Catheter with slit valve

An indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising:

• a catheter tube made of biocompatible material, the catheter tube comprising a distal end portion having a single smooth exterior surface and ending in a closed distal tip, a proximal end portion, and wall means defining a plurality of independently usable lumens extending substantially the entire length of the catheter tube;
• a normally sealed, selectively operable, laterally disposed, three-position slit valve communicating between the distal end of one of the lumens and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the slit valve affording selective influent and effluent flow control into and out of the lumen associated therewith;
• the slit valve comprising a slit extending through the wall, the slit being essentially parallel to and offset from the axis of the catheter tube and being defined by opposed, aligned, normally sealed, parallel first and second edges of respectively oppositely disposed first and second slit valve wall segments of the wall between the associated lumen and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the first slit valve wall segment being pivotably displaceable inwardly and outwardly responsive to predetermined liquid pressure differentials between the pressure in the associated lumen and the pressure exterior to the catheter tube, thereby to pivot the first edge into a spaced-apart spatial relationship from the second edge, whereby the first edge is capable of selectively opening either outwardly from the normally sealed position to infuse fluid from the one of the lumens into the space exterior to the distal end portion, or inwardly from the normally sealed position to withdraw fluid from the space exterior to the distal end portion into the one of the lumens, said slit valve further comprising a first hinge means located at a side of the first slit valve wall segment remote from the slit for concentrating inward and outward pivoted displacement of the first slit valve wall segment.

An indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising:

• a catheter tube made of biocompatible material, the catheter tube comprising a distal end portion having a single smooth exterior surface and ending in a closed distal tip, a proximal end portion, and wall means defining a plurality of independently usable lumens extending substantially the entire length of the catheter tube;
• a normally sealed, selectively operable, laterally disposed, three-position slit valve communicating between the distal end of one of the lumens and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the slit valve affording selective influent and effluent flow control into and out of the lumen associated therewith;
• the slit valve comprising a slit extending through the wall, the slit being essentially parallel to and offset from the axis of the catheter tube and being defined by opposed, aligned, normally sealed, parallel first and second edges of respective oppositely disposed first and second slit valve wall segments of the wall between the associated lumen and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the first slit valve wall segment being pivotably displaceable inwardly and outwardly responsive to predetermined liquid pressure differentials between the pressure in the associated lumen and the pressure exterior to the catheter tube, thereby to pivot the first edge into a spaced-apart spatial relationship from the second edge, whereby the first edge is capable of selectively opening either outwardly from the normally sealed position to infuse fluid from the one of the lumens into the space exterior to the distal end portion, or inwardly from the normally sealed position to withdraw fluid from the space exterior to the distal end portion into the one of the lumens, the first slit valve wall segment comprising a chemically softened region in the material from which the first slit valve wall segment is comprised.

An indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising:

• a catheter tube made of biocompatible material, the catheter tube comprising a distal end portion having a single smooth exterior surface and ending in a closed distal tip, a proximal end portion, and wall means defining a plurality of independently usable lumens extending substantially the entire length of the catheter tube;
• a normally sealed, selectively operable, laterally disposed, three-position slit valve communicating between the distal end of one of the lumens and the exterior surface of the distal end position, the slit valve affording selective influent and effluent flow control into and out of the lumen associated therewith;
• the slit valve comprising a slit extending through the wall, the slit being essentially parallel to and offset from the axis of the catheter tube and being defined by opposed, aligned, normally sealed, parallel first and second edges of respective oppositely disposed first and second slit valve wall segments of the wall between the associated lumen and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the first slit valve wall segment being pivotably displaceable inwardly and outwardly responsive to predetermined liquid pressure differentials between the pressure in the associated lumen and the pressure exterior to the catheter tube, thereby to pivot the first edge into a spaced-apart spatial relationship from the second edge, whereby the first edge is capable of selectively opening either outwardly from the normally sealed position to infuse fluid from the one of the lumens into the space exterior to the distal end portion, or inwardly from the normally sealed position to withdraw fluid from the space exterior to the distal end portion into the one of the lumens, the first slit valve wall segment comprising a region of enhanced flexibility in the material from which the first slit valve wall segment is comprised.

An indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising:

• a catheter tube made of biocompatible material, the catheter tube comprising a distal end portion having a single smooth exterior surface and ending in a closed distal tip, a proximal end portion, and wall means defining a plurality of independently usable lumens extending substantially the entire length of the catheter tube;
• a normally sealed, selectively operable, laterally disposed, three-position slit valve communicating between the distal end of one of the lumens and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the slit valve affording selective influent and effluent flow control into and out of the lumen associated therewith;
• the slit valve comprising a slit extending through the wall, the slit being essentially parallel to and offset from the axis of the catheter tube and being defined by opposed, aligned, normally sealed, parallel first and second edges of respective oppositely disposed first and second slit valve wall segments of the wall between the associated lumen and the exterior surface of the distal end portion, the first slit valve wall segment being pivotably displaceable inwardly and outwardly responsive to predetermined liquid pressure differentials between the pressure in the associated lumen and the pressure exterior to the catheter tube, thereby to pivot the first edge into a spaced-apart spatial relationship from the second edge, whereby the first edge is capable of selectively opening either outwardly from the normally sealed position to infuse fluid from the one of the lumens into the space exterior to the distal end portion, or inwardly from the normally sealed position to withdraw fluid from the space exterior to the distal end portion into the one of the lumens, the first slit valve wall segment comprises a relatively thin localized site in the material from which the first slit valve wall segment is comprised.

A multi-lumen, valved catheter comprising:

• a flexible tube having formed longitudinally therewithin a plurality of fluid flow lumens, a first of the lumens being capable of communication at the distal end thereof with the exterior of the tube through a slit valve biased into a closed position precluding the communication and selectively operable therefrom into either an inwardly or an outwardly open position, the slit valve comprising:
• (a) a slit in the outer wall of the tube extending from the exterior thereof to the first of the lumens, the opposite first and second sides of the slit being sealingly engaged with each other in the closed position of the slit valve;
• (b) a first slit valve wall comprising a portion of the outer wall of the tube adjacent the first side of the slit, the first slit valve wall being flexible selectively inwardly into the first of the lumens in the inwardly open position of the slit valve or outwardly toward the exterior of the tube in the outwardly open position of the slit valve;
• and
• (c) a first hinge means located at a side of the first valve wall remote from the slit for concentrating flexing of the first hinge wall into either the inwardly or the outwardly open positions of the slit valve.

A multi-lumen, valved catheter comprising:

• a flexible tube having formed longitudinally therewithin a plurality of fluid flow lumens, each of the lumens being independently capable of communication at the distal end thereof with the exterior of the tube through a slit valve biased into a closed position precluding the communication and selectively openable therefrom into either an inwardly or an outwardly open position, each of the slit valves comprising:
• (a) a slit in the outer wall of the tube extending from the exterior thereof to the lumen, the opposite first and second sides of the slit being sealingly engaged with each other in the closed position of the slit valve;
• (b) a first slit valve wall comprising a portion of the outer wall of the tube adjacent the first side of the slit, the first slit valve wall being flexible selectively inwardly into the first of the lumens in the inwardly open position of the slit valve or outwardly toward the exterior of the tube in the outwardly open position of the slit valve;
• and
• (c) a first hinge means located at a side of the first valve wall remote from the slit for concentrating flexing of the first hinge wall into either the inwardly or the outwardly open positions of the slit valve.

A single-lumen valved catheter comprising:

• a flexible tube having formed longitudinally therewithin a fluid flow lumen capable of communication at the distal end thereof with the exterior of the tube through a slit valve biased into a closed position precluding the communication and selectively openable therefrom into either an inwardly or an outwardly open position, the slit valve comprising:
• (a) a slit in the outer wall of the tube extending from the exterior thereof to the lumen, the opposite first and second sides of the slit being sealingly engaged with each other in the closed position of the slit valve;
• (b) a first slit valve wall comprising a portion of the outer wall of the tube adjacent the first side of the slit, the first slit valve wall being flexible selectively inward into the lumen in the inwardly open position of the slit valve or outwardly toward the exterior of the tube in the outwardly open position of the slit valve;
• and
• (c) a first hinge means located at a side of the first valve wall remote from the slit for concentrating flexing of the first hinge wall into either the inwardly or the outwardly open positions of the slit valve.