Valved catheter assemblies and related methods
AssigneeB. Braun Melsungen AG
InventorOlivier Bonnal
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Abstract
The valved catheter assemblies described herein provide several advantages, including low cracking pressure for fluid infusion, greater cracking pressure for fluid aspiration, and reduction or elimination of dead space. In some embodiments, a valve of the catheter assembly has a conical shape, which provides different cracking pressures for infusion and aspiration. Also in some embodiments, a valve of the catheter assembly may include peripheral slits that enable fluid to flow around the perimeter of the valve during infusion, which helps to flush out fluid from around the valve.
Claims31
A catheter assembly, comprising:
- a catheter hub defining an interior cavity;
- a catheter extending distally from the catheter hub, the catheter including a catheter lumen;
- a valve disposed within the interior cavity of the catheter hub, the valve including a conically shaped diaphragm with at least one slit defining at least two flaps;
- a needle hub engaging a proximal end of the catheter hub;
- and
- a needle extending distally from the needle hub, through the catheter hub, through the valve, and through the catheter lumen, the needle having a sharp distal tip.
A catheter assembly, comprising:
- a catheter hub defining an interior cavity;
- a catheter extending distally from the catheter hub, the catheter including a catheter lumen;
- and
- a valve disposed within the interior cavity of the catheter hub, the valve including a diaphragm with at least one slit defining at least two flaps;
- wherein the valve has a first cracking pressure in the proximal-to-distal flow direction and a second cracking pressure in the distal-to-proximal flow direction, and the first and second cracking pressures are different.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.