Flexible sheath assembly for an indwelling catheter

Abstract

A flexible sheath assembly for an indwelling catheter is provided which maintains the sterility of an otherwise exposed portion of an indwelling catheter so that the depth of insertion of the catheter within a body may be adjusted without causing contamination. The assembly includes a transparent flexible sheathing which is sealingly secured at its ends to front and rear hubs each having a passageway therethrough which is sized to permit passage of a catheter. The flexible sheathing is longitudinally expandable from a collapsed position wherein the sheathing is twisted about an axis substantially parallel to the length of the sheath. The flexible sheathing in the collapsed position defines a central passageway which is aligned with the front and rear hub passageways for permitting the catheter to be guided through the interior of the flexible sheathing as it is passed between the front and rear hubs. The central passageway is heat set in the flexible sheathing by placing the flexible sheath on a mandrel in its contracted position and heating the flexible sheath in an oven.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.