal end of said needle tip;
- urging said catheter into an anatomical passageway of the patient;
- removing said inserter;
- retaining the distal end of said flexible tube and said needle tip within said anatomical passageway;
- and
- permitting a fluid to flow through said catheter.
A method of forming an intravenous catheter having a needle tip adapted to minimize trauma to the inside of a patient's anatomical passageway when disposed therein, said method comprising:
- providing a cannula defining a lumen about a central axis, said cannula comprising a piercing point formed at a distal end;
- bending the distal end of said cannula until said piercing point is substantially aligned with the central axis of said cannula;
- and
- securing said needle tip to a flexible catheter.
A catheter assembly for inserting a catheter into an anatomical passageway, said catheter assembly comprising:
- an elongated flexible tube having a distal end;
- a needle tip defining a lumen secured to the distal end of said flexible tube, said needle tip having a sharp distal end to enable insertion of said flexible tube into said passageway and a proximal end extending into the distal end of said flexible tube;
- and
- an inserter having a closed distal end removably engaged within said flexible tube and said needle tip, said inserter having a base portion and a distal end portion, said distal end portion sized to fit within the lumen defined by said needle tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.