Catheter-gripping device which measures insertion force during a medical procedure

A catheter-gripping device, which measures a catheter-insertion force during a medical procedure, comprising:

• a) a handle having a lengthwise axis and including first and second handle members which are adapted to be held by a medical clinician and which are disposable in a closed-handle position to at least partially surround a medical catheter having a distal end insertable into a body lumen of a patient;
• b) a first slide subassembly slidably attached to the first handle member and constrained to be slidable with respect to the first handle member only along an axis substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis;
• c) a second slide subassembly slidably attached to the second handle member and constrained to be slidable with respect to the second handle member only along an axis substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis, wherein the first and second slide subassemblies together grip the catheter when the first and second handle members are disposed in the closed-handle position;
• d) a load cell having a force-measuring axis aligned substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis and operably attached to the first slide subassembly and to the first handle member;
• and
• f) a hinge assembly hingeably connecting together the first and second handle members and biasing the first and second handle members to an open handle position when the first and second handle members are not being held in the closed handle position by the clinician.

A catheter-gripping device, which measures a catheter-insertion force during a medical procedure, comprising:

• a) a handle having a lengthwise axis and including first and second handle members which are adapted to be held by a medical clinician and which are disposable in a closed-handle position to at least partially surround a medical catheter having a distal end insertable into a body lumen of a patient;
• b) a first slide subassembly slidably attached to the first handle member and constrained to be slidable with respect to the first handle member only along an axis substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis, wherein the first slide subassembly includes one of a first slider portion and a first carriage portion of a first roller slide;
• c) a second slide subassembly slidably attached to the second handle member and constrained to be slidable with respect to the second handle member only along an axis substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis, wherein the second slide subassembly includes one of a second slider portion and a second carriage portion of a second roller slide, and wherein the first and second slide subassemblies together grip the catheter when the first and second handle members are disposed in the closed-handle position;
• d) a load cell having a force-measuring axis aligned substantially parallel to the lengthwise axis and operably attached to the first slide subassembly and to the first handle member;
• and
• f) a hinge assembly hingeably connecting together the first and second handle members.