Needle catheter

In a needle catheter wherein is provided a lumen-defining flexible tubular body having proximal and distal ends, a relatively short puncture needle frictionally retained within the distal end portion of said tubular body and means for proximally retracting said puncture needle through the lumen of said tubular body;

• the improvement in which said tubular body is formed with a lumen having a diameter greater than the outside diameter of said puncture needle and in which at least the distal end portion of said tubular body is transparent whereby to provide a sight zone surrounding the associated portion of said puncture needle, said puncture needle being hollow and being provided with a radial aperture located in registry with a portion of said sight zone for passage of fluid thereinto when said puncture needle is inserted into a fluid-containing vessel, said tubular body comprising an inner wall formed from a continuous helical spring with the helices thereof in contact with each other and an outer sheathing of smooth inert plastic material firmly bonded thereto, said outer sheathing extending distally beyond the distal end of said spring to define a hollow tip having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of said hollow tip being configured to restrain said spring against axial elongation in a distal direction, the distal end of said hollow tip being configured to define an annular lip of reduced diameter for frictional engagement with and sliding retention of said puncture needle;
• and in which means slidably retained within said tubular body in association within the proximal end of said puncture needle are provided for preventing fluid flow around the exterior of said needle proximally beyond the proximal end thereof.